Sunday, November 14, marked Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom, yet for residents in Liverpool the day became something of a nightmare after a car explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital. In this live blog, we will look to keep you up to date on the latest developments.
It was announced on Monday evening that three men aged 29, 26 and 21 were arrested in Liverpool under the Terrorism Act. The taxi driver, David Perry, who took the decision to lock the bomber in his taxi, is currently in hospital and is in a stable condition.
11:30 GMT: Explosion declared terrorist incident
During a news conference, police have declared the explosion at Liverpool Women’s Hospital a terrorist incident. Merseyside’s chief constable Serena Kennedy and Russ Jackson from counter-terrorism policing north west were leading the press conference, and Jackson confirmed that a fourth 20-year-old man has been arrested following the incident yesterday.
10:00 GMT: Boris Johnson’s message
“My thoughts are with all those affected by the awful incident in Liverpool today. I want to thank the emergency services for their quick response and professionalism, and the police for their ongoing work on the investigation,” tweeted Boris Johnson, the prime minister of the United Kingdom.
9:30 GMT: More praise for David Perry
Chris Phillips, the former head of the National Counter-Terrorism Security Office, has explained that “if that bomb had been in the wrong place it would have killed lots of people” whilst on talkRADIO.
08:30 GMT: Piers Morgan praises taxi driver
Piers Morgan has joined in with congratulating the taxi driver David Perry for his heroic actions in Liverpool, as his decision to lock the bomber in his taxi almost certainly saved lives.
“This is Liverpool taxi driver David Perry who locked a Remembrance Sunday terrorist in his cab seconds before the bomber detonated an explosive device right outside a maternity hospital. David’s actions almost certainly saved many lives. He is an absolute hero,” wrote Morgan.
08:00 GMT: Liverpool mayor on the incident
The deputy elected mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, has praised the emergency services for their work after the bombing.
“The incident at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital is unsettling and upsetting and my thoughts are with those affected. I’d like to thank the emergency services for their swift response and for bringing calm to the situation,” wrote Anderson.
07:30 GMT: Armed police in south Liverpool
On Sunday night, as police looked to deal with any further possible threats, armed police were out in force in south Liverpool.
7:00 GMT: Panic outside the hospital
Initially, once the car bomb first went off, there was a lot of panic at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. By the point that the bomb had gone off, taxi driver David Perry had been able to escape the vehicle after locking the bomber in the taxi.
