Emmett Chang grew up with mostly female friends and was bullied by males his age; he grew to hate his masculinity. ‘I medicated, pacified, and drowned myself in homosexuality. I hated myself as a man. I didn’t feel like a man.’ But somebody talked to him about God and gave him a booklet. He read it because he wanted to see if God hated him. He found out God didn’t. Emmett said, ‘It said all sins are bad; they’re all worthy of death, including homosexuality. But that same sin was covered by grace.’ Next, a pastor prompted him indirectly by asking if God ever said he was gay? Emmett said, ‘It was a million-dollar question. It took 21 years for God to answer me in that fashion.’ After giving his life to Christ his transformation has been progressive. He now attends the Door Church in Tucson.

Emad al-Swealmeen moved to the UK several years ago and converted to Christianity from Islam in 2017. He was looked after for several months by a Christian couple who volunteered at Liverpool Cathedral where he attended an Alpha course and was confirmed. In 2014 he had his asylum claim rejected. Associates believed he was only interested in converting to Christianity because he believed it would assist his asylum claim. He made a new application in 2017. He suffered mental health problems and was sectioned seven years ago after trying to kill himself by jumping off an overpass, while waving a knife. Then on 11 November he detonated a homemade bomb inside a taxi, killing himself and injuring the driver, David Perry, who survived and has been discharged from hospital. Four men have been arrested under terrorism laws. People who knew Swealmeen said, ‘We're just so, so sad. We just loved him, he was a lovely guy.’

On 17 November police investigating the Liverpool taxi explosion sent a bomb disposal vehicle and fire engine to Sutcliff Street and extended a cordon around the Kensington area of Liverpool to allow them to assess ‘materials’ found during their search on the asylum accommodation. Residents living within the cordon were told they were not able to return home, while investigators continue to work on piecing together a motive for the blast. Apparently, Emad al-Swealmeen had been buying parts for his homemade device since at least April. Meanwhile, David Perry, who reportedly averted disaster by locking the bomber in his vehicle is said to have spoken to counter-terrorism officers for 90 minutes at his home. Priti Patel said the asylum system is ‘dysfunctional’. Patrols by armed police will be increased and security plans for major events reviewed after the terror threat level was raised following the attack.

Border Force stopped a lorry on its way to Kent through the Channel Tunnel carrying cocaine with a street value of £33m concealed in a 418kg load of frozen onion rings. Lorry driver Piotr Perzenowski, 30, from Poland, was charged with smuggling Class A drugs and is remanded in custody until 13 December. See Also appearing in court on that day is a 19-year-old suspected county line drug dealer caught by Kent police, who seized heroin, cocaine, cash and criminal property.  Also, ‘Happy Families’ smuggler Michael Sloan was jailed this week after heroin worth £2m was seized from his camper van as he and his family returned to Dover Eastern Docks from Europe. Forensic experts said the heroin was between 44% and 59% pure, and once adulterated would value £1.98 million. Heroin is closely linked to county lines’ type exploitation and violence.