The suspect in the murder of three girls in England at the end of July, which sparked violent riots, has been charged with producing a poison and a “terrorist” crime, British police announced Tuesday.
These new charges against Axel Rudakubana, 18, follow searches of his home, police said.
He is accused of “producing a biological toxin, specifically ricin,” a poison that was identified in his home, said Serena Kennedy, police chief of Merseyside, in northwest England.
The teenager is also accused of “possession of information (…) that may be useful to a person who commits or prepares an act of terrorism,” he added. It is an Al Qaeda training manual, he claimed. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Axel Rudakubana is already accused of stabbing to death on July 29 in Southport (northwest England) three girls aged 6, 7 and 9, during a dance class inspired by the American pop star Taylor Swift. He injured eight other children and two adults.
Terrorist motivation is not accepted
The killings sparked violent anti-immigration riots in England and Northern Ireland after rumors spread on social media.
Terrorist motivation was not considered in this investigation. According to Serena Kennedy, there was no ricin at the site of the attack.
“At the moment, counter-terrorism police have not declared the attack on Monday, July 29, a terrorist incident. I recognize that the new allegations may give rise to speculation,” he said in a press release.
“We strongly discourage speculation about the motivations for this case,” added the police official, recalling that the trial for the July 29 attack was scheduled for January.
“I ask you to be patient, not to get carried away by rumors and speculation and not to believe everything you read on social media,” Serena Kennedy insisted to the public.
Source: BFM TV