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Manchester bombing: three arrested in south Manchester – live updates | Manchester bombing: three arrested in south Manchester – live updates |
(35 minutes later) | |
1.49pm BST | |
13:49 | |
It is not just Amber Rudd who is criticising the US intelligence services for leaking Salman Abedi’s name. | |
A Democratic member of that Senate foreign relations committee says it’s troubling that allies such as Britain are being forced to question sharing intelligence with US.Asked about the apparently casual way US intelligence sources had shared intelligence about the Manchester attack, Sen Chris Coons, a Democratic member of the senate foreign relations committee told MSNBC: | |
“Our alliance with the people of Great Britain is one of our closest strongest oldest and our prayers are with them. The families who lost loved ones in Manchester ... We’ve got a very close intelligence and defence partnership with the UK and that news is troubling and it suggests that we have even more close allies who are questioning whether we can be trusted with vital intelligence. | |
“This is a key part of what keeps us safe, a global network of allies with whom we share intelligence and strategic and planning and defence resources ... I am hearing real questions raised about whether this administration, in particular President Trump understands what it means to treat highly classified intelligence carefully and responsibly.” | |
1.43pm BST | |
13:43 | |
Matthew Taylor | |
Residents at a block of flats in Manchester city centre have been evacuated by heavily armed police and men wearing camouflage gear. | |
One woman said the fire alarm went off at the Granby Row flats near Piccadilly Station at 12.30 before “police and soldiers” streamed into the building. Speaking on Sky News she said a flat on the third floor had been raided. | |
Statement - Search at an address in Manchester City Centre as part of the investigation pic.twitter.com/w8swLjUG4i | |
1.36pm BST | |
13:36 | |
Chelsea football club have cancelled this weekend’s planned victory parade, designed to celebrate their Premier League title success, after taking security advice in the wake of Monday’s terror attack in Manchester. | |
1.33pm BST | |
13:33 | |
Sandra Laville | |
Schoolfriends of the 8-year-old girl killed in the attack wept as they sang Don’t Stop Believing during a special assembly for Saffie Roussos | |
Chris Upton, the headteacher of Saffie’s school, said the pupils – who are aged 4-11 – and the school were being supported by specialists from the county council. Saffie is the youngest victim in the terrorist bombing to be named. She was at the concert with her mother and sister, who are being treated in hospital. | |
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One Upton said Saffie came from a close, loving family. “We cannot imagine what they are going through. It is hard for adults let alone young children to grasp the unfairness and utter randomness of this terrible act,” he said. | |
“Our job now is to support the children and families to deal with the aftereffects of this traumatic experience.” | |
He said the children had gathered in the hall at Tarleton community primary school this morning and held a minute’s silence to remember Saffie. | |
“We came together as a school community. We held a minute’s silence in Saffie’s memory, and we sang Don’t Stop Believing. As you can imagine there were tears from the children and staff but we know together we have to hold on to the love amongst us: we owe that to Saffie and her family.” | |
Updated | |
at 1.48pm BST | |
1.27pm BST | |
13:27 | |
More on the police raid on a block of flats close to Manchester Piccadilly station. | |
Residents described how armed police and men clad in balaclavas stormed the Granby House building on Granby Row, in central Manchester. | |
The railway was briefly closed during the raid, police said. | |
A Greater Manchester police spokeswoman said: “Officers have this afternoon carried out a search at an address in Manchester city centre as part of the investigation into the horrific incident at Manchester Arena. That search is ongoing. In order to do this safely we briefly closed a railway line, but it has now been reopened.” | |
Jennifer Williams from the Manchester Evening News is at the scene. | |
Guy working on a building site nearby saw the raids: 'they were like Robocop man. Came and gone, so fast.' | |
Neighbour Louise Bolotin says police raided a flat thought to be being rented out on air b&b. Thinks police still in there pic.twitter.com/YuRtcOL57w | |
Updated | |
at 1.46pm BST | |
1.21pm BST | |
13:21 | |
