Police launch new raids as Manchester runners defy terror threat

MANCHESTER: Police launched fresh raids and arrested two more people Sunday in connection with the Manchester bombing, as thousands defied the terror threat to take part in the city´s annual half marathon.

Six days after 22-year-old Salman Abedi launched his attack on a pop concert, killing 22 people, a British minister said that members of the suicide bomber´s network could still be a large.

After raiding various addresses in the northwestern English city, police arrested two men aged 25 and 19, bringing the number now detained on UK soil to 13.

Asked by the BBC if some of Abedi´s network were still at large, British Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Potentially."

"The operation is still really at full-tilt in a way and so until the operation is complete we can´t be entirely sure that it´s closed."

Manchester-born Abedi, of Libyan origin, injured more than 100 people when he detonated his explosive as concertgoers left a show by US teen idol Ariana Grande. A third of those killed were children.

Authorities in Libya have detained Abedi´s brother and father, while British investigators appealed to the public late Saturday for details of the bomber´s movements in the days before the attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State group.

Police released photographs from security cameras showing Abedi on the night of the massacre, wearing jeans and trainers, a black bodywarmer and a baseball cap, with the straps of his backpack visible on his shoulders.

The police statement said one of the last places he went to before the attack at the Manchester Arena venue was a city centre flat, where they believe he may have finished assembling the device.

Security was highly-visible as 40,000 runners took to Manchester´s streets for the Great Manchester Run a day after Prime Minister Theresa May lowered the terror threat level, which had been hiked after Monday´s carnage.

Competitors gathered at the start line and fell silent as the clocks struck 9:00 am (0800 GMT).

This was followed by sustained applause as the song "Don´t Look Back In Anger" by Manchester band Oasis was played over the tannoy, sparking a sing-a-long.

British counter-terror chief Mark Rowley said Friday that police had captured "a large part of the network" linked to the bombing.

Investigators say they have a 1,000-strong team working "around the clock" on the probe and have significant details on Abedi´s associates and movements, his finances, and how the explosive was built.

Britain on Saturday reduced its terror threat level from critical -- its highest level -- to severe.

"We should be clear about what this means: A threat level of severe means an attack is highly likely, the country should remain vigilant," Prime Minister May said.

Operation Temperer, which involved the deployment of troops on patrol alongside police, will be wound down on Monday night, at the end of the bank holiday weekend.