London mayor backs police chief
2005-08-24 13:27
London - London mayor Ken Livingstone gave his full support on Wednesday to the city's police chief, who has been under pressure following the killing of a Brazilian man mistaken for a terrorist.
Relatives of Jean Charles de Menezes, the 27-year-old man who was shot seven times in the head on July 22, have called for the resignation of the police chief, commissioner Ian Blair.
The Independent Police Complaints Investigation has begun an investigation of the killing, which came two weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 people on the London Underground system, and a day after four other failed bombing attempts on the system.
Apparent bid to 'undermine' Blair
In an interview with British Broadcasting radio, Livingstone accused unidentified "disgruntled" police officers of attempting to undermine Blair, whom Livingstone praised as "a radical and reforming commissioner" and "the best news that London policing has got".
Livingstone called De Menezes' killing a "terrible accident and tragedy", but said Blair's detractors within the police department were using the incident to undermine the chief.
"Here is a radical and reforming commissioner making major changes to the police who has many enemies in there, who really don't want to see those changes," Livingstone said.
Since the shooting, "we have seen individuals who are disgruntled, who may have been passed over for promotion, doing their bit to stab Sir Ian in the back", Livingstone said.
Contradicting reports
News reports have suggested police failed to properly identify De Menezes, some of the officers tailing him did not believe he posed an immediate threat, and armed police who shot Menezes fired at him even after he had been restrained.
Leaked documents also contradicted initial statements by witnesses that Menezes had worn a bulky coat despite the warm weather and had run from police.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it intends to complete its investigation by the end of the year, but will not publish its findings until any disciplinary or criminal proceedings are completed.
Two Brazilian officials, deputy attorney general Wagner Goncalves and Marcio Pereira Pinto Garcia, a high-ranking Brazilian justice ministry official, were in London to meet with officials to learn more about the killing.
At a news conference with the two men on Tuesday, Manoel Gomes Pereira of Brazil's foreign ministry said he had seen no signs of a police cover-up.
Bombs denoted by pushing buttons
The Guardian newspaper, citing unidentified police and counter terrorism sources, reported on Wednesday the four suspected July 7 suicide bombers detonated themselves by pressing buttons. If true, that rules out any suggestion that the bombs were triggered from afar by mobile phone and the bombers were unaware of their task, the newspaper said.
- AP