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Next version
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| Manchester Arena bombing: Theresa May raises threat level, and troops to be deployed on Britain's streets – live news | Manchester Arena bombing: Theresa May raises threat level, and troops to be deployed on Britain's streets – live news |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.17pm BST | |
| 23:17 | |
| Assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, the UK’s most senior anti-terror officer, has also issued a statement tonight: | |
| “The investigation into the terrorist attack in Manchester is large scale, fast moving and making good progress. There has been an arrest and there are currently multiple searches and other activity taking place as I speak. However, at this stage it is still not possible to be certain if there was a wider group involved in the attack; 24 hours in we have a number of investigative leads that we are pursuing to manage the ongoing threat. | |
| “This concern has led to the independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre to raise the threat level to ‘critical’ this evening. It means that their assessment is not only that an attack remains highly likely but a further attack may be imminent. | |
| “The public would expect the police to do everything possible to prevent further attacks and keep them safe. We are flexing our resources to increase police presence at key sites, such as transport and other crowded places and we are reviewing key events over the coming weeks. | |
| “As the prime minister has already said this evening I have asked for support from the military to be deployed alongside the police. This will free up armed officers from certain guarding duties to release our officers to support the wider the response. This is part of an agreed and well-rehearsed plan and military personnel will remain under the command and control of the police service. | |
| “At this time we are asking the public to remain calm but alert. If you see anything that causes you concern, then let us know immediately, if you have suspicions about someone’s behaviour call us. Look out for anything that seems out of place, unusual or doesn’t seem to fit in with day-to-day life. It may be nothing but if you see or hear anything that could be terrorist related trust your instinct no matter how small then act and call 999.” | |
| 11.06pm BST | |
| 23:06 | |
| Vikram Dodd | |
| The Guardian understands a national police mobilisation has also been triggered, being run by the National Police Coordination Centre. The centre will find extra officers from around the UK - for example from county forces in mainly rural areas - to be deployed to sites in Manchester, London and other big cities. | |
| The decision to raise the terrorist threat level to critical – the highest – can lead to extra officers being drafted in to patrol areas assessed as vulnerable to attack, under mutual arrangements between the 43 police in England and Wales. | |
| 10.51pm BST | 10.51pm BST |
| 22:51 | 22:51 |
| Vikram Dodd | Vikram Dodd |
| Government guidelines say military help will be provided to “the civil authorities when their capacity is overwhelmed”. The guidelines updated in 2016, say: “The armed forces can be brought in to deal with a range of situations including … after a terrorist attack where armed military personnel may be deployed to locations usually guarded by armed police officers, to enable those officers to undertake other duties.” | Government guidelines say military help will be provided to “the civil authorities when their capacity is overwhelmed”. The guidelines updated in 2016, say: “The armed forces can be brought in to deal with a range of situations including … after a terrorist attack where armed military personnel may be deployed to locations usually guarded by armed police officers, to enable those officers to undertake other duties.” |
| For instance, armed police officers assigned to guard nuclear plants can be replaced by soldiers, and directly assist their police colleagues in armed operations. | For instance, armed police officers assigned to guard nuclear plants can be replaced by soldiers, and directly assist their police colleagues in armed operations. |
| The guidelines are in full here. | The guidelines are in full here. |
| 10.35pm BST | 10.35pm BST |
| 22:35 | 22:35 |
| It is now 24 hours since Salman Abedi walked into the Manchester Arena and set off a bomb that killed 22 people and injured 59 more. | It is now 24 hours since Salman Abedi walked into the Manchester Arena and set off a bomb that killed 22 people and injured 59 more. |
| He targeted a pop concert aimed at teenage girls in particular. The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis writes that such performances are often derided by critics, but the likes of Ariana Grande provide the kind of empowering, transcendent experience that terrorists hate. | He targeted a pop concert aimed at teenage girls in particular. The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis writes that such performances are often derided by critics, but the likes of Ariana Grande provide the kind of empowering, transcendent experience that terrorists hate. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.58pm BST | |
| 10.21pm BST | 10.21pm BST |
| 22:21 | 22:21 |
| Theresa May concluded her statement: | Theresa May concluded her statement: |
