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Blair won't quit over raid
21/06/2006 19:45 - (SA)
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| Police chief Sir Ian Blair addresses conference on terror being held in London. (James Grimstead, AP )
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London - The head of London's metropolitan police, Sir Ian Blair, repeated his apologies on Wednesday for an anti-terror raid that led to one of two Muslim brothers being shot, but insisted he was not stepping down.
"To paraphrase (US author) Mark Twain on reading his obituary: 'Accounts of my demise are premature'," Blair told delegates at a major conference on terrorism policing in London.
Blair and his force have come in for criticism since the massive June 2 raid, which police at the time said was in response to credible intelligence about a possible chemical weapons factory at a house in Forest Gate, east London.
But despite a lengthy search of the property and the two brothers being questioned about the claims for a week, nothing was found and both were released without charge.
That prompted protests and demands for explanations from the men themselves, their family, friends, supporters and the wider Muslim community. Charles de Menezes
Blair, who is Britain's most senior police officer, is subject to an investigation about his role in the aftermath of the fatal shooting last year of an innocent Brazilian man wrongly suspected of being a suicide bomber.
The family of Jean Charles de Menezes have repeatedly alleged that Blair attempted to cover up police failings in the shooting at Stockwell Underground train station, south London, on July 22 last year.
"I'm not going to respond on the questions about Stockwell and Forest Gate," the officer said, stating that both he and the force would respond fully in due course.
"I repeat the apology from the Met for the harm and the hurt and the disruption, but to reiterate that we will continue to protect public safety whenever intelligence require us to do."
The independent police complaints commission (IPCC) watchdog is currently investigating the Forest Gate raid, which involved some 250 officers.
It has already delivered a report on the Stockwell shooting to the crown prosecution service, who are deciding whether to press charges against any of the officers involved. A second report on Blair's conduct is awaited.
- AFP
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