Pictures of bloodied fragments published

PHOTOGRAPHS apparently showing bloodstained fragments from the Manchester concert bomb have been published in an American newspaper, just hours after the UK government issued a warning to US authorities not to leak details of the terror investigation.

The publication is certain to infuriate Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who said yesterday she was “irritated” by the early release of the bomber’s name by US authorities and had made “very clear” to American counterparts that no further leaks should happen.

The Home Office declined to comment on the new leak, but pointed reporters to Ms Rudd’s earlier comments in a clear indication that her stance had not changed.

There was no immediate response from Downing Street, but it is possible that Theresa May could raise the issue with President Donald Trump when they meet at the Nato summit in Brussels today.

Police and security agencies investigating the murder of 22 people by suicide bomber Salman Abedi on Monday regard it as crucial to the success of their operation to be able to control the release of information.

Abedi’s name was circulating in the US media on Tuesday, hours before it was confirmed by UK police, who had earlier urged reporters not to publish speculation about the bomber’s identity.

The pictures in the New York Times (NYT) show torn scraps from a blue Karrimor rucksack, as well as screws and nuts used as shrapnel and a metal item which the newspaper suggests could have been part of the bomb’s detonator.

The NYT described them as “law enforcement images” but did not make clear how they had been obtained. The nature of the photographs allowed no doubt that they were taken as part of the forensic investigation of the scene, and are not snapshots taken by the public.

The paper also published a map showing the location of the victims of the bombing, positioned in a circle around the presumed site of the explosion in the arena foyer, as well as what is thought to be Abedi’s torso some distance away.

Britain’s intelligence links with the US are among the closest in the world, and information is routinely shared by security and intelligence agencies as part of the special relationship between the transatlantic allies.

Surveillance information is also shared among the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand under the Five Eyes arrangement.