We’ve smashed the terror gang but our job’s far from being over
Brothers held by police as bomb investigators hunt down leads
Britain’s terror threat level was lowered yesterday as police said they had crippled the Manchester bomber’s criminal network.
But the country stayed on high alert with troops remaining on the streets, armed police guarding beaches and a major security operation at the Scottish Cup final.
The official rating was downgraded from Critical to Severe – meaning an attack is judged to be “highly likely” rather than “imminent”.
The move followed a day of drama in Manchester as police used a controlled explosion to enter a house in the north of the city and arrest two men suspected of being part of bomber Salman Abedi ’s terror network.
Yahya Werfalli, 22, and his brother Mohamed, 20, were led screaming from a semi-detached house in Cheetham Hill.
The Libyans are said to have been close pals with Abdul Wahab Hafidah – the teenager whose alleged gangland killing last year was said to have sparked Abedi’s extremism.
Just hours after that raid, police cordoned off a chunk of Moss Side, south Manchester, near where Abedi lived. Houses were evacuated and a bomb disposal unit sent to the scene.
Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins said: “We have made significant progress in this fast- moving and complex investigation, working with the national counter terrorism policing network and UK intelligence partners and securing the arrests of 11 people who remain in custody.
“The change in the threat level from critical to severe does not alter our response to Monday’s horrific attack, which claimed so many innocent lives.” The Critical rating came in after the suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena on Monday night. Theresa May issued a statement yesterday after chairing a meeting of the Cobra security committee The PM said: “A significant amount of police activity has taken place over the past 24 hours and there are now 11 suspects in custody. “In light of these developments, JTAC – the independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre – have this morning taken the decision to reduce the threat level from critical to severe. “The public should be clear about what this means. A threat level of severe means that an attack is highly likely. The country should remain vigilant.”
At Hampden, armed officers were deployed around the perimeter of the stadium in pairs. Fans went through several layers of security checks before they reached the turnstiles.
Musical instruments, flares and fireworks were banned.
Aberdeen fan Willie Reid, 33, a road worker from Fife, said: “It’s disappointing it’s come to this but I can see the necessities.
“If people want to do something they will do it – but if this makes people feel more secure, fair enough.”
Celtic supporter Jamie Hughes, 38, of Falkirk, said: “I would rather have
extra security and have them here than not.”
Similar operations were used at the FA Cup final at Wembley and the rugby union Premiership final at Twickenham.
The threat reduction means soldiers who have been assisting pol ice wi l l be withdrawn from midnight tomorrow. But extra armed officers will still be on duty, with security stepped up at 1300 events over the bank holiday weekend.
It emerged yesterday that up to 23,000 people had been on the radar of counter-terror agencies.
The secur ity services were managing 500 active operations involving some 3000 people thought to pose a threat. Sources added 20,000 people had previously been “subjects of interest” although the time period covered was not clear.
The Met police’s counter terror chief Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley advised people to be vigilant but to “go out as you planned and enjoy yourselves”.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “There continues to be no intelligence of a specific threat to Scotland.
“However, security measures and police deployment around major events this weekend will remain.
“Police Scotland has confirmed that the police presence will gradually be scaled back in keeping with the UK-wide operation - but will continue to be appropriate and proportionate.”
The threat level has only twice been raised to critical since the system was introduced in August 1, 2006.
The first was for a three-day period from August 10, 2006, at the time of the transatlantic airliner plot.
It again reached critical on June 30, 2007, when secur ity services uncovered a plot to bomb a nightclub in Haymarket, London.
The plotters attacked Glasgow airport later that day. The threat level was lowered to severe on July 4, 2007.
Anthony Glees, professor of secur ity and intel l igence at Buckinghamshire University, said: “‘Highly likely’ still isn’t a good place to be.”