A VITAL clue left at the scene of the explosion after the Ariana Grande concert helped British police identify Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi.

NBC reports a US intelligence official, who allegedly has direct knowledge of the investigation, was identified by a bank card found in his pocket at the scene of the explosion. The identification was confirmed by facial recognition technology, NBC quoted the official as saying.

It came as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned Abedi’s “reprehensible” actions as details were revealed about his secret jihadist training.

Police believe Abedi killed 22 people – many children – and injured at least 119 when he detonated an explosive device at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena.

Mr Turnbull paused the usual Question Time argy-bargy to condemn the “vile” and “evil” attack on children.

“This attack was designed to kill children. What could be more vile, more reprehensible, more criminal than this crime,” Mr Turbull said.

“It was committed by a coward. And brave men and women, Australians and Britons alike, will not be cowered by terrorism wherever it occurs.

“We will not change our way of life and we will continue to fight together as the (British) Prime Minister and I reaffirmed last night, to defeat this scourge of terrorism in our homes and around the world.”

The 22-year-old’s identity was revealed after teams of armed police swooped on his address in Fallowfield, Manchester, The Sun reports.

It was also reported Abedi had secret jihadi training during family trips to Syria and spooks fear he was not acting alone when he carried out the atrocity that ISIS has claimed responsibility for. According to The Sun, Abedi was born and grew up in Britain but his family hail from Libya. He dropped out of a business and management degree at Salford University in 2014 and is thought to have visited Libya – also a haven for ISIS fighters – regularly in recent years.

Sources said there were fears Abedi may have taken advantage of the conflict to make the simple journey across the Med to Syria without alerting the British authorities.

One revealed: “His potential ties to Syria now very much forms one line of inquiry.”

The front page of the UK newspaper has his face next to the attacker’s youngest victim to date, Saffie Roussos, who was eight-years-old.

Investigators combed through material at his home, and forensic officer at the scene were seen holding a “know your chemicals” booklet.

Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins identified Abedi but said “he has not been formally named by the coroner so I wouldn’t want to say any more.”

MANCHESTER: ‘We finished the show ... and BOOM’

Eyewitnesses told how bomb disposal officers were seen entering his house before a controlled explosion took place.

MI5 agents and anti-terror police are now racing against the clock to uncover Abedi’s links to any possible terror cell.

Sources said their aim would be to establish if Abedi himself had built the deadly device — or if a bomb-making mastermind was behind the blast.

Abedi was reportedly born in December 1995 in Manchester.

He is believed to be of Libyan origin and has at least three siblings.

Alan Kinsey, 52, who lives across the street from the raided house, filmed at least 20 heavily armed police in helmets and armor march down the street, surround the house and blast down the door before entering.

He said he didn’t see anyone but police leave the house.

He said a man in his 20s, whose name he didn’t know, lived there. In the past there had been other residents but for the last six months or more he had just seen the man.

Though it is reported that he was heard chanting Islamic prayers loudly in the street in the weeks before the deadly terror blast.

MAY RAISES TERROR THREAT TO ‘CRITICAL’

British Prime Minister Theresa May has raised the UK’s terror threat level from “severe” to “critical”, which means a further attack may be imminent.

Ms May made the sombre announcement from Downing Street.

“It is a possibility that we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack,” she said.

Raising the level to critical means that military personnel could be deployed to support armed police officers.

Ms May said that the threat level was under constant review.

“The change in the threat level means there will be additional support available to the police as they work to keep us safe,” she said.

A source told The Sun: “Attacks like this are mercifully rare because they require expertise — or a great deal of luck — to pull off.

“In this case the real fear is that Abedi was just the tip of a more sinister network.

“The focus will now be on his friends, family and other ties to see if there was a sprawling terrorist network behind him.”

At least two other addresses linked to Abedi were also raided with more arrests expected in the next 24 hours.

UK: Helicopter Hovers Over Fallowfield as Police Execute Warrant Following Manchester Attack May 23 UK: Helicopter Hovers Over Fallowfield as Police Execute Warrant Following Manchester Attack May 23

TURNBULL SPEAKS WITH MAY

Malcolm Turnbull has spoken with Prime Minister May in the wake of the Manchester attack.

“We discussed the matter, this shocking attack last night, and I conveyed the heartfelt sympathies and prayers of Australians to the people of Britain and to the victims and to the families of the victims,” Mr Turnbull told ABC radio this morning.

Australians would stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Britain in “resolute solidarity”, he said.

“We will not be cowered by terrorists, we will not be intimidated by them, we will not change our way of life and we will continue to fight together, united, to defeat them.”

Australia’s terror threat level will remain at ‘probable’ for now, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has confirmed.

“Australia’s threat level has not changed, there is no evidence to suggest it should change,” Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters at Parliament House today.

The Minister confirmed this morning that no Australians had been identified among the injured at this stage.

“The authorities in the United Kingdom are determining whether it is part of a broader terrorist cell,” Ms Bishop said.

“I note Islamic State has claimed responsibility on social media but it is yet to be determined if it was directed by them or merely inspired.

“We will keep all major events under review.

“We are also reviewing places of mass gathering, crowded places, to ensure to keep the places as safe as possible for Australians and tourists.”

POLICE ARREST MAN IN CONNECTION WITH THE ATTACK

A 23-year-old man was arrested earlier Tuesday in connection with the attack, while a house was raided in the Whalley Range area, also in south Manchester.

Eyewitnesses described how the suspect was “smiling” as he was led away.

Greater Manchester Police gave no further details about the arrest but said they had executed warrants in the districts of Whalley Range and Fallowfield, 5km south of the city centre, where a controlled explosion took place. The attack led to a large-scale investigation by the Manchester police, who asked for drivers with dashboard cameras to hand them any film they took late on Monday.

