Families of Southport stabbing victims seek involvement. They aim to shape inquiry after fatal dance class attack.
Axel Rudakubana murdered three little girls last July. The attack happened at a dance class in Southport. Alice, Bebe, and Elsie were his victims. He got life in prison with no parole for 52 years.
The parents of Elsie and Bebe spoke on TV. They want a thorough investigation. They want to help define its scope. The parents want to make sure this never happens again. Bebe’s parents made a statement on the show. They said kids deserve safety and protection. Elsie’s mother wants accountability. She wants people held responsible.
Security minister Dan Jarvis spoke about Rudakubana. Rudakubana had shown interest in the Manchester bombing. He had also talked about stabbing others. Jarvis mentioned that officials focused on ideology. They missed other risk factors with Rudakubana. He wasn’t properly monitored by the Prevent program. He was referred three times in 16 months.
The review found crucial details were missed. They didn’t look closely enough at his needs. They also failed to assess his history of violence. His repeat referrals were not taken seriously. Jarvis stated Rudakubana should have been managed. It should have been done by multiple agencies.
Prevent should not have closed his case. This would have allowed better risk management. The government accepted all 14 review suggestions. The review focused on Axel Rudakubana. Dan Jarvis said Islamist extremism is the biggest threat.
Counter-terror police visited Prevent areas. They checked for unresolved issues from the report. An internal review of Prevent begun. The review should finish in April. Jarvis stated the Prevent review covers all threats. This includes Islamist extremism. It also covers violence like the Southport case. Islamist extremism is the UK’s biggest terror threat.