Liverpool Explosion: Liverpool Women’s Hospital explosion declared a terror incident
A taxi explosion outside a hospital in Liverpool on Remembrance Sunday has officially been declared a terror incident by police.
A taxi cab exploded outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital just before 11:00 GMT near the entrance of the hospital, killing the passenger and injuring the driver.
The taxi driver who is being hailed a hero has been named locally as David Perry. The driver locked the suspect inside the vehicle.
Four men have been arrested in the city under the Terrorism Act.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, Russ Jackson, said the taxi passenger appeared to have made an “improvised explosive device” which caused the blast.
The man’s motivation was “yet to be understood”, he added.
The identity of the attacker has not yet been officially confirmed but police believe they know who he was.
PM Boris Johnson will chair an emergency Cobra meeting this afternoon in response to the explosion, Downing Street said.
David Perry Liverpool – taxi driver hero
“The fare – a man – had asked to be taken to Liverpool Women’s Hospital, which was about 10 minutes away,” Russ Jackson said.
“As the taxi approached the drop-off point at the hospital an explosion occurred from within the car. This quickly engulfed it in flames.
“Remarkably the taxi driver escaped from the cab.
“He has been treated for his injuries that he sustained and he’s now been released from hospital.”
Jackson said police were “aware there were Remembrance events just a short distance away from the hospital and that the ignition occurred shortly before 11am”.
“We cannot at this time draw any connection with this but it is a line of inquiry we are pursuing,” he added.
David Perry.
The man who locked a terrorist in the back of his taxi and allowed it to explode seconds before the nation fell silent on Remembrance Sunday.
He gave up his livelihood and almost his life to protect others.
Thank you David 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/Q4ZhlpCYjq
— LADbible (@ladbible) November 15, 2021
Fourth man arrested in connection with Liverpool explosion
Three men – aged 21, 26 and 29 – were arrested on Sunday in Sutcliffe Street in Kensington.
A fourth man – aged 20 – was arrested earlier today in the Kensington area of the city and he is in custody.
The men arrested were believed to be “associates” of the taxi passenger, Mr Jackson said.
Police are looking into his associates, phone records and purchases made, he added.
Mr Jackson said two properties “attributed” to the taxi passenger were being searched but they were uncertain of which address he lived at.
“We have got significant items in one of the addresses,” he said.
All four men in custody will be interviewed later by counter-terrorism detectives.
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