The Latest on the bombing at a pop concert in Manchester that left 22 people dead
LONDON (AP) – The Latest on the bombing at a pop concert in Manchester that left 22 people dead (all times local) : 6: 55 p.m. A Libyan anti-terror force that arrested the brother of the alleged Manchester bomber says he had links to the Islamic State extremist group and was aware of his brother’s plans. The Special Deterrent anti-terror force said in a statement on its Facebook page that the arrest took place in Tripoli as Hashim Abedi was receiving cash transferred from his brother, Salman. British authorities have identified 22-year-old Salman Abedi as the suspected bomber in the attack at Manchester arena on Monday night. The force’s statement says: « The brother was aware of all the details of the terrorist attack. » The Libyan security force claimed that Hashim Abedi told authorities that both he and his brother belonged to IS. The Facebook statement says Hashim left Britain for Libya in April. ___ 6: 40 p.m. The British government says a national minute of silence will be observed on Thursday to remember those who died or were affected by Monday’s bombing at a Manchester arena. The silence will take place at 11 a.m. local time on Thursday. Officials also said that flags will remain at half-mast on government buildings until Thursday evening. Britain’s political parties say they plan to resume campaigning Friday for the June 8 general election after putting campaign events on hold to show respect to bombing victims. The bombing suspect’s father and two of his brothers have been arrested in England and Libya in connection with the attack, which killed 22 and injured dozens others. No one has been charged. ___ 6: 25 p.m. The spokesman for a Libyan anti-terror force says the father of the alleged Manchester bomber has been arrested in Tripoli. Special Deterrent force spokesman Ahmed bin Salem told the Associated Press that Ramadan Abedi, the father of Salman Abedi, was detained in Tripoli on Wednesday. Bin Salem says the elder Abedi was detained for interrogations. Before his arrest, the father told the AP that his son was innocent and had been planning a trip to Saudi Arabia for a pilgrimage. Ramadan Abedi also had said he worked as the administrative manager of the Central Security force in Tripoli. He said he fled Tripoli in 1993 after Moammar Gadhafi’s security authorities issued an arrest warrant and eventually sought political asylum in Britain. Salman Abedi was born in Britain in died in Monday’s attack at Manchester Arena. Two of his brothers have been arrested along with their father. ___ 6: 15 p.m. Scores of people have gathered in a Manchester square for a multi-faith vigil for the victims of Monday night’s bomb attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Leaders from Manchester’s Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities echoed the message that extremists would not drive a wedge between the city’s religious groups. Irfan Chishti, the imam of Manchester’s biggest mosque, told the crowd, « There are no divisions here tonight. » The Catholic bishop for the area, John Arnold, read a message from Pope Francis. Arnold said the pontiff offered « his assurance of his prayers for the injured and for all who have died. » A British man of Libyan descent who died in the attack has been blamed for the bombing. The brief event ended with people lifting their hands in the air during a moment of silence. ___ 5: 55 p.m. A Libyan security spokesman says another brother of the alleged Manchester bomber has been arrested, this one in Tripoli. Ahmed bin Salem, the spokesman of a Libyan anti-terror force, says a younger brother of Salman Abedi, Hashim, was detained on Tuesday. Bin Salem gave no further details. The alleged bomber’s father, Ramadan Abedi, told The Associated Press on Wednesday, that another son, Ismail, was arrested in England on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Abedi is a British citizen born to Libyan parents and grew up around Manchester. He died in the attack. The bombing killed 22 people and wounded scores at an Ariana Grande concert Monday night in Manchester. ___ 5: 40 p.m. British police say officers investigating the Manchester Arena concert blast have arrested a fifth suspect, and are assessing a package the suspect was carrying. Greater Manchester Police said the suspect was detained in Wigan, a town to the west of Manchester. The force did not immediately provide details. Officers also arrested three men earlier Wednesday in Manchester, where a bomber attacked an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 and injuring dozens others. Another man, the brother of alleged bomber Salman Abedi, was arrested on Tuesday. ___ 4: 35 p.m. A spokesman for the Manchester Islamic Center has denied reports that the man identified as the bomber who attacked a pop concert in the city worked at the center. Officials identified the bomber as 22-year-old Salman Abedi, a British citizen born to Libyan parents. Islamic Center spokesman Fawzi Haffar told reporters on Wednesday: « This bomber has never worked in this center. » Haffar also told reporters he was concerned about reports of « anti-Muslim acts » the center has received since Monday’s attack. He says the reports range from verbal abuse to damage to mosques in Manchester and elsewhere. The attack at Manchester Arena killed 22 people, including children and many teenagers. ___ 3: 13 p.m. Manchester’s police chief has told reporters that it is clear « this is a network we are investigating » as he gave an update on the probe into the bomb attack at a pop concert in the city. Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said Wednesday that police are carrying out extensive searches across Manchester as part of their probe. Hopkins declined to comment on whether police have found the alleged maker of the explosive device used in Monday night’s attack. His comments followed media reports that the alleged bomber, Salman Abedi, acted as a « mule » for others. Hopkins says a serving police officer was among the 22 people confirmed killed in the attack. He confirmed that a total of four suspects have been detained so far. ___ 3: 05 p.m. Witnesses say they heard explosions as police raided a block of flats in central Manchester following Monday’s attack. Manchester Police said officers briefly closed a railway line on Wednesday to carry out a search as part of the investigation into the deadly bombing at the Ariana Grande concert Monday. Residents described how armed police and men clad in balaclavas stormed the Granby House building, an apartment block where rented apartments are popular with students and young professionals. Muye Li, a 23-year-old student who lives on the third floor, says he heard an explosion as police stormed an apartment on his floor. He says officers knocked on his door and « asked me if I had seen the lady next door, » and believed police were looking for a woman. ___ 3: 00 p.m. A former Libyan security official says the father of the alleged Manchester arena bomber was allegedly member of a former al-Qaida-backed group in Libya. Former Libyan security official Abdel-Basit Haroun said Wednesday he personally knew Ramadan Abedi, the father of Salman Abedi, and that the elder Abedi was a member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting group in the 1990s. The group had links to al-Qaida. Although the LIFG disbanded, Haroun says the father belongs to the Salafi Jihadi movement, the most extreme sect of Salafism and from which al-Qaida and the Islamic State group hail. Haroun says Abedi, also known as Abu Ismail, had returned to the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Ramadan Abedi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Tripoli that his family « aren’t the ones who blow up ourselves among innocents. » ___ 2: 35 p.m. The father of the alleged Manchester arena attacker denies his son is linked to militants or the suicide bombing that killed 22 people. Ramadan Abedi says he spoke to his 22-year-old son, Salman Abedi, five days ago and he was getting ready to visit Saudi Arabia and sounded « normal. » He said that his son visited Libya a month-and-a -half ago. The elder Abedi told The Associated Press by telephone from Tripoli: « We don’t believe in killing innocents. This is not us. » He said his other son, Ismail, was arrested in England on Tuesday morning. He said Salman was planning to head from Saudi Arabia to Libya to spend the holy month of Ramadan with family. Abedi fled Tripoli in 1993 after Moammar Gadhafi’s security authorities issued an arrest warrant and eventually sought political asylum in Britain. Now, he is the administrative manager of the Central Security force in Tripoli. ___ 2: 15 p.m. Manchester United fans are congregating in Stockholm’s city center, dominating bars and singing songs ahead of their team’s match against Ajax in the Europa League. A flag outside a bar in the Swedish capital displayed the words: « United against terrorism. Lest we forget 22.05.17 » – the date of Monday’s suicide bombing in the English city of Manchester. The final will kick off at Friends Arena on Wednesday, less than 48 hours after a deadly bomb attack at a pop concert in Manchester killed 22 people. There will be a huge security presence at the venue. A police helicopter was flying above the city center Wednesday afternoon. ___ 2: 05 p.m. Premier League champion Chelsea has called off its victory parade because of the concert attack in Manchester. Chelsea says it would be inappropriate to hold a parade in London this weekend following Monday’s bombing at a concert in Manchester and adds « we are sure our fans will understand this decision. » The club says « given the heightened security threat announced by the government, and recognizing that this is a developing situation, we have given this careful consideration. » Chelsea also says it does not want to divert emergency services. English soccer champions traditionally celebrate by driving through the city streets on an open top bus, with players holding trophies and waving to fans. ___ 1: 05 p.m. Manchester police made an arrest early Wednesday at a house just a 10-minute walk from the home of suicide bomber Salman Abedi. Omar Alfa Khuri, who lives across the street, said he was awakened at 2: 30 a.m. by a loud noise and saw police take away the father of the family that lives there in handcuffs. He said the man is named Adel and is in his 40s, with a wife and several children. He says « there was a policeman, armed policeman, shouting at my neighbor… and I realized there is something wrong here … they arrested the father, and I think the rest of the family kind of disappeared. » He said he immediately suspected the arrest might be linked to Monday night’s concert bombing. He said he knew the man from the neighborhood and the mosque.
