LONDON (Reuters) - British police chiefs responded to leaks of information relating to Monday’s suicide bombing in Manchester that appeared in U.S. media by warning that breaches of trust between international partners undermined their investigation.

“We greatly value the important relationships we have with our trusted intelligence, law enforcement and security partners around the world,” a spokesman for the National Police Chiefs council said, responding to U.S. reports which included images said to be from the scene of the bombing.

“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 unauthorized disclosure of potential evidence in the middle of a major counter terrorism investigation.”