Image copyright Libyan Interior Ministry

The brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi will not be returned to the UK by the militia holding him in Libya, a spokesman for the group says.

Hashem Abedi was arrested in the country shortly after the suicide attack that killed 22 people.

Greater Manchester Police have issued an arrest warrant in relation to murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion.

The militia group said Libya’s courts would be able to deal with his case.

Mr Abedi is being held by the Deterrence Force (Rada), a counter-terrorism group allied to the UN-backed government in Tripoli.

Its spokesman, Ahmad Ben Salim, told the Reuters news agency: “We will not extradite Hashem Abedi to UK authorities.”

He said it was for Libya’s courts to decide what will happen.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s official spokesman said: “We are determined to do everything in our power to ensure that those suspected of being responsible for the Manchester attack are brought back to face justice in the UK.

“The home secretary continues to receive regular updates and we will work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, police and Libyan authorities to try to secure the return of Abedi to the UK.”

Both brothers travelled to Libya in April, before Salman returned alone and carried out the attack.

His brother, then aged 20, was arrested in Tripoli by members of the Rada Special Deterrence Force a day after the attack.

On Wednesday police revealed 512 people are now known to have been injured in the blast at an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May.

Those who were injured suffered both physical and psychological injuries, a GMP spokeswoman said.

A total of 112 people needed hospital treatment after the attack, with 64 suffering “very serious” injuries.

Physical injuries include paralysis, loss of limbs, internal injuries and very serious facial injuries. Many have had complicated plastic surgery.

Two people remain in hospital more than five months later.