Police sealed off an entrance to dozens of terraced houses in Fallowfield, where a witness said armed police surrounded a property.

“Police ... gained entry to the property using an explosive charge to take the door off,” said Neville Edwards, an events safety adviser, 32, whose mother’s house backs onto the property which was raided, told AAP.

“Within moments of that there were reports of a gentleman being whisked off.”

In Whalley Range in southern Manchester, witnesses said armed police had surrounded a newly-built apartment block on a usually quiet tree-lined street. Mussab Amari said he saw lots of police cars and vans.

“They just came in and surrounded everywhere,” he told AAP. “Everyone was armed.”

MANCHESTER VIGIL REMEMBERS THE FALLEN

It came as mourners united against terror in Manchester this evening, with thousands taking to the streets to honour the victims of Monday’s bombings.

Locals, office workers, emergency service workers and students flooded into Albert Square in central Manchester to take a stand against terrorism and send messages of love and support to those hurt or killed at Manchester Arena in the UK’s worst terror attack since 2005.

The twilight vigil acknowledged the 22 who were killed and sent messages of support and strength to the 59 who were injured.

“This is an unbelievable turnout tonight, it shows they are the very few, we are the very many,” said Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council.

“We are Manchester.

“We will pull through the events of last night.

“We will stand together.

“You cannot defeat us because in the end love is always stronger than hate.’’

The crowd roared its support as Sir Richard finished his speech.

Members of Greater Manchester Police as well as the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, addressed the crowd.

Manchester City Council has organised a relief fund for those who would like to donate money to help those affected by the attack.

A separate crowd-funding campaign set up by the Manchester Evening News has so far raised more than $641,000.

ISLAMIC STATE CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

Islamic State earlier claimed responsibility for a “barbaric” concert attack that killed 22 people — many of them children — at an Ariana Grande gig.

US intelligence officials, however, were cautious on attributing the bombing to IS.

IS warned of more “severe” attacks in Britain as they claimed responsibility for the Manchester massacre, reports The Sun.

In a crowing English-language message boasting of the bloody attack, IS’ media wing said: “What comes next will be more severe on the worshippers of the Cross and their allies”.

Writing in English, IS’ claim of responsibility described innocent children attending last night’s Ariana Grande concert as “crusaders” and boasted of the sickening slaughter.







It said: “With Allah’s grace a soldier of the Khilafah managed to place explosives in the midst of the gathering of the Crusaders in the British city of Manchester in revenge for Allah’s religion.

Claiming the massacre was “in response to their [the West’s] transgressions against the lands of the Muslims”, ISIS claimed an IED was placed “inside the shameless concert area”.

MORE VICTIMS NAMED

Eight people have so far been named as victims of the attack.

It’s been confirmed Olivia Campbell, 15, who became the face of the missing concertgoers, died in the attack. The teen became the subject of a massive social media campaign after she couldn’t be contacted in the wake of the explosion.

Alison Howe, 44, and Lisa Lees, 43, from Royton, didn’t return after they went to pick up their children from the concert.

Howe’s son, Jordan, later posted a tribute to her on social media: “They took a caring beautiful mum and step mother away from us all she was amazing to us all x love you loads Alison Howe xx”.

Local government worker Kelly Brewster, 32, was also confirmed as one of the dead. It’s understood she became separated from her sister at the concert.

A friend posted a tribute, writing: “Its with a sad broken heart I can say we’ve had news that Kelly is no longer with us. fly high beautiful you will be a bright shinning star”.

A fundraising page has been established for Liverpool victim Megan Hurley, 15, to raise funds for her family to hold a funeral for her, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Helen McDermott, from Halewood just outside Liverpool, who set up the page said: “We’re raising £500 ($A866) to help fund a beautiful send off for Megan who was taken far too early due to the awful attacks at Manchester Arena on 22/05/2017.

“Let’s help Megan Hurley’s family as much as possible guys this is an awful time for the whole country but we can do our bit for our own!!!”

Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos has been confirmed dead after becoming separated from her mother and sister at the concert.

A teacher at her school, Chris Upton, told the Guardian: “Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone.”

The girl’s mother and sister are in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

While tributes have also poured in for “beautiful soul”, 26-year-old John Atkinson. Atkinson was remembered as an “amazing young man” as friends paid tribute to him on social media.

Lee Paul posted on Facebook: “Sleep tight John Atkinson. Thoughts and prayers with all your family and the other 21 people who lost there lives last night.”

Georgina Callender, 18, was earlier named as the first victim of the atrocity.

According to The Sun, the teen was described as a girl who “lit up the room”.



ROYAL FAMILY EXPRESSES SHOCK

Queen Elizabeth II also released a statement condemning the attack. “The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury in Manchester last night of so many people, adults and children, who had just been enjoying a concert,” she said.

“I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured.”

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall echoed the sentiments of the Queen’s message expressing their “most heartfelt sympathy” for the families and friends of the victims of the “truly dreadful” Manchester terrorist attack.

“My wife and I were so profoundly shocked to learn of the truly dreadful event which took place in Manchester last night,” Prince Charles said in his message of condolence.

ABSOLUTE CARNAGE

Photographs on social media taken from outside the venue looking in through the doors showed bodies lying on the floor on the foyer, while outside, dozens of ambulances transported bleeding and shocked victims to six hospitals across the Greater Manchester area. Some had suffered crush injuries in the stampede to escape.

Parents unable to contact their children tweeted heartbreaking messages trying to find them, while police rushed dozens of terrified children and young people into a nearby hotel to protect them and try to reunite them with their families.





