Manchester bomber’s father, brother detained in Tripoli

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. May 24, 2017, 9:32 PM (IDT)

British police have arrested five suspects in connection with the Manchester Arena bombing as raids continued of premises in the city in connection with the investigation into the suicide bombing at Manchester Arena which left 22 dead and more than 60 injured. In Libya, “counterterrorism authorities” have arrested the bomber Salman Abedi’s father, Ramadan and brother, Hashem. The latter was suspected of planning an attack in Tripoli and aware of Saolman’s plans to attack the pop concert in Manchester.

It was unclear whether Abedi’s father, who has a past Al Qaeda connection which he claimed to have renounced, and brother were part of the network planning the Manchester attack. But the British authorities, who are now sure that a network was involved, are exploring the emerging connections between Britain and Libya.

The British police say that all the victims have now been identified. They included an off-duty police officer .The youngest was as young as 8 years old.
The British Parliament announced that all public tours of the Palace of Westminster would be stopped. The changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace — a popular tourist attraction — was also canceled. The guardsmen shed their splendid uniforms and joined the 984 soldiers patrolling the streets and sites of London since the terror threat level in the UK was raised Tuesdaynight to “critical.”.
 

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