Lonely Extremes: The New Face of Terrorism in Britain

Britain is facing an emerging terrorism threat from lone attackers inspired online, says Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The brutal murder of three girls in Southport by teenager Axel Rudakubana underscores this trend. The government plans a public inquiry into institutional failures to prevent such attacks.

Britain is confronting a new dimension of terrorism, characterized by lone individuals driven to extreme violence, Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted on Tuesday.

This revelation follows the recent guilty plea from 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana for the murder of three young girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport last July. The case sparked days of violent riots, revealing the nation's vulnerability to self-radicalized attackers.

Starmer emphasized the shift from traditionally organized groups, like al Qaeda, to isolated individuals gaining notoriety through online influences. In response, the government has initiated a public inquiry into the systemic failures that overlooked warnings about Rudakubana, and there is potential for legislative changes to better address this evolving threat.

(With inputs from agencies.)