Man accused of Taylor Swift dance class murders now faces UK terror charge

LONDON — The teenager accused of murdering three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the U.K. earlier this year now faces an additional terror-related charge, British prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, has already been charged with the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, in an attack on the class in the English town of Southport in July.
The killing was followed by widespread far-right rioting in the U.K. over the summer.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced Tuesday that Rudakubana has now been charged with production of a biological toxin — ricin — contrary to the U.K.’s Biological Weapons Act.
He has also been charged with possessing an Al-Qaeda training manual in contravention of anti-terror law.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court Wednesday.
“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, Southport,” said Sarah Hammond of the CPS.
“The two further offenses relate to evidence obtained by Merseyside Police during searches of Axel Rudakubana’s home address, as part of the lengthy and complex investigation that followed the events of July 29.”
Serena Kennedy, Merseyside Police chief constable, said the murder of the three girls in July is not being treated as a terrorist incident. Police and officials are urging the public not to speculate about the alleged offenses or Rudakubana’s motivations.
Both candidates in the running to lead Britain’s Conservative Party immediately put out statements in response to the charging decisions, and the British government has stressed that it had no involvement in the timing of the announcement.
Robert Jenrick said that while the “legal process needs to be respected” he is “seriously concerned that facts may have been withheld from the public here.”
He added: “Any suggestion of a cover-up will permanently damage public trust in whether we’re being told the truth about crime in our country.”
Kemi Badenoch said it was “quite clear that there are serious questions to be asked of the police, the CPS and also of [Prime Minister] Keir Starmer’s response to the whole situation.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said Tuesday afternoon: “We must let the police do their jobs and let the trial establish the facts. The government is focused on ensuring the families and all those affected receive justice, and first and foremost the prime minister’s thoughts are with those families and the local community. His thoughts remain firmly with them.”
The spokesperson added: “Charging decisions and when they are made are for the CPS.”