One London

Shoot to Thrill

In today's Guardian they assert in their leading article about the ongoing Shoot to Kill policy which is now under review that :

"Mr de Menezes died on July 22 at Stockwell tube station after being mistaken for a suicide bomber. The case is under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. A string of blunders have emerged, including the white Brazilian man being misidentified as a black African terrorism suspect".

The Daily Ablution pointed out that a Paul Myers' piece: "in the Guardian a few weeks back ("Black men can't run") used the tragic shooting as an opportunity to complain about treatment he perceived as racist on the part of the police, when he was stopped and questioned "a few years back" while running through a high-burglary area at night with a holdall bag.

For Mr. Myers, both his experience and that of Mr. de Menezes are manifestations of institutionalised racism among the police. After having earlier complained that "police have killed a dark-skinned man they thought was on the verge of an atrocity," he expresses "queasiness" at the police being given "apparent carte blanche to marksmen to unload bullets into dark-skinned people." He also asks a pointed question: "The Met commissioner apologises but says police may have to shoot other innocent people to protect the community. And their colour will be ... ?" Well, any colour since Mr. de Menezes was white." Spot on.

For the Guardian to underline this as the police blunder is typical of the institutionalised hatred they have for the armed police.

The police had only a murky CCTV image from the tube platform to work from at the time, the mans face was not all that clear. I remember thinking that the young man didnt look all that Asian. He could have easily been Mediterannean.

The police were working from these fuzzy images when the shooting incident took place.

In contrast the Guardian, when they published the above Myers piece assuming the police would gun down all and any black men, had several nice clear images of de Menezes.

They are quick to state the police errors as blunders. But I would suggest The Guardian's was the donkey detective work in this instance.

There is no doubt that the shoot to kill policy needs a review and anything that can help armed officers in the future and their commanders be locked in place. According to the Guardian the following are being looked into:

. Whether any other non-lethal weapons exist or are in development that could rapidly incapacitate a suspected suicide bomber
· How much intelligence is needed before officers are authorised to shoot to kill
· How to assess intelligence rapidly when under massive pressure
· How to ensure effective communications between commanders at base and those pursuing a suspect.

All well and good but surely this only highlights the big big problem we are facing. The police dont believe a tasar gun is useful as the charge may set off the bomb. And anyway Liberty, our favourite do gooders , dont like tasars either 'cos they hurt and might give you a heart attack. Bit like sitting next to suicide bomber when they go off then.

They are unlikely to disband the controversial policy altogether. Thankfully in my opinion. But it is clear that the three other points focusing on intelligence will be key. What is clear is just how hard that is to do in a matter of minutes. Hesitating could be fatal. You cant whip out a photo run up to the suicide bomber and say 'ooh no hang on a second im not quite sure let me get my specs out'. The officer in the leaked statement alleges that Jean Charles had his hands held in an odd manner at waist level when he stood up and walked towards them. We need our officers to be determined and unwavering in their decisions even if the outcome is as tragic as it has proven to be in this case. I live in the hope that badly leaked information aside, the full report will show that these men acted with the greater good of the public at heart and exonerate them from claims they were trigger happy mentalists.

Thinking back to the storming of the Iranian Embassy. The SAS officer coming down the stairs when the hostages had been freed spotted out of the corner of his eye one of the hostages fiddling with his top and quickly pulling an object. He turned and gunned the man down without hesitation, instantly killing him. It transpired that the object was a grenade. The man was one of the terrorists who had cleverly pretended to be a relieved and grateful freed hostage making his way out of the building. The SAS officer is a hero. But what if the guys had been one of the freed hostages reaching for a fag.

Witch Hunt

There are no links today, simply because they mean linking in to ghastly pictures of Jean Charles de Menezes lying in pools of blood on the tube floor. You can link to the article in the Guardian if you wish. Im just blogging my own sentiments today so here goes…

When police were searching in earnest for the failed London islamoterrorists on July 22 and shot dead an innocent man (note the lack of my qualifying him as Brazilian as if this makes the whole tragedy in some way much much worse?), we all nodded at the horror of the accident and need for an enquiry, felt pity for the family and rightly, most of us looked towards the terrorists as the ones to blame. They after all had so squarely forced the police to adopt new, untried and difficult tactics. Even now when I see a picture of Hussein Osman, smiling at us from his mugshot in Italy, where his lawyer describes him as ‘sweet and doe eyed’ and as we tie ourselves up in knots ‘fairly’ determining HIS future, I feel nothing but utter hatred and an absolute desire to see him prosecuted for Jean Charles’ death.

