The Manchester terror attack could have been prevented 'had the cards fallen differently'
British security authorities could have stopped the Manchester attack "had the cards fallen differently," the UK's Home Secretary has said.
Amber Rudd told the House of Commons that the suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, had been under investigation at the time of the attack, but the intelligence on him had been assessed as not related to terrorism.
Rudd said: "It is conceivable that the attack might have been averted had the cards fallen differently."
Twenty-two people died in Abedi's attack on an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in May.
Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott added that there had been a meeting to discuss intelligence on Abedi - but it was scheduled for nine days after the atrocity took place.
Abbott said: "Sadly the meeting about this was scheduled for the 31 of May, but the attack took place on the 22."
Rudd and Abbott's comments came after David Anderson QC published an independent report on the British response to four terror attacks this year.
More follows.