Teenager Axel Rudakubana who is awaiting trial for the murder of three young girls in Southport has been charged with possession of a military study of an Al-Qaeda terror training manual, as well as producing ricin, a well-known poison. The Telegraph has more.
Axel Rudakubana, who is charged with carrying out a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July, is accused of producing ricin – a biological toxin – and keeping a handbook made by the terrorist group.
The manual, a PDF titled ”Military studies in the jihad against the tyrants: The Al-Qaeda training manual’ and the poison were found during a search of his home, police said.
At a press conference in Liverpool, Merseyside Police said the events of July 29th have not been declared a terrorist incident because no motive has been established.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: “At this time Counter Terrorism Policing has not declared the events of July 29th a terrorist incident.
“I recognise that these new charges may lead to speculation. The matter for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged under the Terrorism Act doesn’t require motive to be established.
“For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.”
Mr. Rudakubana, who is 18 but was 17 at the time of the attack, is charged with the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes and eight children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and with possession of a knife.
Born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, Mr Rudakubana’s identity was revealed after a judge lifted a reporting restriction after an application made by the press.
The attack sparked widespread protests and disorder across the country which had been fuelled by speculation online about the attacker and his motives, including inaccurate claims that he was an asylum seeker.
Violent riots saw dozens of police officers injured, wheelie bins set alight and police vehicles set on fire.
Worth reading in full.
Conservative MP and leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has criticised the apparent withholding of information from the public. He wrote on X:
The public had a right to know the truth straight away. I am seriously concerned that facts may have been withheld from the public. Keir Starmer must urgently explain what he knew about the Southport attack and when he learned it.
Reform leader Nigel Farage has said: “Perhaps I was right all along.” He adds that the Crown Prosecution Service has said that more will come out in the trial, but it seems we aren’t allowed to know that for another several months.
Stop Press: The Free Speech Union has put out a statement about this, claiming that some of the prosecutions over the summer of people for allegedly saying ‘Islamophobic’ things about the Southport attack on social media may now be unsafe.
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