Two far-right teenagers arrested for terrorism offenses: UK
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The teenagers were arrested after detectives conducted a search at an address in Cheshunt, enabling detectives to obtain a warrant for further detention of the suspects.
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Police officers form a cordon at New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service, in central London on March 14, 2021. (AFP)
Two teenagers have been arrested for preparation of terrorism offenses related to suspected extreme right-wing activity, the UK Metropolitan Police said.
The suspects, Rex Willaim Henry Clark, 18, and Sofija Vinogradova, 19, were arrested in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. The woman was arrested on August 4 on suspicion of firearm possession and two counts of gathering information that is likely useful to a person committing or preparing a terrorist act.
“These are extremely serious charges, but I would urge the public not to speculate any further about this case at this time and allow the criminal justice process to run its course unimpeded," Head of the Met’s counter-terrorism command Dominic Murphy said.
“While we are not able to comment in any detail about the investigation now that these charges have been brought, I want to reassure the public that at this time we do not believe that there is any wider threat related to this investigation, although our investigation very much continues.”
Police officials stated that the teenagers' arrests were not prompted by the country's far-right anti-Muslim riots sparked by the Southport murders.
Vinogradova was released on bail pending further inquiries following her initial arrest, but she was detained alongside Clark when detectives carried out a search at an address in Cheshunt.
Additional searches were conducted at the Cheshunt location and another address in Ilford. Detectives then secured a warrant extending the detention of both the man and the woman until Saturday, who were both due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday.
Violent far-right-led protests ignite in London after Southport attack
Earlier this month, violent clashes took place between far-right protesters and police in central London following the spread of misinformation on social media determining that the Southport knife perpetrator was a Muslim man.
The violent protests initially sparked on July 30 in Southport after extremist far-right social media users falsely reported that the assailant in the July 29 knife attack that killed three young girls and wounded multiple children at dance class was a Muslim immigrant.
Clashes between the demonstrators and the police were incited by members of an anti-Muslim xenophobic fascist group known as the English Defense League (EDL), who provoked protesters by attacking a local mosque with projectiles.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the violent riots as "thuggery", pledging that the assailants will face "the full force of the law."
The misinformation about the alleged identity of the Southport attacker was spread on social media by the EDL and another far-right group called Britain First, as well as far-right leader Tommy Robinson.
The social media posts were trending under the hashtag #enoughisenough, reaching over 100,000 social media accounts and over one million views.