Chelsea have cancelled Sunday’s planned victory parade following security advice in the wake of the Manchester terror attack, the Press Association reports. The Blues had planned an open-top bus tour to show off the Premier League trophy and hope to add the FA Cup in Saturday’s final with Arsenal. But following consultation with the authorities – and with the terror threat raised to critical – it has been determined “it would be inappropriate” for the parade to go ahead. | |
In a statement on its website the club says: | |
Having consulted with the Metropolitan police, Hammersmith and Fulham council, and other authorities, we know the emergency services would have been as professional as ever, but we would not want in any way to divert important resources by holding an additional, non-ticketed event on the streets of London. | |
Furthermore, as a mark of respect, our players will wear black armbands at the FA Cup final against Arsenal on Saturday. Chelsea football club will also make a donation to a fund supporting the victims of this horrific attack. | |
Updated | |
at 1.43pm BST | |
1.20pm BST | |
13:20 | |
Half the victims named | |
Alexandra Topping | |
The headteacher of Holmes Chapel comprehensive school has confirmed that 14-year-old Nell Jones was a victim of Monday’s attack in Manchester. She is the 11th of the 22 victims to be identified. | |
Nell had been missing since the blast, and a work friend had tweeted a picture of her. She had been on crutches, but it is understood she had left them in the car to go and see Ariana Grande perform in the Manchester Arena. | |
Nell Jones. Still missing. She was on crutches and hasn't been heard from! Keep looking for Nell! Family very worried! #ManchesterArena pic.twitter.com/C7gNYSQ8Cf | |
Headteacher Dennis Oliver, told Express.co.uk: “It has now been announced in the school that Nell has unfortunately died. I have just done six assemblies to tell the pupils. Children are all over the place crying. We are all devastated. The heart wrenches for me and everyone else.” | |
Updated | |
at 1.40pm BST | |
1.14pm BST | 1.14pm BST |
13:14 | 13:14 |
Sir Lawrence Freedman, the historian, strategic studies specialist and member of the Chilcot inquiry panel, has posted an interesting thread on Twitter, prompted by the Manchester attack, on what constitutes success for a counter-terrorism strategy. | Sir Lawrence Freedman, the historian, strategic studies specialist and member of the Chilcot inquiry panel, has posted an interesting thread on Twitter, prompted by the Manchester attack, on what constitutes success for a counter-terrorism strategy. |
How should we evaluate terrorism and counter-terrorism as strategies?1/ | How should we evaluate terrorism and counter-terrorism as strategies?1/ |
Looked at in terms of individual incidents, any successful attack is a failure of counter-terrorism. /2 | Looked at in terms of individual incidents, any successful attack is a failure of counter-terrorism. /2 |
There will be leads that weren’t followed or individuals that ‘got through the net’./3 | There will be leads that weren’t followed or individuals that ‘got through the net’./3 |
But against this sort of individualised threat it is extremely hard to identify all possible militants.4/ | But against this sort of individualised threat it is extremely hard to identify all possible militants.4/ |
In addition terrorism is not always instrumental with a realistic political objective.5/ | In addition terrorism is not always instrumental with a realistic political objective.5/ |
It is often undertaken as revenge for Western policies and as an objection to Western values and way of life./6 | It is often undertaken as revenge for Western policies and as an objection to Western values and way of life./6 |
For individual terrorists the attack itself is a political statement and they have succeeded if they have killed, maimed and destroyed. /7 | For individual terrorists the attack itself is a political statement and they have succeeded if they have killed, maimed and destroyed. /7 |
But a lasting political effect depends on destabilising the whole society and this requires regular attacks. /8 | But a lasting political effect depends on destabilising the whole society and this requires regular attacks. /8 |
Terrorism as a strategy therefore requires a campaign with constant emergencies and incidents. /9 | Terrorism as a strategy therefore requires a campaign with constant emergencies and incidents. /9 |
The aim is to create impression of irresistibility, so that people lose confidence in government/ security agencies/police/army. /10 | The aim is to create impression of irresistibility, so that people lose confidence in government/ security agencies/police/army. /10 |
Every attack prevented not only spares people misery but also undermines attempts to create a sense of a society under siege. /11 | Every attack prevented not only spares people misery but also undermines attempts to create a sense of a society under siege. /11 |
