Manchester attack: Police have arrested ‘large part’ of terror network behind Salman Abedi

There are still ‘important’ lines of inquiry to pursue and further arrests are likely, top terror officer says

Armed British Transport Police are now patrolling trains across the country (PA)

Police in Manchester have arrested a “large part” of the terror network believed to have supported suicide bomber Salman Abedi, Britain’s top counter-terror officer has said.

Mark Rowley said investigators were making “immense” progress as they try to trace accomplices of the 22-year-old attacker, who killed 22 people on Monday night.

But he added that there were still “important” lines of inquiry to pursue and said further arrests were likely.

Mr Rowley also said police had reviewed security at more than 1,300 events across the country and urged the public to “go out as you planned and enjoy yourselves”.

“They are very significant, these arrests,” he said.

“We are very happy we've got our hands around some of the key players that we are concerned about but there’s still a little bit more to do.”

Urging people to continue with their plans for the bank holiday weekend as normal, he added: “We can’t let the terrorists win by dissuading us from going about our normal business.”

Any further arrests would come on top of the eight suspects – aged between 18 and 38 – already being held by police.

Ten people have been arrested since Tuesday “on suspicion of offences contrary to the Terrorism Act”.

Two of those – a 16-year-old boy arrested in Withington on Thursday and a 34-year-old woman arrested in Blackley on Wednesday – have been released without charge.

Those still in custody are:

– Ismail Abedi, 24, the bomber's brother, arrested in Whalley Range, south Manchester, on Tuesday.

– An 18-year-old man, a 21-year-old man and a 24-year-old man arrested during a swoop on the Fallowfield area of the city on Wednesday.

– A 33-year-old man held in Wigan, having been detained carrying a suspicious package on Wednesday.

– A 22-year-old man arrested in Nuneaton at gunpoint by counter-terror officers on Wednesday.

– A 38-year-old man arrested in Blackley, north-east Manchester, on Thursday.

– A 30-year-old man detained in the early hours of Friday morning in Moss Side, south Manchester.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, Mr Rowley said officers continued to sift through hours of CCTV footage, financial accounts and hundreds of witness accounts as well as gathering intelligence from their counterparts overseas.

He said: “I completely understand the desire for information and answers but it is essential to protect the investigation, so at this stage I will not go into detail.

“Our aim must be to identify, arrest and put before a court of law those who are responsible – I am confident we will do that.

“I do not want to provide those people with any advantage allowing them to destroy evidence or any opportunity to counter what we have gathered.”