MANCHESTER, UK — New information suggests that the suicide bomber behind the mass slaughter in Manchester on Monday night had ties to an Islamic terror cell in the city. <br /> <br />According to an investigation by British television channel Sky News, Salman Abedi grew up in south Manchester with several other jihadis — many of whom went to fight for Islamic State. <br /> <br />Abedi was the suicide bomber who killed 22 people when he blew himself up at the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on Monday night. Dozens more were wounded. <br /> <br />Among the victims were young adults, teens and children. <br /> <br />According to the Manchester Evening News, Abedi is thought to have known ISIS recruiter Raphael Hostey. Both men had worshipped at the Didsbury mosque. <br /> <br />Hostey reportedly radicalized and recruited hundreds of young British Muslims to travel to the Middle East and fight for the Islamic State. The 24-year-old was reportedly killed in a drone strike in 2016. <br /> <br />The British government says it had known about Abedi “up to a point,” reports the Manchester Evening News, citing British Home Secretary Amber Rudd. <br /> <br />The French government says Abedi had proven ties to ISIS and both they and that the UK were aware that the 22-year-old had traveled to Syria in the past. <br /> <br />If true, British security services will be facing tough questions as to how Abedi evaded them.
