Politics: US officials continue to leak intelligence on Manchester terror attack despite UK complaints

Home Secretary Amber Rudd suggested the "operational integrity" of the investigation was put at risk.

• Several key details about the investigation into the Manchester terrorist attack were leaked to the news media by US officials.
• The home secretary suggests the "operational integrity" of the investigation was at risk.
• British officials have expressed their "irritation" to the US.
• Leaks to the US media continued to emerge on Wednesday.
• Trump administration has come under scrutiny for leaks of confidential intelligence.

LONDON — US intelligence officials have continued to leak information about the Manchester terror attack despite a public complaint from the UK.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd publicly condemned US officials who had leaked confidential details to the US media before they had been confirmed by the British police, saying that they had risked damaging the "operational integrity" of investigations into the attack.

Business Insider reported on Tuesday how several key details on the attacker's identity had made their way to US news channels — potentially compromising the ongoing investigation.

American news outlets confirmed that the information on the attack's perpetrator, Salman Abedi, had been passed to them by US officials.

Rudd told the "Today" programme on Wednesday morning that she was irritated by the leaks.

"The British police have been very clear that they want to control the flow of information in order to protect the operational integrity, the element of surprise, so it is irritating if it gets released from other sources, and I have been very clear with our friends that that should not happen again," she said.

When asked whether the leaks had "compromised" the investigation, she said she "wouldn't go that far" but added: "I can say that they are perfectly clear about the situation and that it shouldn't happen again."

Rudd's intervention does not seem to have stemmed the flow of leaks coming out of the US however.

This afternoon yet more leaks emerged, with details about Abedi's family and the means of his identification both being leaked by US intelligence officials to the media.

The new US administration has come under fire in recent weeks over leaks.

The Washington Post reported earlier this month that US President Donald Trump shared details about an Islamic State terrorist threat to high-level Russian diplomats during a meeting in the White House's Oval Office.

Anonymous officials told The Post the information had been provided by a US ally through an intelligence-sharing arrangement.

A representative for Prime Minister Theresa May was asked during a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon whether Downing Street was concerned that information passed to the US was apparently being leaked without consent.

Reporters asked whether the prime minister was confident that she could trust that such sensitive information could be passed to the White House in the future.

The representative "would not comment on leaks."

May spoke with Trump on the phone in the hours after the attacks. "She took a call from Trump shortly after Cobra meetings," the representative confirmed.

Listen: Amber Rudd "irritated" by leaks.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd suggested the "operational integrity" of the investigation was put at risk. Read Full Story