Met chief defends 'shoot-to-kill' policy

LONDON - The head of the Metropolitan Police has defended his force's "shoot-to-kill" policy when dealing with suspected suicide bombers, adding that more people could be shot dead.

Sir Ian Blair has faced strong criticism from Jean Charles de Menezes' family, who described the Met as "stupid and incompetent".

Sir Ian said: "Somebody else could be shot. But everything is done to make it right. What we have got to recognise is that people are taking incredibly fast, difficult decisions in life-threatening situations.

"It wasn't just a random event and what's most important to recognise is that it's still happening out there.

"There are still officers out there having to make those calls as we speak. This is a terrifying set of circumstances for individuals to make decisions."

Britain's "shoot-to-kill" policy for suspected terrorists came in after the September 11, 2001, terrorist atrocities in the United States.

Previously firearms officers were trained to shoot someone who "posed a threat to life" in the body, usually twice, to disable him.

Now, they are told to shoot suspected suicide bombers several times so they cannot activate a bomb, and to avoid hitting their body in case a bullet detonates the explosives.

The "shoot-to-kill" procedures will remain in place, Sir Ian said.

"They have to be that because there is no point in shooting at someone's chest because that is where the bomb is likely to be.

"There is no point in shooting anywhere else if they fall down and detonate it.

"The only way to deal with this is to shoot to the head."

The policy had been "reviewed and reviewed" for many months and was a national one, not just for London, he said.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said it was essential that police were able to deal effectively with the threat of a suicide attack.

Police guidelines say that officers can open fire if they are "satisfied that nothing short of opening fire could protect the officer or another person from imminent danger to life or serious injury".

- INDEPENDENT