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| Manchester attack: UK threat level raised to highest | Manchester attack: UK threat level raised to highest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK terror threat level has been raised to its highest level of "critical", meaning further attacks may be imminent, Theresa May has said. | The UK terror threat level has been raised to its highest level of "critical", meaning further attacks may be imminent, Theresa May has said. |
| The move came after investigators were unable to rule out whether Manchester bombing suspect Salman Abedi acted alone, the prime minister said. | The move came after investigators were unable to rule out whether Manchester bombing suspect Salman Abedi acted alone, the prime minister said. |
| Military personnel will now be deployed to protect key sites. | Military personnel will now be deployed to protect key sites. |
| Twenty-two people were killed and 59 injured when a suicide bomber attacked Manchester Arena on Monday evening. | |
| Live: Latest updates | Live: Latest updates |
| The prime minister also confirmed the government had triggered "Operation Temperer", a long-standing emergency plan to put soldiers into key public locations to support armed police in protecting the public. | The prime minister also confirmed the government had triggered "Operation Temperer", a long-standing emergency plan to put soldiers into key public locations to support armed police in protecting the public. |
| Third time | |
| Military personnel may also be seen at other events over the coming weeks, such as concerts, Mrs May said, and would work under the command of police officers. | Military personnel may also be seen at other events over the coming weeks, such as concerts, Mrs May said, and would work under the command of police officers. |
| The prime minister said she did not want the public to feel "unduly alarmed" but said it was a "proportionate and sensible response". | |
| She said the government would take "every measure available to us" to help the police protect the public. | |
| "The spirit of Manchester and the spirit of Britain is far mightier than the sick plots of depraved terrorists. | |
| "That is why the terrorists will never win and we will prevail," she said. | |
| The highest level, which is decided by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre - a group of experts from the police, government departments and agencies - has only been reached twice before. | |
| The first occasion was in 2006 during a major operation to stop a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners with liquid bombs. | The first occasion was in 2006 during a major operation to stop a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners with liquid bombs. |
| The following year, security chiefs raised it once more as they hunted for the men who had tried to bomb a London nightclub, before going on to attack Glasgow Airport. | The following year, security chiefs raised it once more as they hunted for the men who had tried to bomb a London nightclub, before going on to attack Glasgow Airport. |
| Former Salford University student Salman Abedi - understood to be a 22-year-old born in Manchester to parents of Libyan descent - is thought to have blown himself up in the arena's foyer shortly after 22:30 BST on Monday, as fans were beginning to leave a concert by US singer Ariana Grande. | |
| Three of his victims have been named - Saffie Rose Roussos, eight, Georgina Callander - thought to be 18 - and John Atkinson, 28. | |
| Greater Manchester Police has said the priority was to establish whether Abedi had worked alone or not. | |
| Analysis | |
| By Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent | |
| This is a major and very rare move by the UK's security chiefs. | |
| For the past few years, ministers, police chiefs and others have been at pains to try to warn the public that the threat faced by the UK was severe. | |
| But they have steered clear of warning, even when a major plot was being tracked, that an attack could be close. This time, they feel they have no choice other than to say it may be imminent. | |
| In short, nobody at this stage can say for sure whether Abedi acted alone or with the help of others. They can't rule out if there are other people out there. | |
| What does it mean for us, the public? | |
| Some of us will see the Army in key locations that need guarding so that armed police can be freed to focus on policing rather than guarding. | |
| We should expect additional time-consuming security checks at ports and so on. | |
| The aim for security chiefs is to ratchet up the security while keeping the country moving. |