Police have announced that Pending any further evidence or information coming to light about new or existing suspects, the investigation into the 1996 IRA bombing in Manchester is now no longer active.
The investigation was launched in the aftermath of the attack, which the Irish Republican Army (IRA) claimed responsibility for, and has been subject to numerous reviews in the 30 years since.
These reviews took place to consider whether any further lines of enquiry could be pursued based on all available evidence, developments in investigative techniques or new information that may have come to light.
Despite the passage of time, Greater Manchester Police has been committed to holding those responsible for the attack to account and bringing them to justice.
Following the 20th anniversary, a further review took place and identified some new, albeit limited, investigative opportunities.
These lines of enquiry have now been exhausted by detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing North West.
One man was arrested at Birmingham Airport in September 2022 and released without charge following interview. A second man would have been arrested and interviewed; however he died several years ago, before an arrest could take place.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said: “The 1996 Manchester bombing was a significant event in the history of the city of Manchester and beyond. Many of us can tell you exactly where we were and what we were doing when the bomb exploded.
“The impact of the explosion was so large that the city centre architecture physically changed forever. It is close to a miracle that nobody was killed during the incident, however hundreds of people were physically injured and many more were also profoundly impacted by what happened on that day.
“It is for that reason, we have been committed to establishing the full picture behind what happened and have continued to review this case, despite the passage of time since.
“Following the 20th anniversary, we took the decision to conduct a review of the original investigation and all the available evidence. This identified some new, albeit limited, investigative opportunities.
“A case of this significance, coupled with the amount of time that has passed, brings complexities so pursuing limited investigative opportunities such as these takes time. We arrested and interviewed one suspect in 2022 before releasing him without charge. A second man would have been arrested and interviewed; however he died whilst preparations were underway to arrest him.
“Those limited investigative opportunities have now been exhausted and the investigation is no longer active. Should any further evidence or information come to light about new or existing suspects then we are prepared to review this position again.”
