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Manchester bombing: three arrested in south Manchester – live updates Manchester bombing: officer among dead as police confirm they are investigating 'network' – live updates
(35 minutes later)
3.35pm BST
15:35
Helen Pidd
Adam Prince, a member of the residents’ association in the Granby House block of flats which was raided today, said the property broken into by police had been rented out as an AirBnB. The owner, a woman in her fifties, would be “devastated”, he said.
Prince, 38, said there had been recent complaints by residents about a large number of big parcels - at least 10 - delivered to the block and left hanging around in the post room, but said he didn’t know who they were addressed to. They could be unconnected to the raided flat.
He said there had been a steady stream of AirBnB guests and didn’t know who had been there most recently.
The raided property is number 39. The door had been blown in, said Prince. Police officers and a team of forensics were putting items in evidence bags on Wednesday afternoon.
Manchester police chief Ian Hopkins confirmed that a controlled explosion was used to raid a flat in the centre of the city this afternoon.
3.33pm BST
15:33
Josh Halliday
Detectives are investigating a suspected terror cell in connection with the Manchester Arena suicide bombing.
Ian Hopkins, the chief constable of Greater Manchester police, said it was “very clear that this is a network that we are investigating” as arrests and armed raids continued across the city.
The statement is the strongest official confirmation that Salman Adebi, 23, did not act alone when he blew himself up at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on Monday night, killing 22 people including an eight year old girl.
There will be further questions for the intelligence agencies if it is confirmed that a Manchester-based terror cell was involved in the planning of the attack, which experts have said would have required sophisticated bomb-making knowledge.
Speaking outside Greater Manchester Police headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, Hopkins said: “We are carrying out extensive searches at premises across Manchester.
“I think it’s very clear that this is a network that we are investigating and it continues at pace and there’s extensive investigations going on and activity taking place across Greater Manchester.”
His statement followed three arrests in south Manchester and a dramatic raid involving armed officers in military-style uniform on a city centre apartment block on Wednesday lunchtime.
3.30pm BST
15:30
Here are key points and phrases from that Hopkins press conference.
Police are investigating network
Asked if police had found the ‘bomb factory’, he said: “We are carrying out extensive searches across Manchester, but it would be ill-advised of me to comment on the investigation to that detail.”
Asked if this is a search for a bomb maker? he said:
It is very clear that this is a network that we investigating and as I’ve said it continues at a pace. There’s extensive investigations going on and activity taking place across Greater Manchester as we speak.
Police officer among the dead
Very sadly I can confirm that one of the victims is a serving police officer, but in respecting their family’s wishes, I will make no further comment.
Up to five days to identify all the victims
Due to number of victims the Home Office post-mortems are likely to take to four to five days. After this we will be in a position to formerly name the victims.
We have spoken to all of the families of those who lay injured in our hospitals.
Four arrests so far
The level of activity in this investigation is intense and is continuing at a fast pace. We have made three further arrests in connection with attacks overnight. This afternon we entered an address in Manchester city centre using a controlled explosion.
Officers are currently at the scene searching that address. In order to execute that entry we did have to close a mainline railway line for a short period.
That brings the total number in custody to four.
Troops won’t be used in Manchester
We have been supported by forces from across the north west and beyond. The military are supporting policing across the country ... this frees up armed police officers to then give the police service capacity to deploy them to places like Manchester as part of plans for keeping the country safe.
There are no military personel controlling the streets of Greater Manchester, nor are there any plans to do so
3.17pm BST
15:17
Downing Street has sent out a read-out from the prime minister’s latest calls with world leaders expressing their condolences following the Manchester attack. A No 10 spokesman said:
The prime minister has taken a number of further condolence calls from other world leaders today following Monday’s terrorist attack in Manchester, including Chancellor Merkel, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, the Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven, and the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.
Chancellor Merkel called to offer Germany’s condolences and said Germany stands with the UK against terrorism. They agreed the deliberate targeting of children was despicable and that the people of Manchester had shown great spirit in coming together in the wake of the attack.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia called to offer his condolences and said Saudi Arabia strongly denounces and condemns this brutal terrorist attack which defies all international humanitarian norms. They agreed the UK and Saudi Arabia would continue working closely together to counter terrorism and violent extremism.
The Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven called to express Sweden’s condolences, praising the public response and their determination to carry on as normal.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi conveyed his country’s deepest condolences and said India’s prayers were with all of those affected. Prime Minister Modi congratulated the people of Manchester on their courage, patience and spirit. They agreed the UK and India would continue to cooperate closely on counter-terrorism, including aviation security and countering online radicalisation.
