Teen Accused in U.K. Dance Class Stabbing Charged With Terror Offenses

The teenager accused of fatally stabbing three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England has been charged with additional offenses linked to terrorism, the police said on Tuesday.

The teenager, Axel Rudakubana, was already charged with murder in the deaths of the girls, who the police say he attacked at a dance class in July in Southport, a seaside town in northern England. He was also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a knife.

Prosecutors have now charged Mr. Rudakubana with offenses linked to terrorism after a monthslong investigation by area police and the counterterrorism policing unit, Serena Kennedy, the chief constable of the Merseyside Police said.

After searching the family’s home, in a quiet corner of the village of Bank, just outside Southport, the police found ricin, a lethal poison, leading to charge of production of a biological toxin. He was also charged with possession of an Al Qaeda training manual, “of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism,” Ms. Kennedy said in a statement.

While Mr. Rudakabuna is charged under Britain’s terrorism laws, the police’s counterterrorism unit did not declare the July 29 stabbing a terrorist incident, the constable said.

“For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established,” she said.

“You may have seen speculation online that the police are deciding to keep things from the public. This is certainly not the case,” Ms. Kennedy said.

Within hours of the July 29 stabbing of three girls, ages 6, 7 and 9, far-right accounts on social media began spreading false claims that the killer was a Muslim asylum seeker who had illegally arrived in the country by boat. Anti-immigrant protests were met by counterprotesters, leading to violent clashes and dozens of arrests around the country.

The violence became an early test for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was elected in early July and described the protests as “coordinated” and “deliberate.” He encouraged the police “to take action against extremists on our streets.”

In August, a judge lifted Britain’s usually strict legal restrictions, allowing the news media to name the suspect, who was a minor at the time but has since turned 18. The decision was aimed at quelling rabid online speculation. Mr. Rudakubana was born in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, the police said, though social media posts had erroneously described him as an undocumented immigrant.

The teenager, who remains in custody, will appear at a London magistrate’s court via video link on Wednesday, the police said.

“My plea is to be patient, don’t engage in rumor and speculation and don’t believe everything you read on social media,” Ms. Kennedy said.