After the explosion in Liverpool: Great Britain raises terror warning level

After the explosion of a taxi in Liverpool, the British police assume an act of terrorism. The terror warning level has been raised. Several people have been arrested but are now at large. Did the taxi driver prevent worse?

After the explosion of a taxi in Liverpool, Britain has raised the terror alert level to the second highest. The British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that the terrorist threat had been switched from “significant” to “serious”. A bomb had previously exploded in a taxi outside a hospital in Liverpool.

A man was killed in the incident on Sunday morning in front of a women’s clinic in the north-west English city when the car went up in flames. Another man – the taxi driver – was injured. He was reportedly released from the hospital on Monday.

Suspect released

The anti-terrorist unit published the name of the victim that evening. It is a 32-year-old named Emad Al S., so the investigators. The man had connections to two apartments in Liverpool that were searched by police. Four men between the ages of 20 and 29 were also arrested in connection with the case. The police interrogated the four and then released them.

It is assumed that the passenger made the improvised explosive device himself, the spokesman said. However, it is still unclear why he brought it to the clinic and why the bomb exploded so suddenly. The security authorities had not previously known the man, the PA news agency reported, citing circles familiar with the investigation.

The police did not want to confirm speculations that the target of an attempted attack might have been a memorial service for those killed on Remembrance Sunday. One is aware of the spatial and temporal proximity to the memorial ceremonies, but one cannot yet establish a connection, said the police spokesman. In this direction, however, among other things, will also be determined.

A 20-year-old was also arrested on Monday. According to the head of the counter-terrorism unit in North West England, Russ Jackson, “significant items” were found at a second address in Sefton Park, near Kensington. The passenger is said to have got into the taxi there.

“Heroic Efforts”

The police did not initially comment on the role of the taxi driver either. The media had previously reported, citing friends of the man, that he had locked the alleged assassin in the car after he had brought himself to safety. The daily newspaper “Sun” has already celebrated the driver as a “hero”. Prime Minister Johnson praised the taxi driver’s “incredible presence of mind and courage”.

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson praised the taxi driver for “his heroic efforts” in a BBC interview. “With his heroic behavior, the taxi driver managed to avert a potential disaster in the hospital that could have been utterly horrific,” said Anderson. She did not want to comment on details; But it was known early on that the driver had left the taxi and locked the doors, Anderson continued.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was premature to comment in detail on the incident as the investigation was still ongoing. “But it looks like the taxi driver in question acted with incredible presence of mind and bravery,” said Johnson.

Cathedral as a possible target?

The media identified an event to commemorate those who fell on Remembrance Sunday as a possible target of a foiled attack. Thousands of people were gathered in the nearby cathedral at the time of the explosion, reports said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed his condolences to those affected by the “terrible incident”. “I would like to thank the emergency services for their quick response and their professionalism and the police for their ongoing investigation,” wrote Johnson on Twitter.