Threat level rises in UK after taxi explosion

Britain has raised its national threat level to “severe” after police identified the suspect behind a terrorist explosion that set a taxi outside of a Liverpool hospital ablaze. 

The suspect, 32-year-old Emad Al Swealmeen was killed in the blast on Sunday which police are calling a “terrorist incident,” according to a statement from the Greater Manchester Police. 

Swealmeen got in the taxi and asked to be taken to the hospital, which was roughly 10 minutes away. The explosion occurred as the cab approached the drop-off area for Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Though Swealmeen was killed in the incident, the driver survived and was released after he was treated for injuries, Reuters reported.

The blast took place around 11 a.m. on Sunday as a Remembrance Day service to honor those lost in war was held not far away at Liverpool Cathedral, according to Reuters. 

Reuters added that police were investigating if the events were at all connected. 

The statement from Greater Manchester Police added that police were looking into two addresses connected to Swealmeen and had recovered significant items. 

“We continue to appeal for any information about this incident and now that we have released his name any information that the public may have about Al Swealmeen no matter how small may be of great assistance to us,” Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Meeks said in the statement.

Interior minister Priti Patel said the explosion was the second fatal incident in one month after the stabbing of David Amess.

After the stabbing of Amess, a parliamentarian, the United Kingdom raised the terrorism threat level against lawmakers from “moderate” to “substantial” last month.