Another tragic consequence of Blair’s war policy

[IndianaGreen]

The only question about the London bombings is whether we should send Tony Blair to the Tower for plunging his nation into the criminal war in Iraq. He and he alone bears the responsibility for all of the violence unleashed by the Iraq war.

Police gun down worker in London subway: another tragic consequence of Blair’s war policy
Statement of the WSWS Editorial Board
25 July 2005

The public state execution of Jean Charles de Menezes in a London subway carriage on July 22 marks a watershed.

England, the country of the Magna Carta, is now one in which innocent civilians can be shot dead on the capital’s streets at the discretion of the police, without any explanation, much less justification, and with the only outcome being a brief statement of regret.

Eyewitnesses have provided horrific accounts of how the petrified 27-year-old Brazilian electrician “looked like a cornered rabbit” as he was pursued by three plain-clothes officers into the train carriage, before being pinned to the ground and shot five times in the head at point blank range.

At a press conference afterwards, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair claimed that the killing was “directly linked to the ongoing and expanding anti-terrorist operation” following the July 7 bombings of the capital’s transport network which killed 56 people, and an apparent failed attempt to detonate devices on July 21.

Not only did Menezes have no connection with the terror attacks, police had no grounds to suspect that he might be involved in such crimes, or any others, for that matter. That he was seen leaving a house that had been placed under police surveillance wearing “suspicious” clothes was enough for police to act as judge, jury and executioner.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/lond-j25.shtml

[wli]

1. time to wear suits and ties and get a conservative haircut?

Manner of dress is now probable cause for preemptive assassination. Brilliant.