On Monday 22 May an explosion killed at least 22 people in Manchester. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State and the terror alert level has been raised in the United Kingdom.
At least 22 people, including several children, were killed in the terrorist attack carried out at the end of a concert by American singer Ariana Grande, who is hugely popular among teenagers. The incident took place at the entrance to Manchester Arena at 22:35 local time (23:35 in Italy) on 22 May in the city of Manchester, in the United Kingdom. Fifty-nine people were injured. There are still people missing. The venue was full and around 21,000 people were present during the concert. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State on its official Telegram channel, and police confirmed that the attacker may be Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old British national of Libyan origin. British Prime Minister Theresa May then announced that the terror alert level had been raised and that the possibility of a further attack is therefore now imminent.
The live blog has ended. Further updates will follow shortly on LifeGate.it.
23:46 – The front pages of the two most important newspapers in the United Kingdom
21:00 – The United Kingdom is now under the alert status indicating that there is a risk of imminent attack (level "critical"). Previously it was "severe", which meant that the danger was highly likely. This is the highest alert level short of a state of emergency. The decision was announced by Prime Minister Theresa May following the evening meeting of the Cobra emergency committee.
19:00 – The BBC produced a guide aimed at young people who have been directly or indirectly affected by the Manchester attack, noting that it is normal to feel frightened and to wonder whether this kind of thing could happen again or whether it could happen to us. The reassuring conclusion is that events this serious are very rare, which is precisely why they attract the attention of newspapers and television.
18:24 – Manchester's Chief Constable Ian Hopkins confirms that the suspect in the arena attack is 22-year-old Salman Abedi. "The priority now is to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a wider network," Hopkins added. Abedi was born in 1994 in Manchester to parents who had emigrated from Libya to escape the regime of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. He was a student at the University of Salford and lived in the Fallowfield neighbourhood.
17:25 – The American press had identified Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old British national of Libyan origin, as the person who carried out the Manchester massacre. Following CBS and Politico, the Associated Press also confirmed the leak. By contrast, the United Kingdom's authorities — nor the British press — had confirmed this identity.
16:10 – British Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Prime Minister Theresa May meet Manchester's Chief Constable Ian Hopkins in Manchester. May had convened the emergency committee (Cobra) following the attack at Manchester Arena, which occurred as fans were leaving the Ariana Grande concert. Police confirmed it was a terrorist attack carried out by the Islamic State: 22 dead and 59 injured.
14:00 – The BBC reported that the youngest victim of the attack at Manchester Arena was of primary school age. All the others were teenagers or adults.
1:51 pm – The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on the official Telegram channel, the instant messaging service similar to WhatsApp. 12:51 pm – A 23-year-old was arrested by Manchester police following the attack, though it is not yet clear whether they have any connection to last night's bombing.
11:55 am – Prime Minister Theresa May gave a speech outside the door of 10 Downing Street in London, the seat of the British government. May confirmed that 22 people had died and 59 had been injured, among them many young people and children.
"I have just chaired a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee. […] Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims." She added: "There is no doubt that the people of Manchester and our country have been the victims of a callous terrorist attack targeting the young."
This is one of the worst terrorist events to have taken place in the United Kingdom, the worst since the London attacks of 7 July 2005.
"At 10:33 pm last night, police received a report of an explosion. A terrorist detonated a homemade device — a calculated attack, carried out with the aim of causing mass casualties. All acts of terrorism are cowardly, but what we have seen was an act of shocking and sickening cowardice that deliberately targeted young people in order to cause carnage. The security and police forces believe the attack was carried out by one man, and believe they know his identity."
Meanwhile, further investigations are establishing whether other individuals may be involved: "Last night Manchester experienced the very worst of humanity, but also the very best," May said, praising the efforts and actions of the emergency services and the solidarity shown by and towards the people of the British city.
11:00 am – This evening at 6:00 pm local time, a candlelit vigil for the victims will be held at Albert Square. The announcement was made by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
