18-year-old Axel Rudakubana is accused of killing three girls and injuring 10 others in a knife attack at a dance class in England dedicated to Taylor Swift on July 29 in the seaside town of Southport in North England and will be tried early next year, said a judge quoted by the Associated Press and BTA.
Rudakubana will stand trial on January 20 at Liverpool Crown Court on three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and additional charges relating to possession of the poison ricin and having an “Al Qaeda” handbook. ;.
Rudacubana, who has pleaded not guilty, continues to refuse to speak in court, as he has at previous hearings.
The process is expected to take four to six weeks. Another hearing is scheduled for December 12.
Last month he was further charged with manufacturing the deadly toxin ricin and possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or planning a terrorist act because he had the manual on his computer.
Police said the stabbings were not classified as acts of terrorism because the motive was not yet known.