Manchester bombing: Evacuation in Moss Side as police search property over terror attack

An evacuation is underway as part of an ongoing search linked to the Manchester bombing.

A property was being searched as Greater Manchester Police attempt to close the net on the suspected terror network behind attacker Salman Abedi.

Officers were said to have been taking precautionary measures to ensure public safety.

​A bomb disposal unit was seen stationed outside a road in the area.

Two men aged 20 and 22 have been held on suspicion of terror offences after officers used an explosive device to gain entry to a property in the Cheetham Hill area of the city.

Residents of Cheetham Hill described hearing a "loud bang" as the latest raid and controlled explosion took place in Brideoak Street in Cheetham Hill..

Shakufta Bi, who lives across the road, said the noise woke her in the early hours and she saw the street full of police cars and vans along with men in green military uniforms.

Mrs Bi said a Libyan family live at the address - a mother, three sons in their late teens or early 20s and a daughter. The father, an engineer, lives in Dubai and visits occasionally.

All the sons pray at a mosque 200 yards away, known locally as the "Libyan" mosque.

Some neighbours report seeing the sons wearing both "Western" dress and traditional Islamic robes.

Another neighbour, Val Jones, said: "I heard a loud bang, it sounded like a door getting kicked in. Then I looked out the window. I seen a lot of police going to the bottom end then I seen a convoy of cars, just normal, private, unmarked cars from the bottom of the street to maybe where that taxi is.

"Car doors flew open, police come out, soldiers in combat gear come out (wearing) green body armour.

"They were just walking up and down the street with guns, focusing (on) ... I don't know which house it was but it was pitch black at that time.

"I knew it was serious but I didn't know it was anything. I thought it was a drugs raid or something like that. You hear a lot of that around here."

It came after claims a barber shop raided by anti-terror police was linked to cousins of Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi.

Police raided the Fade Away shop in Moss Side earlier on Friday, around a mile away from where Abedi lived in south Manchester.

Locals said the shop was run by a family, who live at a house on Aston Avenue, Fallowfield, raided by armed police after Monday night's outrage, which killed 22 people.

Police said three men, aged 18, 21, and 24, were held on Wednesday on suspicion of terror offences.

It is understood an armed response unit arrived at the Fade Away shop in Princess Road in the early hours of Friday and that the shutter to the barbershop was cut open at about 5.15am to gain access.

Locals in Fallowfield said the barber shop is run by a large Libyan family, who are related to the Abedi family and live at the house on Aston Avenue.

Neighbour Mohammed Mubarak, 18, said the bomber's aunt and uncle lives at the address along with around eight sons and daughters, ageing from primary school age to early 20s.

He said the father of the family returned, briefly to the property on Thursday, but police forensics are still examining the house.

Mr Mubarak said he was at school with Salman and his younger brother Hashem Abedi and that both brothers were regular visitors at their aunt and uncle's house.

He said: "Often I saw Hashem here. He used to drive the aunty around basically."

He said Hashem appeared more religious, while Salman was involved on the periphery of gangs.

Of Salman, he said: "He used to hang around with lads who are a bit dodgy, I don't think he was involved that much, but the crowd he ran with were a bit different.

"They were just sort of petty street criminals, sold drugs, weed, nothing serious, they weren't doing anything that big.

"I don't think he was in a gang but he was associating with guys who were in gangs. He didn't belong to a gang. He had associates.

"I don't even know if he became religious.

"He was reported, definitely reported by his mosque. He was kind of suspicious, people saw signs they didn't like.

"I've never seen him to be religious at all. Normal clothes."

He said Salman Abedi was friends with another Libyan youngster who was "stabbed up" and murdered in Moss Side recently.