The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
More arrests as police hunt for bomber’s accomplices
Home Secretary claims IS trying to ‘weaponise’ young Britons
Fresh arrests have been made in connection with the Manchester suicide attack as police continue to hunt down Salman Abedi’s suspected accomplices.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a 19-year-old man had become the latest suspect detained over Monday’s atrocity, which left 22 dead.
The teenager was arrested during an armed swoop on an address in the Gorton area of the city.
A 25-year-old man was earlier held on suspicion of terror offences in the Old Trafford district.
A week of intense police operations showed no sign of abating as counterterror officers stormed addresses in Gorton, Rusholme and Moss Side.
The total number of suspects in custody now stands at 13.
Three people were arrested – and quickly de-arrested – during the afternoon’s operation at Quantock Street, Moss Side, leading them to post an outraged sign on their front door.
It came hours after the Home Secretary said members of bomber Abedi’s terror network could still be at large.
Amber Rudd told the Andrew Marr Show: “The operation is still at full tilt, in a way. Until the operation is complete, we can’t be entirely sure that it is closed.”
She said Islamic State was trying to “weaponise” young Britons and defended the work of the security services following claims that warnings about Abedi were not followed up.
The murderer had been a former “subject of interest” to MI5, but Ms Rudd said: “The intelligence services are still collecting information about him and about the people around him.
“But I would not rush to conclusions, as you seem to be, that they have somehow missed something.”
The failure of security agencies to head off the attack was brought into the spotlight by the family of murdered 18-year-old Georgina Callander.
In a statement released through the police, her family said her life had been cut short by “evil, evil men prepared to ruin lives and destroy families”.
It added: “I wish I could say that Georgina is one of the last to die in this way, but unless our Government opens its eyes we know we are only another in a long line of parents on a list that continues to grow.”
As the fallout from Monday’s attack continued to be felt,former police chief Tarique Ghaffur called for the reintroduction of internment camps where those suspected capable of carrying out extremist attacks could be held.