Brazilian's final journey
2005-09-28 16:15
London - Tearful relatives of a Brazilian man mistakenly shot dead by London anti-terror police retraced his final journey on Wednesday, a day after arriving in Britain to demand the officers concerned be punished.
The family of Jean Charles de Menezes followed the steps he took from his apartment in south London to the subway station where police shot him repeatedly in the head on July 22 after mistaking him for a suicide bomber.
Tears welled up in the eyes of his father and mother, Matozinhos Otone da Silva and Maria Otone de Menezes, as they arrived at the apartment accompanied by the dead man's brother Giovani and cousin Alex.
The family were shown the inside of the flat before walking along the route de Menezes, a 27-year-old electrician, took to get the Number 2 bus on July 22.
He was under surveillance by police until he reached Stockwell Underground Station, where he was shot seven times in the head by officers.
Victim's family demands punishment
After arriving in Britain on Tuesday, the victim's mother said the family was demanding punishment for the police officers responsible for the death.
London's Metropolitan Police is paying for the family to come to the city, where they are also expected to be updated on the inquiry into de Menezes's death.
De Menezes was killed a day after a failed attempt to repeat the July 7 attacks that killed 56 people, including four presumed suicide bombers, in blasts on three subway trains and a bus.
On Thursday the family are to hold talks with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating the incident.
They may also meet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair, Britain's top police officer, who has defended the shoot-to-kill policy when dealing with suspected suicide bombers.
Blair has conceded that he may resign if heavily criticised by the IPCC report, due before the end of the year.
- AFP