Liverpool explosion: What we know so far
- Published
A man who was killed in an explosion outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on Sunday when his homemade bomb went off has been named by police as 32-year-old Emad Al Swealmeen.
Al Swealmeen was the passenger of the taxi destroyed in the blast. The driver was injured and needed hospital treatment.
Four men were arrested under the Terrorism Act, but have since been released from police custody without charge.
Amid a fast-moving investigation, here's what we know so far.
What happened?
Merseyside Police were called at 10:59 GMT to reports of a car explosion at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
The taxi carrying Al Swealmeen had pulled up to the hospital and exploded shortly afterwards.
Al Swealmeen, who had been picked up from the Rutland Avenue area and asked to be taken to the hospital about 10 minutes away, died at the scene.
Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said the passenger appeared to have made an improvised device that caused the explosion.
He said officers investigating the incident could not "at this time draw any connection" with Remembrance Sunday events taking place near the hospital but he confirmed this was "a line of inquiry".
The taxi driver - named locally as David Perry - was treated for injuries but has now been released from hospital.
Mr Jackson said he could not confirm reports the driver had locked the doors of the taxi before the explosion. While he had spoken to the driver, at the time he was still shaken and injured, and police have not yet got a full account of the incident, he added.
He said it appeared to have been an "unremarkable journey" to the hospital.
Police, firefighters and a bomb disposal unit attended the scene.
Nick Aldworth, a former counter terror coordinator, said investigators would be focused on what happened inside the vehicle.
"They'll be looking at what sort of damage has been caused, trying to get an assessment of what might have caused that blast," he told Today.
"I have to say from what I've seen there is very little blast damage - a lot of fire damage but very little blast damage. So whatever was in that vehicle was either a low yield or didn't work properly or was possibly an incendiary."
What's happening on the ground?
About two hours after the blast, properties on Rutland Avenue near Sefton Park, in the south-east of the city, and in the Kensington area, east of the city centre, were raided by armed officers.
Three arrests took place in Sutcliffe Street, in Kensington, where witnesses reported seeing armed officers approach a terraced house.
The second around Sutcliffe Street and the adjacent Boaler Street - about a mile from the hospital - took place an hour later, at about 14:00.
There was a heavy police presence, including police negotiators, outside the house on Rutland Avenue overnight.
Several residents were evacuated and a large cordon guarded by officers was put in place.
Police confirmed that a controlled explosion had been carried out as a precaution in the Sefton Park area at about 16:00 GMT as part of the investigation but there was no wider risk to the public.
In a statement on Monday evening, police said the address at Rutland Avenue was becoming central to the investigation.
ACC Jackson said officers had made "significant progress" and had a "much greater understanding of the component parts of the device, how they were obtained and how the parts are likely to have been assembled".
He said following interviews with the arrested men, police were "satisfied with the accounts they have provided" and they were released from custody.
What is known about the passenger?
On Monday evening, Det Ch Insp Andrew Meeks said police "strongly believe" the passenger who was killed was 32-year-old Emad Al Swealmeen.
He said Al Swealmeen was believed to have lived in Sutcliffe Street for some time but had recently rented a property in Rutland Avenue.
The man is not believed to have been known to MI5, according to BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera.
Al Swealmeen was reported to have been a refugee from Syria who was befriended and supported by a Liverpool couple who knew him as Enzo.
There are also reports that in recent years he may have converted to Christianity and suffered from mental health issues.
What are the police saying?
The Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Serena Kennedy, offered her reassurance.
"There is no specific threat to the area, but I have asked for patrols to be increased right across Merseyside," she said.
The UK's terror threat level has been lifted to severe following the attack - the second highest level - meaning an attack somewhere in the UK is "highly likely".
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the change was because the Liverpool blast was the "second incident in a month" following the killing of MP David Amess in Essex.
What has the hospital said?
Liverpool Women's Hospital said anyone with appointments at the hospital would notice an increased security and police presence on site. They asked anyone coming to the hospital to avoid bringing their vehicle for the time being.
The hospital is a major obstetrics, gynaecology and neonatology research centre - the largest for its specialism in Europe. It featured on the popular Channel 4 programme One Born Every Minute.
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