Arena bombing report ‘is difficult read’ says mayor
GREATER Manchester’s mayor has labelled David Anderson’s report a ‘difficult read’ for Mancunians – admitting ‘wrong judgments’ were made by the security services regarding Salman Abedi.
Andy Burnham accepted the report’s conclusion that there was ‘no way of knowing’ whether Abedi could have been stopped but said lessons must now be learned - after it emerged that MI5 missed a string of opportunities to close in on the killer. He has called for intelligence-sharing – and more resources for police.
Thanking Mr Anderson for the review, he said: “There is no escaping the fact that the report will be a difficult read for everyone in Manchester and most particularly for the bereaved families and those still recovering from the attack.
“We think of them today and recommit to doing everything we can to support them going forward.
“I also recognise that today will be difficult for all those in the police and security services who we ask to take the most difficult and finely-balanced judgements on our behalf.
“They work day in, day out to keep us safe, have foiled 20 attacks over the last four years and will no doubt feel real anguish when occasionally they are unable to stop an attack from happening.”
The mayor said the report was the ‘result of a lot of soul-searching’ by intelligence and policing services, adding that he accepted there is ‘no way of knowing whether the Manchester attack could have been stopped.’
“But it is clear that things could – and perhaps should – have been done differently and wrong judgements made,” he said.
“There are lessons to be learned and I think the people of Greater Manchester will appreciate the honesty in which they are being acknowledged.”
Noting the report’s conclusion that security services ‘got a lot right’ regarding the attack, he said the very fact MI5 had been closing in on Abedi should ‘reassure the public of the professionalism of our police and security services and the systems that they use.’
“It would be much more worrying if nothing had been known about him,” he added.
“But clearly systems can be improved further still, and I know that people affected by the Manchester attack will want to know that changes are being made to prevent others going through what they are going through”, he said.
“In the aftermath of the Manchester attack, I called for consideration of twoway sharing on intelligence between national counterterrorism and local police and I am pleased to see that recommendation in this report.
“This is a significant development which is right given that the nature of the terror threat has changed and issues are as likely now to come from lone operators as sophisticated networks.”
Referring to the home secretary’s announcement that closer intelligencesharing is now likely to be piloted in Greater Manchester, he said the region would work ‘constructively’ with government on the move.
In her statement to the Commons Amber Rudd had also insisted counterterror policing ‘must have the resources needed to deal with threats,’ but Mr Burnham pointed out under-pressure neighbourhood policing also needs sufficient funding.
“It inescapably follows that real-terms cuts to the police budget must stop and increases given to reflect the greater workload and growing threat that we face,” he said. “As it makes its final decisions on the police budget for next year, the government must give Greater Manchester police a budget that will allow it to enhance neighbourhood policing in all our communities.”
In his own statement following the report’s release Ian Hopkins, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said the force’s thoughts remained with all those affected by the bombing, adding that it remains ‘committed to bringing anyone involved in this attack to justice.’
“We welcome the report by Mr David Anderson QC, which provided independent assurance of the reviews undertaken by national counter-terrorism policing and MI5 in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester,” he said.
“Counter-terrorism policing in the UK is recognised internationally for its successes and strong partnership approach to defeating terrorists, because of that we will never stop learning or adapting to ensure that the response meets the changing threat.
“The size and scale of the threat from terrorism has been made so tragically clear this year. Greater Manchester Police will support Counter Terrorism Policing and the UK intelligence community in its response to this step change in threat and in adopting the recommendations in the review.
“Further independent scrutiny will follow including inquests into the deaths of those who lost their lives. Greater Manchester Police will support those inquiries and with our partner agencies will continue to support those affected.”