Manchester bombing was planned for months, Libya says Published duration 12 June 2017 Related Topics Manchester Arena attack

image copyright GMP image caption New images released by police show bomber Salman Abedi on CCTV in Manchester

The bomb attack in Manchester last month which killed 22 people was being planned since December, security officials in Libya have told the BBC.

Salman Abedi was being watched in Libya more than a month before the attack.

Officials in Tripoli have complained about poor security co-operation with the UK, which they say must be improved to prevent further attacks.

Abedi spent a quiet month with his family in Tripoli before returning to Britain to carry out mass murder.

Libyan officials have told the BBC's Orla Guerin that from the time of his arrival in the country he was under surveillance, along with his brother Hashem and father Ramadan.

image copyright Special Deterrence Force/Libyan Interior Ministr image caption Hashem Abedi was under surveillance in Libya

image copyright GMP image caption Images released by Greater Manchester Police show a barrel which was stored in Salman Abedi's car

It is unclear if that information was shared with the UK, our correspondent says.

Hashem Abedi and Ramadan Abedi are still being interrogated - daily - by Libya's Special Deterrence Force. Its spokesman Ahmed Ben Salem told the BBC the attack was being planned as far back as last December.

He said the force had important information about Abedi's contacts in the UK and Libya.

But security officials in Libya say they have closer co-operation with the CIA than with London.

A general with the UN-backed government in Tripoli said they wanted better intelligence sharing - as quickly as possible - to avoid another Manchester.

Abedi's brother Hashem has admitted while in detention that they both joined the group known as Islamic State (IS) in 2015, a Libyan security official said.

It is not clear if the information was given freely or under duress.

Libyan officials say Hashem Abedi bought parts for the bomb while in the UK. He left the UK on the same day as his brother.

image copyright GMP Handout image caption Police in the UK are appealing for anyone who saw Salman Abedi (pictured) with his white Nissan Micra

Officers said there was now a "deep understanding" of the terrorist's movements in the weeks leading up to the attack at the Manchester Arena on 22 May.

The head of counter-terrorism said it was "less clear" whether he solely obtained and stored all the materials or if others were "complicit".