De Menezes probe delayed
2006-06-16 13:50
London - The completion of a probe into
the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes by British
anti-terrorist officers could be delayed for a few months
because London police chief Sir Ian Blair has yet to be
questioned, the Brazilian's family said on Friday.
De Menezes' relatives said they had been told that two
"senior officers" yet to be questioned by the Independent Police
Complaints Commission (IPCC), including Blair, were not
available for interview until late July or August.
As a result, the investigation - which is probing the
handling of the case following the shooting at London's
Stockwell underground station last July - could be delayed
until at least late summer.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is expected to announce
soon whether any charges will be brought against officers
involved in the shooting, which happened after police mistook de
Menezes, 27, for a suspected suicide bomber.
A date for a full inquest cannot be set until any decision
on criminal charges is made.
"The family has already been let down by the police, now it
is being let down by the CPS and IPCC," said a statement from
supporters of the family.
"It is an outrage that neither agency have finished their
investigations and the CPS have not indicated to the family the
timescale."
An IPCC spokesperson confirmed that the probe would be
delayed.
"It is taking longer than we thought and we are now looking
at late summer," she said.