Manchester bomb designed for maximum carnage, leaked photos of components suggest

The bomb used in the Manchester attack Monday combined an explosive charge with shrapnel of nuts and screws meticulously arranged for maximum damage, according to photographs published by the New York Times.

The Times published eight exclusive leaked pictures, which were unsourced but appeared to be police photographs taken at the Manchester Arena, where 22 people were killed while emerging from an Ariana Grande concert.

Initial analysis of the various elements photographed at the scene suggests that suicide bomber Salman Abedi carried “an improvised device made with forethought and care,” concealed most likely within a backpack but also possibly in a vest, wrote the paper.

The location of the bomber’s torso, which had been propelled away from the blast, suggested a backpack bomb rather than a vest, said one explosive technician cited by the Times.

The images notably suggest the suicide bomber - or a possible team helping him - had a remote detonator set up, to back up a hand-held detonator found at the scene.

The newspaper said there were no initial details of the type and strength of the explosive used in the attack.