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| Inquest told of pressure on Met | Inquest told of pressure on Met |
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| Police were under "unprecedented" pressure after the 7 July London bombings, an ex-senior officer has told the Jean Charles de Menezes inquest. | Police were under "unprecedented" pressure after the 7 July London bombings, an ex-senior officer has told the Jean Charles de Menezes inquest. |
| Peter Clarke, former head of the Met's anti-terrorist unit, said fears of further attacks caused a lock-down in high-profile buildings at one point. | Peter Clarke, former head of the Met's anti-terrorist unit, said fears of further attacks caused a lock-down in high-profile buildings at one point. |
| Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot dead by police after they mistook him for failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman. | Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot dead by police after they mistook him for failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman. |
| Osman and three others tried to attack transport in London on 21 July 2005. | Osman and three others tried to attack transport in London on 21 July 2005. |
| Mr Clarke said he was away from London at the time of Mr de Menezes's death, supporting his family after his teenage son had narrowly escaped being caught up in the suicide attacks on London's transport system a fortnight earlier. | Mr Clarke said he was away from London at the time of Mr de Menezes's death, supporting his family after his teenage son had narrowly escaped being caught up in the suicide attacks on London's transport system a fortnight earlier. |
| Mr de Menezes was killed at Stockwell Tube station in south London on 22 July 2005 by specialist firearms officers. | Mr de Menezes was killed at Stockwell Tube station in south London on 22 July 2005 by specialist firearms officers. |
| Daily pressure | Daily pressure |
| Mr Clarke, who retired as Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations this year, was quizzed about the decision to lock down potential terrorist landmarks on 12 July. | Mr Clarke, who retired as Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations this year, was quizzed about the decision to lock down potential terrorist landmarks on 12 July. |
| He said no-one was allowed to leave or enter Buckingham Palace, Parliament or Scotland Yard for an hour and a half. | He said no-one was allowed to leave or enter Buckingham Palace, Parliament or Scotland Yard for an hour and a half. |
| Mr de Menezes was killed the day after the 21 July 2005 failed bombings | |
| This followed the discovery of the 7 July terrorists' "bomb factory" in Leeds and their abandoned car at Luton railway station. | This followed the discovery of the 7 July terrorists' "bomb factory" in Leeds and their abandoned car at Luton railway station. |
| The former anti-terror chief said of the lock-down decision: "It was completely unprecedented, as was some of the decision-making having to be made at that time about whether to warn the public about the possibility of a suicide bomber being on the loose or not. | The former anti-terror chief said of the lock-down decision: "It was completely unprecedented, as was some of the decision-making having to be made at that time about whether to warn the public about the possibility of a suicide bomber being on the loose or not. |
| "If we warned the public, we could cause unnecessary panic. If we didn't and something terrible happened, the obvious question is: why didn't you warn the public? | "If we warned the public, we could cause unnecessary panic. If we didn't and something terrible happened, the obvious question is: why didn't you warn the public? |
| "That is the sort of pressure we were working under day in, day out." | "That is the sort of pressure we were working under day in, day out." |
| Mr Clarke's testimony marks the start of the second week of the 12-week inquest into the death of Mr de Menezes, which is being held at London's Oval cricket ground. | Mr Clarke's testimony marks the start of the second week of the 12-week inquest into the death of Mr de Menezes, which is being held at London's Oval cricket ground. |
| The jury will consider whether or not the Brazilian electrician was unlawfully killed. | The jury will consider whether or not the Brazilian electrician was unlawfully killed. |
| There have been five inquiries relating to the death and its aftermath, including a criminal trial. | There have been five inquiries relating to the death and its aftermath, including a criminal trial. |
| In 2007, an Old Bailey jury found the Metropolitan Police guilty of breaching health and safety laws, after hearing about the events leading up to Mr de Menezes being shot. | In 2007, an Old Bailey jury found the Metropolitan Police guilty of breaching health and safety laws, after hearing about the events leading up to Mr de Menezes being shot. |