Manchester bomber “planned his attack for a year”

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Manchester suicide bomber reportedly planned his deadly attack for at least a year.

Salman Abedi opened a bank account 12 months ago that lay dormant until he used it to purchase the nails and screws used as shrapnel in Monday, May 22’s assault on Manchester Arena, The Independent reports citing The Times.

Abedi is said to have made at least two separate trips to DIY shops to buy materials used in his homemade explosive device that killed 22 people and injured dozens more at the Manchester Arena on Monday.

Abedi visited B&Q and Screwfix stores in the city before leaving for Libya in April, Times sources claimed.

It comes as fresh fears were raised he may have made a second bomb, after raids on his home reportedly uncovered a stash of chemical explosives.

Officers discovered evidence of a "working bomb factory" at Salman Abedi’s address, according to The Telegraph, raising fears he may have distributed further explosive devices to other radical extremists.

It comes after The Independent revealed on Thursday police and security services had found bomb-making materials in raids across the country, which they feared could be primed for imminent attacks.

Police are continuing to work to establish Abedi’s final movements after it emerged he flew back to Britain via Turkey and Germany just four days before carrying out his attack.

The number of UK arrests ticked up to eight on Thursday as police worked to uncover his network of extremist accomplices.