UK: Taxi explodes outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, declared a terrorist incident, 14 Nov 2021

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The Telegraph has established that after his initial application was rejected in 2014, Emad al-Swealmeen, 32, converted to Christianity on a five-week course in a bid to persuade officials to let him stay in the UK.

He then launched "appeal, after appeal, after appeal" to frustrate the system and even had a legal challenge pending when he launched his terror attack on Remembrance Sunday.

The Home Office believes changing religion is now "standard practice" among asylum seekers from countries including Iraq "to game the asylum system", as converts claim they are at risk of persecution in their home countries.


The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has called for Britain to be "generous" to migrants fleeing conflict and remember Jesus was a refugee.

On Tuesday, Ms Patel hit out at the way asylum seekers and their lawyers were taking the British taxpayers "for a ride" by deliberately frustrating the system in order to remain in the UK.

She said: "It's a complete merry-go-round. And it's been exploited. It has been exploited quite frankly by a whole professional legal services industry that has based itself rights of appeal, going to the courts day in, day out at the expense of the taxpayers through legal aid."

 

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Liverpool bomber 'exploited' broken asylum system for 7yrs before attack

 

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bomber Emad Al Swealmeen was born in Iraq and officers believe he had been buying parts for his homemade device since at least April - the head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West Russ Jackson
https://twitter.com/darrenmccaffrey/status/1460916855527325701?s=21

 

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Suspicious packages found at house linked to terror probe

 

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Poppy Day suicide bomber was at local mosque 'all day, every day' during Ramadan | Daily Mail Online

The Liverpool suicide attacker who officials suspect converted to Christianity to aid his asylum application was in his mosque 'all day, every day' at the time he began building his bomb, it emerged today.

Emad Al Swealmeen, who was baptised and confirmed at the city's Anglican cathedral in 2017, was seen worshipping with Muslims during Ramadan and praying with a friend in the week before Sunday's attack, it is alleged in media reports.

The revelation will further fuel suspicion that his conversion to Christianity four years ago was just an act to persuade the Home Office to grant him British citizenship and prevent them deporting him because of his new-found faith.

Immigration sources said today that Al Swealmeen used a false identity and multiple appeals to 'frustrate' attempts to remove him from the UK before he tried to kill women and babies on Remembrance Sunday.

Police believe Al Swealmeen, 32, had planned an attack for seven months and began buying components for his suicide vest after he began renting a flat in Rutland Avenue in April, which he then turned into a bomb factory.

 

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The terrorist bomb detonated at a Liverpool hospital may have gone off when it was "jostled" as the taxi in which the bomber was travelling came to a stop, with investigators admitting: "We got lucky."

A search of Emad al-Swealmeen's home and an examination of his online purchases showed he was attempting to build a sophisticated, powerful bomb that would have caused "damage, death and destruction" on a huge scale.

The Telegraph can also reveal that the 32-year-old, who converted to Christianity, was seen at his local mosque every day during Ramadan in April, around the same time time he began constructing his bomb.

Sources claim the Iraqi-born asylum seeker attended the mosque "all day every day" during the religious festival and was seen praying with a fellow Muslim a week before the attack.

The revelation will further fuel suspicion that Swealmeen's conversion to Christianity four years ago was a ploy to help him persuade the Home Office to let him stay in the UK.

Counter-terrorism police and intelligence agencies remain unclear as to Swealmeen's intended target – either the Liverpool Women's Hospital where the explosion occurred or the Remembrance Sunday service at Liverpool Cathedral, under a mile away.

We have now traced a next of kin for Swealmeen who has informed us that he was born in Iraq.


After first arriving in the UK from Dubai, he lodged an application for leave to remain, claiming to be a Syrian refugee whose life would be in danger if he returned home.

The hearing took place on April 16, 2015, but after testing the veracity of his claims, Home Office officials rejected the application on June 2 that year because they did not believe he was Syrian. Swealmeen sought leave to appeal the decision, but that was refused in August 2015.

