Two youths have been apprehended for allegedly planning to imitate the crimes of Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana. Rudakubana was sentenced to life imprisonment for the killings of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last year. The individuals in question, a 16-year-old from Merseyside and a 17-year-old from South Wales, were taken into custody on suspicion of scheming similar attacks. The younger teen is accused of plotting a “copycat” assault at a Taylor Swift function, intending to emulate the attire of the convicted killer by wearing a green hoodie.
Reports indicate that the teen collected knives, conducted research on local events in Southport, and allegedly downloaded the same al-Qaeda manual utilized by Rudakubana to create the toxic substance ricin. Furthermore, the youth purportedly contemplated targeting his former school post dropping out and delved into past high school shootings in the U.S.
The younger suspect was arrested in August and charged with offenses related to terrorism materials possession and threats of violence. The plea hearing is scheduled for next month. On the other hand, the 17-year-old from Cwmbran was detained in June after discussions about replicating Rudakubana’s actions and researching large knives online. A note labeled “places to attack,” containing directions and images of dance schools near his residence, was allegedly discovered on his phone. The phone’s GPS data indicated his presence near the school shortly before his arrest.
It is alleged that the older teenager probed potential attacks on his school and announced intentions on social media to target the Oasis concert in Cardiff. Following his arrest, he admitted guilt to possession of a document associated with terrorism.