Shot Brazilian's family 'offered US$1million' - UK News Headlines - Life Style Extra

Shot Brazilian's family 'offered US$1million' - UK News Headlines - Life Style Extra


UK News Showbiz News

Shot Brazilian's family 'offered US$1million'
Friday, 19th August 2005, 13:18
Category: Crime and Punishment
LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Scotland Yard offered the family of the Brazilian electrician mistakenly shot dead at Stockwell tube station US$1 million compensation, it emerged today.The offer was confirmed as relatives of Jean Charles De Menezes called for under-fire Met chief Sir Ian Blair to resign.Speaking outside the tube station today Yasmin Khan, of the Jean Charles De Menezes Family Campaign, said: "The Met sent over a delegation to Brazil to offer money to the family which we found surprising at this stage. "A money offer of around US$1 million was bandied about in Brazil. It shows that no-one with the police could relate to the family. The money was not accepted."Ms Khan also slammed the IPCC investigation currently underway into the death of Mr De Menezes.He said: "The IPCC investigation seems to lasting about six months. They started their investigation six days too late. Witnesses could have been found during this time. We still don't know if CCTV footage exists or not. We want a full public enquiry. The family believe Sir Ian Blair is responsible."Asked if the family blamed the officers directly responsible for the shooting, she said: "Its a policy decision that's to blame. The impact of that policy was his death, the officer's higher up gave an order that's how the police operate."Her comments follow a press conference at which the cousin of Mr De Menezes called for the resignation of Sir Ian Blair.Alessandro Pereira, 25, said: "I want the people of London to imagine hearing that your son your brother or father had been killed on the tube, shot dead."I then want you to think how we felt when we were told he was a suspected terrorist, that he looked like a suicide bomber, that he was wearing a big jacket, that he ran from the police."I want Ian Blair to think how it is to ring Jean's mother and father, our family in Brazil, and tell them that their son was dead, that he was killed in such a way. "We had to answer my families questions about how and why he died."I want Ian Blair to imagine how we felt having to listen to the lies about how and why he died."I want Ian Blair to imagine how we felt having to listen to the lies about Jean, about why he died, to see Ian Blair on Television telling those lies."The police knew Jean was innocent yet they let my family suffer. Ian Blair let us suffer."For three weeks we have had to listen to lie after lie about Jean and why he was killed."The police even went to Brazil. They met my family. Yet they still didn't tell us the truth."Did they think because we are poor Brazilians we do not deserve the truth? If that was Ian Blair's son would he not want the truth."We want to know why there was no independent investigation if there was nothing to hide."We want to know what evidence has bee lost or damaged."If there was nothing to hide, why did the police tell my family not to have a second post mortem? Why did they lie in their own post mortem report?"In Jean's name, I say that those responsible should resign. Ian Blair should resign."We want to see all those responsible brought to justice. We want to see them prosecuted."Now the campaigners are to hold a vigil outside Downing Street on Monday.Ms Khan said: "We will be encouraging all the people of London to come and show solidarity to Jean."What the family campaign has seen in the few weeks is a Laurel and Hardy police operation."There is shoot to kill policy and no-one knows where it came from."Then there is the incompetence of the police on the day."Then there is the cover up by Ian Blair and the Metropolitan Police."I spoke to members of the family this week - they were obviously devastated by what was own in the leaked documents. But they feel absolutely vindicated by what they knew already."They knew Jean didn't have a bulky jacket on. They knew he didn't have a bag. They knew he didn't run."Asad Rehman, also of the family campaign, said: "Ian Blair says his office has not been brought into question."Facts that he knew were wrong, statements that he shouldn't have made, and facts that for three weeks were in the public domain were not corrected."