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| Britain |
| Man shot dead by police on Tube (More details) |
| 2005-07-22 |
| Police have said a man shot dead by police at Stockwell Tube station in south London was "directly linked" to anti-terrorist operations. Met Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said officers fired after the man was challenged and refused to obey police. Police have said it is not yet clear if he was one of four bombing suspects shown on newly released CCTV footage. Scotland Yard said the man shot dead at about 1000 BST on Friday in Stockwell had still to be formally identified. BBC correspondent Tom Symonds, in Stockwell, said it appeared his body had been taken from the station on Friday evening in a coroner's van. The man was under police observation because he had emerged from a house that was being watched following Thursday's attacks, a Scotland Yard spokesman said. He was followed by surveillance officers to Stockwell station, where his clothing and behaviour added to their suspicions, he added. Police warned the man, who ran on to the station platform. Witnesses said the officers opened fire as he jumped on to a train. Sir Ian told a press conference: "I need to make clear that any death is deeply regrettable but as I understand the situation the man was challenged and refused to obey police instructions." The incident is being investigated and, like all fatal police shootings, will be scrutinised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Stockwell passenger Mark Whitby told BBC News he had seen a man of Asian appearance shot five times by "plain-clothes police officers". "One of them was carrying a black handgun - it looked like an automatic - they pushed him to the floor, bundled on top of him and unloaded five shots into him," he said. Police have cordoned off a 200-metre area around Stockwell station, where forensic officers are working amid sheeting and scaffolding. Passengers were evacuated from the station, which is on the Northern and Victoria lines. Services on those lines have resumed but Stockwell, Oval and Warren Street stations remain closed. BBC Home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore said officers had challenged a known suspect they had been following. "He ran, they followed him. They say they gave him a warning, they then shot him. "They brought in the air ambulance. They did everything they can to revive him. He died at the scene." The Muslim Council of Britain said Muslims were concerned about a possible "shoot to kill" policy. Spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said: "There may well be reasons why the police felt it necessary to unload five shots into the man and shoot him dead, but they need to make those reasons clear." Another passenger on the train, Anthony Larkin, told BBC News the man appeared to be wearing a "bomb belt with wires coming out". The man burst in through the door to my right and grabbed hold of the pole and a person by the glass partition near the door Londoner Dan Copeland was in the carriage in which the man was shot. He told BBC News: "We were sitting for a few minutes on the platform, then we heard shouting from the concourse between the two platforms. "Then the man burst in through the door to my right and grabbed hold of the pole and a person by the glass partition near the door, diagonally opposite me. "An officer jumped on the door to my left and screamed, 'Everybody out!' "People just froze in their seats cowering for a few seconds and then leapt up. "As I turned out the door onto the platform, I heard four dull bangs. "I ran past an armed officer who was standing on the platform and ran up the stairs." So the guy was definitely a suicide bomber (or a good facsimile thereof) and apparently not one of yesterday's dud boomers and no evidence so far of any connection. |
| Posted by:phil_b |
| #10 Don Sensing suspects UK Muslims may be turning in Islamofascists to the authroities My cynical nature tells me they've had an eye on some of these guys for a long time. Too bad 53 had to die in order to provide a reason to move in. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-07-22 22:28 |
| #9 ZF - luv ya baby SAS? Who cares? |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-07-22 21:45 |
| #8 There's a rumor that al-Beeb believes SAS-men did the job. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2005-07-22 21:32 |
| #7 Suspected suicide bombers who ignore police orders or who try to resist must be killed instantly. The risk to innocent people and to the police themselves is just too great for a second warning or a wrestling match. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2005-07-22 19:57 |
| #6 Mrs. D, I was thinking exactly the opposite. The police seem unable to pre-empt these attacks or roll up the networks afterwards. I'm in disbelief that all 4 of the dud boomers seem to have got away. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-07-22 18:49 |
| #5 Mrs D - that would be called self-preservation at this point and welcome. Who knew a few moderate muslims wanted to live (unbeaten)in britain? Remains to be seen, before you start saying any shit LH |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-07-22 18:05 |
| #4 Also interesting how quickly Brit Police are rolling them up. Don Sensing suspects UK Muslims may be turning in Islamofascists to the authroities. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-07-22 17:56 |
| #3 Puzzling how the witnesses are not reporting any words exchanged between the terrorist ("wallah-snakcbar") and the police ("does he have a bomb? or a gun? is he resisting?"). Seems they each knew very well what was going on and there was no need for words. How much seething could be heard today across Moslem houses in the UK? |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2005-07-22 17:48 |
| #2 The Muslim Council of Britain said Muslims were concerned about a possible "shoot to kill" policy. Spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said: "There may well be reasons why the police felt it necessary to unload five shots into the man and shoot him dead, but they need to make those reasons clear." Sorry sir, we tried to wound him, but his head got in the way. An AC/DC lyric comes to mind here: Shoot to thrill. I'm feelin it. Pop pop pop pop pop, Five shots to the old Mulligan will do a wannabe Jihadi some good I say. Lil air between the ears shouldn't be a big change for these dumbshits. Totally freakin justified. In Israel they'd doze his house too! EP |
| Posted by: ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-07-22 17:45 |
| #1 "the man was challenged and refused to obey police instructions." Therfore his death rest on his own head. Shoot to kill yes, screw the "shoot to stop." when a possible bomber is the case as this one. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-07-22 17:31 |