{"id":144947,"date":"2021-11-17T20:09:44","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T20:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=144947"},"modified":"2021-11-17T20:09:44","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T20:09:44","slug":"bomb-squad-swoop-and-pub-evacuated-as-they-search-asylum-hostel-linked-to-liverpool-bomber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/bomb-squad-swoop-and-pub-evacuated-as-they-search-asylum-hostel-linked-to-liverpool-bomber\/","title":{"rendered":"Bomb squad swoop and pub evacuated as they search asylum hostel linked to Liverpool bomber"},"content":{"rendered":"

POLICE have swooped on a pub linked to the Liverpool Women\u2019s Hospital bombing – as they probe an asylum hostel nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The bomb squad sealed off an address linked to terrorist Emad Al-Swealmeen, on Sutcliffe Street before extending it to Boaler Street in the city this afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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A number of police vans and emergency services remain on the scene on Sutcliffe Street, where a cordon is still in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Residents have reportedly been told by officers that they are not allowed into their properties.<\/p>\n

One resident said: "I came home from work at about 1.20pm and saw the road was closed off. We think they've found something."<\/p>\n

A bomb disposal squad was spotted going into a house on Sutcliffe Street in Kensington.<\/p>\n

Officers traced Al Swealmeen to an asylum hostel \u2013 a converted terrace \u2013 on the road close to a pub that was already probed.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for Counter Terrorism Police said: "This is a routine extension of the cordon to allow officers to make an assessment of materials found in a property on Boaler Street. It is related to the terror incident."<\/p>\n

Officers previously sealed off the same area after counter-terror police arrested three suspects there in connection with the terror attack.<\/p>\n

Properties in Sutcliffe Street and Rutland Avenue, near Sefton Park, were raided with cops arresting four men on suspicion of terror offences.<\/p>\n

They were released without charge yesterday as police confirmed they had cooperated with the investigation.<\/p>\n

The development comes after cops revealed that the bomber had been buying components since at least April this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson said that Iraq-born Al Swealmeen had rented a property in Liverpool seven months ago and had started making "relevant purchases" for his homemade bomb "at least" since that time.<\/p>\n

A Royal Logistics Corp bomb disposal vehicle arrived at Boaler Street along with a fire engine after a police cordon in nearby Sutcliffe Street – where officers believe Al Swealmeen previously lived.<\/p>\n

Police said this was to "allow officers to make an assessment of materials found in a property that we've been searching", adding that it was a "precaution"<\/p>\n

Searches have also been carried out at a property in Rutland Avenue that had been rented by Al Swealmeen since April.<\/p>\n

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In an update issued earlier today, Mr Jackson said: "A complex picture is emerging over the purchases of the component parts of the device.<\/p>\n

"We know that Al Swealmeen rented the property from April this year and we believe relevant purchases have been made at least since that time.<\/p>\n

"We have now traced a next of kin for Al Swealmeen who has informed us that he was born in Iraq."<\/p>\n

He added that the 32-year-old asylum seeker had suffered from periods of mental illness that will "form part of the investigation and will take some time to fully understand".<\/p>\n

Last night Home Office minister Damian Hinds said it was not clear if the hospital was the intended target before Al Swealmeen, 32, blew himself up in a taxi.<\/p>\n

He added counter-terror chiefs do not believe he was part of a "Liverpool cell" and cops are not looking for anyone else at this stage.<\/p>\n

However it is understood it will take security forces some weeks to build a full picture of who he may have been in contact with amid fears he was manipulated online.<\/p>\n

One friend who knew Al Swealmeen through his job at a pizza takeaway, said he "nearly fell off his chair" when he found out the bomber was his former colleague.<\/p>\n

'TOO IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE'<\/h2>\n

Al Swealmeen – who The Sun understands was a Jordanian national – moved to the UK in 2014 and told people he was Syrian.<\/p>\n

After his asylum claim was rejected he is said to have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act for brandishing a knife near Liverpool's city centre.<\/p>\n

Friends claimed the F1 fan changed his name to Enzo Almeni in honour of Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari – hoping it would seem more Western and help his bid to stay.<\/p>\n

In 2017 he converted to Christianity at Liverpool\u2019s Anglican Cathedral, and the same year he lost his final asylum appeal, but was not deported.<\/p>\n

The bomber went on to spend eight months living with\u00a0devoted Christians Malcolm and Elizabeth Hitchott\u00a0and appeared the perfect guest.<\/p>\n

They said they felt "numbed" to learn that the "lovely man" who lived at their home was behind the horror attack.<\/p>\n

Mr Hitchocott, a former British Army soldier, told the\u00a0Daily Mail: "It's almost too impossible to believe.<\/p>\n

"There was nothing to suggest he could go on to become radicalised."<\/p>\n

Senior MPs vowed to launch a \u00adformal probe into fake Christian converts duping the Church of England to avoid being deported back to strict Muslim countries.<\/p>\n


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