Liverpool city leaders go door to door to meet local residents after terror incident

Liverpool leaders spoke to local people in Kensington yesterday, an area which has been the focus of police searches following the Remembrance Sunday terror attack.

Counter terrorism police have been searching addresses in Sutcliffe Street and Rutland Avenue which they believe are connected to Emad Al Swealmeen, the bomber who died in the car explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

It is believed the 32-year-old moved to the UK around 2014 from the Middle East and lived at an address in Sutcliffe Street but had recently rented somewhere on Rutland Avenue where he was picked up in a taxi on Sunday.

Liverpool leaders out in Kensington

Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy and Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell reassured residents in a bid to promote community cohesion.

When questioned about the reaction of local residents, Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, said: "They wanted to talk about Sunday and how it was understandably traumatic for them.

“We're all working together as agencies who've planned and prepared for this even though you can't fully plan for a situation like this. Our focus now is reassuring people, any issues around the investigation and any support that they need."

Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Serena Kennedy, who was also at the event, said: “It's how we can work together with this community from a policing perspective but also that broader partnership so that we can stand together with our communities and make sure we continue to have a really strong community here."

PCC involved in community outreach

Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said she has been speaking to community groups including faith leaders.

She said: "The Chief Constable has increased patrols across the city. We know that there is anxiety around this, and we're trying to put lots of reassurance in place. I was speaking to some of our local community groups including the local mosques and the Muslim network just to make sure if there are any tensions, then we're aware of this."

Police say they've made significant progress since Sunday morning and have a much greater understanding of the components of the explosive device and how it was assembled.

Substantial evidence has been recovered from the address at Rutland Avenue, which is becoming central to the investigation. Four men arrested in Kensington on Sunday under the Terrorism Act have now been released from custody following interview.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, has warned it could take weeks to establish how the incident was planned.