This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7682061.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Delays blamed for Menezes killing Delays blamed for Menezes killing
(about 7 hours later)
"Failings" by the Metropolitan Police led to the shooting death of Jean Charles de Menezes, a senior surveillance officer told an inquest."Failings" by the Metropolitan Police led to the shooting death of Jean Charles de Menezes, a senior surveillance officer told an inquest.
The officer, known by the code name James, said the innocent man could have been stopped safely before he was shot.The officer, known by the code name James, said the innocent man could have been stopped safely before he was shot.
He told the inquest into the case his bosses took too long to say whether the Brazilian electrician should be stopped from getting on the tube. He told the inquest into the case that his bosses took too long to say whether the Brazilian electrician should be stopped from getting on the tube.
Mr de Menezes was shot dead by police marksmen in Stockwell on 22 July, 2005.Mr de Menezes was shot dead by police marksmen in Stockwell on 22 July, 2005.
The Scotland Yard officer was subjected to fierce questioning by Michael Mansfield QC, for the de Menezes family.The Scotland Yard officer was subjected to fierce questioning by Michael Mansfield QC, for the de Menezes family.
He asked James: "What went wrong on that day, do you agree, was a serious lapse in communication between the command at operation or control room and you on the ground?"He asked James: "What went wrong on that day, do you agree, was a serious lapse in communication between the command at operation or control room and you on the ground?"
'Too long''Too long'
James, who was in one of the police teams pursuing Mr de Menezes, said: "Sir, there obviously were failings.James, who was in one of the police teams pursuing Mr de Menezes, said: "Sir, there obviously were failings.
"But I do not think it is my role to decide what did go wrong. I think that's the job of this court.""But I do not think it is my role to decide what did go wrong. I think that's the job of this court."
The policeman told the inquest his officers had the "resources" to have stopped Mr de Menezes.The policeman told the inquest his officers had the "resources" to have stopped Mr de Menezes.
Sir Michael Wright, the coroner, asked him: "Having regard to the resources you had, did you think that the combination could have made the stop safely?"Sir Michael Wright, the coroner, asked him: "Having regard to the resources you had, did you think that the combination could have made the stop safely?"
James replied: "Yes I did sir."James replied: "Yes I did sir."
But in the moments after the Brazilian got off the bus at Stockwell, he said the operation room was taking "too long" to tell him whether he should stop Mr de Menezes.But in the moments after the Brazilian got off the bus at Stockwell, he said the operation room was taking "too long" to tell him whether he should stop Mr de Menezes.
Mistaken identityMistaken identity
He said: "I said, look this is going on too long. I need my telephone, and I said if you don't give me a reply in the next ten seconds I'm going to have to hang up.He said: "I said, look this is going on too long. I need my telephone, and I said if you don't give me a reply in the next ten seconds I'm going to have to hang up.
"At the end of that period I did hang the telephone up and I then started then to try and place my team in preparation for a tube follow, bearing in mind the amount of time that the subject had been off the bus.""At the end of that period I did hang the telephone up and I then started then to try and place my team in preparation for a tube follow, bearing in mind the amount of time that the subject had been off the bus."
Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot seven times in the head after being mistaken for failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman.Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot seven times in the head after being mistaken for failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman.
He was tracked by surveillance after leaving a block of flats linked to Osman in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill.He was tracked by surveillance after leaving a block of flats linked to Osman in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill.
James was unaware immediately afterwards that Mr de Menezes had been shot after entering the station.James was unaware immediately afterwards that Mr de Menezes had been shot after entering the station.
He said: "I asked one of my officers, I think he is coded as Adam, to try to find out what was going on, and he walked into the tube station and told me that the subject had been shot."He said: "I asked one of my officers, I think he is coded as Adam, to try to find out what was going on, and he walked into the tube station and told me that the subject had been shot."
The marksmen - identified as C2 and C12 - who shot dead Mr de Menezes are due to give evidence in public for the first time later in the inquest. 'Good possible'
James, the leader of the "grey" team of surveillance officers, admitted he was also at fault by telling bosses "I think it's him" before Mr de Menezes was shot.
Patrick Gibbs QC, for the "red" and "grey" surveillance teams, said: "Looking back, do you realise that those words are capable of being misconstrued?"
James replied: "With hindsight, if I had known the circumstances that we were up against, I think I might have been a bit more careful with my use of the words.
"It was an honestly held belief that he was a good possible."
Few surveillance officers were carrying pictures of Osman because other officers "wouldn't trust themselves not to leave the image behind", James added.