LONDON, 24 July 2005 — Police admitted yesterday they had shot dead the wrong man in a tragic error as they combed London for four men after attempted bomb attacks on the capital’s transport system. Plainclothes police chased the man onto an underground train on Friday after he ignored warnings to stop, shooting him five times in the head because they feared he was carrying a bomb and was going to detonate it.
“We are now satisfied that he was not connected with the incidents of Thursday 21st July 2005,” police said yesterday.
“For somebody to lose their life in such circumstances is a tragedy and one that the Metropolitan Police Service regrets.” Brazilian media identified the man as Jean Charles de Menezes. Globo television reported that a cousin of the victim recognized his body. The cousin said that Menezes had lived legally in London for three years, and was going to work when he was shot.
Thursday’s failed attacks on three underground trains and a bus killed no one, but caused chaos just two weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 London commuters.
Police also carried out arrests and staged raids to prevent possible future attacks and to find the four men suspected of Thursday’s failed bombings.
Muslim groups condemned the killing and expressed shock at the news of the victim’s innocence.
“To give license to people to shoot to kill just like that, on the basis of suspicion, is very frightening,” Azzam Tamimi of the Muslim Association of Britain told BBC television.
“It is human lives that are being targeted here, whether by terrorists or in this case unfortunately by people who are supposed to be chasing or catching the terrorists.”
Human rights activists said police were in an impossible position, with split seconds to take a life or death decision, but insisted on a full and independent inquiry.
The killing in front of shocked passengers on a packed underground train triggered speculation that traditionally unarmed British police had adopted a shoot-to-kill policy.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it was investigating the killing, as it did all fatal police shootings. Analysts said police were operating under secret new guidelines, codenamed Operation Kratos, allowing them to aim for the head if they believe there was a threat to the public.
Police were questioning two men held after raids late on Friday in the Stockwell area of south London close to the site of one of Thursday’s failed bombs on three underground trains and a bus — the same targets as the July 7 bombs.
Later yesterday armed police raided a house in the Brixton area of south London within walking distance of Stockwell.
Police released closed circuit television pictures of the four suspects and appealed for the public to help find them, but warned that they were dangerous and not to be approached.
One day after the pictures were released police said they had received nearly 500 calls and 80 e-mails from the public.
