ANTI-TERROR SECURITY STEPPED UP
ARMED police stood guard on the streets of Cardiff yesterday as a huge operation was launched to put troops at key sites in the aftermath of the Manchester terror attack.
Scotland Yard announced armed soldiers would be deployed to guard “key locations” such as Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, the Palace of Westminster and embassies, after the atrocity.
Soldiers will replace armed police at many sites under Operation Temperer, which is being enacted after security experts warned the Government that another terrorist attack could be imminent.
It is believed the operation could allow up to 5,000 troops to be deployed in support of the police.
And the plan means soldiers could be deployed to support police at major events such as the Champions League final in Cardiff on June 3.
The country’s senior counter-terrorism officer on Tuesday acknowledged the use of troops was “unusual” but it would allow police to “stretch our armed capability”.
Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said the first phase would allow soldiers to replace police officers at fixed locations but after that they could “augment our patrols” at sites such as transport hubs and major events.
“There are many big events across the country over the next couple of weeks, we are going to be working really closely with the organisers to review the security, review their stewarding arrangements, review our policing arrangements and make sure that decisions are taken that events only go ahead when it’s sensible and safe to do so,” he said.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said 984 military personnel were being deployed around the country, which the Metropolitan Police said had freed up 1,000 armed officers to carry out patrols.
The operation was announced as suicide bomber Salman Abedi’s “network” became the focus of the huge counter-terrorism investigation into the atrocity as members of his family were detained in Libya.
His father, Ramadan Abedi, has been arrested in Tripoli, along with his brother Hashim, whom Libyan security forces said was “aware of all the details” of the attack.
Ramadan Abedi had earlier claimed his son was innocent, saying: “We don’t believe in killing innocents. This is not us.”
The developments came as the probe was hit by further leaks to the US media, with the New York Times releasing crime scene pictures appearing to show bomb fragments and the hiking backpack used to conceal the explosive.
In other developments yesterday, detectives made a further five arrests, taking the number of people in custody to six.
In Cardiff yesterday commuters and shoppers were greeted by the sight of armed police deployed outside the city’s Central train station, while in Bridgend an estimated 150 people gathered last night for a vigil to pay their respects to the victims of Monday’s atrocity.
And in Swansea a man, understood to be in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of being behind a hoax after what was believed to be a “suspect package” prompted the evacuation of large parts of the city centre, including the Quadrant Shopping Centre.
With Britain on critical alert for further attacks:
Three men were arrested after police executed warrants in south Manchester, while officers entered an address in the city centre using a controlled explosion yesterday afternoon;
Another arrest was made later in Wigan of a man carrying a suspect package, while police last night confirmed a woman had been arrested following an armed raid on a block of flats in Blackley, in the north of the city
France’s interior minister disclosed that the bomber is believed to have travelled to Syria and claimed he had “proven” links with Islamic State (IS);
Almost 1,000 military personnel were being deployed around the country, including to key sites such as Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Downing Street, after the official terror threat assessment was raised to critical, the highest level, indicating that a further attack may be imminent;
Claims emerged in America, reported by NBC News, that members of the bomber’s family warned security officials Abedi was “dangerous” in the past;
Management for US pop star Ariana Grande, whose concert had just finished when the bomb went off, said her upcoming gigs at the O2 in London had been cancelled, and;
The Government announced that a minute’s silence will be held at 11am today in remembrance of those who lost their lives or were affected by the attack.
Twenty-two people were killed and dozens more seriously injured when Abedi, 22, detonated a device as fans left Manchester Arena on Monday night.
It was the deadliest terrorist incident to hit the UK since the July 7 attacks in London in 2005 and sparked a nationwide security operation amid fears further strikes could be imminent.
Yesterday afternoon Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said the level of activity in the probe was “intense” and continuing “at pace”.
Asked if officers are looking for the person who made the bomb, he said: “I think it’s very clear that this is a network that we are investigating and as I’ve said, it continues at pace, this extensive investigation is going on and activity taking place across Greater Manchester as we speak.”
The force was “confident” it had identified every victim but said they would not be formally identified until after post-mortem examinations were completed in four to five days.
Cheshire Police confirmed that one of its female officers died while offduty at the concert but have not named her.
The BBC reported that her husband is critically ill and her two children injured.
There were reports that members of the public blew the whistle on Abedi several years ago by reporting him to the anti-terrorism hotline.
An unnamed Muslim community worker told the BBC two people who knew the attacker at college tipped off officers after he made statements “supporting terrorism” and expressing the view that “being a suicide bomber was OK”.
The calls are thought to have been made five years ago after Abedi left school, the community worker added.
Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee in Whitehall today, said Downing Street.