More on Terrorism Hysteria

As I continue to believe: it appears to have been a case of police terrorism-hysteria. This from ITN [Great Britain]:

Mistakes led to tube shooting
8.25PM, Tue Aug 16 2005

ITV News has obtained secret documents and photographs that detail why police shot Jean Charles De Menezes dead on the tube.

The Brazilian electrician was killed on 22 July, the day after the series of failed bombings on the tube and bus network.

The crucial mistake that ultimately led to his death was made at 9.30am when Jean Charles left his flat in Scotia Road, South London.

Surveillance officers wrongly believed he could have been Hussain Osman, one of the prime suspects, or another terrorist suspect.

By 10am that morning, elite firearms officers were provided with what they describe as "positive identification" and shot De Menezes eight times in the head and upper body.

The documents and photographs confirm that Jean Charles was not carrying any bags, and was wearing a denim jacket, not a bulky winter coat, as had previously been claimed.

He was behaving normally, and did not vault the barriers, even stopping to pick up a free newspaper.

He started running when we saw a tube at the platform. Police had agreed they would shoot a suspect if he ran.

A document describes CCTV footage, which shows Mr de Menezes entered Stockwell station at a "normal walking pace" and descended slowly on an escalator. [continues…]

Posted on August 16, 2005 at 17.27 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Plus Ca Change..., Quartos

2 Responses

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  1. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Tuesday, 16 August 2005 at 23.37
    Permalink

    This certainly casts a different light on it. What a horrible blunder. Imagine what those police officers have to live with.

  2. Written by Bearcastle Blog
    on Thursday, 18 August 2005 at 16.25
    Permalink

    More on Terrorism Hysteria II

    The story about the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes by London police just keeps getting worse. This from The Guardian [UK] ("New claims emerge over Menezes death "):

    It has now emerged that Mr de Menezes:

    was never properly identified beca…

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