Was it in public interest to cover up the terror links to the Southport stabbings?

Cossy

vegansrock

The riots occurred because of false rumours that the perpetrator was an asylum seeker, hence the asylum hotels attacked. I doubt whether calling it a terror attack would have made any difference.

I agree

This.

vegansrock

The riots occurred because of false rumours that the perpetrator was an asylum seeker, hence the asylum hotels attacked. I doubt whether calling it a terror attack would have made any difference.

I also agree with this.
The made up stories that were circulated, including on this forum, were not in the public interest at all.

Referred to anti-extremism programme in 2019 when teachers concerned by his obsession with school massacres.
Referred twice in 2021 following his expulsion from Range High School following his excessive interest in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
However it was decided that he did not hold' a terrorist ideology'; same reasoning used by the Police to justify the failure to charge him with terrorism offences.
Tried to conceal his identity by saying teenager being questioned was born in Cardiff.
Now Yvette Cooper has threatened that anyone working with children who does not report abuse will face punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment, in response to the outcry at the refusal to name the judge who returned Sara Shariff to her father despite strenuous objections fro social workers.

Will the people who failed to investigate the genuine concerns expressed by the school working with Rudakubana be identified and punished? Of course not.
And perish the thought that a murderer should be wrongly described as a terrorist.
If the people working in Prevent had acted, those girls would still be alive.

The simple fact is three young girls lost their lives in very tragic circumstances.

He was clearly a troubled man and should have been properly supervised and prevented from doing anything.

In my humble opinion the riots would have happened whether he’d been named, called a terrorist or if any other info had been released.

The only person to blame for this awful event is him, the perpetrator and the only ones to blame for the riots are the rioters and those who encouraged them.

May the families of these three beautiful girls find some comfort that this man has admitted his guilt and that they find some way to continue living their lives.

vegansrock

The riots occurred because of false rumours that the perpetrator was an asylum seeker, hence the asylum hotels attacked. I doubt whether calling it a terror attack would have made any difference.

I agree

He should never be released. You only have to look at him to see he is evil. He was going to do a school massacre apparently.

vegansrock

The riots occurred because of false rumours that the perpetrator was an asylum seeker, hence the asylum hotels attacked. I doubt whether calling it a terror attack would have made any difference.

Had the truth come out immediately the rumour mill may not have turned.

Rudakubana had been referred three times to Prevent, the Government scheme to stop terrorist violence (no dates given).One of the referrals followed concerns about his potential interest in the killing of children in a school massacre.
He also admitted production of a biological toxin ricin on or before July 29 as well as possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism. DT

Why were the referrals not followed up?

It was the refusal to release his name which was the catalyst for the riots.

And the photograph of the young thug is nothing short of the Devil Incarnate.
Throw away the key for this one.

The riots occurred because of false rumours that the perpetrator was an asylum seeker, hence the asylum hotels attacked. I doubt whether calling it a terror attack would have made any difference.

GrannyGravy13 cross posted. Apologies.

NotSpaghetti

Thanks GrannyGravy13 which article is that please?

The one I quoted from (today's) says

^The possession of this material elevated Rudakubana’s case to terrorism – warranting a charge under the Terrorism Act 2000 – although no other prohibited extremist material has been found on his devices since. This partly explains why the attack itself has not been declared a terrorist incident, as detectives are unable to point to a clear motive.

He was referred to the prevent programme three times.

This is an intervention programme when the authorities have concerns regarding a persons inclination towards/obsession with terrorist activities and literature.

Those in charge knew he was a risk.

He had already been violent at school resulting in suspension.

Sago

He plead guilty in court today to three counts of murder and a terror offence.

I still don't think they knew "very quickly that he was a terrorist".
I'm not 100% sure that is actually what they think even after charging.
They haven't charged him with being a terrorist.

The additional charges are:

1. Production of a biological toxin, namely ricin, contrary to Section 1 of the Biological Weapons Act 1974.

2. Possessing information, namely a PDF file entitled “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual” of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Thanks GrannyGravy13 which article is that please?

The one I quoted from (today's) says

^The possession of this material elevated Rudakubana’s case to terrorism – warranting a charge under the Terrorism Act 2000 – although no other prohibited extremist material has been found on his devices since. This partly explains why the attack itself has not been declared a terrorist incident, as detectives are unable to point to a clear motive.

Wasn’t he schizophrenic and not taking his meds in the community?

Those poor little girls just crafting Taylor Swift bracelets with their friends at the start of the school summer holiday.

Heartbreaking in the extreme.

NotSpaghetti that is the article I was referring to.

Just found this:
Some will be convinced the attack was terrorism even though the authorities remain unable to prove a specific motive.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/20/axel-rudakubana-a-ticking-timebomb-who-murdered-three-girls-in-southport

Farage not familiar with our laws

IIRC, wasn’t the terror offence having in his room materials for and information about making a bomb? I think we knew that early on? Apologies if I’m wrong there, but if he hadn’t previously carried out any terrorist acts it wouldn’t I think to call him a terrorist but a potential terrorist. I am not aware of there having been a cover up. It wouldn’t have been appropriate for Farage or anyone else to ask questions in parliament about the man (if he can be called that) whilst a police investigation was ongoing.

I am not, of course, condoning any of his actions.

NotSpaghetti

Where did you get the "he was a Terrorist" info from?

I haven't seen that anywhere.
Indeed I have seen that it was NOT ascertained that he was a terrorist.
🤷‍♀️

The Guardian has a detailed account of him being referred to prevent on three occasions.

He pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder, possession of ricin and terrorist material.

They go further into his background in the article.

He plead guilty in court today to three counts of murder and a terror offence.

Where did you get the "he was a Terrorist" info from?

I haven't seen that anywhere.
Indeed I have seen that it was NOT ascertained that he was a terrorist.
🤷‍♀️

As it was it was left to online rumours

If the Government had been honest at the beginning it may have prevented the ensuing riots, but we will never know.

As it was it was left

No I don't think it was in the public best interest but I don't think there'd have been less chance of riots if the Home Office hadn't covered it up.

They rioted without knowing he had links to terrorism because some people don't need to have a reason.