Police 'thought Menezes was bomber'

Menezes jury told to ignore media

Last Updated: Monday, 22 September 2008, 14:42 GMT

Police 'thought Menezes was bomber'

The officers who shot Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube Station were convinced he was a suicide bomber who could only be stopped by an "instant killing", an inquest heard.

Coroner Sir Michael Wright said the innocent Brazilian was shot at Stockwell Tube station even though no surveillance officer positively identified him as a terrorist.

He outlined how senior officers overseeing the operation at Scotland Yard thought he was on-the-run failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman.

The crucial 33 minutes as Mr de Menezes travelled to work on July 22 2005 were dramatically relived on the first day of the inquest into his death.

Sir Michael recreated detectives' desperate efforts to track down the men responsible for attempting to create carnage on the London transport network.

Jurors heard how two specialist marksmen rushed on board a Tube train and shot the 27-year-old in the head as he was pinned to his seat by an undercover officer known as Ivor.

The two firearms officers - identified only as Charlie Two and Charlie 12 - will give evidence in public for the first time later in the inquest.

Sir Michael said: "Both officers state that they were convinced Mr de Menezes was a suicide bomber, that he was about to detonate a bomb and unless he was prevented from so doing everybody present in that carriage was going to die.

"Each officer says he was convinced that an instant killing was the only option open to him.

"Each reached over Ivor and fired several times at point-blank range into Mr de Menezes's head.

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