Two teenagers charged with 'extremely serious' far-right terror offences
16 August 2024, 06:07
Two teenagers have been charged with far-right terror offences that police described as "extremely serious".
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Rex Clark, 18, of Ilford, east London, is accused of preparation of terrorist acts.
Sofija Vinogradova, 19, of Cheshunt, has been charged with preparation of terrorist acts and two counts of collection of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
Both are set to appear in court on Friday.
The case is not linked to the Southport attacks or the rioting that followed.
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The head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, Commander Dominic Murphy, said: "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.
"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.
"I also want to make clear that our investigation into this matter is not as a consequence of the disorder across the country which occurred following the terrible events in Southport."
On Sunday August 4, officers from the Counter Terrorism Command arrested the 19-year-old woman on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm and collection of information likely to be of use to a terrorist.
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Detectives carried out a search at the address and the woman was taken to a London police station, before being released on bail, pending further enquiries.
On Saturday August 10, the woman was arrested again at an address in Cheshunt.
An 18-year-old man was arrested at the same address.
Further searches were carried out at the address in Cheshunt, as well as another address in Ilford.
Detectives subsequently obtained a warrant of further detention, lasting until Saturday August 17, for both the man and the woman.
After further enquiries and liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service, the pair were charged and have been remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
