THE BOMBER at Liverpool Women's Hospital in November died from the explosion and fire caused by the device he manufactured with "murderous intent", a coroner has ruled.
32 year-old Irqui-born Emad Al Swealmeen bought 2,000 ball bearings and rented a flat which he turned into a "bomb-making factory" to manufacture the device.
He also falsely claimed to be of Syrian heritage in asylum applications and was still a practising Muslim despite converting to Christianity, the hearing at Liverpool and Wirral Coroner’s Court was told today.
The inquest lasted about an hour and found he died from an explosion and subsequent fire when the device detonated in the Ford Focus Delta Taxi, driven by driver David Perry.
Mr Perry managed to managed to escape after the blast as it pulled up outside the hospital shortly before 11am on 14 November.
Senior coroner Andre Rebello also said "it remains unclear as to whether he intended the device to detonate when it did."
Al Swealmeen lived at Home Office-provided accommodation in Sutcliffe Street, in the Kensington area of Liverpool, but since April had rented a self-contained flat in Rutland Avenue, where he paid the rent monthly in cash, the coroner’s court was told.
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.
He came to the country legally in May 2014 with a Jordanian passport and UK visa.
"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," Mr Rebello said.
He said that claim and all subsequent claims for asylum were refused, with the latest refusal in November 2020.
He likely appeared to convert to Christianity to increase his chance of approval for an asylum claim.
"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," Mr Rebello said.
Financial investigations showed a number of purchases took place between March 2020 and November this year consistent with the purchase of materials likely to be used in the manufacture of improvised firearms or homemade explosives, the inquest heard.
On the day of the bombing, he simply said 'Women's Hospital' to Mr Perry.
Mr Perry did not recall what he was wearing other than a blue and white surgical mask, which meant he could not see his face, the inquest heard.
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