A current investigative feature revisits the 1996 Manchester bombing, arguing the attack was ordered by the IRA Army Council and linking it to an IRA sniper team in South Armagh as well as to the Docklands bombing.

The piece explains why prosecutions, including that of McCann, did not proceed, citing political considerations, shifts in the peace process, and limitations of intelligence and policing at the time.

Personal testimonies and historical details of victims and responders are highlighted, including Guardsman Daniel Blinco, illustrating the lasting trauma and the memorialization in Manchester.

As of the report’s publication, the Manchester bombing investigation was declared no longer active, effectively closing the case though questions about accountability remain.

Evidence suggests the operation may have been used as leverage to pressure Sinn Féin into talks amid the Good Friday Agreement environment and political sensitivities in Britain and Northern Ireland.

Key individuals linked to the Manchester bomb are identified, such as Seamus McArdle, Bernard McGinn, Declan McCann, and Terence Fitzsimons, with outline of their roles in planning, logistics, and execution.

The report situates the bombing within broader Cold War–like intelligence dynamics, informer networks, and the tension between security priorities and political negotiations in the late 1990s.

New connections emerge, including a stolen Mazda 626 used in the attack, ties between McArdle and the Docklands lorry, and an alleged inside man in Manchester who provided logistical support, though his name remains undisclosed.

The investigation links the South Armagh IRA network to wider criminal activity, noting some former members later moved into property and drugs, illustrating diversification of war-linked figures post-conflict.