Terror suspect Emad Al Swealmeen could have scoped out the Women's Hospital hours before the deadly blast, it has been claimed.
Counter terror police are still probing how and why the device was detonated but one theory is the explosive could have been ignited by the taxi carrying Al Swealmeen coming to a stop.
Investigators have established the 32-year-old's Improvised Explosive Device was homemade, with the ingredients bought over many months and under a host of different names.
Read More: Bomb disposal team returns to Liverpool street at centre of terror investigation
According to The Mirror CCTV experts are now trawling footage from the days before last Sunday’s attack to see if Al Swealmeen was caught on film.
Footage is believed to show a blue Ford Fiesta pulling up at Liverpool Women’s Hospital at around 10.30pm on Saturday – 12 hours before the blast – and staying for around five minutes.
The Sunday Mirror has reported that a member of staff raised the alarm about the car, which is thought to have been carrying five young men.
An insider said to the paper: “CCTV specialists were at the hospital for three days.
“They are investigating whether the bomber scoped out the hospital because he has been buying parts since April. They wanted to know whether he had been in the hospital or not.
“A blue Fiesta pulled up the night before and it had five men in it. They were acting suspiciously. It stayed for six minutes. They didn’t get out at all.
“You can’t make out who the men were from the CCTV. It could have been him and his mates – we just don’t know.”
Liam Spencer was with his girlfriend on Sunday (November 14) when they were unwittingly caught up in the terror attack on Liverpool Women's Hospital.
Mr Spencer, who ran toward the taxi after the blast, told the ECHO that he saw the bomber "engulfed in flames."
Earlier this week it emerged that the bomber was once an unassuming and respected pizza chef at a takeaway in S efton, around five or six years ago.
Al Swealmeen drew up outside the hospital in a taxi at 10.57am last Sunday. His homemade bomb went off minutes later.
Driver David Perry, 45, miraculously escaped before his cab burst into flames. He’s now being cared for at home by wife Rachel.
It was originally thought Al Swealmeen planned to detonate his homemade bomb at a nearby Remembrance Day parade.
But eyewitnesses insist David, who temporarily lost his hearing, said his passenger had always intended to go to the hospital.
One said: “The driver looked in the back just before the bomb went off. He said he saw a red flashing light and the bomber rustling around in his jacket. He heard vibrations and stuff.
“As soon as the bomb went off, the back left passenger door blew open and the taxi driver’s door opened.”
A string of hospital staff and passers helped David and tried to put out the fire before emergency services arrived.
A witness told the Mirror: “The driver wanted to go to the car to get his phone but the car was ablaze. He said, ‘I want my wife, I can’t hear.’ His eyes were wide open.
“It’s amazing he got out alive. I think the seat took most of the impact. But he didn’t have a Covid screen in place like people have said – which makes it even more incredible he survived.”
Security guard Will Cowan, 34, charged towards the burning car as his horrified mum Christine watched but it was too well alight for him to help.
Christine had been working in the hospital café when the blast happened.
A witness told the Mirror: “Because Will dealt with it, she was crying her eyes out saying, ‘I thought you were going to die’.”
Will’s car was one of two destroyed by the blast. Last night, he said he didn’t want to speak about the attack.
Traumatised staff have been offered counselling.
An insider told the Sunday Mirror: “Everyone has been on edge. People have been shaking. The atmosphere is horrible.”
New mums being cared for when the bomb went off have also called in to report physical and mental issues.
A Sunday Mirror source said: “New mums are saying they are having problems.
“One said she can’t leave the house, she’s having headaches and can’t hear.
Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, Head of Counter Terrorism Police North West, said on Friday his investigation was making “significant progress” after speaking to Al Swealmeen’s brother. He said: “This has given us an insight into his early years and an understanding of Al Swealmeen’s life and his recent state of mind.”
The bomb had ball bearings attached, which would have acted as shrapnel.
Mr Jackson added: “Had it detonated in different circumstances it would have caused significant injury or death.
“We still do not know why the device exploded when it did, but we are not discounting it being unintentional.
“It is a possibility movement of the vehicle or its stopping caused ignition.”
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