Suspect in UK knife attack faces charges of ‘terrorism’, poison production

The suspect in a fatal knife attack in the UK that left three young girls dead in July now faces additional charges, including producing a deadly poison and terrorism offenses, British police said on Tuesday.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, who was already charged with murder and attempted murder over the stabbing spree, allegedly had an Al Qaeda training manual in his possession when police searched his home.

He is now facing terrorism-related charges linked to the manual's discovery.

The brutal attack claimed the lives of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. Police confirmed that the victims died in the hospital the day after the attack. Nine other children and two adults sustained injuries, some life-threatening, and the last victim was discharged from the hospital on August 8, ten days after the incident.

Anti-immigration riots follow misinformation

The July attack ignited anti-immigration protests across the UK, triggered by online misinformation about Rudakubana’s background. The day after the stabbings, far-right protesters clashed with police in Southport, damaging a mosque amid heated demonstrations. The unrest quickly spread to other cities.

In a bid to dispel rumors about the suspect, Liverpool Crown Court disclosed Rudakubana’s identity on August 1, though he was a minor at the time of the attack.

Pakistan connection

In August, a Pakistani court acquitted Farhan Asif, a 32-year-old web developer from Lahore, who had been accused of spreading the false information that fueled riots in the UK. Arrested under cyberterrorism charges, Asif was released after the court found insufficient evidence that he intentionally incited violence.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had alleged that Asif spread misinformation via social media platforms YouTube and Facebook about the British teenage suspect. Rana Rizwan, Asif’s defense lawyer, said his client had removed the post within six hours after realizing it was incorrect.

After the court hearing, Asif expressed relief over the decision, stating that he had no intent to mislead the public.