IS claims UK concert attack that killed 22
TERROR REVISITED:
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: The IS group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a suicide bombing at a packed Manchester pop concert, killing at least 22 people including an eight-year-old girl in Britain’s deadliest terror attack for more than a decade.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the police knew the identity of the bomber, who died in the blast late on Monday, saying he intended to cause “maximum carnage”.
She said he is believed to have acted alone, but police arrested a 23-year-old man on Tuesday morning in connection with the attack, which occurred just over two weeks before Britain holds a general election.
“One of the caliphate’s soldiers placed bombs among the crowds,” the IS group said in a statement published on its social media channels, and threatened more attacks.
Screaming fans, many of them teenagers, fled the venue in panic after the explosion at the end of the concert by US star Ariana Grande in the 21,000-capacity Manchester Arena, in northwestern England.
“A single terrorist detonated his improvised explosive device near one of the exits of the venue, deliberately choosing the time and place to cause maximum carnage and to kill and injure indiscriminately,” May said after an emergency ministerial meeting.
Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos and a teenager, Georgina Callander, were among the first of the 22 victims to be confirmed. Another 59 people were wounded, many with lifethreatening conditions.
“We know that among those killed and injured were many children and young people,” the prime minister added.
Police said the blast occurred in the foyer of the indoor arena, a covered area which links the auditorium to Victoria Station, a train and tram hub.
Witnesses reported seeing bodies on the floor after the blast around 10:30pm (2130 GMT) on Monday, and some fans were trampled as panicked crowds tried to flee the venue. The attack was the deadliest in Britain since July 7, 2005 when four suicide bombers inspired by Al Qaeda attacked London’s transport system during rush hour, killing 52 people and wounding 700 more.
Grande, who is popular with teens and pre-teens, expressed her anguish following the Manchester attack.
May said it was “a callous terrorist attack”, conducted with “appalling, sickening cowardice” and Queen Elizabeth condemned it as an “act of barbarity”.
Britain’s national terror threat level has been “severe”, meaning an attack is highly likely, since August 2014, and May said this would remain unchanged, but under review.
In an unusual response, the head of the MI5 domestic Intelligence agency, Andrew Parker, said his teams had been working through the night.
“We remain relentlessly focused, in numerous current operations, on doing all we can to combat the scourge of terrorism and keep the country safe,” he said.
Campaigning for the June 8 general election, which May called last month to strengthen her hand in forthcoming Brexit negotiations with the European Union, has been suspended. In a city famed globally for its musical traditions and football teams, show business stars and teams joined in to express their shock at the carnage.