‘Enormous progress’ made in bomb horror
THE police operation into the Arena bombing has made ‘enormous progress,’ said the Chief Constable.
Ian Hopkins was speaking as eight people remain in custody after 12 raids.
The police chief revealed that ‘thousands of exhibits are now being assessed’ in an investigation he described as ‘challenging.’
Mr Hopkins told the latest press conference into the police operation: “We have made enormous progress but there is still work to do.
“Through such a difficult time, we have seen the best from the people of Manchester, who have come together to support each other since the horrific events on Monday night.
“I have been inspired by their determination, compassion and solidarity that characterises this diverse city.”
Mr Hopkins was speaking after the latest day of raids saw a house and a barbershop in Moss Side targeted by officers – and one man arrested.
That brought the total of people in custody in Greater Manchester to eight – aged between 18 and 38. It is understood bomber Salman Abedi’s father and brother remain detained in Libya. Neighbours of the raided house in Dorset Avenue say they witnessed several men being taken away in a vehicle by armed police.
The road was first flooded by police at around 2am.
Two women living just a few doors away from the targeted house say they woke up to find the police about to strike.
Speaking to the M.E.N, housemates Anita Santinelli, 21, and 20-year-old Augusta Urquhart, said: “We could hear them banging on the door and people shouting ‘police, police’ and ‘get down, come outside,’ ‘put your hands up.’
“Then we went out into the garden and watched it unfold for the next hour or so. We saw five or six vehicles all along the street.
“There were about 30 officers, about 20 of them armed, and ten in suits. The street was completely surrounded.
“They had two guys on the ground handcuffed, maybe a third, it was dark so it was hard to see exactly.
“They took them away in separate vans.
“We were just shocked. We just tried to stay quiet. There were so many police but it was eerie how quiet it was.
“We were just frozen and shaking a bit.
“We’ve seen the pictures of the other raids and our house is kind of in the middle of that area so we were kind of expecting it.”
Police returned to the street late yesterday morning and briefly cordoned off the whole cul-de-sac as they entered the property for a second time.
Officers are still guarding Abedi’s home, more than three days after raiding the address.
There is still a cordon in place around the semi-detached red brick house, on Elsmore Road in Fallowfield.
Officers raided the house – which is Abedi’s registered address – at around 11.30am on Tuesday.
Video footage showed a squad of armed officers carrying out a controlled explosion to blast down the front door of the property, off Wilbraham Road.