'No recall' of bomber's picture

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A detective has told the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes he "cannot recall" whether images of the real suspect were discussed.

Det Insp Merrick Rose said surveillance of the 21 July 2005 would-be attackers on a Lake District trip the previous year was talked about at a briefing.

But he could not remember if images of failed bomber Hussain Osman were mentioned before Mr de Menezes' death.

The Brazilian, 27, was killed by police in London who mistook him for Osman.

Mr de Menezes was shot as he boarded a train at Stockwell Tube station in south London when firearms officers mistook him for Osman a day after the would-be bomber and three other men had failed in their attacks.

Images of Osman on the Cumbria trip were shown to the inquest jury at London's Oval cricket ground for the first time on Friday.

I cannot recall anything that was said about photographs, no Det Insp Merrick Rose

But the court was told these images, from what was known as Operation Ragstone, were not examined after Osman embarked on the failed bomb attack.

Instead, the inquest heard, officers at a dawn briefing in the run-up to Mr de Menezes' death were shown a photograph of the suspect taken from a gym card and CCTV images.

Mr Rose said: "I cannot recall anything that was said about photographs, no."

'Possibly identifiable'

He went on to say that although firearms officers were not given copies of the images, there had been a "copy of the photographs available for them during the course of the briefing".

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, in evidence last week, had told the inquest a surveillance officer - referred to at the inquest only as Pat - identified Mr de Menezes as Osman.

But the officer later told the jury he had said only that Mr de Menezes was "possibly identifiable with" the suspect.

The jury is considering whether or not Mr de Menezes was unlawfully killed.