A bomb near to Marks & Spencer and the Arndale retail centre exploded, inflicting 212 injuries and £700 million in damage but no fatalities.
Before an IRA lorry bomb struck Manchester’s city centre, two police officers bravely guided shoppers to safety, as shown in previously released video.
In custody, where he will be questioned by police from Counter Terrorist Policing for the North West, is a guy who was detained yesterday night at Birmingham Airport on suspicion of terrorism offences (CTPNW).
“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 that day,” said Detective Superintendent Andrew Meeks, Head of Investigations for Counter Terrorism Policing North West.
“We have always been determined to identifying the attackers and putting them to justice. For the last several years, a team of committed detectives has been going through the original case files and looking into fresh avenues of investigation.
“Following the arrest, we have contacted individuals who were victims of this horrific attack to ensure that they are updated,” the statement reads. “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 who were affected.”
Police said that despite the passage of time, they are still committed to prosecuting those responsible for the assault.
A half-mile radius was damaged by the bomb two decades ago, causing windows to shatter, debris to fly into the air, and upward ensuing flames.
Only a few minutes before, police had sent in a bomb squad and warned elderly people and children to stay away from the terrorist-planted car that had 1.5 tonnes of explosives.
Robot tried to defuse the bomb as it reached the vehicle, but time was running short.
As the camera zooms out to reveal the extent of the destruction in the CCTV clip, plumes of smoke billow upward over the city.
The explosion’s exact moment has been seen previously, but the footage shows the cops and the robot that disarms bombs in operation.
About 90 minutes before the explosion on Corporation Street in the crowded city centre on the morning of Saturday, June 15, 1996, the IRA had telephoned warnings.
The video was published on Facebook and had 700,000 views in only 48 hours. It was found after images documenting the devastation the IRA explosion caused in the city centre were discovered.
Duncan Brown, a 40-year-old from Oldham, spotted the pictures at an architect’s workplace.
The Arndale Centre and the Corn Exchange were devastated in some of the photos, which were shot three days after the attack.
In another picture, a Manchester Evening News kiosk was still intact despite being surrounded by debris.
Streets are littered with broken glass, rubble, and garbage, as well as the remains of demolished structures including the Lunn Poly travel agency and JD Sports.
It is believed that the photos are the only ones that capture the destruction in such detail.
Given the amount of time that has passed and the number of people who were affected or hurt by this atrocity, police today stated: “We regrettably do not have the contact details for everyone. We would encourage anyone who was affected that we have not been able to reach to access the Major Incident Portal using this link: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP20S33-PO1.
“Communities Defeat Terrorism,” they said, “and the assistance and support we get from the general people is a key component of that.”
We therefore ask everyone to exercise caution and to report any suspicious activity to the police in confidence by calling the Anti-Terrorist Hotline at (800) 789-321 or visiting gov.uk/ACT.