Latest news with #C2
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Firearms officer who shot dead Jean Charles de Menezes says he would do anything to turn back time as he apologies to his grieving family
A retired firearms officer who shot dead an innocent electrician mistaken for a suicide bomber has issued an apology to his grieving family. Almost two decades after the tragedy, one of the two marksmen who killed Jean Charles de Menezes has spoken publicly about the shocking murder for the first time. The 27-year-old was shot dead in the head by two officers at London 's Stockwell station on July 22, 2005 having been wrongly identified as failed July 21 bomber Hussan Osman in the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings. Now, in an emotional statement, one of his killers has expressed how he wishes to say 'sorry' to Mr Menezes' family, adding that he 'would do anything to roll back time, to have a different set of circumstances where that didn't happen'. Speaking in a four-part Netflix documentary set to be released next week, the policeman, codenamed C2, reflected on the tragedy, adding: 'By the time I got home I was aware there was speculation regarding the identity of the person I had killed. I didn't get any sleep, and I still had massive tinnitus, a very, very loud ringing in my ears. 'The next day I caught the tube back to work and I was called into the chief superintendent's office. He told me that the man I shot was completely innocent. I can't describe how I felt, the worst feeling ever, I killed an innocent man'. The firearm officers, who had only been given a 'ten-second glimpse' of the real target prior to the botched operation, had tracked Mr Menezes down while on his way to work. The electrician had been wrongly identified by surveillance teams as Osman as he lived in the same block of flats in Tulse Hill, south London. After being given the go-ahead by bosses for armed deployment, Mr Menezes was shot seven times in the head at point-blank range in a packed carriage during the morning rush hour. All 17 eyewitnesses confirmed that he had not behaved aggressively or suspiciously and made no attempt to flee police. But initial reports wrongly claimed he had vaulted station barriers while wearing a bulky jacket, fuelling assumptions he was a threat. C2, who shot dead the innocent man with six bullets after his colleague initially opened fire, said that he 'accepts responsibility' for the tragic murder, but questioned 'why were we in that position?' in the first place. Calling on those who instructed him to shoot Mr Menezes to acknowledge their role in the tragedy, he added: 'Those people in command put me in that position, they also have to answer'. Meanwhile, the other firearms officer involved, named only by his cypher C12, reflected on the awful tragedy during a Channel 4 documentary released late last year. The former officer choked back tears as he described the moment he first pulled the trigger while on the stationary train. He said: 'He (Mr Menezes) just got up and immediately turned to his right, which is where we were, and came towards us. The electrician had been wrongly identified by surveillance teams as Hussan Osman (pictured) as he lived in the same block of flats in Tulse Hill, south London. Pictured: Osman's gym membership card found in a rucksack at the site of the failed bombing on July 21, 2005 'At the same time I brought my weapon up and pointed it at his head and I shouted 'armed police. 'At that stage in my head, this person knew who we were. This person was coming forward in order to detonate a bomb and kill us.' C12 said he had suffered in the two decades after the shooting, with the trauma remaining a 'weeping sore' on his life. For Mr Menezes' heartbroken family, there is no apology or remorse that could help relieve the pain of their loss nearly 20 years on. The young man's two cousins, Patricia Da Silva Armani and Vivian Figueiredo, who were sharing a flat with him at the time of his death, acutely remember the agony of finding out he had been wrongfully killed. Ms Figuieredo, who realised Mr Menezes had not come home that night, initially believed he had simply been arrested due to being suspected of terrorism. Speaking to The Mirror, she said: 'I was shocked. But I also had hope. It was just a matter of going to the police to clarify everything.' But the reality was to be far worse. The pair were then taken to a police station, alongside their two other cousins, Alex Alves Pereira and Alessandro Pereira, where they were later told of the devastating tragedy. Ms Armani, who had last seen her beloved cousin just two days prior, said: 'My English wasn't great and I didn't understand a lot of what they were saying. I only understand the last part - "He is dead". Still, I didn't think I heard right. 'I went into total despair. Everyone was crying and screaming.' Despite the family's pursuit of legal action, no officers were charged for Mr Menezes' murder, although the Metropolitan Police was found guilty of health and safety failures. After an inquest into the death returned an open verdict, the force was fined £175,000 over the botched operation and the de Menezes family agreed an undisclosed settlement in 2009. Ms Figueiredo, who said that her 'whole world fell apart' when Mr Menezes was killed, described her cousin as a 'happy person' and an 'extrovert' that simply 'wanted to help people and make his family proud'. She added: 'I remember him all the time but especially at times when I wished he were still here, like when my daughter was born. He'll never be forgotten'. Meanwhile, Mr Menezes' 80-year-old mother Maria previously told the Mirror that she has made peace with the officers who took her son's life. Speaking from her home in Brazil, she said: 'I forgive, but I cannot accept what they have done because they destroyed my son's life. 'But I've come to realise that I don't want to keep this hatred inside my heart. I believe those people who made the mistakes will pay for it somehow. 'They have souls, and I have entrusted it to God, as to what will happen to them. But I don't want this hatred for myself anymore, because I don't want this to destroy me.' In a previous statement the Metropolitan Police said that the tragedy occurred 'at a time of unprecedented terrorist threat to London'. 'No officer sets out intent on ending a life. Our sole purpose is the protection and preservation of life, and we have taken extensive action to address the causes of this tragedy.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
