Top ex-anti-terror officers say Manchester terror attack was ‘sophisticated’ and ‘well planned’
TWO former top anti-terror cops have said the Manchester terror attack was “well planned” and “sophisticated”.
Lee Dodderidge, who used to be a member of the National Counter Terrorism Office (NCTO), said the attack showed a worrying sophistication.
Speaking to Radio 5 Live, he said: "Alarm bells for me are ringing at the moment because this would have appeared to have taken quite a considerable amount of planning.
"Albeit, some people may look at it and say it is a lone wolf – it does indicate there was a lot of planning put into this attack."
Former NCTO head Chris Phillips agreed with Dodderidge, saying the attack marked a “step up” from the type of low tech attacks seen recently.
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Phillips is quoted in the as saying: "This is a step up and there are different varieties of terrorist unfortunately.
"Those who have been trained in fighting and those that are amateurs and get in a car or stab people.
"Bearing in mind this is four years to the day [since] Lee Rigby was attacked."
He added: "The point is this was obviously a planned attack and that would involve people looking at the venue and how the venue operates."
At least 22 people were killed and 59 wounded in the blast at Ariana Grande's concert at the Manchester Arena last night.
James Corden last night paid an emotional tribute to the city of Manchester and its people in the wake of what cops have confirmed was a suicide bombing.
Harry Styles, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry are among the dozens of celebs to have joined the Late Late Show host in sending their thoughts and prayers to the victims of the attack.
Children are confirmed to have been among dead after a lone terrorist detonated a huge bomb – thought to be packed with nails and bolts – as the concert ended.
Witnesses described the carnage in the aftermath of the blast, with one describing how she picked scraps of human flesh from her hair.
Political leaders from all parties announced they would halt their General Election campaigning as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives, with the PM calling an emergency Cobra meeting this morning.
A statement from Greater Manchester Police today said: “We have been treating this as a terrorist incident and we believe that while the attack last night was conducted by one man.
“The priority is to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a network.
“The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena.
“We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device, which he detonated, causing this atrocity.”