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Manchester attack leaks reprehensible, says US acting ambassador - latest Manchester attack: police chief pays tribute to officer Elaine McIver - latest
(35 minutes later)
2.49pm BST
14:49
NYT defends decision to publish crime scene photographs
The New York Times has defended its decision to publish crime scene photographs of the Manchester bombing.
Images, suspected to have been sent to the paper by US police officials, caused outrage when they surfaced on Wednesday and led to a spat between the country and British authorities. The New York Times said in a statement:
“The images and information presented were neither graphic nor disrespectful of victims, and consistent with the common line of reporting on weapons used in horrific crimes.
“We have strict guidelines on how and in what ways we cover sensitive stories. Our coverage of Monday’s horrific attack has been both comprehensive and responsible.”
Among the material released was images of the bomb’s detonator, the attacker’s tattered backpack and remnants of the blast’s shrapnel.
The leak of the photographs came after Home Secretary Amber Rudd publicly rebuked US authorities for unauthorised leaks.
Following the publication of the New York Times’s story, Greater Manchester Police temporarily severed information-sharing ties with their American counterparts.
A furious response from counter-terror chiefs was also issued after the story was released, saying such releases “undermine our investigations”.
Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said the photographs had “caused much distress for families that are already suffering terribly with their loss”.
2.36pm BST
14:36
Cheshire chief constable Simon Byrne has paid tribute to Elaine McIver, a 43-year-old detective constable with the force, who was killed in the blast while off duty. He said:
“It is with a heavy heart that I have to speak about the loss of a serving officer of ours in the Manchester Arena terrorist incident and all our thoughts are with her family at this time.
“Detective Constable Elaine McIver, 43, joined the constabulary as a special 20 years ago and became a regular officer in September 1998.
“Elaine worked in Ellesmere Port, Warrington and in the economic crime unit at headquarters in Winsford before moving to the regional organised crime unit Titan in 2013.
“Friends who knew her well have described her as big hearted, bubbly and a positive person. We are supporting her family at this very difficult time, and will be providing support for friends and colleagues from the constabulary as we come to terms with the loss of an officer in such tragic and heart-rending circumstances. We will not let evil win.”
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2.21pm BST
14:21
Armed police on trains
Armed police officers are patrolling on board trains nationwide for the first time, British Transport Police have announced.
The move is aimed to “disrupt and deter criminal activity” on the rail network after the UK terror threat level rose to critical in the wake of the attack.
Armed officers have been patrolling on the London Underground network since December, but this is the first time they will travel on trains outside the capital.
The force urged passengers not to be alarmed by their presence.
The BTP chief constable, Paul Crowther, said: “Since the devastating events in Manchester on Monday evening, our force has radically increased the presence of our officers nationwide. By having firearms officers on board trains we’re ensuring that trains remain as safe as possible for passengers.”
He added: “It is important to note that we do not have any specific intelligence in relation to train services but are taking this action to ensure we can protect and reassure the public.”
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2.13pm BST2.13pm BST
14:1314:13
Last victim to be named Last victim named
Sandra LavilleSandra Laville
The last of the 22 victims has been named as 15-year-old Megan Hurley, from Halewood in Liverpool.The last of the 22 victims has been named as 15-year-old Megan Hurley, from Halewood in Liverpool.
Megan is one six girls killed in the attack. Her brother was seriously injured. Megan is one seven girls killed in the attack. Her brother was seriously injured.
Megan, a pupil at Halewood Academy, was remembered in a church service this week. Helen McDermott, who lives in the area, has set up a Just Giving page for her family which has raised more than £6,000. Megan, a pupil at Halewood Academy, was remembered in a church service this week. Helen McDermott, who lives in the area, has set up a Just Giving page for her family, which has raised more than £6,000.
She said: “People locally thought it would be a good idea to try and help her family, there has been a lot of sympathy and support throughout the community for them. We are overwhelmed by how much has been donated.”She said: “People locally thought it would be a good idea to try and help her family, there has been a lot of sympathy and support throughout the community for them. We are overwhelmed by how much has been donated.”
She said the family had been contacted to let them know the fundraising was going on. Megan’s parents, who run a shop in Halewood, are understood to be at their son’s bedside as he recovers from the blast.She said the family had been contacted to let them know the fundraising was going on. Megan’s parents, who run a shop in Halewood, are understood to be at their son’s bedside as he recovers from the blast.
