Two adolescents have been apprehended for allegedly planning to imitate the crimes committed by Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana.
Rudakubana was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of three young girls – Bebe King, aged six, Elsie Stancombe, aged seven, and Alice Aguiar, aged nine – during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last year.
Authorities have disclosed that a 16-year-old male from Merseyside and a 17-year-old male from South Wales were arrested under suspicion of orchestrating similar assaults. The younger individual is accused of devising a “copycat” scheme to target a Taylor Swift event, including donning a green hoodie reminiscent of the child killer’s attire.
Reports suggest that he amassed knives and even journeyed to Southport to explore local gatherings. Moreover, the teenager allegedly downloaded the identical al-Qaeda manual utilized by Rudakubana to create the lethal poison ricin.
In addition, the adolescent contemplated attacking his former school post dropping out and extensively researched high school shootings in the United States.
The younger suspect was detained in August and is facing charges related to possessing terrorism-related documents and making threats to kill. He is scheduled to enter his pleas next month.
On the other hand, a 17-year-old from Cwmbran was arrested in June after purportedly discussing imitating Rudakubana and conducting online research on “large knives.” A note titled “places to attack” was reportedly discovered on the boy’s phone, detailing directions and images of dance schools near his residence. Analysis of GPS data from his phone showed he had been in close proximity to the school shortly before his arrest.
It has been alleged that the older teenager had explored potential attacks on his own school and informed individuals on social media of his intentions to target the Oasis concert in Cardiff on July 4.
Following his arrest, he has confessed to possessing a document associated with terrorism.
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