Updated
at 3.19pm BST
3.14pm BST
15:14
Police investigating network
Hopkins said it was “very clear” that police are investigating “a network” linked to the bomber.
Updated
at 3.19pm BST
3.13pm BST
15:13
Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner, has been speaking to reporters at the Palace of Westminster, the Guardian’s Jessica Elgot reports.
Dick says the Met is "incredibly grateful" for military support while police work to identify any possible attack network
Dick says there is no time limit on long troops will be here. "As soon as we no longer need them..."
Dick says she "recognises this is different" but Met officers protecting parliament are comfortable with the army support
Dick says Met is reviewing event security for what happens over the bank holiday weekend but says as many as possible should run as usual
3.11pm BST
15:11
Here’s a recording of that statement by Hopkins.
3.08pm BST
15:08
Hopkins said he is confident that all the families of the victims have been spoken to. He confirmed that one of the victims was a police officer, but he gave no more details
He said the investigation is continuing at a fast pace.
A controlled explosion was used during a raid in central Manchester, he said.
3.05pm BST
15:05
A female officer from Cheshire constabulary died in attack, police sources have confirmed.
3.03pm BST
15:03
Chief constable Ian Hopkins is giving a press conference in Manchester. He says no troops will be patrolling Manchester.
We are carrying out extensive searches, he says when asked if police have found the bomb factory.
3.01pm BST3.01pm BST
15:0115:01
Speaking from Tripoli Abedi senior told AP: “We don’t believe in killing innocents. This is not us.” Speaking from Tripoli, Abedi senior told AP: “We don’t believe in killing innocents. This is not us.”
He also confirmed that Abedi was in Libya six weeks ago and was planning to go to Saudi Arabia.He also confirmed that Abedi was in Libya six weeks ago and was planning to go to Saudi Arabia.
Updated
at 3.06pm BST
2.58pm BST2.58pm BST
14:5814:58
Rowena MasonRowena Mason
Downing Street is not commenting on a report out of the US that the bomber’s family warned the UK authorities that he was dangerous. (See 2.23pm.) The Home Office has only said so far that the security services knew of Salman Abedi “up to a point” and Amber Rudd, the home secretary, has declined to elaborate on how he came to be on their radar.Downing Street is not commenting on a report out of the US that the bomber’s family warned the UK authorities that he was dangerous. (See 2.23pm.) The Home Office has only said so far that the security services knew of Salman Abedi “up to a point” and Amber Rudd, the home secretary, has declined to elaborate on how he came to be on their radar.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.00pm BSTat 3.00pm BST
2.56pm BST
14:56
Jessica Elgot
Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner, has been been meeting Maj Gen Ben Bathurst, the joint military commander of the troops deployed in London, at the Houses of Parliament.
Met police commissioner Cressida Dick and Major General Ben Bathurst CBE arriving in parliament now pic.twitter.com/avQYfoLjF6
Maj Gen Bathurst is joint military commander for London pic.twitter.com/X4lQzvsTyI
It's a brief overview visit to parliament from the commissioner and the major general - soldiers now in place at most gates pic.twitter.com/FHLB5wP8Zx
Updated
at 2.59pm BST
2.54pm BST
14:54
Abedi's father says his son is innocent
Salman Abedi’s father says his son is innocent, the Associated Press reports. He confirmed that police have arrested another of his sons believed to be 23-year-old Ismail Abedi.
BREAKING: Father of alleged Manchester bomber says son is innocent, confirms UK police have arrested a another son.
Updated
at 2.59pm BST
2.50pm BST
14:50
Police believe the bomb-maker is still at large, according to the Manchester Evening News.
BREAKING: Police believe Arena bomb maker is still at large, the M.E.N. can reveal https://t.co/EfFJUD3RWv
Earlier, the BBC’s security correspondent, Frank Gardner, said the the security services think Salman Abedi may have been a “mule” for a bomb made by someone else.
Speaking on Jeremy Vine’s Radio 2 show he said: “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.”
Updated
at 2.56pm BST
2.44pm BST
14:44
Helen Pidd
More on the Granby Row raid: two Egyptian students from Manchester University have told of being woken up by a loud bang when a city centre flat in their apartment block was raided on Wednesday lunch time.
