Multiple arrests across Manchester in wake of suicide bombing

A Libyan security spokespersonsays another brother of the alleged Manchester suicide bomber has been arrested, along with his father, in connection with Monday night's attack at pop concert. Both arrests happened in Tripoli.

Ahmed bin Salem, a spokesperson for a Libyan anti-terror force, said the younger brother of Salman Abedi, Hashim, was detained on Tuesday.

Bin Salem gave no further details.

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However the Special Deterrent anti-terror force said in a statement on its Facebook page that the arrest took placeas Hashim Abedi was receiving cash transferred from his brotherSalman.

The force's statement says: "The brother was aware of all the details of the terrorist attack," and that he'd claimed both he and Salman belonged to ISIS.

Prior to his own arrest, the accused bomber's father, Ramadan Abedi, told The Associated Press on Wednesday, that another son, Ismail, 23, was arrested in England on Tuesday.

Salman Abedi, 22, was a British citizen born to Libyan parents and grew up around Manchester. He died in the attack.

Abedi attended the local Salford University for a time.Neighbours recalled him as a tall, thin young man who often wore traditional Islamic dress and didn'ttalk much.

Police on Tuesday raided his house, using a controlled explosion to blast down the door.

At a news conference Wednesday, police Chief Ian Hopkins saidit's clear "this is a network we are investigating."

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Hopkins said police are carrying out extensive searches across the city.

Hedeclined to comment on whether police have found the maker of the explosive device used in the attack at the Manchester Arena that killed 22 people, including children and a police officer, following anArianaGrande concert.

Later in the day, police confirmed six men and one woman have been arrested in the U.K. in connection with the investigation. They are all being held in custody for questioning.

Police are trying toestablish if the bomber acted alone or whether there could be a risk of further attacks.

British police and intelligence agencies are working to piece together Abedi's allegiances, as the country's law-and-order chief said it's "likely" he did not act alone.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said earlier thatAbedihad been known to security forces "up to a point." Officials are examining his trips to Libya and possibly Syria as they piece together his movements before the bombing and try to foil any new potential attacks.

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Moment of unity as people of two faiths pray in Manchester's Albert Square

Before he was arrested, Ramadan Abedi said he spoke to his sonfive days ago, and that he was getting ready to visit Saudi Arabia and sounded "normal."

Abedi's father told The Associated Press that Abedi's brotherIsmailwas arrested Tuesday in the area.

Britain on Tuesday raised its terrorism threat level to "critical" amid concerns Abedi may have accomplices who are planning another attack. British soldiers have been deployed in place of police officers to guard high-profile sites such as Buckingham Palace and Parliament.

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday chaired a meeting of her emergency security cabinet group, known as Cobra, to deal with the intelligence reports about Abedi and concerns that he might have had outside support.

Victims identified

Manchester police also said Wednesday they now know the names of all the people who lost their lives, but it could take several days to release the names, once post-mortems are completed.

"We have made contact with all the families,and our specially trained officers are supporting them," police said in a statement.

Manchester health officials haveraised the number of wounded in the concert bombing, saying 119 people sought medical treatment at the city's hospitals following the attack.

Jon Rouse of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnershipsaid 64 people were still hospitalized. He said the number of overall wounded was raised Wednesday due to the "walking wounded" who came in hours after the bombing.

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Rouse said many of those hospitalized had serious wounds that would require "very long-term care and support in terms of their recovery."

Concert tour suspended

Meanwhile,ArianaGrande's management team saidshe hassuspended her world tourthrough June 5 in the wake ofthe bombing.

The 23-year-old pop star is on a European leg of her Dangerous Woman Tour and cancelled shows scheduled for Thursday and Friday at the 02 Arena in London.

The suspended tour means she also will miss a May 28 stop inAntwerp, Belgium, two concerts inLodz, Poland, and shows in Frankfurtand Zurich.