Keeping successful attacks to minimum so don’t coalesce into something larger is how, over long term, counter-terrorism must be viewed./12 | Keeping successful attacks to minimum so don’t coalesce into something larger is how, over long term, counter-terrorism must be viewed./12 |
In this the UK has been successful over the years but it remains a challenge, perhaps now growing because of links to ISIS in MidEast./13 | In this the UK has been successful over the years but it remains a challenge, perhaps now growing because of links to ISIS in MidEast./13 |
Along with normal security measures the importance of assertions of liberal values/community solidarity should not be underestimated./14 | Along with normal security measures the importance of assertions of liberal values/community solidarity should not be underestimated./14 |
In the end that is what it is all about./15 | In the end that is what it is all about./15 |
1.07pm BST | 1.07pm BST |
13:07 | 13:07 |
Police now 'confident' all victims have been identified | Police now 'confident' all victims have been identified |
Greater Manchester police have said they are now “confident” that they have identified all the people killed in the Manchester Arena attack. All the families have been contacted, and trained officers are supporting them. | Greater Manchester police have said they are now “confident” that they have identified all the people killed in the Manchester Arena attack. All the families have been contacted, and trained officers are supporting them. |
But, because of the large number of victims, forensic postmortems are likely to take four or five days, according to police. It is only then that they will be in a position to formally name the victims, with guidance from the coroner. | |
Updated | |
at 1.40pm BST | |
12.53pm BST | 12.53pm BST |
12:53 | 12:53 |
Frances Perraudin | |
Outside the house where another neighbour said that Adel Forjani had been taken away by police, there are two police vans and police officers keeping guard. | Outside the house where another neighbour said that Adel Forjani had been taken away by police, there are two police vans and police officers keeping guard. |
A woman living five doors down from the house, who would not give her name, said she was woken at about 3am by police going into the address. “It was a bit dark so I couldn’t see much, but some of the police were wearing reflective clothes. I know that most of the police cars were unmarked,” she said. “I’ve been living in this property over 24 years and they have been here over 10 years.” | |
Maya McKenzie, 23, lives in the house opposite. She said the family living at the address were friendly and that she would take in packages for them on occasion. “I never thought anything of them,” she said. “Just a normal family that keeps themselves to themselves.” | |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.39pm BST | |
12.45pm BST | 12.45pm BST |
12:45 | 12:45 |
The opposition parties have not issued press statements about the decision to raise the threat level from severe to critical. (See 10.40am.) But Yvette Cooper, the Labour MP who chaired the Commons home affairs committee in the last parliament, has backed the move. She told BBC News: | The opposition parties have not issued press statements about the decision to raise the threat level from severe to critical. (See 10.40am.) But Yvette Cooper, the Labour MP who chaired the Commons home affairs committee in the last parliament, has backed the move. She told BBC News: |
I think all of us will want to support the police and the security service in the important work that they have to do. This was a truly vile attack – it’s just incomprehensible, the idea of attacking children in this way – and they have got a job to do in the police force, they have got a job that we have to support them in doing. | |
The expert advice about raising the threat level will be because they want to make sure that they have investigated every possibility about whether there is a network in place that this man was a part of. And we need to support them in doing that. | The expert advice about raising the threat level will be because they want to make sure that they have investigated every possibility about whether there is a network in place that this man was a part of. And we need to support them in doing that. |
Updated | |
at 1.31pm BST | |
12.44pm BST | 12.44pm BST |
12:44 | 12:44 |
Armed police have been seen conducting a new raid in central Manchester, the Manchester Evening News reports. | Armed police have been seen conducting a new raid in central Manchester, the Manchester Evening News reports. |
Breaking: Armed police are executing a raid at a flat in Manchester city centre https://t.co/ZP7BAPza2J pic.twitter.com/PqNHyR2zLC | Breaking: Armed police are executing a raid at a flat in Manchester city centre https://t.co/ZP7BAPza2J pic.twitter.com/PqNHyR2zLC |
12.41pm BST | 12.41pm BST |
12:41 | 12:41 |
