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Brits Angry at Bombing Leaks Say U.S. Undermined the Hunt

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British police have taken more people into custody as they hunt for those behind the Manchester concert bombing that left 22 dead Monday night.

And the city's police chief says their home raids have uncovered important items.  

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said the eight suspects detained so far were "significant" arrests, but the searches will take several more days to complete as they race to prevent another attack.

Britain's national threat level remains critical, meaning another attack may be imminent. British Prime Minister Theresa May said "the public should remain vigilant."

Meanwhile, May says the U.S. is compromising their investigation, accusing U.S. officials of leaking important information.

British officials are particularly angry about photos published in the New York Times that reveal evidence about the bomb used in the Manchester attack.

Britain and the U.S. commonly share intelligence to the highest levels, but British officials suggest there has been a severe breach of trust.

May said she plans to raise the issue with President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Brussels. She said she plans to "make clear to President Trump that intelligence that is shared between our law enforcement agencies must remain secure."

British police and security services were also upset that bomber Salman Abedi's name was apparently leaked by U.S. officials and published while police in Britain were withholding his name.

The bomber's name was allegedly released by U.S. officials just as raids were underway in Manchester and in Libya where the bomber's father and brother live.

Hashim Abedi, younger brother of the Manchester bomber, Salman Abedi, was arrested Wednesday in Libya.

And he knew the details of his brother's plot.

The counter-terror force that took him into custody says Hashim was aware of his brother's plans and that the two had been part of the Islamic State group. 

Ramadan Abedi, their father, was arrested Wednesday in Libya as well. 

"We don't believe in killing innocents," he said.

And 23-year-old Ismail Abedi, identified as Salman's older brother, was also taken into custody in Manchester. 

British security forces raided an apartment building in central Manchester as they investigated "a network" of people allegedly behind Monday's bombing. 

British police arrested four other suspects other in Wigan, a town near Manchester, while raiding additional areas possibly connected to Abedi earlier today. 

"I think it's very clear this is a network we are investigating," said Ian Hopkins, Manchester's Chief Constable. 

Hundreds of soldiers were sent to secure key sites across the country, including Buckingham Palace and the British Parliament at Westminster.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the bomber, Salman Abedi, "likely" did not act alone when he killed 22 people and wounded over a hundred at an Ariana Grande concert Monday night in Manchester.

Rudd said Abedi had been known to security forces "up to a point."

Abedi detonated a device at the end of a concert by American singer Ariana Grande, a concert attended by many young girls.

Bethany Keeling was near the exit when the bomb went off.

"I saw a flash, like an explosion flash," Keeling said. "I grabbed my friend's hand and we just ran. But we looked and we could see the bodies on the floor."

The bomber was born in Britain to immigrants from Libya. Abedi grew up in Manchester and even attended a local university.

Police blew the door off his Manchester home Tuesday just miles from the concert arena looking for evidence, including his phone and computer.

Many of the victims of the attack were young. The youngest victim was Saffie Roussos, just 8 years old.

Another victim was 15-year-old Olivia Campbell, whose uncle stood at the hospital doors showing everyone her picture and hoping to find her, before learning of her death.

Manchester health officials say 119 people sought medical treatment at the city's hospitals after the attack, and 64 were hospitalized.

Health official Jon Rouse said, "Of those, approximately 20 are receiving critical care, that means very urgent care, at the present time."

And some are still missing, like Martyn Hett, who was separated from his friends at the end of the show, and mother Wendy Fawell, who hasn't been seen since the concert.

The terror threat level in Britain has been raised to "critical," as Prime Minister Theresa May warned that another attack "may be imminent."

Reaction to the attack has ranged from defiance to calls for unity with some even suggesting the British should just get used to being attacked unless things change.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Leiberman weighed in, saying terrorism is unlikely to stop in Europe because of its "politically correct" character, and that every bombing in Europe leads to a lot of talk, but little action.
 

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About The Author

Dale
Hurd

Since joining CBN News, Dale has reported extensively from Western Europe, as well as China, Russia, and Central and South America. Dale also covered China's opening to capitalism in the early 1990s, as well as the Yugoslav Civil War. CBN News awarded him its Command Performance Award for his reporting from Moscow and Sarajevo. Since 9/11, Dale has reported extensively on various aspects of the global war on terror in the United States and Europe. Follow Dale on Twitter @dalehurd and "like" him at Facebook.com/DaleHurdNews.