Police followed new rules for bomb suspects

Just before 10am on Friday (local time) a man emerged from a house in Tulse Hill in south London. Unknown to him, at least three officers from the Metropolitan Police's elite firearms unit SO19 were concealed near by and watching his every move.

Specially trained to deal with suicide bombers, the officers had the building under surveillance following a tip-off that a suspect from Thursday's failed bombings could be hiding there.

Since the 7 July atrocities, the Met's specialist firearms officers, of which there are around 80, have been on high-alert standby.

The man's clothing and behaviour made them immediately suspicious. Despite the warm weather, it is understood he was wearing a bulky winter coat. As he walked away from the house, the plain-clothed officers followed, their Glock 17 self-loading pistols concealed.

But at some point on his journey the man, who is believed to have been Brazilian, realised that he was being followed and began to run towards Stockwell Tube station.

The Met says that the officers shouted a warning to the man but he carried on running down the escalators to the platform.

To the horror of commuters, the officers shot him five times in the head after he ran into a train. In doing so they were following the rules laid out under Operation Kratos, which was devised by Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch to deal with suicide bombers.

Kratos (named after the Greek god of strength) was developed in the light of Israeli experiences tackling suicide bombers. Guidance to officers on the deployment of firearms was last updated by the Association of Chief Police Officers in February.

Officers do not have to identify themselves before firing but it "should be considered". The advice concludes that an officer should not open fire unless "that officer is satisfied that nothing short of opening fire could protect the officer or another person from imminent danger to life or serious injury".

- INDEPENDENT