Ariana Grande Manchester Concert Bomber ISIS Ties; 3 More Men Arrested For Attack
The man who bombed the Manchester Arena after Ariana Grande’s concert had “proven links” to the Islamic State. Police now believe the suspect was a part of a bigger network and three more men were arrested because of the attack.
Connections to the Islamic State
The Manchester suicide bomber who killed 22 people and injured 64 more after Ariana Grande’s concert on Monday evening was part of a network, the Greater Manchester police chief confirmed on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
The police chief announced that authorities had arrested three more men suspected of being involved in the arena bombing after Ariana Grande’s concert.
“It’s very clear that this is a network that we are investigating.”
The concert bomber, Salman Abedi, recently returned to the United Kingdom from Libya, the interior minister Amber Rudd claimed earlier. Her French counterpart, Gerard Collomb said that he did have links with Islamic State and had probably visited Syria as well.
Rudd also shamed United States officials for leaking details about the investigation before U.K. authorities were prepared to go public.
“The British police have been very clear that they want to control the flow of information in order to protect operational integrity, the element of surprise, so it is irritating if it gets released from other sources, and I have been very clear with our friends that should not happen again.”
WATCH: Video shows the moment Manchester Arena was shaken by an explosion during an Ariana Grande concert via @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/U31MtjHI7j
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 23, 2017
Abedi, 22, was born in the United Kingdom to a Libyan family. He blew himself up on Monday night at the Manchester Arena indoor venue at the end of Ariana Grande’s concert, which was attended by thousands of children and teenagers.
The 22 victims who lost their lives in the attack included an eight-year-old girl, several teenagers, a 28-year-old man, and a Polish couple who had come to pick up their daughters after the concert.
U.K. on “critical” terror threat level
Britain’s official terror threat level was raised on Tuesday to “critical,” which is the highest level and means that an attack could be imminent.
Troops were also deployed across the United Kingdom to help prevent further attacks.
Horrifying. My thoughts are with the young victims, who only wished to enjoy the music, and with their loved ones. https://t.co/j7HCIBFHea
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) May 22, 2017
The interior minister said that up to 3,800 soldiers could be deployed to take on guard duties so that police can focus on patrols and investigation. Initially, 984 soldiers had been ordered to report.
BBC reported that security services thought the bomb was too sophisticated for Abedi to have put together himself.
Three more men arrested for the attack
Three more people were arrested in South Manchester on Wednesday concerning the attacks, one of which was reported to be Abedi’s brother.
Abedi’s father told The Associated Press over the phone that they “don’t believe in killing innocents. This is not us.”
Mother of @ArianaGrande helped usher a number of fans backstage moments after the explosion occurred in Manchester. https://t.co/PyxZLqwjpv pic.twitter.com/NlUNXfG8yO
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 23, 2017
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Several high-profile events have been called off in the United Kingdom. Chelsea soccer club canceled their victory parade, which had been scheduled to take place on Sunday to celebrate their Premier League title.
The Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Buckingham Palace was canceled because it requires support from police officers and authorities have decided that it would not be a good use of police resources at this time.
Police have confirmed 19 dead in explosion at Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. Our thoughts are with those affected. pic.twitter.com/u7kGATs59B
— MTV News (@MTVNews) May 23, 2017
Britain also has a national election coming up on June 8. All campaigning for the election was suspended after the attack on Monday night. The U.K. Independence Party said it would resume activities on Thursday.
Eyewitness accounts reveal horror of Manchester Arena explosion following Ariana Grande concerthttps://t.co/kT7I7EUmwBpic.twitter.com/UNIXtx4EYn
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) May 23, 2017
[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Stringer/Getty Images]
