Fears that the bomb maker is in hiding

POLICE were hunting for the mastermind of the attack last night as it emerged that the suicide bomber was part of a wider network and the bomb maker is still at large.

Investigators believe that Salman Abedi, 22, may have just been a ‘mule’ and that the specialist who prepared his sophisticated device is plotting further bloodshed.

Yesterday, armed police and the soldiers stormed a series of addresses in Manchester, arresting a number of Abedi’s family members. Three people were held, following the arrest of Abedi’s brother, Ismail, the previous day.

It is understood that no bombmaking equipment was found at Abedi’s home, and intelliPETN, gence officials now believe he either made the bomb elsewhere or was given the device and trigger mechanism by an accomplice, possibly during his visit to London in the days before the attack.

Armed police later swooped on a street in Wigan as they made their fifth arrest in the investigation. The town centre was in lockdown as officers carrying automatic weapons carried out the raid. Witnesses said a man was tackled to the ground after he was seen with a suspicious package.

Painstaking forensic examination is now being carried out to determine whether Abedi’s bomb was made of components such as hydrogen peroxide or a powerful explosive such as meaning it is likely to have been brought in from abroad. One former intelligence official said: ‘While it is possible to teach yourself to make a bomb, it is probable someone else made the device for Abedi and he is still at large, probably in this country, which is why the level of threat has been raised.’

He added: ‘The reality we face is that if a bomb maker is at large it is highly likely he is linked to a cell with a support network, all of whom have not been compromised – and that is disturbing. It means there are likely to be more devices until the person making them is detained or stopped.’

Yesterday the two addresses in Manchester raided by police and the military, included a flat just a mile from the Manchester Arena which Abedi or one of his accomplices may have rented as he carried out reconnaissance and made final preparations before carrying out his attack on Monday.

Police believe the central Manchester flat was visited by Abedi just hours before he carried out the atrocity.

Fire crews were placed on standby and Manchester Piccadilly Station was shut as police burst into the block that backs on to the railway, suggesting officers expected to find bombmaking equipment.

A counter-terrorism source said last night: ‘Significant progress has been made today – but this is only just the beginning.’ Officers are now thought to be preparing to make further arrests.

‘There are likely to be more devices’