I killed an innocent man over mistaken identity - I'd do anything to change it
The firearms officer, codenamed C2, killed the innocent Brazilian with six bullets after his colleague initially opened fire, after the pair had followed the 27-year-old electrician into Stockwell tube station wrongly believing he was a would-be suicide bomber One of the two marksmen who shot Jean Charles de Menezes has spoken about the tragedy for the first time – 20 years after one of Britain's worst police blunders. In an emotional admission he accepted responsibility for the innocent Brazilian's death and apologised. He said: 'I would say to Jean Charles' family that I am sorry, that I and another officer were put in a position where we killed your son. I would do anything to roll back time, to have a different set of circumstances where that didn't happen.' Jean Charles, 27, died after he was pinned down and shot in the head by two officers who mistook him for a suicide bomber in a tube train at Stockwell station, South London, on July 22, 2005. The incident followed heightened tensions a fortnight after 7/7 when 52 people were killed, and a day after would-be suicide bombers tried to detonate more devices on London's transport network. Speaking in a four-part Netflix documentary released next week, the policeman, codenamed C2, remembered: 'By the time I'd got home I was aware there was speculation regarding the identity of the person I had killed. I didn't get any sleep, and I still had massive tinnitus, a very, very loud ringing in my ears. 'The next day I caught the tube back to work and I was called into the chief superintendent's office. He told me that the man I shot was completely innocent. I can't describe how I felt, the worst feeling ever, I killed an innocent man and I now know who that man is.' C2 killed the electrician with six bullets after his colleague initially opened fire. He said: 'I am responsible, and I accept responsibility. As a firearms officer ultimately the decision to use force is yours. But why were we in that position? Those people in command put me in that position, they also have to answer.' His apology is of little comfort to the de Menezes family. Among those are Jean Charles' cousins, Patricia Da Silva Armani and Vivian Figueiredo, who he was sharing a flat with at the time. Speaking to us, Patricia, 51, remembers the last time she saw her younger cousin alive, two days before he died. READ MORE: 'There are three of us in our marriage - me, Gem and the 7/7 bomber' She said: 'I'd just got back from work and he was getting ready to go out. We had coffee together, and he told me about a new job he was going to start on the Friday, putting in electrical installations in a building. He'd been washing dishes in a restaurant until then. 'He was really excited about it, the happiest I'd ever seen him. It was well paid and he felt his life was finally on the way up. 'He said goodbye and went to leave but for some reason when he got to the door he turned round and came and gave me a big hug and a kiss. 'We were close but that took me by surprise. I said to him, 'Oh, how delicious!' Now off you go to work' and he went. The next time I saw Jean was at the morgue.' Jean was on his way to the new job on the Friday morning when police started following him, believing he was one of the four men who had failed to detonate bombs on the capital's transport system the day before. One of the terrorists, Hussein Osman, lived in the same building as the three cousins. Patricia and Vivian heard about the shooting on the news, and later that the suspect had been an innocent Brazilian, but they never imagined it was Jean. Vivian, 42, woke up the following morning, still unaware. 'Everything was so silent at the house. I knocked on Jean's bedroom door, no answer,' she said. 'So I slowly opened the door. The bed was made, everything was neat and tidy. I just thought, 'Jean probably didn't come home last night'.' But then there was a knock at the door from two of Jean's friends who police had visited in the early hours. 'They told them he was suspected of terrorism and had been arrested,' she recalled. 'I was shocked. But I also had hope. It was just a matter of going to the police to clarify everything.' Vivian and Patricia were taken to the police station, where two other cousins, Alex Alves Pereira and Alessandro Pereira, were already waiting. Patricia remembered: 'Alex was really agitated. He kept saying, 'They f***ed up, they f***ed up'. He'd already joined the dots, I thought he had been arrested. They took us to a room and sat us down around a table. 'My English wasn't great and I didn't understand a lot of what they were saying. I only understood the last part – 'He is dead'. Still, I didn't think I'd heard right. 'I turned round to one of the others and he took my hand. His hand was freezing. He told me Jean was the Brazilian who had been shot dead. I went into total despair. Everyone was crying and screaming.' They were then taken to the morgue to identify Jean Charles' body. Patricia recalled: 'He was already arranged and dressed up. That's when I became ill and fainted. The next thing I remember is me sitting on a sofa with a policewoman trying to calm me down. 