Hashem Abedi was issued with an arrest warrant by British police.
London CNN  — 

The brother of the suicide bomber who killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester was extradited Wednesday from Libya to the United Kingdom, according to a Libyan official.

Hashem Abedi was handed over to British authorities, Libyan Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told CNN.

Abedi was arrested for “murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life” after being handed over to British authorities, Greater Manchester police said in a statement. He is scheduled to appear before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court at 5 a.m. ET Thursday, according to the statement.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins confirmed Hashem had been handed over to British police officers on Wednesday morning.

Authorities have accused Abedi of helping to plan the attack which saw his brother, Salman Abedi, detonate a suicide bomb at the end of Grande’s concert on May 22, 2017, as thousands of people were leaving the packed arena.

Many of the victims were teenage fan, the youngest among them was 8-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May called the extradition “a clearly important moment in the investigation.”

“I hope it is a welcome step for the loved ones of all of the victims. Those people who have commanded themselves with such dignity through what has been a deeply distressing and difficult time for them - and conducted themselves with that dignity as they search for justice,” she said in a written statement. “…What we all now need to see all involved in this case are able to see that case progress and that case is brought to courts “

Many of the victims of the suicide attack were teenage fans of Ariana Grande.

Abedi Hashem was arrested in Libya shortly after the concert bombing, Reuters reported, as Libya’s counter-terrorism and anti-crime force Rada suspected he may have helped plan the attack.

The two brothers grew up in Manchester with parents who had fled Libya under the late Moammar Gadhafi. Their father, Ramadan, returned to Libya in 2011 after rebels overthrew the government. His wife joined him in early 2017.

The brothers traveled to Libya together in April 2017. However, after three weeks, Salman returned to the UK and within days, launched his attack on the Manchester Arena.

CNN’s Barbara Wojazer contributed reporting.