UK raises threat level to ‘critical’ following Manchester attack

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned Tuesday that “a further attack may be imminent” as the country raised its threat level following the terrorist bombing in Manchester, England, the previous day.

May announced in London that the threat level in the United Kingdom would be raised from “severe” to “critical” — its highest level — in the wake of the attack targeting a pop concert in Manchester.

“This means that not only is their assessment that an attack remains highly likely, but that a further attack may be imminent,” May added, citing the United Kingdom’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC). 

“It is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack.”

{mosads}May added that the JTAC was keeping “the threat level under constant review” following Monday’s attack at the Manchester Arena, which police said left 22 people dead and nearly 60 more injured. 

Police on Tuesday identified a person suspected of detonating an improvised explosive device at the arena as Salman Abedi, 22, who was reportedly born in Britain.

“The priority remains to establish whether [Abedi] was acting alone or as part of a network,” Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said in a statement.

“However, now, more than ever, it is vital that our diverse communities in Greater Manchester stand together and do not tolerate hate.”

Greater Manchester Police on Tuesday tweeted that they “have arrested a 23-year-old-man in South Manchester” in relation to the attack.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria claimed responsibility for the incident, which occurred at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.