Tiro a matar

GNU BRITAIN

That's 'shoot to kill' in Portuguese (or it is, according to one of these online translator thingies which are about as reliable as José da Fonseca's English as she is spoke).

Things get curioser and curioser, according to this report in the Guardian. To summarise the most interesting findings:

• Jean Charles de Menezes was not wearing a thick padded jacket, but a denim jacket


• He did not jump the ticket barrier, as he had a travelcard


• He was in the UK legally


• Three of the armed officers involved in the shooting have been taken off current duties - one given leave, the other two taken off firearm duties altogether

Moreover, the Times reports that armed officers have come close to shooting seven people dead since 7 July (thanks to Robin for the link). Sir Ian Blair (any relation?) has said he cannot guarantee that more innocent people will not be shot.

Well, I feel safer already. As a white, well-dressed, middle-class Briton there's a good chance I won't be picked out for target practice. Of course, there's always the possibility of being caught in the firing line - but that's OK, because it'll be 'friendly' fire, which will be of great comfort to my bereaved family. (Nevertheless, would it help the police if I painted a target on the front and back of my T-shirt? Just in case, you understand.)

Poll question for you all: would you rather be killed by a suicide bomber or by a police marksman? Let's give you a free choice (which you wouldn't have in reality).

(UPDATE: Lenin's Tomb has received some timely reminders about the legal position of the police in such circumstances.)

(FURTHER UPDATE: The Home Office now claims that de Menezes's student visa had expired and that he was effectively no longer entitled to stay in the UK (they are basically hinting that he forged his passport stamp - yeah, nice move, guys. Tell you what, since he's got no right of reply, why don't you also claim that he was the mastermind behind all the bombs, that he was a paedophile, that he was actually the driver of Diana's car and that his death will have thwarted the Vogons in their attempt to build the intergalactic bypass?).

Meanwhile, eyewitness reports from the scene also claim that de Menezes did have a thick jacket on, that either five or two shots were fired, and that he had a "bomb belt" on. Which just goes to show how unreliable eyewitness accounts can be (Mark Whitby describes de Menezes as being "of Asian or Pakistani appearance" - and, it seems, even the police sometimes don't get this sort of thing right. Mark Whitby strikes me as the "dunno, mate, they all look alike to me" type, mind you).

Personally, I no longer know what to believe, so I shall probably have to fall back on believing nothing that I hear.)