British armed police patrol central Manchester on Wednesday. On Thursday, British officials said they would stop sharing intelligence with the United States after leaks to the media. Photo by Mushtaq Mohammed/UPI |
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May 25 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May said she intends to address intelligence leaks related to the Manchester attack when she meets with U.S. President Donald Trump for NATO talks later Thursday.
Her comments came after British officials said they would no longer share intelligence on the attack with U.S. officials after information was leaked tot he U.S. media. British Home Secretary Amber Rudd on Wednesday said the leaks could damage the investigation into the bombing that killed 22 people.
"I will make clear to President Trump that intelligence that is shared between our law enforcement agencies must remain secure," May said.
BBC News reported the Greater Manchester Police will no longer share information about the Manchester Arena bombing with U.S. authorities.
The outlet reported the leaks sparked outrage in Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, and British police chiefs.
Rudd criticized the U.S. government for leaking information about the bomber's identity.
"The British police have been very clear they want to control the flow of information in order to protect operational integrity -- the element of surprise -- so it is irritating if it gets released from other sources, and I've been very clear with our friends that that should not happen again," Rudd said, adding she had been very clear with leaders in Washington, D.C., "that it should not happen again."
The GMP shares its information with National Counter-Terrorism, which then shares the information throughout the British government and the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand as part of an agreement.
GMP is currently "furious" about the leaking of information, but hopes to resume normal intelligence sharing, BBC News added.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the GMP said a British army bomb disposal team responded to reports of a suspicious package, since been deemed safe, amid heightened security following the bombing.
GMP said the army deployed an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team at Linby street in the Hulme neighborhood. Initially, GMP said the bomb team was sent to a college in Trafford.
"There was a cordon in Hulme, not Trafford, as previously suggested, relating to a possible suspicious package. This has now been deemed safe and the cordon has been removed. Apologies for any confusion," GMP said in a statement.
British police identified Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old British citizen of Libyan descent, as the Manchester Arena bomber on Tuesday. Authorities are working to determine whether Abedi possibly received training from the Islamic State when he traveled to Libya to visit his parents, who moved back to their home country.
GMP said eight men have been arrested in relation to the bombing. A woman was also arrested bu released without charge.
Many of those killed and injured in the Manchester attack include children and adolescents. National Health Service England said 116 people received care in relation to the bombing, while 75 people were admitted across eight hospitals -- 23 of whom are in critical care. Fourteen of those injured are children, including five in critical care.
British authorities have indicated Abedi did not act alone. GMP Chief Constable Ian Hopkins on Wednesday said authorities are investigating a "network" that could be involved in the attack, while Rudd on Wednesday said Abedi "likely" had accomplices.
Twenty-one of the 22 fatalities have so far been identified as Saffie Roussos, 8; Martyn Hett, 29; Olivia Campbell, 15; Kelly Brewster, 32; John Atkinson, 28; Georgina Callander, 18; Jane Tweddle-Taylor, 51; Nell Jones, 14; Angelika Klis, 40; Marcin Klis, 42; Alison Howe, 45; Lisa Lees, 47; Courtney Boyle, 18; Philip Tron, 32; Wendy Fawell, 50; Elaine McIver; Eilidh MacLeod, 14; Chloe Rutherford, 17; Liam Curry, 19; Sorrell Leczkowski, 14; and Michelle Kiss 45.
The last unidentified victim is an off-duty police officer from Cheshire whose husband and children were critically injured in the bombing.
The Manchester Arena bombing is the worst attack since 52 people were killed in the July 7, 2005, bombings targeting public transportation.
