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The sister of the Manchester bomber has sparked outrage after claiming her brother carried out his attack against children in “revenge” for US air drops in Syria.

Jomana Abedi described her older sibling as 'kind' and 'loving' to the Wall Street Journal, adding she was surprised he would carry out such an atrocity.

But then the 18-year-old added: “I think he saw children - Muslim children - dying everywhere, and wanted revenge.

“He saw the explosives America drops on children in Syria, and he wanted to revenge.

“Whether he got that is between him and God.”

(Image: SKY)

Immediately her comments were condemned.

Mark Session, 52, from Manchester, said: "There is no justification for the taking of a child's lives.

"Any kid losing their life is heartbreaking, but to my knowledge, no children in the allied air strikes has been targetted purposely unlike in Manchester."

"It is sick to justify the arena bombing in such a way. It is abhorrent in fact.

"There is no place for her comments."

It comes as photos emerged of parts of the bomb used in the Manchester terror attack - including shreds of a backpack, battery and a 'detonator' covered in blood.

The remains of the light blue Karrimor bag believed to have been carried by Salman Abedi can be seen in a series of "law enforcement images" on the New York Times website.

A blood-smeared silver detonator with wires trailing from one end is also seen lying on the floor.

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In one photo it is placed alongside a white forensic tape measure.

"The apparent detonator, which British law enforcement officials said was carried in the bomber's left hand, is also unusual for a manual detonator in a suicide device, in that it appears to have contained a small circuit board soldered inside one end," the American paper reported.

"It is not clear from the law enforcement images if the object was a simple plunger switch, or included a timer or a receiver that could be operated remotely via radio signal - or some combination."

Shrapnel, including nuts and screws, are also shown on a bloodied floor.

Another image shows the charred remains of a 12-volt battery.

The force from the blast was so great it penetrated metal doors and left deep scars in brick walls.

Evidence at the scene showed that most of those killed by Abedi died in a circle around him.

His body was blown apart with his torso being thrown out the ring of bodies.

Experts said it was an indication of a powerful, high-velocity charge, and of a bomb in which its shrapnel was carefully and evenly packed.

They believe Abedi carried the device inside a rucksack and not a suicide vest due to how his body was found.

US bomb experts said the sophistication of the explosives showed it had been built not to fail.

British investigators have already determined the detonator was carried in Abedi’s left hand and appeared to have been specially built.

It is yet to be determined if it was a simple “plunger switch”, or it included a timer or a receiver that could be operated remotely via radio signal.

Such a design allows a bomber to detonate it immediately or leave it to be blown up from a distance.

Explosive experts in America said it was clearly built by someone with a “deep knowledge” of bom1bing making.

It is not known if Abedi built the bomb himself or it was handed to him.