Friday, August 19, 2005

British Police Attempted to Cover Up Blunder

The British Police attempts at a monumental cover up of the de Menezes execution have been revealed. ITV News obtained records that Sir Ian Blair, the London Metropolitan Police Commissioner, had applied pressure on the British Home Office to call off an independent commission from investigating the death of Jean Charles de Menezes. He also attempted to delay the same independent inquiry into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes hours after his death.

He claimed that an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) would slow down the police’s counter-terrorist investigations and might expose security intelligence to undesirable parties, like de Menezes’ family. This was even after the police knew that de Menezes was not a terrorist but an innocent bloke mistakenly tagged as a terrorist suspect and executed through unmitigated police blunder.

Basically Blair was attempting to sweep awful dirt under the carpet of national security. This tactic sadly seems to be the trend of late in the USA, UK and various other democratic western countries. Has Osama bin Laden then succeeded in making such democracies lose their accountability that Bush and Blair have been preaching that terrorists were jealous of?

Fortunately for truth and, more the case, the politicians' backside, the Home Office told him to f*** off, as that would surely destroy the credibility of the IPCC. There was too much higher political stakes under threat if the British people lose faith in the IPCC.

Nevertheless I heard de Menezes lawyer on Aussie TV Thursday night, when she complained that with all these lobbying and dilly-dallying, the IPCC could only start 3 days after the murder, whereas correct procedures ought to see them right there and then on the spot immediately after the shooting. She complained that much evidence had been “lost”.

So you would imagine the Police Chief to go away crestfallen, but hey no. He then attempted to divert attention by demanding that a police force investigate the IPCC for not keeping secure those leaked documents that ITV News had obtained.

This was precisely the same diversionary tactic that Bush's camp used to investigate into John Kerry's gallantry awards of the Silver Star and Purple Hearts that the presidential candidate won in real combat in Vietnam while Bush didn't even turn up for his National Air Guards' duties. In other words, put the opposition on the defensive by innuendos, insinuations and intimidations, and distract public attention from one own self.

The Police blamed the IPCC for allowing the security breach of those confidential files.

Now, I am not sure whether it’s normal procedure or the IPCC getting their own back, but its Head said that because of the leak, the IPCC will now brief the de Menezes family lawyers directly on their findings so far. Now, that's brilliant counter-offensive. That should make Blair apoplectic.

Actually a police surveillance officer had asked for approval to arrest de Menezes before he reached the station but for some unexplained reason this was refused. As I have blogged previously, I have my theory of the police adopting a “get me one!” attitude to show and reassure the British public that the police was on top of the security issue, or there might be a certain venom in their attitude.

Civilians can be venomous but public servants, especially police officers aren't entitled to such unprofessional conduct or emotions.

Three police officers in mufti were actually in the same carriage as de Menezes at Stockwell station where the victim sat down seconds before he was executed. The leaked documents and video showed that one of them held the doors open with his foot while directing a team of marksmen in besides pointing out de Menezes.

More importantly the video/picture (I saw the picture on TV) showed de Menezes dressed in a light corduroy jacket which wasn't even button up. Where the f*** was the concealed explosives? Why the aggravation and venom of almost 10 bullets in his head? [this one for you, Jon]

“Get me one”?

In the end Scotland Yard confirmed that Blair did ask the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office for a “review” of the position of the IPCC because according to Blair, it was crucial that the terrorist investigation took precedence over any IPCC investigation at that time, meaning don’t let the IPCC investigate the Police as they were surrounded by hordes of Pakis, Iraqis and Afghans, not to mention one particular Brazilian.

Oh, the British Bobbies, what ever happen to you guys? You're now just like your transatlantic cousins.

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