Manchester attack: UK police chiefs attack US for 'breach of trust' over leaked images

Leak 'undermines our investigations and the confidence of victims,' National Police Chiefs Council says

One of the images first published online by the New York Times

Leaking the images of the Manchester Arena crime scene to the US media "undermines our investigations and the confidence of victims", the UK's most senior police officers have said as they attacked the actions of American officials.

Photos showing the detonator, bag and shrapnel used by suicide bomber Salman Abedi first appeared on the website of the New York Times.

Just hours earlier Home Secretary Amber Rudd had said she was "irritated" by previous US leaks of intelligence information before UK authorities were prepared to reveal it, and that she had spoken with American colleagues to ensure it would not happen again.

The National Police Chiefs Council said: "We greatly value the important relationships we have with our trusted intelligence, law enforcement and security partners around the world.

"These relationships enable us to collaborate and share privileged and sensitive information that allows us to defeat terrorism and protect the public at home and abroad.

"When that trust is breached it undermines these relationships, and undermines our investigations and the confidence of victims, witnesses and their families.

"This damage is even greater when it involves unauthorised disclosure of potential evidence in the middle of a major counter terrorism investigation."

The UK's official @TerrorismPolice Twitter account said: "Unauthorised disclosure of potential evidence in the middle of a major CT investigation undermines our work & confidence of victims".

The Home Office declined to comment but Whitehall insiders were said to be "furious" at the latest leak.

"This is completely unacceptable. These images leaked from inside the US system will be distressing for victims, their families and the wider public. The issue is being raised at every relevant level by the British authorities with their US counterparts," a source told PA.