The bomb made by the would-be Liverpool terrorist attacker would have caused ‘significant injury or death’ if it had been detonated in a crowd.

Emad Al Swealmeen spent months constructing the device, which exploded in the back of a taxi, killing only him.

Counter-terrorism investigators have revealed the bomb was made using homemade explosives with ball bearings attached.

They confirmed it could have had a devastating impact if it had gone off in different circumstances.

It has also been revealed the 32-year-old used several fake names while buying materials for his bomb and that it’s not currently believed there is any connection to the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.

Al Swealmeen died in the back of a burning car outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital, where he had asked to be dropped off on Remembrance Sunday. A service was being held at the nearby cathedral.

Police have spoken to the bomber’s brother, which officers said ‘has given us an insight into his early years and an understanding of Al Swealmeen’s life and his recent state of mind, which is an important line of investigation’.

Assistant chief constable Russ Jackson, head of Counter Terrorism Police North West, said: ‘Although there is much scientific work to do on the device to determine what made it up, we have learned a great deal over the past five days.

‘It was made using homemade explosive and had ball bearings attached to it which would have acted as shrapnel.

‘Had it detonated in different circumstances, we believe it would have caused significant injury or death.

‘We still do not know how or why the device exploded when it did, but we are not discounting it being completely unintentional, and it is a possibility that the movement of the vehicle or its stopping caused the ignition.’

Four men arrested in the initial aftermath of the blast were released without charge and police have not publicly revealed any further individuals are expected of involvement.

But investigators are trying to untangle how the Iraq-born asylum seeker, who had converted to Christianity in 2017, became radicalised and what led him to plan an atrocity.

Mr Jackson continued: ‘We are spending considerable time seeking to understand the way the purchases for the ingredients to make the device were made.

‘This is complicated because purchases have spanned many months and Al Swealmeen has used many aliases.

‘We are confident, however, that in time we will get a full picture of what purchases were made and how, and if anyone else was involved or knew what Al Swealmeen was up to.

‘We have found no connection between this incident and the terrible events of Manchester in May 2017. The device was also different to the one used in the Manchester Arena attack.’

Taxi driver David Perry remarkably survived the blast with minimal injuries and has spoken to counter-terror police since being discharged from hospital.

The terror threat level across the country was raised to severe in the aftermath of the blast outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.

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