Man shot dead: Still Terrorism
I usually have admiration for the police, but not in this instance.
I don’t care whether this is one of the terrorists or not: In this situation the police themselves put lives at risk, and inflicted their own sense of ‘terror’ on proceedings.
What happened to non-lethal shots?
Did they not want to question this man?
Obviously not, as it’s pretty difficult to question a dead man.
“I saw the gun being fired five times into the guy – he is dead,” he [an eyewitness] said.
Given the often trigger-happy stance of our police, this is worrying. Firing live ammunition on a busy commuter service is worrying.
Update:
Eyewitness account from the BBC website
Passenger Alison Bowditch told BBC News: “The tube pulled into the station and we were sitting there, you know, as you do and then there was just a lot of shouting and the sound of gunfire and then people were saying, ‘Get off, get off!’
“Somebody definitely went to the ground and as they went to the ground I heard gun fire and assumed they had been shot.”
Jason Dines, of Brixton, south London, was on a train that pulled in to Stockwell station at about 1000 BST.
He told BBC News: “I suddenly became aware there was a real sense of panic.
“I could see people running down the platform to the exit.
“People on my train started banging on the doors, saying, ‘Let us off, let us off!’
“They were making so much noise, it was impossible to hear the driver’s announcements.
“The fear was contagious – I felt my heart racing.
“The doors of the train opened – but the driver was trying to get everyone to get back on the train.
“The PA system on the platform was clearer.
“Once people got the message they got back onto my train, and we continued on our way.
“At that point people were saying they had seen armed police shoot a man on the opposite platform.
“People were very scared. I was very angry.”
(Further update: for the sake of space, or maybe to remove emotive responses, the BBC report has removed the last line in that quote)
I know this was done in the name of law enforcement, but please enlighten me Sir Ian – how is this not also terrorism?
Update: Saturday 23rd July 8am: Let’s not forget, as if we could, that this is happening worldwide. London is just another city that terrorists aim to bring to its knees for whatever reasons and motives they have.
Today: Dozens killed in Egyptian blasts.
If you enjoyed this post, please 
subscribe to the RSS feed or email newsletter
July 22nd, 2005 at 12:53 pm
It is truly disturbing. Not only are we not safe from the terrorists but also from the police who might not like some of us.
July 23rd, 2005 at 2:30 am
While it’s very disturbing, I can understand how it happened. With everyone tense, least of all the police, and only seconds to decide if someone is a suicide bomber, about to kill dozens of innocent bystanders. Details are still sketchy, so let’s just hope they didn’t get the wrong person.
July 23rd, 2005 at 7:56 am
I understand the rationale behind shoot to kill:
Though I am still not convinced that a headshot totally immobilises the body immediately. A body doesn’t instantaneously stop working even if there’s a lethal bullet to the head or an internal organ. IF a suicide bomber knows he’s being pursued, and he was going to die anyway, then would he not have his finger on the button/hand on the cord (again, I don’t know how a suicide bomber detonates himself) so that his last action (whether voluntarily or in reflex) is to detonate the bomb?
In which case, a lethal shot is no more or less effective than a non-lethal shot?
Maybe I need a biologist as well as an expert in terrorism to give me the finer points on how the body works in its last few seconds of life. I’m just not convinced (and never have been) that a lethal shot is the only answer. Suicide bombers are a special case, granted – I’m just a little concerned that we’ll enter a ‘good of the many outweigh the life of one’ routine – which theoretically is fine, but practically could lead to innocent life being taken.
I expect this time they got it right (in terms of identification, at least). Next time?
July 23rd, 2005 at 1:32 pm
I’m right there with the police officers and the decisive action. No way could they guarantee that the perp would not blow up himself and them with him, but the odds of stopping a potential blast are with the head shot.
Two weeks and a day after the 7th July bombings and one terrorist is taken down. It gives a very clear signal that we won’t be messed with.
It’s a sad change to our historically tolerant way of life in UK, where the need for such armed brandishings was not so long ago unheard of, but we live in interesting times and we need to get serious and give the right signals that UK is no longer a soft target.
-James.
July 23rd, 2005 at 1:38 pm
[...] t. I say that is a specious argument and shows poor analysis.
This link might work:-
http://andymerrett.co.uk/weblog/2005/07/22/man-shot-dead-still [...]