Bomb obsessed Rudakubana 'should have been treated as a terror threat'

Probe says there was 'sufficient concern' about killer

- Michael Knowles

SOUTHPORT killer Axel Rudakubana was not considered a terror threat despite being fascinated with the Manchester Arena bombing and "talking about stabbing people", a shocking report has revealed.

Dan The Prevent counter-terrorism scheme "prematurely" closed its case on the 18-year-old three years before he went on to murder three children in Southport.

Security minister Jarvis told MPs yesterday that there was "sufficient concern" about Rudakubana after he had praised the 2017 atrocity committed by Salman Abedi and discussed knifing people before Prevent ended its involvement. He was referred to the scheme three times between December 2019 and April 2021 but officers did not believe he had a fixed ideology, the Government's learning review said.