Friday, July 22, 2005
For those who do not come in peace, shoot to kill...?
Have been tracking this since about 12.30 this lunch. The Guardian reports concerns from Muslim leaders that the police disclose whether they have a "shoot to kill" policy. Given that in the past, Metropolitan police have shot those carrying table legs (even if the court overturned the 'unlawful killing' verdict), I sincerely hope the police know what they're doing in these current circumstances.
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The police have a 'shoot to stop' policy. Obviously this is a euphemism for 'shoot to kill' but what else can they do given that a suspect might carry the trigger for a detonator in his hand or pocket. In close, head shots, plural not singular, are the only way to be sure that a suspect really does 'stop'. Of course, policemen are human and thus liable to make mistakes, but anyone opposing the policy should pay a visit to various London hospitals still trying to patch together the wreckage of human beings left over from a fortnight ago.
Given the awful choice between more deaths as recent times have sadly provided us, and shooting an individual intent on blowing themselves and others, I would of course go for the latter.
I just want the police to be bloody sure what they are doing. And five shots suggests some rapid trigger fingers.
BTW I really hope I'm wrong in perceiving a snide tone in your remarks about visting London hospitals that implies I may be in need of some revelations to waken my liberal conscience.
One of the regular bloggers on 20six was in the train carrage at Stockwell.
http://www.20six.co.uk/erudite_baboon
If more than one copper was involved at close quarters, they would all fire, it not being a situation in which an attitude of 'after you ,Claude' would be appropriate. Even one copper would fire several times to ensure that the subject was absolutely brain dead.
In these situations the police will never be "bloody sure". Such certainty is reserved for the Gods - and leader writers in the *next* day's papers!
And stop being so touchy! I never meant you when I referred to some people needing a reminder by visiting a London hospital. I am sometimes rude, even brutally rude, but snide, in the sense of hiding a true meaning - never!
And so as it turns out he was innocent. So inevitable. One of those occasions when I wish I had been wrong.
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