Man arrested over 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack released on bail

A public inquiry into the deaths of the victims is being held this month

Police outside the Manchester Arena after was targeted by a bombing in 2017.

A man who was arrested on suspicion of a terrorism offence in connection with the Manchester Arena attack has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Greater Manchester Police said the 24-year-old man was bailed on Saturday.

The man, who is from the Fallowfield area of Manchester, had been arrested on suspicion of engaging in the preparation of acts of terrorism/assisting others in acts of preparation under section 5 of the Terrorism Act (2006).

He was arrested at Manchester Airport shortly after arriving back in the UK.

A total of 22 people, including children, died in the terror attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22 2017.

At around 10.30pm on the day of the incident, British-born Salman Abedi, 22, walked into the foyer of the arena, as crowds streamed out of an Ariana Grande concert, and detonated a device packed with shrapnel.

His brother Hashem was handed a record 55-year sentence in August last year for his part in the atrocity.

The public inquiry into the deaths of the victims is continuing, and it emerged earlier this week that the elder brother of Salman and Hashem was allowed to leave the country a day after he was stopped at an airport by police.

Officers using counter-terrorism powers interviewed Ismail Abedi, 28, which caused him to miss his intended flight from Manchester on August 28, but he successfully boarded a plane at the same airport on August 29 and has not returned to the UK since.

He had been called to give "highly important" evidence at the public inquiry into the atrocity.

On Monday, Ahmed Taghdi, 29, a childhood friend of Salman Abedi, was arrested as he attempted to leave the country following the granting of a High Court order last week which ordered him to attend.

He gave evidence on Thursday before he was later released from custody.

He denied trying to flee the UK to avoid questions about his close relationship with the bomber and what he knew of the plot to attack the Manchester Arena.