Suspect held for IRA Manchester bombing had been tracked for years and was stopped after flying in from Europe

A man arrested on Thursday night in connection with the IRA bombing of Manchester in 1996 had been tracked by counter terrorism officers for years. The suspect was held at Birmingham Airport as soon as he stepped off a plane.

The man arrived at the West Midlands airport at 11pm from a flight elsewhere in Europe. He was arrested airside, moments after disembarking.

The Manchester Evening News understands that officers from a dedicated team set up in 2016 to reinvestigate the case has been closely monitoring his movements for years.

In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: "A man has been arrested last night (08/09/2022) 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 (CTPNW). This arrest is in connection with enquiries into the IRA bomb detonation that shook Manchester City Centre in 1996"

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Detective Superintendent Andrew Meeks – Head of Investigations for Counter Terrorism Policing North West said: "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 – and many more 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.

"Following the arrest, we have contacted individuals who were victims of