'I later heard that Alex and Vivian barged into the room and grabbed Jean's body. So it was very tense.' The family pursued fruitless legal action and no officers were charged, although the Met was found guilty of health and safety failures. Patricia added: 'For months I lived in shock. I wasn't able to hear a police siren without shaking. I'd get scared whenever I see policemen on the street. Even today when I'm on the tube, I'm constantly thinking about how I should escape if anything happens. 'For the first years, I thought about Jean every day and I would cry every day. This year has brought back a lot of the trauma and painful memories.' Vivian, now married with a daughter, Luna, says: 'I was just 22 and had been in the UK three months when Jean died. I was just a countryside girl and he was my safety, so when I lost him my ground went from under me. My whole world fell apart. 'I didn't really have time to grieve because we had to deal with all the bureaucracy, the polemic and the injustice. I don't know how I survived.' She says she now wants to remember the way Jean lived his life, not the way he died. 'He was such a happy person, an extrovert who would laugh and joke and got on with everyone. He was a dreamer. He wanted to make the best use of his life but above all he wanted to help people and make his family proud. 'I remember him all the time but especially at times when I wished he were still here, like when my daughter was born. He still appears in my dreams, the Jean we loved and knew so well. He'll never be forgotten.'
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Ukraine urges emergency UN meeting after Russian strike
Ukraine has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv and other cities, a Ukrainian official has told the state-run Ukrinform news agency. "I have just signed a letter to the president of the UN Security Council asking him to convene a meeting of the Security Council as soon as possible in connection with the escalation of Russia's missile terror against civilians in Ukraine," Ukraine's UN ambassador Andriy Melnyk told Ukrinform. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the G7 to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after US President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. Zelenskiy started his day by meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said his country would provide $C2 billion ($A2.25 billion) in new military assistance for Ukraine. The Russian attack overnight on Kyiv that killed 12 people "underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine," he said. Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday, they stressed the importance of using "maximum pressure against Russia" to force it to start serious peace talks. "We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire - I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure," Zelenskiy replied. When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs US-led peace efforts, a G7 source said. Although Canada is one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, its ability to help Ukraine's military is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons. A European Union diplomat said all remaining G7 members wanted to stay to meet Zelenskiy and continue conversations. Ukraine has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv and other cities, a Ukrainian official has told the state-run Ukrinform news agency. "I have just signed a letter to the president of the UN Security Council asking him to convene a meeting of the Security Council as soon as possible in connection with the escalation of Russia's missile terror against civilians in Ukraine," Ukraine's UN ambassador Andriy Melnyk told Ukrinform. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the G7 to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after US President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. Zelenskiy started his day by meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said his country would provide $C2 billion ($A2.25 billion) in new military assistance for Ukraine. The Russian attack overnight on Kyiv that killed 12 people "underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine," he said. Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday, they stressed the importance of using "maximum pressure against Russia" to force it to start serious peace talks. "We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire - I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure," Zelenskiy replied. When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs US-led peace efforts, a G7 source said. Although Canada is one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, its ability to help Ukraine's military is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons. A European Union diplomat said all remaining G7 members wanted to stay to meet Zelenskiy and continue conversations. Ukraine has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv and other cities, a Ukrainian official has told the state-run Ukrinform news agency. "I have just signed a letter to the president of the UN Security Council asking him to convene a meeting of the Security Council as soon as possible in connection with the escalation of Russia's missile terror against civilians in Ukraine," Ukraine's UN ambassador Andriy Melnyk told Ukrinform. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the G7 to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after US President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. Zelenskiy started his day by meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said his country would provide $C2 billion ($A2.25 billion) in new military assistance for Ukraine. The Russian attack overnight on Kyiv that killed 12 people "underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine," he said. Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday, they stressed the importance of using "maximum pressure against Russia" to force it to start serious peace talks. "We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire - I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure," Zelenskiy replied. When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs US-led peace efforts, a G7 source said. Although Canada is one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, its ability to help Ukraine's military is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons. A European Union diplomat said all remaining G7 members wanted to stay to meet Zelenskiy and continue conversations. Ukraine has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv and other cities, a Ukrainian official has told the state-run Ukrinform news agency. "I have just signed a letter to the president of the UN Security Council asking him to convene a meeting of the Security Council as soon as possible in connection with the escalation of Russia's missile terror against civilians in Ukraine," Ukraine's UN ambassador Andriy Melnyk told Ukrinform. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the G7 to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after US President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. Zelenskiy started his day by meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said his country would provide $C2 billion ($A2.25 billion) in new military assistance for Ukraine. The Russian attack overnight on Kyiv that killed 12 people "underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine," he said. Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday, they stressed the importance of using "maximum pressure against Russia" to force it to start serious peace talks. "We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire - I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure," Zelenskiy replied. When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs US-led peace efforts, a G7 source said. Although Canada is one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, its ability to help Ukraine's military is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons. A European Union diplomat said all remaining G7 members wanted to stay to meet Zelenskiy and continue conversations.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Ukraine urges emergency UN meeting after Russian strike
Ukraine has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv and other cities, a Ukrainian official has told the state-run Ukrinform news agency. "I have just signed a letter to the president of the UN Security Council asking him to convene a meeting of the Security Council as soon as possible in connection with the escalation of Russia's missile terror against civilians in Ukraine," Ukraine's UN ambassador Andriy Melnyk told Ukrinform. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the G7 to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after US President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. Zelenskiy started his day by meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said his country would provide $C2 billion ($A2.25 billion) in new military assistance for Ukraine. The Russian attack overnight on Kyiv that killed 12 people "underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine," he said. Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday, they stressed the importance of using "maximum pressure against Russia" to force it to start serious peace talks. "We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire - I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure," Zelenskiy replied. When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs US-led peace efforts, a G7 source said. Although Canada is one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, its ability to help Ukraine's military is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons. A European Union diplomat said all remaining G7 members wanted to stay to meet Zelenskiy and continue conversations.
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Hisense savings: The C2 4K Mini Projector is on sale for $300 off
Portable projectors should be easy to set up and ready for just about any AV component you want to hook up to. That's why it's a good idea to limit your product search to recognizable brands like Hisense. Not only can you count on simple plug-and-play connectivity, but Hisense projectors deliver great picture and sound quality, too. As luck would have it, the Hisense C2 4K Portable Mini Projector is marked down to $1,700 this week. The MSRP of this model is $2,000, which means you'll be saving a whopping $300! Why you should buy the Hisense C2 Mini Projector The Hisense C2 features a sleek and modern design with a travel-friendly chassis. The adjustable stand lets you position the projector 180 degrees vertically and supports a full 360-degree rotation, too. According to Hisense, the C2 Mini can fire up to a 300-inch image when positioned at a proper distance from your screen or projection surface. Hisense's Pure Triple Color Laser brings a wide color gamut to the table and phenomenal Dolby Vision and HDR10 support for eye-popping highlights and other picture details. The C2 provides up to 110% coverage of the BT.2020 color space, up to 2,000 ANSI lumens, as well as breathtaking 4K upscaling that makes even your oldest DVDs look better than normal! Other noteworthy features include several auto-adjustment settings for fine-tuning the C2's final picture, a 20-watt JBL speaker system, and built-in apps and smart capabilities via Google TV (must be connected to the Internet). Save $300 on the Hisense C2 4K Portable Mini Projector when you purchase today, and get ready for an exciting summer of movie nights! You should also take a quick peek at our lists of the best projector deals, best Bluetooth speaker deals, and best Amazon deals for even more discounts on top AV devices.
