Two teenagers have been charged with terrorism offences following an investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command which was related to suspected extreme right-wing activity.
Rex Clark, 18, of Ilford, east London, and Sofija Vinogradova, 19, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, were both charged with preparation of terrorist acts, while Ms Vinogradova was also charged with two counts of collecting information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
The pair have been remanded in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The Metropolitan Police said the charges were not related to the riots across the country that followed the Southport attack.
Ms Vinogradova was first arrested on 4 August at a Cheshunt address on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm and collection of information likely to be of use to a terrorist, police said.
The property was searched and she was taken to a police station before being released on bail, pending further enquiries.
On 10 August, she was arrested again, along with Mr Clark, at an address in Cheshunt.
Further searches were then carried out of the Cheshunt address and an address in Ilford.
Following liaison with Crown Prosecution Service, charges were brought on Thursday.
The head of the force’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.”
