U.S. leaks about bombing criticized

• Britain’s home secretary criticized U.S. officials on Wednesday for leaking sensitive information about the inquiry into the attack that killed 22 people at a Manchester concert arena.

Amber Rudd told Sky News that U.S. officials provided information to the media that Britain preferred to keep confidential for reasons of operational security.

Rudd said the “element of surprise” in the police and security service measures could be compromised by information being released too quickly. Rudd said she had complained to U.S. officials to make sure the flow of information is staunched.

British officials hadn’t, for example, released the name of the bomber until it surfaced in the U.S. media based on leaks from U.S. officials briefed by their British counterparts. Details about the bomb also surfaced in The New York Times because of leaks in Washington.

It comes at a time when European security officials have expressed concern about sharing intelligence with the U.S. after President Donald Trump discussed highly classified intelligence about the Islamic State group with Russian officials.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, told reporters he understands the concern about leaks possibly harming the police operation.

“If that’s something that we did, I think that’s a real problem,” he said. “If we gave up information that has interfered in any way with their investigation because it tipped off people in Britain — perhaps associates of this person that we identified as the bomber — then that’s a real problem and they have every right to be furious.”