British PM May raised concerns with Trump over leaks of intelligence on Manchester attack – UPDATE

British Prime Minister Theresa May confronted U.S. President Donald Trump over leaks of intelligence about a suicide bomb attack in Manchester at a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday.

UPDATE: British Prime Minister Theresa May raised concerns with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday over leaks to U.S. media about the Manchester suicide bombing, a British government source said.

May raised the issue of the intelligence leaks with Trump while they were waiting for a group photograph to be taken at a NATO summit in Brussels. Television pictures showed May and Trump talking while sitting side-by-side at the event.

“She expressed the view that the intelligence sharing relationship we have with the U.S. is hugely important and valuable, but that the information that we share should be kept secure,” the source said.

The source also said that Britain was prepared to increase non-combat troop deployment to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

Trump vows to bring anyone caught leaking U.S. intelligence to justice

UPDATE: U.S. President Trump vowed on Thursday to bring anyone caught leaking U.S. intelligence to justice after British police stopped sharing information about the Manchester suicide bombing with the United States.

In a statement released after Trump arrived at the NATO military alliance, the president said he would seek an official review to stop leaks that he said posed a serious security threat.

“The alleged leaks coming out of government agencies are deeply troubling,” Trump said in the statement. “I am asking the Department of Justice and other relevant agencies to launch a complete review of this matter, and if appropriate, the culprit should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

He said the relationship between the United States and Britain was the most cherished of all U.S. ties.

UPDATE: The United States is Britain’s deepest defence and security partner and the intelligence sharing relationship between the two countries is based on trust, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday.

British ministers and security chiefs have been dismayed by leaks in the U.S. media about intelligence on a suicide bombing in Manchester, and May is due to raise the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump at a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday.

“On the issue of the intelligence sharing with the United States of America, we have a special relationship with the USA. It is our deepest defence and security partnership,” May told reporters as she arrived at the summit.

“Of course that partnership is built on trust and part of that trust is knowing that intelligence can be shared confidently, and I will be making clear to President Trump today that intelligence that is shared between law enforcement agencies must remain secure.”

British police have stopped sharing information about the attack with the United States due to concerns the leaks risked hindering their investigation.

UPDATE: British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday she would “make clear” to U.S. President Donald Trump that intelligence shared between the two countries must remain secure, the Press Association reported.

British ministers and security chiefs have been dismayed by leaks in the U.S. media about intelligence on a suicide bombing in Manchester on Monday. Police fear the leaks could hinder a hunt for a possible bomb-maker still at large.

UPDATE: British Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee on Thursday at 0830 GMT, a spokesman for her office said.

May, who is due at a NATO meeting in Brussels later on Thursday, has held several meetings of the committee since a suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert hall in the northern English city of Manchester on Monday.

UPDATE: UK has stopped sharing information with the United States on the Manchester bombing.

The government is “furious” over a string of leaks of details about the investigation into a blast which killed 22 at an Ariana Grande concert on Monday, Sky news said.

Interior minister Amber Rudd had described the leaks as “irritating” early on Thursday, after details about bomber Salman Abedi, including his name, first appeared in U.S. media, adding that Britain’s allies were perfectly clear that it “shouldn’t happen again”.

But on Thursday the leaks continued, culminating in a New York Times article which included detailed forensic pictures of the crime scene outside the Manchester Arena, including the remains of the bag that Abedi used.

British police chiefs on Thursday condemned the release of potential evidence while inquiries were ongoing, and said that the leaks represented breaches of trust which undermined their investigation.