Before he was arrested, the fear that pervaded the streets of this city was such that all we wanted was for the police to find them, find them, find them….And clearly that was the same sentiment shared by the single minded Police Commissioner who asked the Home Office to allow the terror hunt to temporarily come above the shooting enquiry. Now it seems the media and the do gooders are out to undermine that single mindedness as an utter and ‘horrifying’ failure. The media and the public always have to have someone’s scalp. I think the media are often less watchdogs of the public interest and more cheerleaders of victim culture. After all the latter is probably more likely to yeald a sensational story. Victims’ lawyers need to spark controversy to justify huge payouts and the fat cut they take. Justice groups have to be formed to give a few people who might normally be selling The Big Issue a new reason to hate the police and channel their resentment. Purposefully do gooding their way into the limelight for their all too easy 15 seconds of fame. And the media seize and fuel the proceedings on the execution stage even before the full facts have emerged.

Is the whole purpose of an investigation into the death of this innocent man, to learn from the dreadful mistakes, so that we might not have to place our officers in this situation again or indeed see an innocent man die? Or is it a superslick way to bay for blood and appease the victims wanting ‘justice’.

It seems oh so simple to weigh up the rights and wrongs of a few horrifying minutes at Stockwell with the benefit of hindsight. How is it possible that the term ‘murderer’, which alludes to killing someone in cold blood and with ‘malice of forethought’, is applied to these ordinary policemen placed in awful situations, called upon to make decisions you and I would never wish to make? And how is it possible that these family men might now have to face judicial processes that level them with the likes of Hussein Osman - who set out to kill and maim. Or that the doggedly determined Ian Blair who for all his challenging political correctness at times, must now resign as if this serves some cause.

The cause being 'Justice for Jean'? what does justice actually mean anymore.

Victim culture is abhorrent. Devised by lawyers and perpetrated by the media, the whole vile spectacle is played out to an audience.

I hope to see you soon...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4132112.stm

Really grates when the BBC feel inclined to include a PC discalimer that the letter written from this Engliish POW in Japan during the Second World War was "written in language commonly used at the time" - i presume this is in reference to what i feel are his restrained comments regards his captors. The PC BBC are full of sh1t.

No doubting "Cricket is sexy"

Specially since football lost the plot and welcomed Glazer to the fold. A man not in the least bit interested in the sport from a nation not in the least bit interested in the sport either. Man U's ticket sales slumped at its recent Champions League kick off match. Pro US Sky (to the degree that they only ever refer to football as soccer in The Sun, on Sky and in The Times) made light of it saying it undersold by only 20 thousand seats and was down to it being summer. The reality is this is unheard of for Man U seats and is a reaction by fans. Ive struggled to find seats under £100 for even their most basic matches in the back end of beyond (Millwall). Meanwhile the fans have swanned off to start up a new true fans version of their own Man U. The only decent thing the Glazers can now do is buy Owen so we get a good England strike partnership underway and then stay away.

Once seen as a boring, slow moving sport, this Ashes series has reinvigorated the game with England and Australia locking horns again. After the heroics of Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff at Edgbaston in the second Test tickets are now going for £500. About 40,000 people watched the first two Tests on giant screens in Regent's Park, London, and Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham. Official England cricket shirts are outselling football kits and even the tabloids are going cricket-crazy leading with the Ashes instead of football. A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board, said:

"Cricket is sexy. We've got young photogenic players like Andrew Flintoff, Simon Jones and Kevin Pietersen in the England team.

"The passion for cricket is now unlike anything we've seen in this country since 'Botham's Ashes' in 1981."

Hopes are high that England can continue their remarkable form and reclaim the coveted Ashes, which they have not won since 1986.

The five-game series is in the balance at 1-1, and of course, the focus will be on Flintoff.

The 27-year-old, making his 50th Test match appearance for his country at his home ground, is described by his captain as an "extraordinary cricketer".

Italy bans Islamic burqas

So how comes the 'slims in Italy aren't jumping up and down about their human rights? After all according to Tony in order to be a member state within the EU it is a precursor that we must sign up to the European Convention on Terrorist's Rights -in the UK we cant move without being reminded of this. But in France they seem to push ahead and ban the burqas in schools okay and in spite of a big fuss and protests noone thought to challenge the French judicial system on this. Likewise in Italy nothing. Omar the Italian Bomber and his silly lawyer seem to be fully aware of their human rights (As does Cherie) so what gives? Also im surprised i picked this up through The Australian and not Sky - surely we would have heard something through Murdoch's grapevine via Sky Italia.....Odd. Going back to Cherie - apparently Bill Clinton really likes her and wants to push her towards becoming UK PM. Cheers Bill, you muppet. Dont fill her oversized lopsided head with any more notions.

