Posted on 07/24/2005 6:11:57 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Met Police chief Sir Ian Blair has apologised to the family of the Brazilian man shot dead by police in south London on Friday.
He said the death of Jean Charles de Menezes was a "tragedy", but admitted more people could be shot as police hunt suspected suicide bombers.
The 27-year-old electrician's family condemned the shooting and said there was no reason to suspect him.
Brazil's foreign minister said his country was "shocked" by the shooting.
Scotland Yard confirmed on Saturday that Mr Menezes, who lived in Brixton, south London, was completely unconnected to Thursday's attempted bombings on three Tube trains and a bus.
Two men have been arrested and are still being questioned.
Police carried out controlled explosions on Sunday on a suspect package found in north-west London which may be linked to the failed attacks.
Armed officers' dilemma
Speaking on Sky News, Sir Ian said: "This is a tragedy. The Metropolitan Police accepts full responsibility for this. To the family I can only express my deep regrets."
He said there was no reason the believe the four men sought over the failed bombings - whose images caught on CCTV were released on Friday - had left the country.
He acknowledged that "somebody else could be shot" as the hunt continued, but added "everything is done to make it right".
But he said the "shoot to kill" policy for dealing with suspected suicide bombers would remain in force.
"There is no point in shooting at someone's chest because that is where the bomb is likely to be," he said.
"There is no point in shooting anywhere else if they fall down and detonate it."
'Tragedy'
Mr Menezes's family is struggling to come to terms with the circumstances surrounding Mr Menezes' death.
JEAN CHARLES DE MENEZES
Born 07/01/78, a Brazilian national
Originally from the city of Gonzaga, 500 miles northeast of Sao Paulo in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais in Brazil
Lived in Brixton, London for three years, working as an electrician
Family mourn police victim
His cousin, Alex Alves Pereira, from London, told the BBC: "Apologies are not enough. I believe my cousin's death was result of police incompetence."
Describing his cousin as a "person full of life" he said his cousin was "a victim of government's mistakes".
He said Mr Menezes was from the city of Gonzaga in Minas Gerais state and had lived in London legally for over three years.
Mr Menezes' grandmother, Zilda Ambrosia de Figueiredo, told Globo TV "there was no reason to think he was a terrorist".
'Shocked and perplexed'
Brazil's foreign minister Celso Amorim met officials at the Foreign Office in London on Sunday to seek an explanation for the shooting.
"The Brazilian government and the public are shocked and perplexed that a peaceful and innocent person should have been killed," he said.
"Brazil is totally in solidarity with Britain in the fight against terror but people should be cautious to avoid the loss of innocent life."
He said he spoke by phone with foreign secretary Jack Straw, who promised a full investigation into the death.
"I said that was very important. We can't recover the life of the Brazilian citizen who has been killed, but we can discover the details."
Mr Amorim is due to meet Mr Straw in person on Monday evening.
The BBC's correspondent in Brazil, Tom Gibb, said Mr Menezes had lived for a time in a slum district of Sao Paulo and that could explain why he had run from the police.
He said: "The murder rates in some of these slums are worse than in a lot of war zones and that could explain why, when plain clothes officers pulled a gun on him, he may have run away."
The shooting is being investigated by officers from Scotland Yard's Directorate of Professional Standards, and will be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Government minister Peter Hain said the threat of suicide bombings had put police under "enormous pressure", but added that they were acting responsibly.
Suspicious package
Searches are continuing in the area where a package was found by a member of the public in bushes in Little Wormwood Scrubs on Saturday.
The package has been removed for forensic examination after several controlled explosions.
Officers raided a house in Streatham on Saturday Anti-Terrorist Branch head DAC Peter Clarke said: "The object appears to have been left in the bushes, rather than hidden. I would urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious items or activity."
Officers are also still searching an address raided on Saturday in Streatham Hill, south London, in connection with the failed attacks.
Meanwhile the News of the World newspaper has offered a £100,000 reward to catch the second wave of London bombers.
I haven't heard that they did on the news (of course, we are talking about the very leftist BBC here). The whole story is FUBAR. 5 shots to the head is pretty damn accurate. Sounds more like a hit.
"Any word from the media about the guy's religion?"
Is it relevant?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not all Muslims are terrorists. However, all terrorists are...