The identities of all of the 22 people known to have been killed in the blast have now been named. They are:The identities of all of the 22 people known to have been killed in the blast have now been named. They are:
Megan Hurley, 15Megan Hurley, 15
Courtney Boyle, 19Courtney Boyle, 19
Philip Tron, 32Philip Tron, 32
Elaine McIlver Elaine McIlver, 43
Liam Curry, 19Liam Curry, 19
Wendy Fawel, 50Wendy Fawel, 50
Eilidh MacLeod, 14,Eilidh MacLeod, 14,
Michelle Kiss, 45Michelle Kiss, 45
Olivia Campbell, 15Olivia Campbell, 15
Martyn Hett, 29Martyn Hett, 29
Kelly Brewster, 32Kelly Brewster, 32
Saffie Rose Roussos, eightSaffie Rose Roussos, eight
Georgina Callander, 18Georgina Callander, 18
John Atkinson, 28John Atkinson, 28
Alison Howe, 45Alison Howe, 45
Lisa Lees, 47Lisa Lees, 47
Angelika Klis, 40Angelika Klis, 40
Marcin Klis, 42Marcin Klis, 42
Nell Jones, 14Nell Jones, 14
Jane Tweddle-Taylor, 51Jane Tweddle-Taylor, 51
Sorrell Leczkowski, 14Sorrell Leczkowski, 14
Chloe Rutherford, 17Chloe Rutherford, 17
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14:0314:03
In the wake of the Manchester attack, Aaron Zelin a research fellow at the Washington Institute, an influential rightwing foreign affairs thinktank in the US, calls on the west to refocus its battle against Islamic State on Libya.In the wake of the Manchester attack, Aaron Zelin a research fellow at the Washington Institute, an influential rightwing foreign affairs thinktank in the US, calls on the west to refocus its battle against Islamic State on Libya.
He writes:He writes:
Leading up to the Manchester operation, IS [Isis] in Libya began showing signs that it had larger aspirations for attacks inside Europe. According to German officials, Tunisian terrorist Anis Amri, who conducted the December truck attack against a Berlin Christmas market, had been in contact with IS operatives in Libya via the messaging application Telegram prior to the incident, suggesting it was partially remote-controlled, though not fully directed from there. This discovery spurred a mid-January US airstrike against two camps belonging to an IS planning cell south of Sirte, which American officials believed had been set up recently to direct attacks in Europe. Yet the Manchester attack suggests that the group’s external operations capacity in Libya might not be fully degraded.Leading up to the Manchester operation, IS [Isis] in Libya began showing signs that it had larger aspirations for attacks inside Europe. According to German officials, Tunisian terrorist Anis Amri, who conducted the December truck attack against a Berlin Christmas market, had been in contact with IS operatives in Libya via the messaging application Telegram prior to the incident, suggesting it was partially remote-controlled, though not fully directed from there. This discovery spurred a mid-January US airstrike against two camps belonging to an IS planning cell south of Sirte, which American officials believed had been set up recently to direct attacks in Europe. Yet the Manchester attack suggests that the group’s external operations capacity in Libya might not be fully degraded.
Therefore, while most of the focus has been on eliminating key IS external operations personnel in Syria over the past two years, a similar approach should now be taken against the smaller but potentially dangerous cadre in Libya. Beyond protecting Europe, US and EU officials should also ensure that their allies in east and West Africa are prepared to handle returnees from Libya. Moreover, if the Manchester attack is definitively tied to IS cells in Libya, it would show that the group can still be a lethal actor even without holding territory there – an important point to consider when planning for life after the fall of the group’s “capitals” in Iraq and Syria.Therefore, while most of the focus has been on eliminating key IS external operations personnel in Syria over the past two years, a similar approach should now be taken against the smaller but potentially dangerous cadre in Libya. Beyond protecting Europe, US and EU officials should also ensure that their allies in east and West Africa are prepared to handle returnees from Libya. Moreover, if the Manchester attack is definitively tied to IS cells in Libya, it would show that the group can still be a lethal actor even without holding territory there – an important point to consider when planning for life after the fall of the group’s “capitals” in Iraq and Syria.
