London cops 'gave false info'

2005-08-17 13:12

London - Documents leaked to the British media said on Wednesday London police provided false information regarding the fatal shooting of a Brazilian last month in the erroneous belief that he was a terrorist.

A plainclothes police officer killed Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old electrician, on July 22 by pumping several rounds into his head at point-blank range on an Underground station in south London.

Initial reports said Menezes had failed to heed a warning to stop and had vaulted the ticket barriers in his haste to get to the platforms. Police suspected him of being a suicide bomber.

It was also said that he was wearing a heavy jacket, although it was a warm summer's day, suggesting that he was hiding something.

Press reports said on Wednesday that none of this was correct.

Documents leaked to ITN news, a commercial broadcaster, also said Menezes had been restrained before the killing and had not resisted police in any way.

According to the information, based on eyewitness reports, Menezes was wearing a light denim jacket and did not vault the ticket barrier.

He was carrying only one of the free newspapers available at the entrance to Underground stations.

He started to run when he saw a train arriving at Stockwell station and was sitting in the train when he was first restrained and then killed by six or seven shots from a police officer.

Harriet Wistrich, the lawyer retained by Menezes' family, described the reports as "terrifying" and urged a review of police policy.

She said the information put out was "almost entirely wrong and misleading. There was no suggestion that this person was a suspect in any way, that he was running from the police".

Police declined to comment on the investigation being conducted into Menezes' death. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA