Amid Remembrance Day, when Britons commemorate the brave people who died in war, the country raised its terrorism levels from “substantial” to “severe,” according to The Washington Post.
Now, the story surrounding the events which preceded one of the terrorist attacks which happened in Liverpool after one man died in a suicide bombing is gathering the public’s attention.
According to a friend of the cab driver who was reported to had intervened before the bomb exploded and prevented a tragedy from taking place, the bomber entered the cab and asked to be taken to the Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral. There, around 1,200 people were gathered for Remembrance Day. However, due to road closures, he was unable to get there so he asked the cab driver, David Perry, to take him to the Liverpool Women’s Hospital instead.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to David Perry for his heroic efforts on Sunday.
Who knows how many NHS staff and patients could have been hurt without his incredible bravery.https://t.co/iD8GVECaSd
— NHS Million 💙 (@NHSMillion) November 15, 2021
It was then that Perry noticed something unusual.
“David noticed the man had some kind of light attached to his clothing and was messing around with it, it didn’t look right at all,” the friend said, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“I don’t know how he’s done it with a split second’s thought but David’s jumped out and locked the car with this guy in the back.
“As soon as he did, it’s gone off. If this guy got in the hospital God knows what could have happened. David’s the luckiest man in Britain as well as the most heroic,” the friend added.
“How he managed to escape is an utter miracle”.
Wife of taxi driver David Perry issues a statement thanking the emergency services after her husband escaped yesterday’s explosion in his cab outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital. pic.twitter.com/9tj2e1ftZN
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) November 15, 2021
Perry was dubbed a real-life hero who saved the life of a number of people who were a potential target that day.
His wife, however, offered a slightly different version of the actual story. In the comments section of Manchester Evening News, Perry’s wife, Rachel, wrote, “There are a lot of rumors flying round about him being a hero and locking the passenger inside the car … but the truth of the matter is, he is without doubt, lucky to be alive.
“The explosion happened whilst he was in the car and how he managed to escape is an utter miracle. He certainly had some guardian angels looking over him,” she added.
Following the explosion, four people were arrested and the bomber who lost his life was believed to be 32-year-old Emad al Swealmeen, as reported by detective chief inspector Andrew Meeks.
“We continue to appeal for any information about this incident and, now that we have released his name, any information that the public may have about al Swealmeen, no matter how small, may be of great assistance to us,” Meeks said.
#BREAKING: Counter-terrorism police are investigating an explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
— News This Second (@NewsThisSecond) November 14, 2021
This incident follows after last month’s fatal stabbing of conservative lawmaker David Amess, which Britain labeled a terrorist attack.