Report: U.K. Stops Sharing Information on Manchester Attack With U.S. After Intelligence Leak
British 'furious' at U.S. over leaked forensic evidence to U.S. media | PM May to raise concerns in meeting with Trump at NATO summit
British police have stopped sharing information about a suicide bombing in Manchester with U.S. authorities following leaks of details of the investigation that has angered the government, the BBC said on Thursday.
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The British government and police force have criticized the leaks which they say could undermine their investigation into the killing of 22 people at a concert on Monday.
The BBC did not give a source for its report.
British Prime Minister Theresa May will raise concerns with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday about U.S. leaks of intelligence on the suicide bombing in Manchester, a British government source said.
British ministers and security chiefs have been dismayed by leaks in the U.S. media which police fear could hinder a hunt for a possible bomb-maker still at large. Local media said the U.K. government is "furious" over the leaks of details about the investigation into a blast which killed 22 at an Ariana Grande concert on Monday.
British Interior minister Amber Rudd had described the leaks as "irritating" early on Thursday, after details about bomber Salman Abedi, including his name, first appeared in U.S. media, adding that Britain's allies were perfectly clear that it "shouldn't happen again."
But on Thursday the leaks continued, culminating in a New York Times article which included detailed forensic pictures of the crime scene outside the Manchester Arena, including the remains of the bag that Abedi used.
British police chiefs on Thursday condemned the release of potential evidence while inquiries were ongoing, and said that the leaks represented breaches of trust which undermined their investigation.
Meanwhile, British police have arrested two more men in connection with the Manchester attack, taking the number of people in custody to eight, Greater Manchester police said in a tweet on Thursday.
One man was arrested following raids in the Withington area while the other was arrested in the Manchester area, according to the police.
A woman arrested on Wednesday in Blackley has been released without any charge, the police said earlier.
On Monday, a suicide bomber killed at least 22 people at a packed concert hall in Manchester, in what May called a sickening act targeting children and young people.
ISIS, now being driven from territories in Syria and Iraq by Western-backed armed forces, claimed responsibility for the attack.