| “I do not want the public to feel unduly alarmed. We have faced a serious terror threat in our country for many years and the operational response I have just outlined is a proportionate and sensible response to the threat that our security experts judge we face. I ask everybody to be vigilant and to co-operate with and support the police as they go about their important work. | “I do not want the public to feel unduly alarmed. We have faced a serious terror threat in our country for many years and the operational response I have just outlined is a proportionate and sensible response to the threat that our security experts judge we face. I ask everybody to be vigilant and to co-operate with and support the police as they go about their important work. |
| “I want to end by repeating the important message I gave in my statement earlier today. We will take every measure available to us and provide every additional resource we can to the police and the security services as they work to protect the public. | “I want to end by repeating the important message I gave in my statement earlier today. We will take every measure available to us and provide every additional resource we can to the police and the security services as they work to protect the public. |
| “And while we mourn the victims of last night’s appalling attack, we stand defiant. 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.” | “And while we mourn the victims of last night’s appalling attack, we stand defiant. 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.” |
| 10.16pm BST | 10.16pm BST |
| 22:16 | 22:16 |
| Vikram Dodd | Vikram Dodd |
| Given that a “further attack may be imminent”, as Theresa May told the nation tonight, the threat level has been raised to critical. That allows military personnel to be deployed on the streets of Britain to free up armed police resources to hunt down suspects. | Given that a “further attack may be imminent”, as Theresa May told the nation tonight, the threat level has been raised to critical. That allows military personnel to be deployed on the streets of Britain to free up armed police resources to hunt down suspects. |
| The arrangements are known as military assistance to civil powers. A key driver is that the numbers of police armed officers are limited, and they are best suited to hunt for any other terrorists, where the aim is to arrest if possible and try them in the courts. | The arrangements are known as military assistance to civil powers. A key driver is that the numbers of police armed officers are limited, and they are best suited to hunt for any other terrorists, where the aim is to arrest if possible and try them in the courts. |
| 10.11pm BST | 10.11pm BST |
| 22:11 | 22:11 |
| This is Theresa May’s statement in full: | This is Theresa May’s statement in full: |
| “We again discussed the callous and cowardly terrorist attack in Manchester last night and the operational response from the security service, the police and other emergency services. It remains the case that other than the terrorist himself, 22 people were killed in the attack, 59 people remain injured and many of them have life-threatening conditions. | “We again discussed the callous and cowardly terrorist attack in Manchester last night and the operational response from the security service, the police and other emergency services. It remains the case that other than the terrorist himself, 22 people were killed in the attack, 59 people remain injured and many of them have life-threatening conditions. |
| “As Greater Manchester Police confirmed earlier today, the perpetrator was Salman Ramadan Abedi, who was born and brought up in Britain and as the emergency services confirmed throughout the day, his victims were innocent children, young people and their families - our thoughts and prayers are with them all. | “As Greater Manchester Police confirmed earlier today, the perpetrator was Salman Ramadan Abedi, who was born and brought up in Britain and as the emergency services confirmed throughout the day, his victims were innocent children, young people and their families - our thoughts and prayers are with them all. |
| “I want to re-iterate what I said this morning about the professionalism of the emergency services and the bravery of the people in Manchester. Through their actions, they proved that cowardice will always be defeated by bravery, that evil can be overcome by good and that our values, the liberal, pluralistic values of Britain, will always prevail over the hateful ideology of the terrorists.” | “I want to re-iterate what I said this morning about the professionalism of the emergency services and the bravery of the people in Manchester. Through their actions, they proved that cowardice will always be defeated by bravery, that evil can be overcome by good and that our values, the liberal, pluralistic values of Britain, will always prevail over the hateful ideology of the terrorists.” |
