MANCHESTER/LONDON, May 23:
A lone suicide bomber set off a powerful homemade bomb at a concert of US pop star Ariana Grande in Manchester city, killing at least 22 people and injuring 59 others, in the deadliest terror attack in Britain since the 2005 London bombings.
The Islamic State terror group today claimed responsibility for the bombing and warned of more attacks.
The group said in a statement on its social media sites that “one of the caliphate’s soldiers placed bombs among the crowds.”
Prime Minister Theresa May said the people of Manchester have fallen victim to a “callous terrorist attack”.
After chairing a Cobra (Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms) meeting here in the wake of the blast, May said a single terrorist detonated a device near the exit, at a time and place intended to cause maximum injuries.
Screaming concert-goers, including children fled the venue last night in panic after the powerful blast struck the Manchester Arena -Europe’s largest indoor arena.
Children and teenagers were among the dead because of the very young demographic of the pop star’s fans.
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“Our thoughts are with those 22 victims that we now know have died, the 59 people who have been injured and their loved ones. We continue to do all we can to support them. They are being treated at eight hospitals across Greater Manchester,” Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins said.
“This is a fast-moving investigation…We have been treating this as a terrorist incident and we believe that while the attack last night was conducted by one man, the priority is to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a network,” he said in a statement.
Police have arrested a 23-year-old man in Chorlton, south Manchester, in connection with the attack.
Police confirmed the attacker died at the arena. They said the lone male attacker set off a homemade bomb in the foyer last night at the end of the concert.
However, police have not yet confirmed the identity of the attacker.
The first victim has been named as 18-year-old student Georgina Callander.
Prime Minister May said if others are responsible for the attack, they will be brought to justice.
The police believe that attack was carried out by one person. But they need to find out if he was acting alone. The police think they know the identity of the perpetrator. But the police are not at this point revealing his name, May said.
“Our way of life will always prevail,” she asserted.
Queen Elizabeth II condemned the attack as an act of “barbarity”.
Official sources in New Delhi said they were ascertaining if there were any Indian casualties in the blast. (PTI)
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