Sarah Marsh | Sarah Marsh |
Calum Knight, 26, from Manchester, has been part of a group of friends who have been calling up businesses to collect supplies for families stuck in hospitals. | Calum Knight, 26, from Manchester, has been part of a group of friends who have been calling up businesses to collect supplies for families stuck in hospitals. |
He said that yesterday they rang around Asda and Tesco, picking up various items. | He said that yesterday they rang around Asda and Tesco, picking up various items. |
Knight said that some people needed clothes because they were waiting with family members affected and lived too far away to go home. “A lot of people [at the concert] don’t live in Manchester and have been visiting from Leeds, Liverpool and even Poland. They cannot leave their families to get a change of clothes or leave the hospital. | Knight said that some people needed clothes because they were waiting with family members affected and lived too far away to go home. “A lot of people [at the concert] don’t live in Manchester and have been visiting from Leeds, Liverpool and even Poland. They cannot leave their families to get a change of clothes or leave the hospital. |
“The children’s wards at the moment are in dire need of clothes. Five stores in Manchester have donated and I am getting more today. All the Asdas have donated a lot of stuff – we have trolleys’ worth.” | |
He said some adults who had been there since the attack still had blood on their clothes. “I have spoken to loads of people affected, lots of nurses and training nurses and people on reception,” he said. “They are working flat-out doing overtime and lots of them are quite upset. Yesterday people were very upset and hugging us when we arrived with stuff. They were overwhelmed by all the support Manchester had.” | |
Knight added that he had spoken to a few patients, including one man whose daughter had not been injured in the blast but got caught in a stampede leaving the stadium. Her injuries came from that rush to leave, he said. | Knight added that he had spoken to a few patients, including one man whose daughter had not been injured in the blast but got caught in a stampede leaving the stadium. Her injuries came from that rush to leave, he said. |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.37pm BST | |
12.35pm BST | 12.35pm BST |
12:35 | 12:35 |
Esther Addley | Esther Addley |
The BBC’s security correspondent, Frank Gardner, has been explaining why the security services think Abedi may have been a “mule” for a bomb made by someone else. | The BBC’s security correspondent, Frank Gardner, has been explaining why the security services think Abedi may have been a “mule” for a bomb made by someone else. |
Speaking on Jeremy Vine’s Radio 2 show he said the security services did not have credible intelligence that an attack was coming. But he added: | |
They are having to take no chances because they don’t think the bomber acted alone. This was too sophisticated a device for one man, particularly this particular individual, Salman Abedi, to have put together himself. Ergo, somebody did it for them. | |
In other words, he was the mule carrying a device built by somebody else. That person is still at large, so they have got to assume there is the possibility of another attack. Worst-case scenario, this guy is building more devices and lining up more people. Hopefully that is not the case. | |
He said the authorities believed Abedi had returned from Libya to the UK only a few days ago, “which wouldn’t have given him enough time to build the device himself, it is thought”. | |
Gardner added that he expected Britain’s security alert level to remain at critical for a relatively short time. He said: “Critical means that leave gets cancelled, the police get very, very stretched. They can only do this for a limited period of time. Probably not much longer than a week, frankly. | |
“But while there is this high state of anxiety that there could be a bomb-maker out there with other devices, possibly other suicide volunteers to carry them out, they have got to deploy all the police they can, including armed police. | “But while there is this high state of anxiety that there could be a bomb-maker out there with other devices, possibly other suicide volunteers to carry them out, they have got to deploy all the police they can, including armed police. |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.30pm BST | |
12.29pm BST | 12.29pm BST |
12:29 | 12:29 |
More of those 984 troops have to guard key sites in London including the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and government departments on Whitehall. | More of those 984 troops have to guard key sites in London including the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and government departments on Whitehall. |
Updated | Updated |
at 12.32pm BST | at 12.32pm BST |