To enjoy the bank holiday weekend after ‘significant’ arrests
officers have been out on streets because we have backfilled guarding posts at key places with military personnel. Their presence at these sites will continue throughout the weekend.”
On smashing the terror cell, he added: “We are very happy we’ve got our hands around some of the key players that we are concerned about.
“There still remain important lines of inquiry for us to pursue. We’ve got to understand everything about the terrorist, his associates, the whole network and how they acquired and built the bomb.
“We have made enormous progress but there are still some really important lines of inquiry to follow through.”
Security minister Ben Wallace said there was no specific threat against an individual event this weekend. But additional armed officers will be at today’s two cup finals in Britain – at Wembley and Hampden Park.
A 44-year-old man was last night arrested in Rusholme, Manchester, over the bombing.
The arrest takes the number of suspects in custody to nine. They include Abedi’s brother Ismail, 24, who was arrested by armed police on Tuesday.
Three of his cousins – brothers aged 18, 21 and 24 – were held in the city’s Fallowfield area on Wednesday.
And a barber shop in Moss Side run by two other cousins, Abderahman Forjani and Abdallah Forjani, was raided yesterday.
Police were also searching a nearby terraced house. Abedi’s father Ramadan and brother Hashem, 19, are being held by authorities in Libya, where they live.
A 16-year-old boy arrested at his home in Withington, Manchester, on Thursday morning was released without charge.
Rowley called the arrests “very significant”.
Greater Manchester Police chief Ian Hopkins said there has been “enormous progress” in the probe.
Isis called for all-out war with a sick offer of “rewards” for “soldiers and supporters in Europe and America” who target civilians in cowardly attacks.
Spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir told them: “Prepare yourselves and be ready.”
There are 500 terror probes in Britain relating to 3000 jihadist.
Detectives are looking at financial records to find out who bought key parts for Monday’s bomb.
They are also trawling through hours of CCTV footage and combing mobile phone records for evidence.
A former teacher of Abedi’s at Burnage Academy for Boys yesterday described the killer as an “averagely lazy, dislikeable boy”.
But Mark Roberts insisted the pupil did not show any radical tendencies.
And he believes the killer was incapable of plotting the attack alone as he was “slow, uneducated and passive”.
Meanwhile, police said there has been a spike in hate crime in Manchester since the bombing. A total of 56 hate crimes were recorded on Wednesday – double the 28 reported on Monday. not to bring bags to the ground – because they will be searched – and to come early. The turnstiles will be open at 1pm for the 3pm kick-off.
Superintendent Mark Hargreaves, match commander for the cup final, said: “The enhanced security operation at the stadium may include body and bag searches, which could potentially delay entry for a short time so I’d urge people to plan their travel and get to the Scottish Cup Final in plenty of time.
“While I understand that some people may be inconvenienced by the increased security, public safety is our priority.”
Inspector Brian McAleese, from British Transport Police, said: “Extra officers will be on duty, on trains and at stations. We are there to help and protect travelling spectators and we hope our officers can offer some reassurance.” ● A minute’s silence will be observed before kick-off in tribute to the victims at the Manchester Arena. Players from both teams and match officials will wear black armbands.