LONDON ��Prime Minister Theresa May said the United Kingdom's terrorism threat level has been lowered to "severe" from "critical" after arrests related to the May 22 attack in Manchester.
May led a meeting of the government's emergency committee Saturday, during which she received an update from police and security services on the investigation into the suicide bombing at a pop concert that killed 22 people. In response, the threat level had been raised to the highest category a day later.
"The public should be clear about what this means," May said in a televised statement. "A threat level of severe means an attack is highly likely. Members of the public should remain vigilant."
The Manchester attack �� the worst on British soil in more than a decade �� prompted the government to raise the terrorism threat for the first time in 10 years. With less than two weeks before the June 8 general election, political campaigning was put on hold until Friday. The U.K.'s deployment of as many as 5,000 troops to guard key sites will remain in place through Monday.
Manchester police have 11 people in custody in the bombing, prompting intelligence analysts to change the threat level to indicate an attack now is highly likely, rather than imminent, May said.
The police have gathered "significant information" in the past five days about the suspected suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, and 14 locations are still being searched in connection with the attack, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said in an emailed statement Saturday.
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(Charlotte Ryan contributed to this report.)
