Not charging UK police over innocent killing condemned

The decision by Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) not to charge any officers for the mistaken killing of John Charles de Menezes was widely criticized today by the family, human rights groups and the police watchdog.

The Islamic Human Rights Commissions (IHRC) said that it condemned the announcement, which came despite the Independent Police Complaints Commission recommending that charges be brought against three officers.

"The CPS's decision to ignore the recommendations of the IPCC in a case of the greatest public concern involving the severest abuse of police power does not inspire confidence," said IHRC Chair, Massoud Shadjareh.

"That the Metropolitan Police Service has been given a clean bill of health for extra-judicially killing an innocent man because he was perceived to be a Muslim shows the level of institutional Islamophobia in Britain today," he added.

Menezes, a 27-year old Brazil electrician, was shot seven times in the head and once in the shoulder at point blank range, after being apprehended by two officers at a south London underground station last July when it was claimed he was a terrorist suspect.

In a statement Monday, the CPS said no officers will face criminal charges over the mistaken killing but that the Metropolitan Police will be prosecuted instead under health and safety laws in connection with the incident.

But Damian Hockney, member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, which acts as police watchdog in London, said it was a mistake to only prosecute the force under the safety laws.

"It will not satisfy those who believe that the police should not be prosecuted, and it will look like an insult or a cover-up to those who do," Hockney warned.

Previous cases involving former Metropolitan Police Commissioners Lord Stevens and Lord Condon that were taken to court by the Health and Safety Executive after one officer died and another was seriously injured were cleared in 2003.

The decision was also criticized by the family of de Menezes, who have been calling for criminal charges to be brought and for Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair to resign.

According to the Guardian newspaper, Asad Rehman from the Justice 4 Jean campaign group, said the family would be "very, very disappointed if no officers are held to account for their actions." "The family do not think health and safety regulations are an appropriate way to hold the police accountable over this issue," Asad said.