Racial Profile Killed Menezes, They would do all again

GUN cops on the squad that shot Jean Charles de Menezes have said they would do it again — as an inquest into his death opens today.

The Met’s brave CO19 marksmen said the split-second nature of their work meant they could not change how they operate.

Fury erupted over the death of the innocent Brazilian, which came just two weeks after 52 commuters were killed in the 7/7 London bombings in July 2005.

Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair could be forced to quit if jurors find de Menezes, 27 — mistaken for a suicide bomber at Stockwell Tube station — was unlawfully killed.

But C019 Inspector Brian, who cannot be fully named for security reasons, said: “We could shoot an unarmed man again.

“It’s the nature of the work.”

PC Dean, 34, told The Sun — who spent a night shift with the unit — “We’re not trigger-happy.”

But PC Paul, 29, said: “You’ve a split second before taking that shot. Afterwards people have forever to analyse it.”

Although C019 officers were called to 10,000 incidents last year, they fired just THREE shots.

Some 65 current and ex-police officers and 17 Tube passengers will testify at the 12-week inquest at The Oval cricket ground.

There have already been two police reports and a health and safety prosecution against the Met over the shooting, which came a day after failed Tube bombing bids.

"There is no point in shooting at someone's chest because that is where the bomb is likely to be. There is no point in shooting anywhere else if they fall down and detonate it."

Jean Charles de Menezes was not warned or challenged by police before he was shot seven times in the head, it was revealed yesterday.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) report said police had given the Brazilian no instruction "that an innocent man would have understood".

IPCC Commissioner Naseem Malik said: "There is no action he could have consciously taken that would have saved him".

The revelations contradicted the Met's insistence that Mr de Menezes failed to obey a challenge by police at Stockwell Tube station.

Though the full details of the conduct of the police officers who shot him on July 22 2005 are part of a separate investigation, a few new clues emerged from the report.

Police followed Mr de Menezes, 27, when he left his flat in Tulse Hill, south London, which was under surveillance due to the previous day's attempted bombings.

The report says: "He was seen to get on to a bus, alight at Brixton Underground and almost immediately get back on to the bus. He then travelled to Stockwell Underground. Whilst the train was stationary surveillance officers pointed him out to armed officers who, at about 10.06hrs, shot and killed him."

Police radio evidence, and officers' accounts "inaccurately" described his clothing as he headed to the station.

There is no elaboration on the discussions that led to two marksmen running on to the Tube after Mr de Menezes.

"The IPCC investigation understands that Mr de Menezes did not refuse to obey a challenge … and was not wearing any clothing that could be classed as suspicious," the report adds.

In the aftermath of his death, it was revealed police were adhering to a policy known as "Operation Kratos", which said there was no need to challenge potential suicide bombers before shooting.

It was dubbed a "shoot-to-kill" policy because, where public or police are in imminent danger, it is suggested marksmen should aim at the head, not the torso, to "neutralise" the subject.