Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi was issued a spork just days after launching a boiling oil attack on three prison guards, triggering a warning from one expert about the potential for him to launch future attacks. The 28-year-old, currently serving a 55-year minimum sentence for helping his brother Salman carry out the 2017 suicide bombing which killed 22 people, is understood to have been moved to HMP Belmarsh and is being kept in a segregation cell.

Prison staff are understood to have raised concerns after Abedi was issued a plastic spork — a hybrid spoon and fork — due to fears it could be sharpened and used as a weapon. One prison expert said: "Sporks can be sharpened. Right now he should have nothing in his possession capable of being used as a weapon.”

The transfer follows a vicious assault last Saturday at HMP Frankland in County Durham, in which Abedi allegedly doused three guards with hot cooking oil and attacked them with makeshift weapons believed to be fashioned from baking trays. The incident took place in a separation unit which is reserved for dangerous extremists.

According to sources quoted by The Times, other inmates at the Frankland separation centre appeared to be aware of the plan. They deliberately congregated in the gym as a diversion, leaving only three guards to supervise Abedi.

The attack has prompted the Ministry of Justice to suspend kitchen access in separation and close supervision units across England and Wales. An independent review into the incident will begin by the end of the week.

Justice Minister Lord Timpson told Times Radio: "It's absolutely shocking what happened. My heart goes out to the prison officers who were terribly impacted by this attack.

"We're going to set up an independent review to look into what happened and what we need to do."

The news has sparked outrage from Martin Hibbert, who suffered a spinal cord injury in the bombing and whose daughter Eve was also severely injured.

In a scathing letter to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and the Ministry of Justice, Mr Hibbert said: "Let's call this what it is: a catastrophic failure of your duty to protect prison staff and the public from an unrepentant terrorist.

"Not only was Abedi allowed the freedom to move around and use facilities that should never be available to someone like him — he was able to track and target three prison guards using boiling oil and homemade weapons."

Mr Hibbert added: "What I see now is not justice. It's a shameful lack of accountability and basic prison security. I'm not just angry. I'm broken by this. And I am furious that the pain of survivors like me is being so blatantly disrespected by your inaction."

Families of several victims have echoed his criticism.

According to the BBC, relatives of five of those killed in the bombing wrote to Ms Mahmood expressing their "absolute disbelief" and calling for Abedi to be placed in permanent solitary confinement.

They said: "He should not have access to anything that he can weaponise, such as hot oil or items he can turn into blades."

Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, described the decision to suspend kitchen access as "eminently sensible," but said overly restrictive conditions can make prisoners more dangerous.

He told Radio 4’s Today programme: "These are prisoners who are often serving very, very long sentences, who've really got nothing to lose."

Hashem Abedi will remain under strict monitoring at Belmarsh under the "multi-unlock protocol" — requiring five guards to be present each time his cell door is opened, along with an officer recording the event.

Nevertheless, prison sources said he will soon be permitted to use regular plastic cutlery, which has also been known to be weaponised in the past.

Express.co.uk has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment.