My byline describes me as ‘An Englishman abroad’, and that’s what I am. I’m English and I live outside England. I have for a while now. But I was born in Manchester and grew up there before moving to Bahrain when I was three. I feel sickened, worried, angry and a whole lexicon of superlatives about this atrocity which has turned my home city upside down.
But I am also remarkably proud of my fellow Mancunians. Let me tell you why.
I was watching the TV about an hour after the attack and kept hearing that, amidst the desperate, bewildering news flowing from the screen, there were people who were offering rooms, rides and support.
It seems that hotels and guest houses were simply saying “come, stay, there’s a room for you. Don’t worry about money”. People threw open their homes so that hospitality could be offered. There were taxi drivers saying “let me take you home or to the hospital - forget the money”. There were people who turned up, within minutes, with blankets, food and a very British cup of tea. Additionally, 60 ambulances were on the scene, all co-ordinated by an emergency response team.
Now I thought the British had this rather reserved, somewhat unemotional, a bit stand-offish reputation, but what a revelation!
English people, Mancunians, opened their hearts and were not simply helpful; they weren’t just kind. No, they were compassionate. They were emotionally intelligent and sensitive. They were supportive and selfless.
It is a humbling experience. I have been touched and moved beyond measure at the degree of mercy and kind-heartedness which was a spontaneous, unforced movement by so many.
It is, of course, impossible to know what must have been the motive behind the act; what possible reason or experience could lead to someone being prepared to blow themselves to pieces? Not only that, but to deliberately, with malice aforethought, do it knowing that others would be killed and horrifically injured. Knowing that these people would be young: Children, teenagers, mostly girls.
I want to understand why someone would want to do this, but in a way, I’m glad that I can’t.
I want to look into the eyes of the person who made the bomb and then allowed it to be taken to the Arena, maybe even watched it happen. I want to ask him why.
It is emerging that there is a group of young men, mostly, who have become so twisted in their thinking that they feel they want to kill us. South Manchester seems to be a place where this happens. It appears that young men are radicalised and are then persuaded to carry out these dreadful, harmful and wicked acts. Someone is behind this. There is a mastermind, a “big fish”.
I hope that they find this person. I wonder what will be done with them. Will they be understood?
Manchester is never going to be the same. I spoke to a chap last night, who has two young children. He told me that they have been re-thinking the family’s summer plans, in light of this atrocity. The two children had apparently said they wanted to carry on with their plans. I suppose that means that the terrorists have failed. I want to think so.