Manchester police search house near where Salman Abedi seen with suitcase
Police say Salman Abedi acted "mainly alone" as he prepared for the concert attack - but want to find his blue suitcase.
Thursday 1 June 2017 06:11, UK
Police forensic teams and a bomb disposal unit have been searching a property in Manchester close to where bomber Salman Abedi was spotted before the attack.
The property in Banff Road in the Rusholme area of the city was cordoned off on Wednesday afternoon.
It is just metres from Wilmslow Road, where Abedi was captured on CCTV wheeling a blue suitcase which has become a key focus of the police investigation.
The search came after police said they believed the bomber acted "mainly alone" in the days before the attack after a concert at the Manchester Arena, which killed 22 people.
"Our inquiries show Abedi himself made most of the purchases of the core components and what is becoming apparent is that many of his movements and actions have been carried out alone during the four days from him landing in the country and committing this awful attack," Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson, head of the North West counter terrorism unit, said.
He said police were "especially keen" to find out why Abedi kept returning to the Wilmslow Road area and to trace the suitcase.
Syed Akil Ali lives on Banff Road. Concerned about the raid, he decided to send his wife, daughters and grandson to his son's house.
"Police asked me if I'd seen anything at number 24. There was a freezer outside. They showed me the picture of Abedi (with suitcase)," he said.
"We are very worried. We don't know what's going on. We've never faced this before. It's really scary."
Mr Ali told Paste BN there were only four properties on Banff Road with residents living in them long-term. Most of the properties have 'to let' signs outside.
On Wednesday evening, a 21-year-old man arrested in connection with the investigation into the attack was released without charge. Ten men remain in custody for questioning.
Meanwhile, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, work is well under way ahead of Sunday's Ariana Grande concert in aid of the victims.
Organisers usually have 18 months to prepare, but they are putting together this concert with just one week's notice.
Security is already understandably tight; police and event organisers are working closely.
Melvin Benn, the show's co-producer, said: "Clearly Ariana was distraught and in shock after the concert last Monday but she came through that, she had huge messages of support from other pop stars, from other singers, other bands.
"I think that gave her the courage to think clearly about what her next step was - and she wanted to come back to the town, she wanted to come back to the city, she wanted to face it head on and provide that level of solidarity and togetherness that Manchester has been showing the last 10/12 days and she wanted to be part of that there's no question about it."
Those who were at her concert on the night of the attack have been offered free tickets.
In total 50,000 people are expected to attend.