[guest post by Dana]

Multiple news outlets are reporting:

At least 20 people were killed and possibly “hundreds” of others were injures after one or more loud bangs were heard Monday night at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in England, multiple law enforcement told NBC News.

Law enforcement sources in both Britain and the United States told NBC News there were possibly two explosions. There was no immediate information on what kind of explosions occurred, and the sources stressed that the information was preliminary and subject to change.

…

Multiple senior U.S. intelligence officials who are monitoring British authorities told NBC News that preliminary reports indicate that a single explosion took place outside the arena on the southwest side opposite the train station. The explosion occurred as the concert ended, catching people as they exited.

According to Mark White, Sky News’ Home Affairs Correspondent, the incident at the Manchester Arena is being treated by law enforcement as a “possible terrorist incident”.

From an eyewitness:

Majid Khan, 22, said: ‘I and my sister, along with a lot of others were seeing Ariana Grande perform at Manchester Arena, and we were all exiting the venue when around 10.40-10,45pm-ish a huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena.

‘It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us.

‘Everyone was in a huge state of panic, calling each other as some had gone to the toilet whilst this had gone off, so it was just extremely disturbing for everyone there.’

Also, according to a concert attendee who was spoke to The Daily Mail, there were lots of children and families at the show.

Updates here.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

UPDATE 1: CBS News is reporting that the injuries were consistent with shrapnel and that there are indications that nail bombs were used:

The bombs seemed to have contained nails, and that “forms of shrapnel from this explosion have been injuring people.

UPDATE 2: NBC News is reporting that:

Multiple U.S. officials say UK authorities’ forensic evidence indicates incident at Manchester Arena was a suicide attack.

UPDATE 3: ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombing. and A statement was released, saying that “a “caliphate soldier managed to place a number of devices among a gathering of crusaders in Manchester, and detonated them.”

UPDATE 4: Salmon Ramadan Abedi has been identified as the bomber. He was reportedly laready known to British authorities.

UPDATE 5: According to CBS News this morning, the death toll has raised to 29, with 59 people injured.

Note: There is a piece in The Independent this morning with the headline, “There’s only one way Britain should respond to attacks such as Manchester. That is by carrying on exactly as before.” For the parents of 8 year old Saffie Rose Roussos, who was one of the victims in the terrorist attack, it will be impossible to carry on as before.

And there is this from the linked piece:

But if the intention of those who commit acts of terror is to disrupt ordinary life, then the only possible response is not to let that happen. That is not to say police should not track down who was responsible for such vile murder. That is not to say the security services should not step up their efforts and do all they can to stop a repeat of such slaughter.

Nor is it about what lots of Britons like to call the Dunkirk spirit, or about showing a stiff upper lip.

Rather, it is a merely an assessment of the options that are available to us, the ordinary people, those without superhuman powers.

We’re not actually equipped to do that much at all, other than to try to carry on, to not allow ourselves to be terrorised, to not stop living our lives. And that means means continuing with the general election May felt obliged to call, or keep on buying tickets to see the likes of Ariana Grande.

If the horror that played out in the aftermath of the 23-year-old singer’s concert inspires us all to do that, then she would indeed deserve the name dangerous woman.

It’s based on an anonymous source, so take it for what it’s worth, which may be nothing:

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn will invoke his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination on Monday as he notifies the Senate Intelligence committee that he will not comply with a subpoena seeking documents.

That’s according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private interactions between Flynn and the committee.

Everyone who said it was no big deal when Lois Lerner took the Fifth will make a big thing out of this.

And everyone who made a big thing out of Lois Lerner doing it will say this is no big deal.

Taking the Fifth does not make a person guilty. In the criminal context it means nothing. In a civil context, or the context of testifying before Congress, one can draw an adverse inference. But in a situation like this one (or with Lerner) where any competent lawyer would advise you to take it, it makes little sense to read too much into it.

Maybe Flynn can make a big speech about how he didn’t do anything wrong and then take the Fifth. After Lerner’s stunt along those lines, there is precedent for it.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]