| “The work undertaken throughout the day has revealed that it is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack. This morning I said that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, the independent organisation responsible for setting the threat level on the basis of the intelligence available, was keeping the threat level under constant review. It has now concluded, on the basis of today’s investigations, that the threat level should be increased for the time being from severe to critical. This means that their assessment is not only that an attack remains highly likely, but that a further attack may be imminent.” | “The work undertaken throughout the day has revealed that it is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack. This morning I said that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, the independent organisation responsible for setting the threat level on the basis of the intelligence available, was keeping the threat level under constant review. It has now concluded, on the basis of today’s investigations, that the threat level should be increased for the time being from severe to critical. This means that their assessment is not only that an attack remains highly likely, but that a further attack may be imminent.” |
| The prime minister said Operation Temperer - allowing military personnel to take to the streets - was now in force: “This means that armed police officers responsible for duties such as guarding key sites will be replaced by members of the armed forces, which will allow the police to significantly increase the number of armed officers on patrol in key locations. You might also see military personnel deployed at certain events such as concerts and sports matches, helping the police to keep the public safe.” | The prime minister said Operation Temperer - allowing military personnel to take to the streets - was now in force: “This means that armed police officers responsible for duties such as guarding key sites will be replaced by members of the armed forces, which will allow the police to significantly increase the number of armed officers on patrol in key locations. You might also see military personnel deployed at certain events such as concerts and sports matches, helping the police to keep the public safe.” |
| May continued: “In my statement earlier today, I said that the police and security services needed to investigate whether Abedi was acting alone. Those investigations continue. But the work undertaken throughout the day has revealed it is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack. | May continued: “In my statement earlier today, I said that the police and security services needed to investigate whether Abedi was acting alone. Those investigations continue. But the work undertaken throughout the day has revealed it is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack. |
| “This morning I said that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, the independent organisation responsible for setting the threat level on the basis of the intelligence available, was keeping the threat level under constant review. It has now concluded, on the basis of today’s investigations, that the threat level should be increased for the time being from severe to critical.” | “This morning I said that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, the independent organisation responsible for setting the threat level on the basis of the intelligence available, was keeping the threat level under constant review. It has now concluded, on the basis of today’s investigations, that the threat level should be increased for the time being from severe to critical.” |
| 10.07pm BST | 10.07pm BST |
| 22:07 | 22:07 |
| The last two occasions the threat level was raised to Critical the alert lasted no more than a few days: pic.twitter.com/GpzWJF4jMX | The last two occasions the threat level was raised to Critical the alert lasted no more than a few days: pic.twitter.com/GpzWJF4jMX |
| In the summer of 2007 terrorists tried and failed to bomb the Tiger Tiger in London’s West End, and then went to Scotland where they launched a car bomb attack on Glasgow airport. | In the summer of 2007 terrorists tried and failed to bomb the Tiger Tiger in London’s West End, and then went to Scotland where they launched a car bomb attack on Glasgow airport. |
| 10.02pm BST | 10.02pm BST |
| 22:02 | 22:02 |
| Theresa May will chair another meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee at 9.30am tomorrow, Downing Street said. | Theresa May will chair another meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee at 9.30am tomorrow, Downing Street said. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.04pm BST | at 10.04pm BST |
| 10.01pm BST | 10.01pm BST |
| 22:01 | 22:01 |
| Vikram Dodd | Vikram Dodd |
| The threat level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which sits within MI5. Critical means an attack is expected imminently. | The threat level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which sits within MI5. Critical means an attack is expected imminently. |
| 9.53pm BST | 9.53pm BST |
| 21:53 | 21:53 |
| Home affairs editor Alan Travis tweets: | Home affairs editor Alan Travis tweets: |
| PM says Critical Threat level's Operation Temperer will use up to 5,000 troops to take over armed police patrol duties under police command. | PM says Critical Threat level's Operation Temperer will use up to 5,000 troops to take over armed police patrol duties under police command. |
| PM said decision to raise threat level to highest Critical follows belief there is a network around the Manchester suicide bomber. | PM said decision to raise threat level to highest Critical follows belief there is a network around the Manchester suicide bomber. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.03pm BST | at 10.03pm BST |