Anger at White House for naming Abedi first

BRITAIN has complained to the White House after US officials leaked the bomber’s name, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said yesterday.

Speaking in unusually blunt terms for a minister to use about an ally, Ms Rudd said it was “irritating” for information to be released by other sources that could undermine Britain’s ability to “surprise” suspects.

US media named Salman Abedi before British authorities. The leak came after Manchester’s chief constable had urged people not to speculate about the bomber’s identity while a “complex and wide-ranging investigation” was underway.

Yesterday Ms Rudd said: “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.

“I have been very clear with our friends that should not happen again.”