Menezes mother in face-off with Met (From Haringey Independent)

Menezes mother in face-off with Met

9:06am Monday 6th October 2008

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The mother of Jean Charles de Menezes is due to come face to face with the senior policewoman in charge of the operation that led to her son's death.

Maria Otone de Menezes has flown to Britain from Brazil to attend the inquest examining why police marksmen mistook the innocent electrician for a terrorist.

She will hear Deputy Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick give evidence about her role in the events that resulted in Mr de Menezes being shot.

Ms Dick led the Scotland Yard control room overseeing the pursuit of the 27-year-old Brazilian by surveillance and firearms officers who feared he could be failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman.

The inquest has heard that she was the "decision-maker" in the room as the fast-moving operation unfolded on July 22 2005.

Ms Dick was praised last week for her "outstanding" handling of the situation by the officer in charge of the manhunt for the men who attacked London the previous day.

But she is expected to be questioned about exactly what she said to the firearms team that chased Mr de Menezes into Stockwell Tube station in south London and shot him dead.

Mrs de Menezes, 63, arrived in Britain with her older son, Giovani de Menezes, 36, on Friday.

This will be the first day they have attended the inquest although other family members have been present since the start of the hearing on September 22.

In coming weeks the inquest at the Oval cricket ground will hear the two specialist police marksmen who shot Mr de Menezes - identified only as C2 and C12 - give evidence in public for the first time.

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