Authorities are bitterly opposed to the burial of suicide bomber Salman Abedi, who killed 22 people at a concert nine days ago, in Manchester.
The Manchester Evening News reported that the bomber's remains were currently at a morgue outside the Greater Manchester area.
Sources close to the investigation into the atrocity told the daily that his body was never kept along with his 22 victims.
One source said authorities would do "everything in their power" to prevent Abedi from being buried or laid to rest in Manchester.
The source said: "Every effort is going in to making sure that there is not a chance Abedi can be buried or cremated in Greater Manchester."
Abedi, 22, a British-born son of Libyan parents, is understood to have recently returned to Manchester from Libya.