LONDON (Reuters) – British police charged an 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman with terrorism offences after an investigation into suspected extreme right-wing terrorism activity, they said in a statement on Friday.
The investigation was not a consequence of more than a week of riots and racist attacks which took place across the country after three young girls were killed in the northern English town of Southport on July 29, the police said.
Rex William Henry Clark of Ilford, east London, was charged with preparation of terrorist acts, while Sofija Vinogradova, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, was charged with preparation of terrorist acts and two counts of collecting information likely to be useful to a person preparing such an act.
“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,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met Police’s counter terrorism command.
Vinogradova had initially been arrested at the beginning of August on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm, the police said, before being released on bail. She was arrested again at the same location with the man on Aug. 10.
Police said they could not provide any further details on the investigation now that the charges had been brought.
The pair are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court later on Friday.
(Reporting by Sarah Young, Editing by Paul Sandle)
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