Undated handout photo issued by Merseyside Police of Axel Rudakubana, 18, who is set to find out the (Image: PA)
Crucial clues into why Axel Rudakubana launched his murderous Southport attack may soon be unmasked – as US tech giants are helping UK police access his deleted search data.
Moments before the twisted killer left home to stab 13 children and adults, Rudakubana deleted the Internet search history on a number of his devices – leaving detectives in the dark on what he had been researching.
Last year Merseyside Police submitted requests to the US-based Google’s Chrome and Microsoft’s Bing browsers, asking for the information – despite the tragedy not classed as a terror incident, the highest severity.
This week the force confirmed they are still waiting for the data despite using the “correct” UK/US channels – but Google have said they will now work with the force to look into the hold up and help them get it.
On Thursday at Liverpool Crown Court 18 year-old Rudakubana was jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years for his deadly knife attack that saw him stab 13 people, kill three young girls and inflict 300 wounds on his victims.
It’s hoped unlocking the Internet history on these deleted devices could help investigators answer the two questions that’s so far eluded detectives – why did he decide to murder children and why target specifically The Hart Space in Southport?
(left to right) six-year-old Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancome, seven, and Alice de Silva Aguiar, nine (Image: PA)
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Senior investigator of the Southport murders, Detective Chief Inspector Jason Pye, told the Daily Express this week how his team had a mountain of digital information to trawl through after the 29th July 2024 attacks which claimed the lives of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Det Chief Insp Pye explained to us: “Within all of those devices there was 164,000 plus documents that have been downloaded from internet sites, so those were documents that were stored within his actual devices.”
But he told us some of Rudakubana’s digital devices they were never able to access – and he deleted his Internet search history on multiple devices moments before leaving home to book a taxi to The Hart Space.
This led police to apply to access Google Chrome and Microsoft Bing data last year.
One device only contained one Internet search – as he had deleted all the history – and that search he made just seconds before leaving the house to carry out his attack.
That one search was for a video on X of the infamous 2024 Sydney church attack, in which Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and five others were stabbed.
Det Chief Insp Pye added: “He must have done the delete and then reviewed that, because that was the only thing that we could find on (that) device from the Internet.”
Computer devices were found in Rudakubana’s living room and bedroom (Image: Merseyside Police)
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Rudakubana’s bedroom (Image: Merseyside Police)
Detailing the horror stash of torture, genocide and beheadings that they have already found on Rudakubana’s electrical devices, Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy added: “When his home was searched a number of weapons were recovered including the biological toxin ricin.
“On his computer devices a large number of images and documents demonstrated he had a long-standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide.
“Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin.
“Having researched atrocities committed by others the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on 29 July.
“There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasn’t fighting for a cause. His only purpose was to kill and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.”
UK law enforcement agencies have a range of investigatory powers available to them, including under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act, through international agreements and mechanisms like the CLOUD Act.
These powers provide a number of avenues through which law enforcement can request data from tech companies for various purposes and under different legal frameworks.
Rudakubana about to enter The Hart Space (Image: Merseyside Police)
Google sources say they do not require requests to be made specifically via the US courts – in cases where a person may be in serious physical danger, they may also voluntarily disclose information needed to prevent the emergency.
In cases involving serious crime or counter terrorism operations, law enforcement agencies can also seek assistance from the UK’s National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC). NTAC is an operational unit that provides support on interception, data recovery, and digital forensics.
The Daily Express has contacted Microsoft and are awaiting a response.
A Google spokesperson said: “Our deepest sympathies are with all of the families and individuals affected by this horrific attack. We are in touch with the Merseyside police to support their inquiries with regards to this case.”
Merseyside Police said: “We have submitted requests through the correct channels for a criminal investigation.”