Absolutely
I was in Italy during the Aldo Moro killing by the Red Brigades.
I too had the Carabinieri draw down on me. When a bunch of guys with machine guns and automatic pistols surround you, you put your hands in the air and lay face down on the floor. I had a machine gun at the back of my head for what seemed like hours when it was probably no more than a minute. All the while I was saying “Americano, Americano”. I have no doubt that if I had run they would have killed me.
You do not mess with police in a foreign country, especially during periods of terrorist or rebel activity.
I feel very sorry for this Brazilian guy but given the circumstances the police did what they had to do.
We already know this guy wasn't a terrorist, hence my question.
Dang it, the world is at war and every Western government is telling their citizens it's business as usual! We are told that militant Islamists want to kill us, but we're not allowed to profile when securing our transportation and gathering places. We've identified the sources of the most brutal combatants, yet we continue to do business with the nations and royal families that fund them. Is it any wonder that Catholics from Brazil are getting shot as Islamic terrorists, while the real bad guys are mingling with us at this very minute, planning their next attack?
Profile, profile, profile. Take out the madrassas, with cruise missiles, if necessary. Protect the borders. Deport the imams who are preaching hate and death. Drill the crap out of ANWR so we can send less money to the nations breeding the terrorists.
Oh, and did I say "profile"? I am of Lebanese descent, by the way, and would not mind a bit if I got stopped in the airport. I haven't yet, although my blonde, blue-eyed wife has been stopped twice.
This is outrageous.
Stop, when the Police tell you.
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Uh...stop in Portuguese is "para". The police didn't say "stop" in the right language. I think the police could use some language training.
His family said he spoke perfect english.
My comments won't bring Jeans Charles back to life, but Scotland Yard at least admitted it could have made a mistake (maybe…not all the facts are in yet). Our government would have tried to hide everything and then give us some wild BS story (CYA).
When the Carabinieri pointed their weapons at me, they didn't have to say anything, I knew exactly what that meant, it's a universally understood language.
“You are the one who needs to think.”
You are looking at this through US and British culture. You have to consider he was from Brazil where the muggers and police do not behave like they do in the US or Britain.
"I think the police could use some language training."
And how would they have known he was Brazilian?
"When the Carabinieri pointed their weapons at me, they didn't have to say anything, I knew exactly what that meant, it's a universally understood language."
Bingo! and so does everyone else in the world.
P.S.
They only put their guns down when they found my American Passport in my pocket.
Those were the days.
Agree.
Looking middle-eastern should be grounds for extra caution.
Some members of my extended family look that way and every one of them would be happy to be "profiled" to protect the rest of us.
Roman Catholic.
For understandable reasons, "profiling" has become synonymous with "oppression", but people have to understand, when a violent act is being committed in the name of your religion, people, country, etc., then you have been attacked. It is a point of pride and dignity to stand up and say, (as the liberals are so fond of doing) "Not in my name!"
Nonsense. The guy was living in London for at least three years for crap's sake. You can't seriously expect him to forget he's not in Brazil anymore. I never forget where I'm living whenever I move from the Third World to the First (which I've done four times in the past year and a half).
The guy is either affiliated with the terrorists OR he is incredibly stupid. Only an absolute IDIOT would behave the way he did during that exact time. Either way, it wasn't the police's fault.
Look, if *I* dress and act like a suicide bomber during a period of suicide bombings; I deserve to be shot. The police have no way of knowing I'm not a suicide bomber and any hesitation on their part may result in the deaths of dozens of people on the train. Just think of their dilemma! Hesitate and if he's really a suicide bomber, dozens will die. Bravo to the police for doing the right thing!
I have had guns pointed at me on several occassions while in another country, and once during an attempted coup. I made sure I kept my hands up and didn't make any sudden moves and obeyed all their orders. As a result, nothing happened to me, but if I behaved suspiciously, I probably would've been shot.
So, it's too bad the guy died, but it was HIS fault, not the police. What an idiot, a real candidate for the Darwin Awards.
Let's keep clearly in mind where the blame for this should be placed.
What planet is this you're talking about?
...people who are dressed well...
PLAIN CLOTHES. Read it again. Cops who want to blend in, blend in. Bad police training is bad, period.
Laws mean WHAT?
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