Remembrance ‘terror plot’: three held after fatal explosion
Hospital rocked by taxi blast as official silence begins just a mile away at Liverpool Cathedral
COUNTER terrorism police were last night investigating a Remembrance Sunday car explosion at Liverpool Women’s Hospital which killed one person and injured another.
Armed officers arrested three suspects under the Terrorism Act as properties across the city were raided amid fears of a wider plot.
Patients and staff at the women’s hospital, who were preparing to honour the two-minute silence yesterday morning, were rocked at 10.59am by the sound of a large explosion.
Police, fire crews and Army bomb disposal experts raced to the scene to discover a taxi on fire with a person still inside. The driver, named locally last night as David Perry, managed to escape and was last night being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
A security source said the car had exploded before coming to a complete stop outside the hospital.
A witness who saw the explosion said: “There was a large explosion which blew out all of the windows and sent the windscreen flying into the air. White smoke came billowing out of the car. It is extraordinary that the driver managed to survive, let alone escape.”
One theory being explored by counter terror police is that the detonator exploded but the main charge did not.
The Women’s Hospital is a mile from Liverpool Cathedral, where military personnel, veterans and civic dignitaries had gathered for a Remembrance Sunday service.
Last night, there were unconfirmed reports that the taxi driver diverted to the hospital after becoming suspicious about his passenger, but was hurt when
‘A large explosion blew out the windows and sent the windscreen flying into the air’
a device was detonated. It was also claimed the driver had been able to flee the vehicle and lock the alleged suspect inside to prevent any further harm.
David Makin, 43, a painter who has known Mr Perry for 30 years, said that his friend was “alright” but was injured.
“I have heard his back is not too good, his ear got damaged. His hearing has gone a bit because of the blast,” Mr Makin said.
“He got a few minor burns and shrapnel in his body, nothing life-threatening, I don’t think. I can’t get through to him, I think his phone got destroyed in the blast.”
Counter terrorism police confirmed they were leading the investigation with the support of Merseyside Police.
Boris Johnson said his thoughts were with those affected and Priti Patel said she was being kept up to date with developments.
In a tweet, the Home Secretary wrote: “I am being kept regularly updated on the awful incident at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Our police and emergency services are working hard to establish what happened and it is right they are given the time and space to do so.”
Confirming the arrest of three suspects in the city, a spokesman for Counter Terrorism Policing North West said: “The men – aged 29, 26, and 21 – were detained in the Kensington area of the city and arrested under the Terrorism Act, in connection with the incident which occurred just before 11am on Sunday 14 November.”
The three suspects were being questioned last night by specialist detectives. Describing the incident itself, a counter terrorism spokesman said: “The passenger of the car – a man – was declared dead at the scene and is yet to be formally identified. The driver – also a man – was injured at the scene and remains in hospital in a stable condition.”
A short time after the explosion, armed police sealed off Rutland Avenue in the Sefton district of Liverpool and began searching a property.
Shortly before midnight, police began evacuating some houses, prompting fears that the address was connected to the explosives incident.
Neighbours claimed the building being searched had been split into flats, but insisted the property had been unoccupied recently.
Speaking at the scene of the explosion, Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: “Work is still going on to establish what has happened, and could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything.
“We are keeping an open mind as to what caused the explosion but given how it has happened, out of caution, counter terrorism police are leading the investigation, supported by Merseyside Police.” The force added that “this has not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage although out of caution CT detectives are leading as we try to understand the circumstances behind
the explosion”. In a later update, the chief constable said there would be an increased police presence in the area.
Liverpool Women’s Hospital said that visiting access had been restricted “until further notice” and that patients had been diverted to other hospitals “where possible”. It said: “We have restricted visiting access with immediate effect and until further notice. Where possible we have diverted patients to other hospitals until further notice. We are currently allowing ambulances to access the hospital in emergencies.
“We are reviewing our patient activity for the next 24-48 hours and patients should wait to be contacted for updates about any planned appointments or other attendance at the hospital. Our staff are being permitted to leave and enter the hospital under the supervision of Merseyside Police. “We would like to say thank you for the cooperation and support of our patients, visitors and staff who have been impacted by this incident.” Phil Garrigan, the chief fire officer of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, said the car fire had been “fully developed” when two two fire engines arrived shortly after 11am. He said at the scene: “The operational crews extinguished the fire rapidly but as has been reiterated by the police chief constable, there was one fatality. Another individual had left the vehicle prior to the fire developing to the extent that it did.” Joanne Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, said: “The incident at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital is unsettling and upsetting and my thoughts are with those affected.”