"MI5 are not fit to keep us safe", says father of youngest victim of Manchester Arena attack

The father of the youngest victim of the Manchester Arena bombing said M15 are 'not fit to keep us safe' as its boss said he was 'profoundly sorry' the tragic attack was not stopped.

The families of Manchester Arena bombing victims slammed the institutions and organisations cited in the inquiry into the atrocity which led to the deaths of 22 people on May 22, 2017. There was 'a significant missed opportunity to take action' on the part of MI5, the chairman found in the third and final public inquiry report.

Andrew Roussos, whose daughter Saffie-Rose, eight, was killed in the blast, said hearing about how the 'tragedy might have been avoided' was 'devastating' for families involved.

READ MORE 'Shame on you all': Devastated families of the Arena bombing victims speak out

He said: “Our beautiful little girl lost her life because of the failings of the security services. We all heard the evidence and knew there were failings, but hearing how this tragedy might have been avoided is devastating for us all.

“This was a cataclysmic failure, and it is clear from all of the evidence we have heard about Abedi that there were many opportunities for the security services to have ensured the bombing never happened.

“In my view the fact that MI5 failed to stop him despite all of the red flags available demonstrates they are not fit to keep us safe and therefore not fit for purpose.”

The security service’s director general, Ken McCallum, issued an apology after the public inquiry into the May 2017 atrocity found it might have been prevented if MI5 had acted more swiftly on a piece of intelligence received in the months before.

One of two key pieces of intelligence about suicide bomber Salman Abedi - both of which weren't passed on to