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at 2.06pm BSTat 2.06pm BST
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13:5213:52
Sandra LavilleSandra Laville
Fundraising pages set up for the families of those killed in the Manchester attack have raised more than £2.3m in an outpouring of compassion for victims, JustGiving has said.Fundraising pages set up for the families of those killed in the Manchester attack have raised more than £2.3m in an outpouring of compassion for victims, JustGiving has said.
1.51pm BST1.51pm BST
13:5113:51
Downing Street has put out video of those comments by Theresa May in which she pledges to take up the issue of shared intelligence with Donald Trump. Intelligence must remain secure, she said.Downing Street has put out video of those comments by Theresa May in which she pledges to take up the issue of shared intelligence with Donald Trump. Intelligence must remain secure, she said.
The Prime Minister has made a statement following the latest COBR meeting on the terrorist attack in Manchester. pic.twitter.com/kY4pID6ffGThe Prime Minister has made a statement following the latest COBR meeting on the terrorist attack in Manchester. pic.twitter.com/kY4pID6ffG
1.48pm BST1.48pm BST
13:4813:48
Haroon SiddiqueHaroon Siddique
Here is a video of the Queen’s visit to Royal Manchester children’s hospital, where 12 children under 16 were taken after the attack. She described the bombing as “very wicked”.Here is a video of the Queen’s visit to Royal Manchester children’s hospital, where 12 children under 16 were taken after the attack. She described the bombing as “very wicked”.
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Investigation leaks 'reprehensible' - acting ambassadorInvestigation leaks 'reprehensible' - acting ambassador
Haroon SiddiqueHaroon Siddique
Lew Lukens, the chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in London and also the acting ambassador, has unequivocally condemned the leaks regarding the investigation into Monday’s attack that have come from the US.Lew Lukens, the chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in London and also the acting ambassador, has unequivocally condemned the leaks regarding the investigation into Monday’s attack that have come from the US.
He told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One:He told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One:
These leaks were reprehensible, they are distressing, we unequivocally condemn them, we agree 100% with the chief constable and the United Kingdom [in their condemnation of them].These leaks were reprehensible, they are distressing, we unequivocally condemn them, we agree 100% with the chief constable and the United Kingdom [in their condemnation of them].
Lukens said US authorities are investigating the source of the leaks and are determined to stop them. He called it a “tragedy” that the issue was diverting people’s attention.Lukens said US authorities are investigating the source of the leaks and are determined to stop them. He called it a “tragedy” that the issue was diverting people’s attention.
When asked whether it would affect the relationship between US and British intelligence agencies, Lukens replied: “I hope not.”When asked whether it would affect the relationship between US and British intelligence agencies, Lukens replied: “I hope not.”
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at 1.50pm BSTat 1.50pm BST
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13:1913:19
Steven MorrisSteven Morris
A source from Didsbury mosque has said it has passed on threats against it to the police. The source said one person had called for the mosque to be burned down. Outside a “peace line” of a few local people has formed. They are there to show solidarity with the mosque and keep reporters at bay, although few journalists are there today.A source from Didsbury mosque has said it has passed on threats against it to the police. The source said one person had called for the mosque to be burned down. Outside a “peace line” of a few local people has formed. They are there to show solidarity with the mosque and keep reporters at bay, although few journalists are there today.
Peace chain at Didsbury mosque pic.twitter.com/KSY4MVC0coPeace chain at Didsbury mosque pic.twitter.com/KSY4MVC0co
1.16pm BST
13:16
Here’s a summary of how things currently stand in the wake of the attack.
Police hunting the network behind Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi have made “significant” arrests and said officers had seized “very important” items in raids, Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins has revealed. Eight men are in custody, including two who were arrested early this morning.
Greater Manchester police decided to stop sharing evidence from its investigation with the United States after a series of leaks left investigators furious. Hopkins said the leaks had caused “much distress” to the families of the victims.
Theresa May said she will tell Donald Trump that intelligence shared with the US “must remain secure” when she meets him at the Nato summit in Brussels. She also said the threat level “will remain at critical and the public should remain vigilant”. Trump refused to answer questions about the leaks when he arrived in Brussels.
Abedi flew to Düsseldorf four days before the arena attack, German authorities have confirmed. It is known that the 22-year-old travelled to Germany at least twice, including a visit to the financial centre of Frankfurt.
