UK raises threat level to severe as attack on Liverpool Women’s Hospital declared a terror incident

An explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Remembrance Sunday has been declared a terror incident by police, the BBC has reported. 

This comes as the UK’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) on Monday, raised the UK National Threat Level from SUBSTANTIAL, meaning an attack is likely, to SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely.

A taxi exploded and was engulfed in flames just before 11:00 GMT on Sunday at a drop-off zone near the entrance, killing the passenger and injuring the driver.

The cabbie, named locally as David Perry, was declared a hero by Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson for locking the suspect inside the vehicle.

Subsequently, the UK terror threat level has been raised to severe.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said it had been raised from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, because the explosion in Liverpool was the second incident in a month.

Four men have been arrested in the city under the Terrorism Act.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, Russ Jackson, said the taxi passenger appeared to have made an “improvised explosive device” which caused the blast.

Assistant Chief Constable Jackson said police knew the identity of the attacker but would not confirm it at this stage.

The man’s motivation was “yet to be understood”, he added.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair an emergency Cobra meeting on Monday afternoon in response to the explosion, Downing Street said.

Mr Jackson said he understood Delta Taxis driver Mr Perry picked up a passenger in Rutland Avenue, near Sefton Park, on Sunday.

“The fare – a man – had asked to be taken to Liverpool Women’s Hospital, which was about 10 minutes away,” he added.

“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.”

Mr Jackson said the taxi driver had been released from hospital after being treated for his injuries.

He said police were “aware there were Remembrance events just a short distance away from the hospital and that the ignition occurred shortly before 11am”.

“We cannot at this time draw any connection with this but it is a line of inquiry we are pursuing,” he added.

The UK was last at SEVERE in November 2020 before being lowered to SUBSTANTIAL in February 2021.

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