The Australian newspaper

Natasha Bita,
Florence August 01, 2005 -

"ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place.The counter-terrorism package, passed by Italy's parliament yesterday, doubles the existing penalty for wearing a burqa or chador -- traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces -- or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public. Police can extract DNA samples without a suspect's consent, detain them for 24 hours without a lawyer present, and deport foreigners suspected of terrorism under the new legislation. Soldiers involved in counter-terrorism have been given the same stop-and-search powers"

Rescued Just in Time

Such a nice story with a happy ending for a change..Commander Riches (very top) was in charge of the Scotland-based Royal Navy team (top) whose remote-controlled undersea vessel freed the stranded submarine. The Russian craft was trapped 190 metres beneath the surface for three days after becoming caught on a fishing line. The UK team's Scorpio robot cut the vessel free as the seven crew (above) on board faced running out of oxygen within hours. Speaking at Glasgow's Prestwick Airport, Commander Riches said some of the rescuers had been overcome by emotion when the sub finally rose to the surface. "At that moment when the rescue vehicle arrived on the surface, I can't ever explain to you properly the feeling of elation," he said

On the run...

"Today's papers bring the happy news that professional islamofascist Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed - who is on record as supporting hostage-taking in British schools - has decided to take the advice of Shadow defence minister Gerald Howarth and "go and find somewhere else to live". His spokesperson stated that he has destroyed his British papers as he is unable to practise his 'religion' here meaning he has to go back to Crapistan or wherever he's from and start a jihaaad! there instead. Later in the day he got a message across that actually he is coming back and that he only went to visit his sick mother in Beirut. Since he's destroyed his passport unless ive misunderstood something here, surely he cant come back. (Though i wouldnt put it past this government). It seems more likely he didnt want to look like an utter coward in the face of all the media attention today and in front of his terror groupies.....

Preacher Flees Britain

Inside the sect that loves terror

AN undercover investigation has caught leaders of a radical Islamic group inciting young British Muslims to become terrorists and praising the Tube bombers as “the fantastic four”.
A Sunday Times reporter spent two months as a recruit inside the Saviour Sect based in London's East End & previously at Finsbury Park mosque to reveal for the first time how the extremist group promotes hatred of “non-believers” and encourages its followers to commit acts of violence including suicide bombings. Amazing read that gives weight to Tony Blair's recent proposals. The findings have given momentum to the General Attorney's office to pursue charges of treason against these 'British' citizens which, inevitably our splendid judiciary have since 'rubbished' . Sadly the death penalty for treason was abolished in 1998 (only quite recent then). In Liz the First's reign it carried with it the punishment of being hung drawn and quartered. Perfect! Nowadays, you just get life. Failing this, however, incitement to murder IS a reasonable charge they can pursue. Sky news are reporting tonight that Sheik Sh!t has left the country.

Click on the link below for the undercover report

Undercover in the Academy of Hatred

Woman on a Stick

West End Final

Tonight's London Evening Standard

A poll on my beauty? Inevitable, I suppose...

By Richard Owen - The Times

Not MY beauty - Antonietta's.. but anyway whatever her legal duties I lost all respect for her when she called the suspect 'sweet'.

"Antonietta Sonnessa achieved overnight celebrity by defending July 21 bomb suspect Hussain Osman. In her first interview she tells Times 2 how she is coping with instant fame

ANTONIETTA SONNESSA, the woman lawyer defending Hussain Osman, the alleged Shepherd’s Bush bomber on July 21, arrives half an hour late for our early morning appointment at her office, her lustrous long black hair flying and her mobile phone already ringing insistently in her small black handbag. “I’m terribly sorry,” she says, as she emerges from the old-fashioned wrought-iron lift.
“I’ve been up half the night studying the new European arrest warrant and its implications for extradition.” "...

London Bombs

Times July7 link

Times JUly 7 link2

Banksy www.banksy.co.uk

Guardian: 'Keeping his identity a closely guarded secret, the graffiti artist Banksy has made a name for himself with provocative images stencilled around the streets of London.

Here is an image from his recent trip to the Palestinian territories, where he has created nine of his images on Israel's highly controversial West Bank barrier.'

Think the West Bank image is very sad, though i would never ever claim to fully understand everything that has gone on between Israel & Palestine, they all lived together peacefully under the Romans. Maybe that's it. Maybe they all collectively need someone else to hate instead of each other. Q - Monty Python.

Others below are bits and pieces posted around London and elsewhere. He's done pretty cool bits around Angel. He once foxed the British Museum by adding a piece of rock to a collection of real stone age rock 'drawings' on which only when closely scrutinised could you make out a stone age 'pencil' man pushing a shopping trolly. LOL funny.

Hover over the images with your mouse and click on any of them - that way you can enlarge them

Classic 'Eye'