The bomb detonated by Abedi used the same explosives as those in the Paris and Brussels attacks, a US Republican politician has said, pointing to a possible link to the same terrorist network. The chair of the House homeland security committee, Mike McCaul, said the bomb suggested a “level of sophistication” that implied its maker or makers may have had foreign training.
Hundreds gathered in Manchester’s St Ann’s Square at 11am as the UK observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the attack. Flags on government buildings will remain at half-mast until the evening.
Health officials said 116 people had been treated in hospital as a result of the bombing. Some of those caught up in the blast had “life-changing injuries”.
The identities of 21 of the 22 victims have now been named. They are: Courtney Boyle, 19; Philip Tron, 32; Elaine McIlver; Liam Curry, 19; Wendy Fawel, 50; Eilidh MacLeod, 14; Michelle Kiss, 45; Olivia Campbell, 15; Martyn Hett, 29; Kelly Brewster, 32; Saffie Rose Roussos, eight; Georgina Callander, 18; John Atkinson, 28; Alison Howe, 45; Lisa Lees, 47; Angelika Klis, 40; Marcin Klis, 42; Nell Jones, 14; Jane Tweddle-Taylor, 51; Sorrell Leczkowski, 14; Chloe Rutherford, 17.
A suspect package found in Hulme, south-west Manchester, was deemed safe after bomb disposal experts were sent to a college in the area. The operation was “not necessarily related” to the attack, Hopkins said.
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12.47pm BST
12:47
Severin Carrell
Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs that Western Isles council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has sent expert counselling staff to Barra to help the Hebridean island’s children and the 1,000-strong community deal with the death of Eilidh MacLeod, 14, and the severe injuries suffered by her friend Laura MacIntyre, 15, in the Manchester bombing.
Castlebay community school has 150 pupils aged from five to 18, all from Barra, the second most southerly inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides.
The council’s director of education, Bernard Chisholm, an educational psychologist, had been on Barra for a scheduled visit after the bombing took place and his stay there has been extended. The council has also sent a second educational psychologist and a clinical psychologist to help.
Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, told first minister’s questions at Holyrood such deaths were keenly felt in a small island community, and asked what extra resources were being offered to the council. “Barra is one of the most beautiful and peaceful of places, and that peace has been shattered by the actions of Salman Abedi,” Dugdale said.
Sturgeon said government officials had asked the council if further help was needed. They and the council should ensure help was there in coming months. “They need to keep things as normal as possible for the school that the girls attended, but to make sure that there’s support in place for the young people who need it,” she told the chamber.
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As Donald Trump arrived in Brussels for the Nato summit he did not respond to a shouted question about whether Britain can trust the US with intelligence following a series of US leaks about the attack, AP reports.
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12:39
Denis Campbell
Some of those caught up in the blast have “life-changing injuries” and will need medical and family help “for a long time”, a senior NHS leader in Manchester has said.
Jon Rouse, chief officer of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, which brings together the region’s NHS bodies and local councils, said: “There are still a number of individuals receiving treatment and care, as would be expected following an attack like this. Some of this care is critical care, meaning patients require intensive and constant support and monitoring. We are also providing support to families during this difficult time.
“The NHS and care organisations together with partners across the voluntary sector will be providing care and support for individuals in the weeks, months and years to come. Some individuals will now have life-changing injuries which will require the support of the NHS and partners for a long time.”
He paid tribute to all the emergency services in Greater Manchester for the “dedication and commitment” they have shown in the face of Monday’s attack.
Help is available for those who may be struggling psychologically as a result of the bombing, Rouse added. “Manchester has a wonderful community spirit which we have drawn on in these past dark days. We realise that there will be members of our community deeply affected by what has happened. The partnership has therefore issued guidance on how to access mental health support on its website and I’d encourage people to read and share this.”
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12:34
Hopkins said he didn’t want to add to a statement from the National Counter Terrorism Police Network about the sharing of information with the US. It said:
“We greatly value the important relationships we have with our trusted intelligence, law enforcement and security partners around the world. These relationships enable us to collaborate and share privileged and sensitive information that allows us to defeat terrorism and protect the public at home and abroad.
