He walked to the train, sat down and was shot
By DEBORAH HAYNES
August 18, 2005
LONDON: Anti-terror police are under pressure after leaked documents revealed a catalogue of alleged errors that led to the shooting of a Brazilian man who was mistaken for a suicide bomber.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission, investigating the controversial killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, refused to confirm or deny the information, broadcast by ITV News this week, which contradicted police and eye witness statements.
Police shot the electrician, 27, at point blank range on a Tube train on July 22, one day after four suspected would-be suicide bombers tried to attack London in a botched re-run of the July 7 atrocity.
Initial reports said Mr de Menezes had been acting suspiciously – wearing a bulky jacket, jumping a ticket barrier at Stockwell Underground station, south London, and sprinting on to the subway train.
But witness accounts and photographs leaked to ITV paint a very different picture, showing the young man in a light denim jacket, walking calmly through the station to the train and taking a seat on board.
They also revealed Mr de Menezes was restrained by a police officer on the train before being shot eight times.
In addition, a police officer outside his flat said he failed to videotape Mr de Menezes when the Brazilian left home as he had been on a toilet break.
The revelations prompted relatives and campaigners to call for a public inquiry into the shooting. "My family deserve the full truth about his murder," cousin Allessandro Pereira said.
"The truth cannot be hidden any longer. It has to be made public."
The ITV report said the operation was flawed from the start as police monitored Mr de Menezes' block of units where they believed two suspects in the July 21 attacks were living.
The undercover officer outside, who was supposed to identify anyone exiting the building, admitted he had been away from his post when the Brazilian left.
Closed circuit television footage later captured the electrician entering the station at a normal walking pace, even collecting a free newspaper, and descending to the platform on an escalator.
Contrary to dramatic witness accounts on the day, Mr de Menezes is seen to board the train through the middle doors before pausing, looking left and right, then sitting down in either the second or third seat facing the platform.
Moments later, police burst in and apparently restrained the Brazilian before pumping seven bullets into his head and one into his shoulder. Three more bullets missed him and the casings were left lying on the floor.
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