Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead on 22 July, 2005, by police who mistook him for one of four would-be suicide bombers who attacked London's transport system the previous day.
The minute-by-minute account of the police operation and Mr de Menezes' final hours reveals decisions that led to his death.
SCOTLAND YARD'S PLAN
0420: Special Branch links 21 July suspect Hussain Osman to 21 Scotia Road in Lambeth, south London.
Hussain Osman was wanted by police in relation to the 21 July attempted bomb attacks
|
0455: Metropolitan Police Gold Commander John McDowell orders strategy for stake-out.
0505: Request made for surveillance teams and CO19 (Specialist Firearms officers) to go to Scotia Road.
0545: Commander Cressida Dick sets up Operations Room at New Scotland Yard.
06:04: First surveillance team arrives at Scotia Road.
STAKE-OUT STARTS
0640-730: Senior officers are briefed by Cmdr McDowell.
0700: 0700: Firearms teams collect weapons, including special "dum dum" bullets, from Leman Street Police Station.
0845: Five firearms vehicles arrive at Nightingale Lane, more than two miles west of Scotia Road.
0855: Second surveillance team arrives at Scotia Road.
TARGET EMERGES
0933: Jean Charles de Menezes leaves Scotia Road while surveillance officer Frank is relieving himself and he is not identified as a suspect.
Jean Charles de Menezes (JC) was followed onto the No 2 bus by surveillance officers
|
0934: Operations Room is told Mr de Menezes matches Hussain Osman's description.
0939: Surveillance officer James spots Mr de Menezes on Upper Tulse Hill, where police have managed to get the bus stop suspended.
James believes Mr de Menezes is "possibly identical" to Osman.
Surveillance officer Harry reports that the target is light-skinned, North African and looking uneasy.
0939: Mr de Menezes boards No 2 bus at bus stop on Tulse Hill. Surveillance officer Ivor catches bus and boards.
0943: Ivor cannot positively identify Mr de Menezes as Hussain Osman. He says the target has "Mongolian eyes".
CONFUSION AMONG OFFICERS
0947: Senior firearms adviser tells Ops Room the surveillance team does not think the person they are following is Hussain Osman.
Mr de Menezes gets off bus at Brixton town centre and walks 20 metres north to tube station. But the station is closed and he uses his mobile to send a text message and make a call before returning to bus.
Ivor gets off bus but doesn't follow Mr de Menezes back on board in case he is noticed. Ivor gets a lift to get to Stockwell tube station ahead of bus.
Two surveillance officers at Brixton tube station see Mr de Menezes and don't think it is Hussain Osman.
Surveillance officer Laurence gets on bus and sits behind Mr de Menezes.
0952: Firearms teams leave Nightingale Lane.
0959: Bus reaches Stockwell Road. Surveillance officer Ken gets out of car following bus and heads for Stockwell Tube station, where Ivor is waiting.
PRESSURE MOUNTS AT STOCKWELL
1001: Mr de Menezes gets off bus and enters Stockwell tube, seen by Ken and Ivor.
Firearms officers arrived at Stockwell Tube more than a minute after Mr de Menezes
|
1002: James asks Operations Room for instructions. He waits 86 seconds for reply and tells team to maintain surveillance.
1003: Firearms officers still en route to Stockwell. Trojan 80, firearms chief at Scotland Yard shouts down phone to officers to get to the scene.
Mr de Menezes approaches barriers followed by surveillance officers.
Ops room uncertain about whether firearms teams can arrest target in time.
1004:
Mr de Menezes on escalator followed by surveillance officers.
Ops room told firearms officers closing in. Surveillance officers don't hear this information and don't know whether they should stop the target.
Firearms teams arrive at Stockwell and Commander Dick orders them to stop Mr de Menezes. "State Red" declared - meaning firearms officers will take charge of stopping the target.
Surveillance officers following Mr de Menezes down escalator do not hear State Red because radios not working inside tube station.
THE SHOOTING
1005: Mr de Menezes is sitting on a northbound underground train.
Messages of sympathy and condolence were left at Stockwell Tube after the shooting
|
Ivor sits to Mr de Menezes's left with passengers between them, facing the platform. Geoff is at the end of the carriage. Ken is in the same carriage. Malcolm gets off the train and goes onto the platform. Laurence is further down the carriage.
Armed officers reach the train and shout.
Ken and Ivor point to Mr de Menezes.
Three armed officers board the train.
Mr de Menezes stands up and moves towards Ivor and the armed officers, but Ivor forces him back down into his seat.
Two firearms officers lean over and shoot Mr de Menezes dead.
Unsure of Ivor's identity, a firearms officer drags him onto platform, guns levelled at his chest and head. Another firearms officer runs into the tunnel, chasing the train driver, who had jumped out of his cabin.
CO19 team leader Ralph arrives at the bottom of the escalator. He examines Mr de Menezes's body.
1008: Operations Room is informed that the target has been shot.
Bookmark with:
What are these?