“When that trust is breached it undermines these relationships, and undermines our investigations and the confidence of victims, witnesses and their families. This damage is even greater when it involves unauthorised disclosure of potential evidence in the middle of a major counter terrorism investigation.”
Theresa May confirmed that she would “make clear to President Trump that intelligence that is shared between our law enforcement agencies must remain secure”, when she meets him at the Nato summit later today.
Vikram Dodd provides more context to police concerns about the leaks.
In the minutes after the Manchester attack, information was being shared almost instantly by British investigators with their US counterparts. Very soon, in the first hours after the attack, it was being leaked.
Within two hours of the attack, which happened around 10.30pm UK time, the US network NBC was reporting that a suicide bomber was suspected, with the information coming from a leak.
By Tuesday morning London time, US-based CBS was reporting the bomber’s name, and again all the leaks were suspected of coming from information passed by Britain to US counterparts.
A special communication channel exists between the UK and US for the rapid transmission of secret material to help both countries’ law enforcement and intelligence efforts, the Guardian understands.
The US has a history of passing classified material sent in confidence by the UK to American media. One senior source told of a past major investigation where pictures transmitted via the secret network, and marked as secret, was being leaked to US media barely an hour later.
In 2005, pictures of devices recovered as part of the investigation into the terrorist attack on London’s transport network, sent to the US, were leaked to an American TV network.The attitudes to openness are different in both jurisdictions, with the US being more open.
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12:26
Here’s the full statement from Hopkins:
This continues to be a fast-moving investigation and there has been a significant amount of activity taking place throughout the night and this morning. I want to provide you with an update about the progress of the investigation to date.
You will all be aware that officers are currently responding to an incident in Hulme. A suspicious package has now been deemed safe and the cordon has now been removed. Can I stress at this stage that this incident is not necessarily linked to the wider investigation but I hope people will understand that we will always take any reports seriously.
As regards the full ongoing investigation, we currently have eight people who have been arrested in connection with Monday’s attack. They are all men. A woman who was arrested yesterday has since been released. The arrests have taken place in Manchester, Wigan and Nuneaton. We are now carrying out associated searches at a number of addresses.
These have been an intense three days for the officers and staff of Greater Manchester police, along with the national counter-terrorist policing network and UK intelligence services.
I want to reassure people that the arrests that we have made are significant, and initial searches of premises have revealed items that we believe are very important to the investigation.
These searches will take several days to complete, as you would expect, therefore there will be some disruption. However, it is important that we continue with these searches.
Alongside the investigation we have a team of specially trained officers who have been supporting the families of those who tragically lost their lives.
Last night the family liaison officers shared with them the fact that intelligence had been leaked and published in the New York Times. It is absolutely understandable that this has caused much distress for families that are already suffering terribly with their loss. A statement was issued by the national counter-terrorism police network last night. I do not wish to add anything further to this and I will not be commenting on information sharing arrangements with our international partners.
It will take some days before formal identification can take place but we are assisting the families who want to provide a tribute to their loved ones. To be clear this is not formal identification and is part of our efforts to support the families. I know how important it is to them that the media are supporting the tributes to their loved ones.
We have been overwhelmed by the support from members of the public and I would ask for their patience while the investigation continues.
As this morning’s incident in Hulme shows, it remains important for people to continue to be vigilant.
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12:18
'Significant' arrests and 'very important' items found
Hopkins did not take questions.
These are key points:
Arrests made by police hunting the network behind the Manchester Arena bombing are “significant”.
Some of the items seized in raids are “very important” to the investigation.
The leak of photographs of bomb has caused understandable distress.
The Hulme alert is not necessarily related to the bomb attack.
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12:10
Hopkins says the leak of images of bomb parts had caused distress to the families of the victims.
It is important that people remain vigilant.
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12:08
Greater Manchester police’s chief constable, Ian Hopkins, is making a statement. He said the investigation remains fast-moving. He said the operation in Hulme was “not necessarily” related to the attack.
Hopkins confirms eight people remain in custody. A woman has been released.
The arrests are significant, Hopkins says. The raids have revealed items important to the investigation, he says.
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12:06
The arrest in Hulme was not related to the attack, police have confirmed. “It was not a terrorism arrest,” a spokesman said.
GMP says it has arrested one man in Hulme this morning. Arrest not directly related to Monday's attack: "It was not a terrorism arrest."