Liverpool: Merseyside Police give statement after taxi explosion

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The explosion which took place at 10.58 outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Remembrance Sunday has been declared a terrorist incident. Merseyside Police have noted that the investigation into yesterday’s events is “continuing at pace”.

In a statement, Merseyside Police outlined the circumstances surrounding the blast.

They said: “Yesterday, shortly before 11am, a local taxi driver picked up a fair in the Rutland Avenue area of Liverpool.

“The fair, a man, had asked to be taken to Liverpool Women’s Hospital which was about 10 minutes away.

“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.”

Russ Jackson, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West explained that the explosive device had been brought into the vehicle by the passenger.

The passenger, who was declared dead at the scene, is yet to be formally identified.

The ignition of the device occurred shortly before the start of the two-minute silence at 11am which was being marked at a Remembrance service at Liverpool Cathedral nearby.

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The service held at the Cathedral was one of the country’s largest, with more than 2,000 people in attendance.

These included military personnel, veterans and families of the fallen in addition to civic dignitaries.

Mr Jackson explained investigations were ongoing as to whether the timing was significant.

He said: “We cannot at this time draw any connection with this, but it is a line of inquiry which we are pursuing.

“Although the motivation for this incident has yet to be understood, given all the circumstances, it has been declared a terrorist incident.”

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The vehicle which exploded outside the hospital belonged to David Perry, who was being treated for his injuries.

According to the force, Mr Perry has now been released from the hospital.

Mr Perry’s actions of locking the car doors before the blast occurred, appears to have prevented the explosion from having a wider impact.

The investigation from the force led them to two addresses in the surrounding area.

The first raid happened at about 1pm on Rutland Avenue – roughly 0.75 miles from the hospital.

The second occurred on Sutcliffe Street, in the Kensington area of Liverpool, where three men were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act.

The second raid occurred around 2 pm, at a property on Sutcliffe Street which is located about a mile from the hospital.

Overnight, there remained a heavy police presence, including police negotiators, outside the Rutland Avenue property.

On Monday, a fourth man, aged 20, was arrested in Kensington under the Terrorism Act.

Mr Jackson said the arrested men were believed to be “associates” of the taxi passenger.

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