Seconds to decide if suspect is suicide threat

[newyorican]

Special armed squad first to use tactics developed with Israeli aid

A senior Metropolitan police source with knowledge of firearms procedures said of the shooting at Stockwell: "This was an intelligence led operation, within the parameters of Kratos." Officially the Met will not talk about Kratos, but the tactics have been in place for a year and were developed after British officers learnt from their Israeli counterparts how best to tackle suicide bombers.

-snip-

On top of this, police know they cannot be seen to be heavy-handed with people from Muslim communities - not just because of civil rights, but because investigators believe the communities must be reassured that the police are on their side, so they will pass on any information on terrorism that may come their way. The shooting yesterday showed the dynamic at work. The moderate Muslim Council of Britain was deeply concerned. Its spokesman, Inayat Bunglawala, said: "From his press conference Ian Blair seemed to imply that the man shot dead was not one of the four attempted suicide bombers. That increases the urgency of the question of why this man was shot dead as opposed to being disabled or arrested. There may be good reason, but the police need to explain what their reasons are. There has been a marked increase of nervousness among Muslims today"

Massoud Shadjareh of the Islamic Human Rights Commission said: "We have raised concerns about the Met sending officers to learn from the Israelis about suicide bombers. They have a policy of assassinating people - why should our police learn these tactics and these values?"

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Ummmmm...Thanks?

[Bluebear]

1. Well, they sure blew it, "seconds to deicde" or not. nt

[Warren Stupidity]

2. the shooting was an execution and oops

they executed some poor brazilian student who had nothing to do with anything. It was a total fuckup. The last thing England needs to do is to take advice from Israeli stormtroopers on how to control the hostile population. Oh wait, England is not Israel, England is not the freaking west bank, England is not an occupied territory populated with a hostile population. Even if it were, is the mess in greater Israel what britains want?

Tony Blair should step down.

[ret5hd]

3. the problem with taking advise from israel is...

well...how good has it been working out for them?

[SidDithers]

6. exactly...that whole "Vengeance" thing after Munich '72...

was a great success, unless you happened to be a Moroccan waiter living and working in Norway.

:sarcasm:

Sid

[fujiyama]

9. A good point about that Moroccan waiter

I had forgotten about that. I read a great book on the hostage taking and the after math revenge operation ("Operation wrath of God"?) called one day in september.

Apparently Speilburg is making a movie on the whole crisis and the revenge assassination. I've also heard that it takes a critical look at the Israelis techniques.

[DELUSIONAL]

8. should have known that this was learned from the Israels

The UK should know better -- seems to me that there was a time when the Israelis were the terrorists AGAINST the British -- blew up a hotel in Palestine in order to get the British to leave. The early history of the establishment of Israel is very violent -- and it now seems obvious that they don't have respect for life -- other than their own.

Also the abuse and torture of Islamic "detainees" was learned from the Israelis -- the consistent way that the culture and belief system of Islamic prisoners has been used in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gitmo -- show that this isn't a band of renegade G.I.s -- that these torture/abuse techniques are being taught and/or demonstrated by traveling Israeli.

The Israelis had to potential to do so much good -- but I fear they will be remembered for spreading sadistic abuse techniques.

I would just as soon that the US stand back from the Israeli government -- separate themselves from Israel and treat all Nations of the region even handedly.

[fujiyama]

10. I think it's really

idiotic to blame all these techniques on the Israelis.

The US and British governments are more than capable of extreme violence. It's worth remembering the way the British treated the Irish. Does "Bloody Sunday" ring a bell? What about colonialism of India (hey it's your avatar - I'm sure you're familiar with that).

It's not as if the Israelis invented torture and extrajudicial killings .

[savemefromdumbya]

4. The Police could have used stun guns so if it were a mistake.....

The use of stun guns in this case would have been optimal. Take him out but being able to question him when he comes round. This is just Blair putting the fear of God into the public. Every few days he'll do a terror stint.

[Gronk Groks]

5. They had the poor guy on the ground...

...and he didn't speak very good English I'll bet.

Did they have tasers? Though occasionally fatal, being shot by a taser is probably safer than being shot point blank with a gun.

Let's be real, they were scared out of their minds and shot a dark skin fellow who was acting strange. If they don't try to whitewash it like * they will be alright.

Of course Blair has spent alot a time around our pResident lately...

[Warren Stupidity]

7. They pinned him down and shot him 5 times in the back and head.

This was not 'cops acting scared', this was a demonstration. This team was trained to do exactly this and they were sent out to do it. That they happened to screw up the surveillence and execute a civilian is just a mere detail.

This was Mr Blair conducting a demonstration to the world of the difference between civility and incivility, of the difference between us and them, of.. of.. of the power of the state and how it will be used to make us submit.