What is ricin? Poison which Southport stabbing suspect is accused of making
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A teenager facing accusations for the deadly stabbing of three girls at a dance class in Southport has been charged with creating the dangerous poison ricin, as well as a terrorism-related offense.
Eighteen-year-old Axel Rudakubana is scheduled to appear via video link at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. He faces charges related to the production of a biological toxin known as ricin, as well as having information that could aid someone in carrying out or planning a terrorist act.
The allegations follow searches conducted at his residence in Banks, Lancashire, as stated by Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The terrorism charge is connected to a PDF document called 'Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual,' according to Ms. Kennedy.
Rudakubana has been accused of the murders of nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, six-year-old Bebe King, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe. The children were tragically stabbed during a dance class themed around Taylor Swift in Hart Street, Southport, on July 29.
Ricin is a harmful substance derived from the seeds of the castor oil plant. It is extremely poisonous, and just a tiny amount can be fatal if it is breathed in, injected, or swallowed.
To take the life of a 10-stone adult using a lethal injection of ricin, you would only require a tiny amount of the poison, approximately the size of a grain of salt.
The toxin can be easily obtained and kept, making it readily accessible. Each year, castor beans are processed to produce castor oil, which is utilized in various products, including as a lubricant in airplanes.
Ricin is found in the leftover mash from the production of castor oil. It can appear as a liquid, in crystalline form, or as a dry powder.
While it isn't extremely unstable, it can be dispersed as an aerosol. However, using it as a destructive weapon is constrained by the challenge of delivering it in adequate quantities.
Symptoms: What To Look For
Signs of ricin poisoning consist of nausea, stomach aches, and diarrhea with blood. Currently, there is no vaccine or cure for the toxin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that death may occur within 36 to 72 hours following exposure to ricin.
Notable Instances Of Ricin Usage
In 1978, Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident, was attacked on Waterloo Bridge when someone used an umbrella that had been modified to deliver ricin, a potent toxin.
Markov, a writer and broadcaster who had fled to Britain nine years prior, was attacked and stabbed in the thigh by attackers whose identities remain unknown.
Three days later, he passed away while doctors worked tirelessly to determine the cause of his illness. During the autopsy, a minuscule pellet, no larger than a pinhead, was found, leading to the conclusion that ricin poisoning was responsible for his death.
The murder case is still open, but there are suspicions that the Bulgarian intelligence agency may have played a role in it.
