Teenager charged with murder in Southport, UK faces fresh 'terrorism' charge | Crime News

Police say the Southport stabbings are still not classed as “terror-related” following new charges.

A teenager accused of murdering three young girls in a knife attack in northern England in July has been charged with producing the deadly poison ricin and a “terrorism” offence.

Axel Rudakubana, who is accused of killing girls aged between six and nine at a Taylor Swift-style dance event in Southport, has also been charged with producing the deadly biotoxin ricin and possessing an al-Qaeda training manual.

The 18-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday via video link from Belmarsh Prison. He wore a gray prison tracksuit and held the sweatshirt to his face.

He did not respond to a request to confirm his name and has not yet entered pleas to murder and attempted murder.

Rudakubana is next expected to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on November 13 and may be asked to enter his pleas.

After the new charges were made public, police said the stabbings were still not being classified as “terror-related.” Merseyside police chief Serena Kennedy said no ricin was found at the scene.

In the weeks following the incident, riots broke out in Southport and across the UK after false reports spread on social media that the alleged killer was a Muslim immigrant.

The unrest included attacks on mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. Police denied a terrorist connection and tried to quell rumors that the suspect was a migrant by claiming he was born in Britain.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's political rivals questioned whether a “cover-up” had taken place after new charges included terrorism.

Conservative leader Robert Jenrick said he was concerned facts could be withheld from the public. “Any suggestion of a cover-up will permanently damage the public’s trust in whether we are being told the truth about crime in our country,” he said.

Starmer's office said it was important that police and prosecutors could do their jobs and establish the facts.