Greater Manchester Police said a man was arrested at Birmingham Airport on Thursday night on suspicion of terrorist offences. His arrest is related to inquiries into the IRA bomb which exploded in Manchester city center on June 15, 1996, the force said. The man will be interviewed by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW). The head of investigations, Det Supt Andrew Meeks, said: “Although fortunately no one was killed during the 1996 Manchester IRA bombing, hundreds of people were injured – many of them life-changing – and many more in the wider Manchester. and the northwest were affected by what happened that day. “We are always committed to holding those responsible for the attack to account and bringing them to justice and have been re-investigating 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 people who were victims of this terrible attack to ensure they are informed as we know that for many people this will bring back memories of that terrible day and we are doing everything we can to support our communities and those affected”. He added: “We remain determined to hold those responsible for this attack to account regardless of the time that has passed and would urge anyone with any information that could assist our inquiries to get in touch via the major incident portal.” The 3,300 lbs [1500kg] bomb caused massive damage and more than 200 people were injured. Football fans had gathered in the city center ahead of a Euro 96 match later that day between England and Scotland at London’s Wembley Stadium. The area was evacuated after police were alerted to a phone bomb threat. The device exploded soon after in a parked truck.
