Teen accused of UK Southport murders in court on ricin and terrorism charges | World news

LONDON, – A teenager accused of killing three young girls in a knife attack in northern England in July appeared in court in London on Wednesday, charged with producing the deadly poison ricin and a terrorism offence.

Axel Rudakubana is accused of killing girls aged six to nine at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport, killings that shocked Britain and were followed by days of rioting.

The 18-year-old, who has not yet entered a plea to murder and attempted murder charges, has also been charged with manufacturing the deadly biological poison ricin and possessing an Al Qaeda training manual.

After the new charges were made public, police said the stabbings were still not considered terrorism-related. Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said no ricin was found at the scene of the stabbing.

Rudakubana appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video link from Belmarsh prison on Wednesday, wearing a gray tracksuit, with his sweatshirt held over his face. He did not answer when asked to confirm his name.

He will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on November 13, where he may be asked to enter pleas to charges of murder and attempted murder.

Major disturbances broke out in Southport after false reports spread on social media that the suspected killer was a radical Islamist migrant. The disturbances spread across Britain with attacks on mosques and hotels where asylum seekers lived.

At the time, police tried to suppress the rumors causing the trouble by saying the suspect was born in Britain and that there was no link to terrorism.

Kennedy dismissed online speculation Tuesday that police were trying to “hide things from the public,” saying motivation would be needed to declare the stabbings a terrorist incident.

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