News
Man arrested on suspicion of terrorism over 1996 IRA Manchester bomb
BREAKING: An arrest has been made 26 years after the atrocity
A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in connection with the infamous 1996 bomb carried out in Manchester by the IRA.
Greater Manchester Police said in a statement today: “A man was arrested last night at Birmingham Airport on suspicion of terrorism offences and remains in custody where he will be interviewed by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing for the North West.
“This arrest is in connection with enquiries into the IRA bomb detonation that shook Manchester City Centre in 1996.”
Detective Superintendent Andrew Meeks added: “Although thankfully no-one was killed during the 1996 Manchester bombing by the IRA, hundreds of people were left with injuries, many of which were life-changing.
“Many more [lives] across Greater Manchester and the North West were affected by what happened on that day.
“We have always been committed to holding those responsible for the attack to account and bringing them to justice and have been reinvestigating for several years; with a team of dedicated detectives re-examining the original case files and pursuing new lines of inquiry.”
A 3,000lb truck bomb was detonated near the Arndale Shopping Centre in Manchester on June 15th 1996, injuring over 200 people.
Despite there being no fatalities, Manchester’s city centre lay in ruins in the aftermath of the explosion.
Historic landmarks such as Manchester Cathedral and the Royal Exchange Theatre needed what has been estimated to be billions of pounds worth of repairs and renovations and, most gravely, hundreds of people were left with life-changing injuries, both physically and mentally.
Quite remarkably, it has taken twenty-six years for any arrests in connection to the bombing to be made.
It is widely believed that, while both Greater Manchester Police and Special Branch investigations identified the prime suspect, they were never actually arrested because of fears it could derail ongoing peace negotiations in Northern Ireland.
In a 2006 review, GMP previously said in a 2006 review of the incident that there was no longer any ‘realistic possibility’ of a prosecution.
Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole said at the time: “The Manchester bomb affected many people which is why the case has remained open and has been kept under constant review.
“As the 20th anniversary of the incident approaches, it is now the right time for another assessment of the case in order to identify and explore any possible potential investigative opportunities. If new information comes to light it would be considered, and I would urge anyone with information relevant to the investigation to get in touch with police.”