13 February, 2007

Forest Gate inquiry reports.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has finished inquiring into the police anti-terrorist raids on two houses in Forest Gate, East London in which a man was shot by police. The IPPC press release has links to the reports' findings and recommendations. In fact there were three inquiries and two reports: the earlier Forest Gate 1 related to the shooting; and Forest Gate 2 and 3, which is one report on two investigations into the house raids. Here is a direct link to the pdf file of the reports on the house raids.

In summary, the IPCC finds that the police did nothing wrong but they acted on inaccurate intelligence and they should have apologised more profusely to the offended innocent parties so as not to upset community relations.

According to the BBC, the man shot in the raid, Mohammed Abdulkahar, is said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. A profitable law suit against the police will no doubt provide effective therapy.

Through their lawyers, families involved in the raid have issued a statement; the Guardian gives it in full.

The Times headlines the fact that only 2 out of 153 complaints were upheld by the IPCC, and these were minor matters of failing to supply sufficient painkillers or food to suspects in custody.

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