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'Impossible situation' for police 'Impossible situation' for police
(about 1 hour later)
The police marksmen who shot dead Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes were in an "impossible situation", an inquest into his death has heard.The police marksmen who shot dead Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes were in an "impossible situation", an inquest into his death has heard.
A senior firearms officer agreed that information had been "concertina'd" together leading up to the shooting.A senior firearms officer agreed that information had been "concertina'd" together leading up to the shooting.
He said it was "unbelievably outrageous" that the two officers who killed the 27-year-old had been left to decide whether to open fire.He said it was "unbelievably outrageous" that the two officers who killed the 27-year-old had been left to decide whether to open fire.
Police mistook Mr de Menezes for a failed 21 July 2005 London bomber.Police mistook Mr de Menezes for a failed 21 July 2005 London bomber.
He was killed the next day at Stockwell underground station, south London, after police hunting failed bombing suspect Hussain Osman trailed him from a block of flats in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill.He was killed the next day at Stockwell underground station, south London, after police hunting failed bombing suspect Hussain Osman trailed him from a block of flats in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill.
'Mad rush''Mad rush'
The anonymous officer, a senior tactical adviser codenamed Trojan 84, told the inquest there had been no codeword to enable a control room commander to give the go ahead for the officers to use fatal shots.The anonymous officer, a senior tactical adviser codenamed Trojan 84, told the inquest there had been no codeword to enable a control room commander to give the go ahead for the officers to use fatal shots.
He said he had expected the phrase "critical shot authorised" to be used if required, but this had not happened.He said he had expected the phrase "critical shot authorised" to be used if required, but this had not happened.
Michael Mansfield QC, for the de Menezes family, suggested there had been a "mad rush" at the end of the operation as police marksmen ran after Mr de Menezes onto a Tube train.Michael Mansfield QC, for the de Menezes family, suggested there had been a "mad rush" at the end of the operation as police marksmen ran after Mr de Menezes onto a Tube train.
He asked: "One of the features of what happened that day was because there were no codewords, because it was all happening at the wrong end of the telescope - instead of at Scotia Road, at Stockwell station - it has all been concertina'd into an impossible situation, hasn't it?"He asked: "One of the features of what happened that day was because there were no codewords, because it was all happening at the wrong end of the telescope - instead of at Scotia Road, at Stockwell station - it has all been concertina'd into an impossible situation, hasn't it?"
Trojan 84 replied: "Yes sir, absolutely."Trojan 84 replied: "Yes sir, absolutely."
The officer said the marksmen had been put in an "invidious position" on that day. "They were given the judgment call and that is unbelievably outrageous, that they should be left with that responsibility," he said. State of mind
The officer said the marksmen had been put in an "invidious position" on that day.
"They were given the judgement call and that is unbelievably outrageous, that they should be left with that responsibility," he said.
Trojan 84 dismissed a suggestion that the marksmen had been "intent on shooting a person dead without any further assessment" when they went into the Tube station.
"They would never have had that state of mind at that point, that they were going to shoot somebody at that point," he said.
The officers who fired the shots - known at the inquest as "C2" and "C12" - will give evidence later in the hearing.The officers who fired the shots - known at the inquest as "C2" and "C12" - will give evidence later in the hearing.
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.