All those arrested since Manchester Arena attack released without charge (original) (raw)

Police investigating the horrific Manchester Arena attack have released all those arrested without charge.

Three weeks on from the devastating explosion which killed 22 people and left more than 200 injured, Greater Manchester Police have also shared key information from the one of the biggest investigations ever conducted by the force in the hope more witnesses will come forward.

This includes:

- New images showing barrels stored in Abedi’s car that could help with the inquiry

- Details of their ‘deep understanding’ of Salman Abedi’s movements in and out of the country before the attack

- The fact they have a near ‘hour by hour’ timeline of his movements in the days before the explosion

- They understand how the chemicals and equipment were obtained

- They know how the bomb was assembled and that it was likely to have been made by Abedi

- A probe continues into whether associates could have helped him obtain or store bomb-making materials before Abedi travelled to Libya on April 15

- Police are still searching a landfill site in Bury

- More than a thousands officers have been involved in the investigation

- They have found evidence of explosive materials at ‘several’ of the 29 houses they searched. All have links to Abedi

- Hashem Abedi, Abedi’s brother who left the country at the same time as the attacker, is still detained in Libya and GMP are seeking to interview him

- Officers have interviewed hundreds of witnesses and watched hundreds of hours of CCTV

- They have seized around 700 media devices including phones to be examined for evidence

Senior officers have also revealed for the first time the true extent of the manpower and work involved in both the investigation and in supporting the families impacted.

Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson, head of North West Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “This is one of the largest investigations Greater Manchester Police has ever conducted.

“We said at the start we had to rapidly understand whether this was an attack committed by an isolated individual or a wider network and we have made enormous progress in this and are far more confident on who was not involved and who could still be involved.

“The terrorist investigation has involved officers drawn from across the national Counter Terrorism Policing Network, from the National Crime Agency and police forces across the country. More than 1000 officers have been involved.”

He said a dedicated team was formed immediately after the attack to identify those killed and to support the families and keep those injured informed.

Each family received support from specially trained family liaison officers and their work will continue.

Police have now pieced together Abedi’s last movements - and tried to establish if he was helped.

The 22 people arrested in relation to suspected terrorism offences have been released without charge - two of them shortly after arrest.

The remaining 20 were interviewed ‘many times’ on their associations and contacts with Abedi.

A number of ‘suspicious purchases of materials by individuals which can be used to make explosives’ were uncovered.

Police have identified those who made contact with Abedi close to the attack time, and the presence of people of interest to their inquiry in Manchester city centre on the evening of the attack. In some cases, he said, this had led to arrests.

He added: “Some of those arrested and now released have offered accounts which explain innocent contact with Abedi and we are, at this time, satisfied with these explanations. However, this has taken a considerable amount of time to work through to ensure we are satisfied and that the risk to the public has been considered. As more information comes in it will be acted upon immediately.

Abedi with the blue suitcase

“We continue to appeal for the help of the public in tracking Abedi’s movements and have released more images of him and the car to try and jog people’s memories of sightings.

“We are also releasing images of barrels stored in the car. Did you see anyone carrying these; did you see anyone putting these in the white Micra?

“This is very much a live criminal investigation moving at considerable speed. It is a terrorism investigation relating to 22 murders and multiple attempted murders.

“It will continue at its current pace as we work to understand the full extent of the involvement of anyone else. We will be speaking with more people. Work around CCTV, financial transactions and telephone contacts will continue as we piece together the movements of Abedi in fine grain detail.

“This was a premeditated, calculated and vicious attack. It was planned carefully and has caused devastation and heartbreak to so many. We have a massive team still working flat out on it and there are critical lines of enquiry at home and abroad which we will relentlessly pursue.”

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “DCS Jackson and his NW CT team supported by CT policing colleagues from across the country have done an exceptional job on this difficult case where critical lines of enquiry in the UK and overseas continue.

"The pace has been incredible and will continue in the coming weeks and months”

Salman Abedi's final movements - can you help?

Salman Abedi

Detective Chief Superintendent Jackson has said they knew the identity of the attacker within three hours of the attack thanks to urgent action by forensic teams.

Police also know that Abedi sought to transfer money out of the country in his final days.

He left the UK on April 15 to travel to Libya, before returning on May 18.

CCTV showed him buying bomb-making materials soon after he arrived back, buying nuts for the bomb and a tin, possibly to house the explosive, at a DIY store.

He was also tracked going to and from the Banff Road area of Rusholme, where a white Micra linked to Abedi was found, containing bomb making materials was found.

Police know the car was bought on April 13 before Abedi flew out two days later. They believe the bomb-making materials were stored in the car, before being assembled in the days immediately before the attack.

Police outside Devell Court (Image: PA)

Police are still working on the detail fo this - and continue to appeal to anyone who has seen the R registration Micra being used or anyone going to and from the Micra at Devell Court after April 13.

They are especially interested in movements on April 14 as they believe this was a crucial date in the car being parked with bomb components in it.

They are also continuing to search the Pilsworth landfill site in Bury for a blue suitcase. They expect this search to continue ‘for some time’.

It’s believed to contain items Abedi discarded after assembling the device and could contain ‘crucial evidence’.

Anyone with information should call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline in confidence on 0800 789321. If you have any images or footage that you believe can assist us then upload them to Ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk or Ukpoliceimageappeal.com.