Southport attack suspect Axel Rudakubana charged with terror offence after police make discovery

An 18-year-old accused over the Southport tragedy that resulted in the deaths of three children is now facing terror charges. Detectives investigating the case found what they describe as a Jihad 'training manual' and a supply of the deadly toxin ricin at his property.

Axel Rudakubana from Lancashire, previously charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder following the stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift themed children's party in July, has had his charge sheet extended.

At today's news briefing, Merseyside Police's Chief Constable Serena Kennedy announced, "The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Axel Rudakubana, aged 18 from Lancashire, to be charged with two further offences. Axel Rudakubana already faces three charges of murder, 10 charges of attempted murder, and one charge of possession of a knife, all relating to the incident at Hart Street on the 29th of July, 2024."

She added, "The two further offences relate to evidence obtained by Merseyside police during searches of Axel Rudakubana's home address as part of a lengthy and complex investigation which has been ongoing since the 29th of July."

"The additional charges are production of a biological toxin, namely ricin, contrary to Section One of the biological weapons act 1974 and possession of information, namely a PDF file entitled military studies in the jihad against the tyrants, the al Qaeda training Manual likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act. 2000.", reports the Mirror.

However, authorities have clarified that Counter Terrorism police have not classified the Southport incident as a "terrorist incident". They also confirmed there was no evidence that any of the victims of the Southport attack, emergency responders, or the wider community had been exposed to ricin.

Ricin is a highly toxic substance that is naturally found in castor beans. Ingestion can lead to symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, and body aches within 18 to 24 hours, and in severe cases, it can cause death by damaging the heart and blood vessels, leading to fluid accumulation in the lungs within 36 to 72 hours.

Professor Tim Atkins from the Defence Science Technology Laboratory, part of the Ministry of Justice, joined the briefing. He noted that even a minuscule amount of ricin, as little as 0.5 milligrams, could be fatal if inhaled.

Following the discovery of the substance, Merseyside Police were granted "unrestricted access" to the laboratory's analysis facilities to confirm the presence of ricin.

Dr Renu Bindra from the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that following the discovery of ricin, a "public health risk assessment" was promptly conducted, concluding there was a "low risk" to the public. She explained: "There was no evidence that any victims, responders or members of the public were exposed to ricin either as part of the incident or afterwards, our detailed initial risk assessment judged that the risk to the community and to the wider public was low."

In the tragic incident, three children, Bebe King, aged six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, lost their lives, while eight other children and two adults sustained serious injuries.

Dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, suffered stab wounds to her neck, back, and arms as she valiantly attempted to protect the children. Jonathan Hayes, who had been working nearby, also received a stab wound in the leg when he hurried to assist at the scene.

Merseyside Police held a press briefing at their Liverpool headquarters today (Tues) to provide updates. The force is reportedly on 'high alert' after violent riots erupted across the country following the attack.

Addressing online rumours that the police have been concealing details about the appalling attack, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy stated that the force adheres to comprehensive guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service to maintain the integrity of a fair trial.

She stated: "I want to reassure the communities of Southport and the communities of Merseyside that we are committed to getting justice for the families of Bebe, Elsie and Alice, the 10 victims who were injured at Hart Street and the other 16 people who were present on that day."

"We are also committed to being open and transparent with our communities. However, I am sure you will appreciate that we also need to make sure that we do not prejudice this trial. You may have seen speculation online that the police are deciding to keep information from the public. This is certainly not the case.

"We have been given extensive guidance by the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to what we can say publicly to ensure the integrity of the court proceedings are protected, and therefore we are restricted in what we can share with you."