Cheshunt, Hertfordshire — A recent incident involving counterterrorism authorities has drawn attention to the quiet town of Cheshunt. On Sunday, August 4, officers from the Counter Terrorism Command apprehended a 19-year-old woman at her Cheshunt residence.

Met detectives promptly initiated a search. The gravity of the situation necessitated her transfer to a London police station. However, she was not detained indefinitely; instead, she was released on bail pending further inquiries.

But the story didn’t end there. Just six days later, on Saturday, August 10, the same woman again found herself in the crosshairs again. This time, she was arrested alongside an 18-year-old man at the very same Cheshunt address. Both were taken into custody under Section 41 of TACT 2000, which grants authorities the power to detain individuals for questioning in relation to terrorism offences. The London police station became their temporary holding ground.

As detectives delved deeper, they expanded their search beyond Cheshunt. Additional scrutiny fell upon an address in Ilford, East London. The investigators combed through both locations, seeking evidence that could unravel the intricate threads of this case.

Their diligence bore fruit. Detectives secured a warrant for further detention, extending until Saturday, August 17. The 19-year-old woman and her 18-year-old male counterpart remained in custody.

The charges against her were serious: possession of a firearm, in violation of Section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968, and the collection of information likely to aid terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2000.

Rex William Henry Clark (born April 2006) from Ilford, East London, was charged with preparing terrorist acts, as defined by Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Sofija Vinogradova (born July 2005) from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, faced charges of preparing terrorist acts (also under Section 5 of TACT 2006) and two counts of collecting information likely to be useful for terrorism (contrary to Section 58 of TACT 2000).

The next critical juncture involved collaboration with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). After thorough inquiries and consultations, the CPS authorized charges against the pair. Their alleged offences—preparation of terrorist acts and the collection of information likely to aid terrorism—were serious and carried significant consequences.

Both individuals are in custody and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 16. The investigation is linked to suspected extreme right-wing terrorism activity.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, 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.”