Attacker in British Taylor Swift Dance Party stabbing now faces terrorism charges

The young teenager who was charged with murder after brutally stabbing eight people, including killing three children, at a Taylor Swift dance party in Southport, England, has now also been charged with terrorism.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, will appear again at Westminster District Court on Wednesday in a separate prosecution alleging he was in possession of a PDF terror manual entitled ‘Military Studies in Jihad against the Tyrants – Al-Qaeda’s Training Manual’ and producing a supply of the highly toxic toxin, ricin, according to The Guardian.

The new charges come after what Merseyside Police officials say was a “lengthy and complex” investigation. The stash of ricin was found at Mr Rudakubana’s home, about five miles from Southport, in the days after the attack. No ricin was found at the scene of the mass stabbing.

“At this time, Counter Terrorism Policing has not yet classified the attack on Monday 29 July as a terrorist incident,” Merseyside Police Commissioner Serena Kennedy said at a press conference on Tuesday. “I recognize that the new charges may lead to speculation. No motive needs to be established in the case for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged under the Terrorism Act. In order to label a case as a terrorist incident, the motivation must be determined.”

Rudakubana was initially charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder following the July 29 attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Liverpool suburb of Southport. The incident, in which he allegedly entered the studio with a knife, led to widespread protests throughout the country.

Anti-immigration activists organized demonstrations that often turned violent, leading to clashes with police. During these protests, participants were heard chanting slogans such as ‘Rule Britannia’, ‘Save our children’ and ‘Stop the boats’. The unrest was sparked by unconfirmed rumors about Rudakubana’s immigration status.

A protest also broke out in central London, with demonstrators gathering near 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s residence. The crowd chanted vigorously, “We want our country back,” expressing their dissatisfaction with uncontrolled immigration in the aftermath of the incident.