Inquest hears Liverpool taxi bomber had 'murderous intent'
Coroner rules Emad Al Swealmeen died from the explosion and fire
Last updated 30th Dec 2021
Liverpool Women's Hospital bomber Emad Al Swealmeen died from the explosion and fire caused by the improvised device he manufactured with "murderous intent", a coroner has ruled.
Iraqi-born Al Swealmeen was killed when the bomb he made at flat he rented in the city went off with him inside the taxi.
The driver, David Perry, survived the blast, captured on hospital CCTV.
The bombing came shortly before 11am on Remembrance Sunday, not far from a nearby church service attended by hundreds of people at Liverpool Cathedral.
Senior coroner Andre Rebello concluded a brief inquest into the death of Al Swealmeen at Liverpool and Wirral Coroner's Court on Thursday.
Recording his conclusion the coroner said: "On November 14 2021 Emad Jamil Salman Al Swealmeen died in a taxi in front of Liverpool Women's Hospital.
"He died from an explosion and subsequent fire caused by an improvised explosive device which he had carried into the taxi.
"It is found he manufactured the improvised explosive device, designed to project shrapnel, with murderous intent."
He added: "It remains unclear as to whether he intended the device to detonate when it did."
The inquest heard the device was made at a flat rented by Al Swealmeen in Rutland Avenue and that he called his brother 48 hours before he died and suggested he might do "something bad".
Mr Rebello said Al Swealmeen's brother, who lives in America, said he had spoken to him on Friday, November 12, two days before the bomb went off.
Mr Rebello told the inquest: "He says towards the end of call Emad said something like 'if I do something bad that will affect the family what do you think?'
"He replied something like 'don't do shit', advising him as an older brother, although this was something which caused him concern, knowing his previous issues."
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.