(UNITED KINGDOM) — The teenage suspect accused of fatally stabbing three children at a Taylor Swift-themed event in the United Kingdom in July now faces a terror charge for allegedly possessing a jihadi training manual, police said Tuesday.
The suspect — Axel Rudakubana, aged 18, from Banks in Lancashire — is also newly charged with producing ricin, a deadly poison, police said.
Rudakubana was previously charged with three counts of murder, 10 charges of attempted murder and one charge of possession of a knife in connection with the July stabbing spree in Southport, a seaside town about 20 miles north of Liverpool.
The two new charges announced Tuesday “relate to evidence obtained by Merseyside Police during searches” of his home, police said. A PDF file entitled “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual” was allegedly found, according to police. An unknown substance found in the home was also determined through testing to be ricin, police said.
“Following the announcement of the further charges today I wanted to reassure the public of Southport, and Merseyside, that we are committed to achieving justice for the families of Bebe, Elsie and Alice, the 10 victims who were injured at the Hart Space in Southport on that Monday, in July, and the other 16 people who were present,” Chief Constable Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said in a statement Tuesday.
Rudakubana is scheduled to have a virtual court appearance on Wednesday, police said.
Kennedy said police have not declared the attack a “terrorist incident” and cautioned the public against speculating on a motive in the case.
“I recognize that the new charges may lead to speculation,” she said. “The matter for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged with under the Terrorism Act does not require motive to be established. For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.”
Merseyside police said the children were attending a Taylor Swift-themed event at a dance school when the attack occurred.
Kennedy said no ricin was found at the site.
“We have worked extensively with partners to establish that there was a low to very low risk to the public — and I want to make that reassurance clear today,” Kennedy said.
The trial is scheduled to begin in January 2025.
Swift met with family members of the victims and those injured in the attack while she was performing at Wembley Stadium in August.
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