What Axel Rudakubana was charged with and why motive matters

The public have been told not to speculate on the motive for the attack

Professor Tim Atkins, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, and Dr Renu Bindra give an update (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

The teenager accused of murdering three girls at a Southport dance class has been charged with a terror offence – but the knife attack has not been declared a terrorist incident.

According to police, for the attack to be classed as terrorism, motivation would need to be established.

The force has cautioned people against speculating on the motive for the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class on July 29.

Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe were killed in the attack, while nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar died from her injuries in hospital afterwards.

What is Axel Rudakubana charged with?

The 18-year-old is charged with the murders of Alice, Bebe and Elsie as well as the attempted murder of eight other children, instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, as well as possession of a knife.

On Tuesday, he was charged with the additional offences of production of a biological toxin, Ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

What does the terror charge relate to?

Following searches of Rudakubana’s home in Banks, Lancashire, in the days following the attack, police found a PDF file titled Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual.

He is accused of possessing it between August 29 2021 and July 30 2024.

Emergency services at the home of 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

He has been charged under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said this charge did not require motive to be established.

Is production of Ricin a terror offence?

No, Rudakubana has been charged with producing the toxin under Section 1 of the Biological Weapons Act 1974.

The attack has not been declared a terrorist incident by counter-terror police.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

Ms Kennedy said: “For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.

“We would strongly advise caution against anyone speculating as to motivation in this case.

“The criminal proceedings against Axel Rudakubana are live and he has a right to a fair trial.”

On the day of the attack, Ms Kennedy confirmed Counter Terrorism Policing North West had offered support, although the motivation for the stabbings remained unclear and it was not being treated as a terrorist attack.

Forces can ask counter-terror police to assist with probes into major incidents from the start so they have access to more resources and tactics to allow them to progress the investigation swiftly.

This can include forensic examination of the scene and looking at digital devices found as part of the investigation.

What normally happens before an incident is declared as terrorism?

Establishing the circumstances of the incident is often complicated and will depend on the nature of the incident and what the investigation uncovers, which is why it can take some time for an attack to be declared as terrorism, especially if there is no immediately clear motivation or ideology for the incident.

Perpetrators holding mixed ideologies, which can sometimes be complicated to interpret, can be one of the reasons why it may take time to determine.

Not all violent incidents, even some atrocities involving multiple victims, are declared terror attacks.

Cases of extreme violence in which hatred is a factor more often than not do not meet the legal definition of terrorism.