Blair 'desperately sorry' for Brazilian's death
British Prime Minister Tony Blair today expressed his sorrow over the death of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, who was mistaken for a suicide bomber at Stockwell station on London’s Underground and shot five times in the head by plain clothes’ police.
Mr Blair told a Downing Street news conference: “We are desperately sorry for the death of an innocent person and I understand entirely the feelings of the young man’s family.
“But we also have to understand the police are doing their job in very very difficult circumstances. I think it is important that we give them every support and that we understand that had the circumstances been different and for example, this had turned out to be a terrorist and they had failed to take that action, they would have been criticised the other way.
“At the same time therefore, in expressing our sorrow and deep sympathy for the death that has happened, it is important that we allow the police and support them in doing the job they have to do in order to protect people in this country.”
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