Menezes' family call for justice

Mr Menezes' mother has called for Sir Ian Blair to resign

The family of Jean Charles de Menezes has said after visiting the scene of his death that the officers who shot him by mistake should be prosecuted.

His mother Maria Otone de Menezes said: "Those who killed my son, as much as the police chief who is responsible for the whole team, should be punished."

She spoke after the family had retraced Mr Menezes' final journey from his south London flat to Stockwell Tube.

The electrician was shot the day after the failed 21 July bombings in London.

Mrs Menezes said: "I want the police responsible to be taken to justice.

"He was a hard-working boy. When the police took his life, they took my life as well."

She said it was "lamentable that the life of a hard-working young man can be taken away so brutally".

Resignation call

His brother, Giovani da Silva, added: "The police should be taken to court and given the justice."

He said the process "should be taken to its end" and that the family believe they have been misled about whether CCTV cameras had been working when his brother was killed, prompting their fears of a cover-up.

The electrician's mother called for Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair's resignation saying that "he failed to do his duty".

Mrs Menezes said her son, who was 27, had been "killed like a mad dog", adding "no human being should be treated in that way".

The family's two-week UK visit is paid for by Scotland Yard

Meanwhile, Gareth Peirce, the family's lawyer, said: "They expect justice and by justice they expect that those who have committed crimes, or may have committed crimes, to be properly investigated and prosecuted and tried, if appropriate."

Earlier, the family was confronted by a large crowd outside Stockwell Tube station where they retraced Mr Menezes' steps.

Reporters and cameramen jostled to watch the family, while uniformed Metropolitan Police officers stood guard.

The station was closed to commuters while the visit took place.

After inspecting the shrine of flowers and messages by the station entrance, a visibly distressed Mrs Menezes said: "Look what they've done to my son."

The family spent 40 minutes in the station, where they saw the platform on which Mr Menezes was shot as he attempted to board a train, as well as touring the control room and inspecting CCTV cameras.

A tearful Mrs Menezes was comforted by her husband Matozinhos Otone da Silva and other relatives. Family members embraced before they were driven away.

Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead by police at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July The shooting: What we know

The electrician's parents and five other relatives are on a two-week visit to the UK, paid for by Scotland Yard.

Mr Menezes' brother, who is on the trip with his wife and three children, earlier said they did hope to meet senior police.

"We've come here to see what's going on. It's important for us to demand explanations," he said.

The family, who arrived in the UK from Brazil on Tuesday, have expressed a desire to see officers jailed over the shooting, which took place the day after the 21 July failed London bombings.

The shooting followed the implementation of a controversial shoot-to-kill policy aimed at tackling suicide bomb suspects, codenamed Operation Kratos.

Sir Ian has admitted he did consider quitting in the aftermath of the shooting.

Police did not admit they had gunned down an innocent man for over 24 hours.

On Thursday the family will visit the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating the circumstances that led up to Mr Menezes being shot seven times in the head.

Speculation

The IPCC has called for an end to speculation about the case following claims in Tuesday's Evening Standard newspaper that police bosses knew within hours an innocent man had been shot.

"It is important that we have a fair and thorough process leading to the truth and so the leaks and speculation must end," IPCC chairman Nick Hardwick said.

A leak in August of IPCC investigation documents prompted claims of a police cover-up.

The documents contradicted early police claims that Mr Menezes' "clothing and demeanour" had added to suspicions that he was a suspect being linked to the 21 July attacks.

Three senior Brazilian officials visited London last month on a fact-finding mission about the shooting, and concluded there had been no cover-up.

A 43-year-old woman was last week arrested and later bailed over the leak.