Greater Manchester Police have confirmed this morning that 22 people died and up to 60 injured in the terrorist attack last night at Manchester Arena. The police add that the attacker died after detonating an improvised explosive device.
The bomb went off at the end of a concert by Ariana Grande. The 21,000 capacity arena was virtually full for the concert. Many of those attending were teenagers, and the police say that children are among the dead.
Campaigning for the general election has been suspended. Theresa May called an emergency COBRA meeting this morning.
Spain's foreign affairs ministry says that it does not believe that any Spanish citizens have been affected, but it has issued two emergency numbers for information: +44(0)7801 371 704 and +44 07712 764 151.
Statement by Ian Hopkins, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police:
This has been the most horrific incident we have had to face in Greater Manchester and one that we all hoped we would never see.
Families and many young people were out to enjoy a concert at the Manchester Arena and have lost their lives. 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.
This is a fast-moving investigation and we have significant resources deployed to both the investigation and the visible patrols that people will see across Greater Manchester as they wake up to news of the events last night. This will include armed officers as people would expect. More than 400 officers have been involved in the operation during the night.
To remind you, we were called at 10.33pm to reports of an explosion at the Manchester Arena at the conclusion of an Ariana Grande concert. More than 250 calls came in and emergency services were very quickly on scene. Emergency numbers have been established for anyone who is concerned for loved ones who may not have returned home: 0161 856 9400 or 0161 856 9900.
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.
The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena. We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device, which he detonated, causing this atrocity.
We would ask people not to speculate on his details or to share names. There is a complex and wide-ranging investigation under way.
Our priority is to work with the national counter-terrorist policing network and UK intelligence services to establish more details about the individual who carried out this attack.
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If I hear the comment 'known to police or known to authorities?, I am going to scream. What does this mean? Is it said to comfort us? The police saying, don't worry, we know who the bad guys are, we don't want to detain them? Or are they saying it so that some will think they know what they are doing. When my Peruvian wife was applying for Canadian citizenship, they scheduled her immigration hearing in Los Angeles. When I questioned why we had to fly from Vancouver to Los Angeles for an interview, they told me that if her application was denied, she would not be allowed back into Canada. When we left our apartment to go to the airport, she did not know if she would ever see her new home again. Well if we can do that to people who are legally trying to emigrate to a country, why are we treating suspected terrorists differently? Sorry but no more political niceties. If you are not borne and raised in your country and are suspected of being a terrorist, you should be deported and then required to prove why you should come back in. If they were born and raised in the country, you should be detained and held until the authorities are satisfied that you are not a terrorist. I know, I can already hear people screaming 'civil liberties'. Well tell that to the family and friends of those who have died at the hands of these madmen. Denying civil liberties is a hell of a lot better than allowing another person to deny a person their life.
So many young people missing. Fear the worst. Slaughter of the Innocents by some madman.
I live about 3 miles from where the explosion. If anybody who has anybody requiring help in the Manchester area requires help as a result of the bombing, please leave a message and I will do anything I can. This is not only for Brits but also anybody in the Spanish community who require help.