Investigation into De Menezes shooting must be widened

8.53.11am GMT Fri 18th Nov 2005

Mark Oaten MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, has today written to the Chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission urging him to expand the investigation into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes by considering the events and announcements made by the police in the days after the shooting.

There are two main areas Mr Oaten wants to see considered - the manner in which the Metropolitan Police handled their media and communications, and the exact timescale and process by which the IPCC became involved. Commenting, Mr Oaten said:

"It is in everyone's interests to clarify the exact nature of the statements made by the Metropolitan Police in the aftermath of the shooting. Particular concerns have been raised over the amount of time that passed before the police were able to clarify that Mr de Menezes was not a terrorist, and the circumstances surrounding that misunderstanding.

"On the second issue, its important to establish the nature of any discussions between the Home Office, the Met, and the IPPC, an issue which has led to speculation that the beginning of the investigation was unnecessarily delayed.

"Whilst I acknowledge this was a difficult and in many ways unprecedented operational situation, there remain a number of unanswered questions over the Metropolitan Police's handling of the public demand for information. It is important to establish that they took every opportunity to correct facts and information that they knew were inaccurate."