LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Britain's top secret service, MI5 has launched two separate investigations into the Manchester Arena bombing, it was reported Monday.
The urgent inquiries will focus on whether the agency responsible for domestic security missed the dangers posed by suicide bomber Salman Abedi who detonated an explosive device a week ago, killing 22 people and injuring another 116.
The Home Secretary Amber Rudd said Monday she welcomed the investigation by MI5. Rudd would not comment specifically on what the security service knew about Abedi, but said it was right for MI5 to review its processes as the threat is always changing.
There has been no official statements from Britain's secret services about the investigations.
There have been reports in British media that Manchester-born Abedi's interest in terrorism had been repeatedly reported to the British authorities.
The Guardian newspaper reported Monday that the MI5 review started last week, aimed at quickly identifying any glaring errors, while the second inquiry will be more in depth.
Rudd's welcoming of the inquiries came just 24 hours after she refused to comment in Sunday media interviews on whether opportunities were missed to spot Abedi's intentions to carry out an act of terrorism.
So far, the police have arrested 14 people in connection with the Manchester bombing.
The bombing happened at the end of a pop concert by singer Ariana Grande at the arena was attended by thousands of children.
The Guardian said the system of assessing and managing risk used by MI5 is "coming under immense strain, given the service's unrelenting and rising workload."
The Daily Mail newspaper reported that MI5 had been warned earlier this year by America's FBI that Abedi was planning an attack in Britain.
The newspaper quoted unnamed security sources as reporting that MI5 in London was told Abedi was part of a North African terror cell plotting to strike a political target in Britain.
The newspaper said members of the terror gang were scrutinized by MI5 "but nothing came of this investigation and he (Abedi) slipped down the pecking order of targets."
The Daily Mail said the revelations will pile more pressure on Britain's secret service to say when and how they knew about Abedi.
Although Abedi was born in Manchester, his parents came from Libya, fleeing to Britain as refugees from the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. Reports have emerged that Abedi, at the age of 16, had fought against Gaddafi forces in Libya.