Amr Elsherbiny, 21, said he was sleeping late in his Granby House flat because he had pulled an all-nighter to study: “It was about 12.30. I heard a loud sound, a bang. It was enough to wake me up.”The fire alarm then went off and he and his friend Youseff Akmal tried to go down the stairs from the fourth floor. They were stopped by uniform police officers on the stairs by the third floor, where the raid is believed to have taken place.They and other residents were not evacuated.
2.38pm BST
14:38
Robert Booth
BBC Radio 5 Live went off air briefly just before 2pm following an evacuation at their Salford studios, Quay House.
However, it appears to have been a false alarm as broadcasting resumed. A 5 Live presenter, Natalie Eve-Williams, tweeted just before 2pm: “My work building is now being evacuated! Stay safe”.
Listeners reported hearing an alarm in the background before the station went off air. By 2.15pm, the presenter Sarah Brett told listeners: “We are back in the studio. All is well.” A spokeswoman said it appeared to have been a false alarm and the BBC was looking into the cause.
False alarm. I will be back on air very soon.
Updated
at 2.58pm BST
2.33pm BST
14:33
“Let’s not fight with each other” said Mohammed Fadeil after being confronted by a man outside Didsbury mosque (see earlier).
Didsbury mosque - 25-yr-old Mohammed Fadeil talking about a tense confrontation. https://t.co/CYT0GK9U4n
2.31pm BST
14:31
There are reports that a female police officer was among those killed in the Manchester bombing. She attended the concert with her husband while off duty. Her husband is reported to be critically ill.
BBC News understands a female police officer was killed in Manchester bombing. She was off duty at the time.
Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins is due to make a statement in the next few minutes.
Waiting for a statement from @gmpolice Chief Constable Ian Hopkins. The force know the identities of all 22 people killed #Manchester @LBC pic.twitter.com/ny0LAzjTZg
Updated
at 2.35pm BST
2.27pm BST
14:27
Alexandra Topping
Mark Taylor, the partner of Jane Tweddle-Taylor – the 12th victim to be named – said she was “a very lovely lady, liked by everybody”.
Taylor, who was away on business to London on Monday evening, described the mother of three daughters as “full of life, very energetic with the children, and going to functions and all sorts of different things – skiing and all those happy times and activities”.
Taylor said Tweddle-Taylor and her friend were waiting for her friend’s daughter when the blast struck.
“She had gone back to pick them up as arranged and they were both waiting in the area where the explosion happened,” he told the BBC. “Unfortunately, Jane didn’t come back.”
Taylor said he had been contacted by Tweddle-Taylor’s daughter and the family began contacting hospitals and were hoping for “good news” before being informed that she had been killed.
He paid tribute to the emergency services and the “unbelievably organised” counselling made available at Manchester City’s Etihad stadium.
“One of the biggest challenges we’ve had is one of my daughters was away travelling in Australia, so we were trying to pick a time to notify her,” he said.
“Some of the counsellors arranged flights for her and her friend to come back, without a second thought.”
Updated
at 2.33pm BST
2.23pm BST
14:23
It looks as if Amber Rudd’s attempt to stop the American authorities leaking information to journalists about the investigation (see 9.35am) has not been entirely successful. These are from Richard Engel, NBC News’s chief foreign correspondent.
A US intel official tells @nbcnews UK bomber likely "had help" making “big and sophisticated bomb.”
A US intel official tells @nbcnews bomber ID’d by bank card in his pocket. Confirmed by facial id.
A US intel official tells @nbcnews members of bomber's family warned sec officials about him in past, that he was “dangerous.”
2.22pm BST
14:22
The British-Libyan community in Manchester has condemned the attack in the “strongest possible terms”.
In a statement it added:
The perpetrator murdered innocent and defenceless people, including children. This attack was an attack on all of us. Such depraved acts have no basis in Islam. All those responsible for senselessly destroying the lives of innocent people do not deserve to live in our community and should be behind bars. We support the police in bringing the perpetrators to justice, and in protecting the people of Manchester and the rest of the UK.
Many members of the British-Libyan community in Manchester are doctors who stand side by side with their colleagues to ensuring that victims and other patients receive the best possible care at this difficult time. We take this opportunity to praise the emergency services for their dedication and efforts.
Most importantly, our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families who have lost loved ones, and the injured.
As a community we have lost many hundreds of people who bravely fought and defeated ISIS in Sirte, Libya, only a few months ago, and so we are affected by grief again. We stand together with all Mancunians to keep Manchester safe and strong.