The terrorist responsible for Monday’s bombing of Manchester Arena may have made the bomb he used to kill 22 and injure approximately 116 others, according to a Reuters report published Thursday.
Some British authorities were concerned that Salman Abedi had worked with a bomb maker who was still on the loose, but a source with knowledge of the ongoing investigation said it is possible that Abedi built the bomb himself.
“The focus is still the search for accomplices and the network but he could have made this bomb himself,” the source told Reuters.
The bomb appears to have been expertly made. It included metal nuts, nails and other forms of shrapnel included to ensure maximum damage to human targets. The tactic is common among jihadi groups.
Authorities believe that Abedi carried the weapon in a blue Karimor backpack, according to C.J. Chivers of the New York Times. It also appears that a small switch detonated it.
Assessment of the blast site shows that many of the fatalities occurred in a circle around Abedi, whose torso appears to have been flung across the venue. This indicates a “powerful, high velocity” bomb which was “carefully and evenly packed.”
The Islamic State took credit for the attack on Tuesday, however, details regarding Abedi’s relationship to the terrorist group remain unclear. Abedi’s father, Ramadan Abedi, is a former member of the al-Qaida linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. Many also believe that Abedi received terrorist training at some point before the attack. Authorities have claimed that the 22-year-old suicide bomber traveled to the Middle East within the last year, including visits to Syria and Libya, his ancestral homeland.
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