Southport stabbing suspect due in court charged with two further offences
It's after police say they found a terror manual and the chemical ricin at a property in Lancashire
Last updated 30th Oct 2024
A man accused of murdering three girls at a dance class in Southport is due in court later, charged with two further offences.
Police says it follows the discovery of a terror manual and the chemical ricin at a property in West Lancashire.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court by videolink on Wednesday charged with production of a biological toxin, ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism, although the attack has not been declared as a terrorist incident, police said.
The terror offence relates to a PDF file entitled Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual, Ms Kennedy said.
Searches were carried out in the days following the attack, although it was not confirmed when the ricin was found.
According to the charges, authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service on Tuesday, the toxin was produced on or before July 29, and Rudakubana was charged with possessing the document between August 29 2021 and July 30 2024.
Rudakubana is already charged with the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, who were fatally stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Hart Street, Southport, on July 29.
Yvette Cooper warned against speculation on the Southport attacks after additional charges were brought against the suspect in the case.
The Home Secretary said: "These additional charges will undoubtedly be distressing for people in Southport.
"The most important thing is to get justice for Bebe, Alice and Elsie and their heartbroken families, and all those affected by the attack and nobody should put that at risk.
"The police and prosecutors have an important job to do in their investigation, pursuing every avenue and taking the action they need to ahead of the trial.
"We must support them and ensure that everything possible is done to deliver justice."