Terror turns on children
A suicide bomber killed at least 22 people — including children — as fans streamed out of a Manchester concert by US pop star Ariana Grande. Police believe they know who the attacker was. Last night, a 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with the
It is now beyond doubt that Manchester has fallen victim to a callous terrorist attack, an attack that targeted some of the youngest people in our society with cold calculation. — Theresa May, British Prime Minister
The last strains of Ariana Grande’s song Dangerous Woman had just faded. The singer stepped behind the curtains. The lights came up. Pink balloons and girlish chatter floated through the air as people began to file out of the Manchester Arena, just past 10.30pm.
Then the unthinkable happened. An orange flash, and a huge bang, as a male suicide bomber detonated what police believe was an improvised explosive device in the foyer area between the arena and the neighbouring Victoria train station.
Witnesses described being knocked off their feet by a huge explosion. One described an orange flash; another spoke of nuts and bolts tearing into young concert-goers.
Then the air filled with screams, as thousands of fans — mostly young girls — turned and ran, some covered in blood.
Footage showed terrified children leaping over chairs and barriers, with people being trampled as they tried to escape the 21,000-seat venue on Monday night local time.
At least 22 people — mainly children and teenagers — were killed in the blast, police said. The bomber also died in the explosion. Last night police arrested a 23-year-old man over the attack.
Another 59 injured were taken to eight hospitals around Manchester and many more “walking wounded” were treated at the scene, some with shrapnel wounds.
An 18-year-old was last night the first to be named as a victim of the bomb. Georgina Callander, known as Gina, was mourned by friends as “a beautiful girl with the kindest heart and soul.”
She was reported to have died in hospital. In a final tweet, Georgina wrote of her excitement to see Grande live in concert.
Her Instagram account showed the pair together at one of Grande’s earlier concerts.
Concert-goer Jenny Brewster said she was leaving with her 11-year-old daughter when the blast hit.
“As I turned around, boom, one loud noise,” she told Sky News. “A gentleman said, ‘run!’ so we ran.”
Outside “you could smell the burning”, she said.
A 17-year-old girl told the Manchester Evening News the explosion happened right in front of her.
“I remember seeing orange. Every- one started crying and running away. I could see people near me and I saw a torso.”
Ryan Morrison, 19, heard the explosion from behind. Then someone shouted “bomb”.
“Everyone started running. It was carnage. People were injured by being trampled as they tried to get out.”
Sirens filled the air as first responders — including 60 ambulances — rushed to the scene. Armed officers surrounded the venue and bloodied casualties were stretchered out of the concert while others staggered out, bleeding.
Word started spreading on Twitter and Facebook. Desperate families and friends posted names and pictures of their loved ones, pleading for a phone call.
But many had dropped their phones in the hurry to escape. Parents spent a long night waiting to hear what had happened to their children.
Nearby Victoria Station was evacuated and all trains in and out suspended, leaving many stranded. Mancunians stepped up to help, with offers of free taxi rides, bus rides, hotel rooms and food.
One woman, Paula Robinson, shepherded around 50 unaccompanied children to a nearby hotel and posted her number on social media for worried parents to call. Last night she still had more than 30 children in her care.
Grande, 23, was uninjured. She tweeted that she was “broken” in the hours after the explosion.
Police in the northern English city confirmed last night that children were among the dead.
Police are treating the bomb as a terrorist attack, although at the time of going to press no one had claimed responsibility.
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said the bomber was killed in the blast.
Their priority was working out whether the bomber was a lone wolf or acting as part of a network. Security authorities are believed to know the attacker’s identity.
The country was already on a severe international terror alert prior to the attack. London police last night evacuated the Victoria Coach Station and cordoned off streets around Buckingham Palace, reportedly after a suspicious package was found.
Prime Minister Theresa May was chairing an emergency meeting the morning after the incident. She said her thoughts were with the victims and families of those affected.
May condemned the “cowardice” of the attacker and hailed those who rushed to help, who had shown “the spirit of Britain . . . a spirit that through years of conflict and terrorism has never been broken and will never be broken”.
Campaigning for Britain’s June 8 election has been suspended.
Reuters reported countries worldwide were reviewing security procedures for major public events such as concerts and sports games.
US President Donald Trump said all nations must band together to stamp out radicalism. Those responsible for the attack were “evil losers”.
Prime Minister Bill English called the event an “awful tragedy”.
Countries from the United States to Japan and Singapore are considering tightening security ahead of major theatre and sports events after a suicide bomb attack in Britain that killed at least 22 people.
Britain was on its second-highest alert level of “severe”, meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely, after the suicide bomb blast at the end of a concert by American pop singer Ariana Grande in Manchester yesterday.
The US Department of Homeland Security said it was closely monitoring the situation in Manchester and the US public might experience increased security at public events.
Japan said it had started gathering information. “We have strengthened our position by establishing an information-gathering unit dedicated to international terrorism,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.
In Singapore, the organiser of concerts by US singer Britney Spears in June said it was considering new measures.
“We are definitely looking at tightening security,” said Yogesh Mehta, project manager at IME Entertainment Group.
“All our events are licensed by the police.
“It is normally advised by the licensing department on what precautions to take, how many armed guards we need. “So we work closely with them.” Singapore, which hosts a security summit between June 2-4 bringing together Asia-Pacific defence and military chiefs, made amendments to the Public Order Act last month.
It requires event organisers to notify the police a month beforehand if they expect more than 5000 people to attend. And police may refuse to allow a public gathering if it has a direct political end or involves foreigners.
Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld Expo, where Ariana Grande is due to hold a concert in September, said it would enhance security measures for all concerts and events. Besides baggage inspection, there would be metal detectors, it said in a statement, adding it was also planning to introduce search dogs for any suspicious items.
Hong Kong is already on high alert ahead of an expected visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to mark the 20th anniversary of the city’s handover to Beijing on July 1 when the former British colony’s new leader will also be sworn in.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia’s biggest sports arena, said it was reviewing procedures.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Government was working closely with other countries on strategy.
“While the threat level in Victoria
remains unchanged, and there is no known threat to the MCG, we continue to receive advice from relevant authorities and together review our security processes accordingly,” the club’s spokesman said.
SM Investments Corp, whose Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippine capital will host Ariana Grande in August, said it would take all precautions.
“Our security is always stepped up especially for big crowds like this,” said SM investment relations chief Corazon Guidote.