The suspect in the Southport murder case is facing new charges in court.
Axel Rudakubana has already been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder following the killings at the end of July.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were all fatally stabbed while attending a Taylor Swift-theme dance workshop.
Rudakubana appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court via video link from HMP Belmarsh on Wednesday on new charges related to bioterrorism.
The 18-year-old, who is accused of possessing terrorist material and producing the toxin ricin, refused to speak during the preliminary hearing.
He is next set to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on November 13 for a plea hearing related to the Southport killings, which sparked nationwide rioting.
But Merseyside Police’s chief constable Serena Kennedy confirmed on Tuesday that the murders are not being treated as a terrorist incident.
She said: “At this time, counter-terrorism policing has not declared the attack on Monday 29 July a terrorist incident. I recognise that the new charges may lead to speculation.
“The matter for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged with under the Terrorism Act does not require motive to be established.
“For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.”