Family condemns police shooting

The family of a Brazilian man shot dead by police hunting the men behind London's attempted bomb attacks have told of their anger and disbelief.

Jean Charles de Menezes's grandmother said there "was no reason to think he was a terrorist".

Met Police chief Sir Ian Blair has apologised for the killing of the 27-year-old electrician at Stockwell Tube station on Friday.

Brazil's foreign minister is seeking an explanation from Jack Straw.

The family's comments came after Scotland Yard confirmed Mr Menezes, who lived in Brixton, south London, was completely unconnected to Thursday's bomb attacks across London.
Elsewhere two men have been arrested after bombers targeted three Tube trains and a bus in the failed attacks.

Police also said a suspect package found in north-west London on Saturday may be linked to those attacks.

'Tragedy'

His family are struggling to come to terms with the circumstances surrounding Mr Menezes' death.

His cousin, Alex Alves Pereira, from London, told the BBC: "Apologies are not enough. I believe my cousin's death was result of police incompetence."

Describing his cousin as a "person full of life" he said his cousin was "a victim of government's mistakes."

He told Brazil's O Globo television: "He does not have a past that would make him run from police."

Mr Menezes' grandmother, Zilda Ambrosia de Figueiredo, told Globo TV "there was no reason to think he was a terrorist".

"He was very easy going and very communicative with everyone."

Sir Ian Blair told Sky News: "This is a tragedy. The Metropolitan Police accepts full responsibility for this. To the family I can only express my deep regrets."

Brazil's foreign minister Celso Amorim will be demanding further explanations when he meets the foreign secretary in London later on Sunday.

In a statement Brazil's government said it "looks forward to receiving the necessary explanation from the British authorities on the circumstances which led to this tragedy".

The shooting is being investigated by officers from Scotland Yard's Directorate of Professional Standards, and will be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission

Mr Menezes' cousin Mr Pereira said the 27-year-old was from the city of Gonzaga in Minas Gerais state, and had lived in London legally for at least three years and spoke excellent English.

The BBC's correspondent in Brazil, Tom Gibb, said Mr Menezes had lived for a time in a slum district of Sao Paulo and that could explain why he had run from the police.

He said: "The murder rates in some of these slums are worse than in a lot of war zones and that could explain why, when plain clothes officers pulled a gun on him, he may have run away."
Gésio César D'avila, a friend and colleague, said Mr Menezes had considered alternative transport after the failed attacks on 21 July.

"We were together on Thursday, and when we saw what happened, Jean said he wanted to buy a motorbike to avoid the tube," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4711639.stm