In January this year, he lodged a fresh application with the Home Office, using his new name and arguing that his Christian faith would lead to his persecution if returned to the Middle East.
We got lucky, say investigators who believe Liverpool bomb was set off by accident

 

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The Liverpool terrorist had two bomb factories in the city, it has emerged, with police confirming that they have found "significant items" at both addresses.

Emad al-Swealmeen spent eight months stockpiling materials at the two properties as he constructed a huge improvised explosive device.

Police said they had found suspicious and significant items at both the flat he rented in Rutland Avenue and a house in Sutcliffe Street where he had lived with other asylum seekers.

Counter-terrorism detectives, who are still seeking to establish the motive and intended target for the attack, said they had now spoken to members of Swealmeen's family overseas.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, of Counter-Terrorism Police North West, said: "The addresses at Rutland Avenue and Sutcliffe Street continue to be searched and significant items have been found at both addresses. Rutland Avenue remains our main focus."

Police believe Swealmeen had been renting the property in Rutland Avenue since Apriland was making "relevant purchases" for his bomb from at least that time.

Explosive ordnance disposal officers were called to the property in Sutcliffe Street, where he had previously lived, on Wednesday evening after suspicious packages were found.

(it’s a long article but can’t post all as paywall , it talks about witnesses that helped taxi driver also )
‘Significant items’ found at Liverpool bomber’s two ‘factories’

 

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Liverpool suicide bomber used aliases to buy components for homemade ball bearing device | Daily Mail Online

Emad Al Swealmeen's ball bearing-packed explosive may have been accidentally set off when the taxi he used to get to his target suddenly stopped.

Counter-terrorism police confirmed today they believe the 32-year-old's Remembrance Day weapon would have caused 'significant injury or death' if it had gone off outside.

But the fact it detonated inside innocent David Perry's taxi outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, meant only the bomber was killed.

Police also disclosed today that devious Al Swealmeen purchased components from his bomb individually and by using a number of fake names to avoid flagging systems.

They have also ruled out any connection to the horrific Manchester Arena atrocity carried out by jihadi Salman Abedi.

Counter-terror officers are near completing of a full picture of Al Swealmeen's recent state of mind after speaking last night to his brother.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, Head of Counter Terrorism Police North West said: 'We continue to make significant progress in relation to the CT incident at the Liverpool Women's Hospital.

 

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Liverpool hospital bomber could have killed 'many, many innocent people', coroner says | Daily Mail Online


He said Al Swealmeen, born in Baghdad, Iraq, had been in prison in the Middle East for a serious assault on another person, as well as being in trouble in Liverpool previously for possession of an offensive weapon.

The inquest heard Emad Al Swealmeen came to the country legally in May 2014 with a Jordanian passport and UK visa.

Senior coroner Andre Rebello said: 'Shortly after his arrival he claimed, it is believed falsely, that he was of Syrian heritage and claimed asylum as a refugee from that country.'

He said that claim and all subsequent claims for asylum were refused, with the latest refusal in November 2020.

Mr Rebello said there had been reports Al Swealmeen had rejected Islam and converted to Christianity.

He asked Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Meeks, the senior investigating officer in the case, if this could be to strengthen his asylum claim.

Mr Meeks said: 'I'd agree with that because he would claim he'd be liable to persecution on return to Syria or Iraq.'

Mr Rebello added: 'When premises were searched both a Holy Koran and prayer mat were present and it was fairly evident that he carried out the religious duties of someone who is a follower of Islam, not withstanding the reported conversion to Christianity.'

 

[Luwin]

New details have emerged about the Liverpool bomber Emad Al Swealmeen's failed asylum attempts - and the false information he used to make his cases.

A previously confidential 2015 asylum judgment reveals how his claim of being a Syrian refugee lacked basic facts about his home and the danger he faced.

Al Swealmeen, an Iraqi, lost that case but the Home Office did not remove him before he tried again under a new name.

The Home Office will not comment on his case and no review has been announced.

Liverpool bomber lied to stay in UK, documents released to BBC show