23 May 2017•Update: 24 May 2017
By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
LONDON
Police named 22-year-old Salman Abedi on Tuesday as the suspected suicide bomber who killed 22 people and injured 59 others in Manchester city on Monday night.
The police statement did not mention whether the suspect named is a British citizen despite the fact that some outlets initially reported him as a national. According to the BBC, Abedi “was Manchester born and from a family of Libyan origin”.
In the statement, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “I can confirm that the man suspected of carrying out last night’s atrocity has been named as 22-year-old Salman Abedi,”
The explosion took place in the foyer area of the Manchester Arena at the end of a pop concert.
So far, three victims have been named, including eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos, 18-year-old Georgina Callander and 28-year-old John Atkinson.
The death toll may climb further as some patients remain in critical condition; 12 of them are under the age of 16, healthcare services said.
Greater Manchester police also said they have “executed warrants” in South Manchester area, where a controlled explosion took place as part of an investigation into last night’s attack.
The arena had been hosting a concert by U.S. pop star Ariana Grande and thousands of children and teenagers were among the crowd.
Prime Minister Theresa May visited security services earlier and received a briefing from the police.
May said many of the 59 casualties being treated across eight regional hospitals had life-threatening injuries.
All campaigning ahead of the country’s June 8 general election has now been suspended, she added.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of British ministers and intelligence figures Tuesday morning, May described the blast as “appalling and callous”.
“This was amongst the worst terrorist incidents witnessed in the U.K.", she added.
Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered at Manchester’s central Albert Square for a vigil called by city's mayor Andy Burnham.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Parliament Speaker John Bercow, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn also attended the vigil apart from members of police force, emergency services and faith leaders.
