A year on from the terrorist attack on Liverpool Women's Hospital detectives still do not understand the motive of suicide bomber Emad Al Swealmeen.
The 32-year-old pizza chef stunned the city when a device packed with ball-bearings strapped to his chest detonated in a taxi outside the Toxteth maternity hospital, at around 11am on Remembrance Sunday. It is believed the bomb exploded prematurely, possibly because it was jolted as the taxi came to a stop outside the main entrance.
The driver of the taxi, Kirkdale dad David Perry, somehow survived the initial blast and was able to hurl himself from the vehicle moments before it - and Al Swealmeen's body - were incinerated by flames.
READ MORE: Spotlight: The bomb blast that shook Liverpool and the terror probe that followed
In the hours after the explosion, it was unclear whether Al Swealmeen was operating alone or as part of a terrorist cell, and raids were conducted at addresses across the city with a number of arrests made. As Counter Terrorism Policing North West worked through the evidence, however, it started to become clear no one else was directly involved.
Investigators found Al Swealmeen had been using a rented flat in Rutland Avenue, Sefton Park, as a "bomb factory", while also maintaining accommodation intended for asylum seekers in Sutcliffe Street, Kensington.
Despite intensive investigation over the past 12 months, specialist counter terrorism detectives are still unclear about why Al Swealmeen plotted his sickening attack. It is known that the Iraqi native had suffered mental health problems and had been sectioned in 2015, after being convicted of possession of a knife in the city centre, but was not under any specialist mental health care at the time of the incident.
The truth around his religious beliefs is also unclear, as Al Swealmeen officially converted from Islam to Christianity, although a Koran and prayer mat were found in his flat after his death.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow's anniversary, Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, told the ECHO: "The events in Liverpool on November 14, 2021, were incredibly traumatic for so many people – including the taxi driver who was physically injured, the staff and patients inside the hospital, and all those who saw or who were affected by what occurred that day.
"While it remains extremely fortunate that no innocent lives were lost, we have ensured that we’ve been doing all we can to meticulously investigate the lethal actions of Emad Al Swealmeen and establish the circumstances of what led to what was very nearly a catastrophic incident.
"Our experienced detectives have been focused on this investigation for the past 12 months and their work has been exhaustive and is still ongoing, but we are confident to say at this stage that Al Swealmeen was acting alone and that his motive currently remains a mystery.
"There are still some important lines of enquiry for us to complete before this investigation concludes, and we will then ensure that we provide an update with as many of our findings as we can."
Superintendent Diane Pownall, of Merseyside Police, added: "I know that the incident at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital last November was shocking and distressing for the local community and communities across Merseyside.
"We responded to the incident immediately to protect and reassure the local community. The following weeks were a very challenging time but what we can take away from those weeks is how everyone stood shoulder to shoulder and met those challenges head on."
The ECHO understands the investigation has not yet been formally concluded, and Counter Terrorism Policing North West are likely to release more information publicly when that point is reached.
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