Posted on 07/17/2005 10:10:13 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
London Police Now Licensed To Kill
* Kill Orders Come If Terror Suspect Refuses To Surrender * At Least 55 People Confirmed Dead In Terror Attacks
Jul 17, 2005 11:20 am US/Eastern LONDON (CBS) In a country where not all the police carry weapons, elite sniper squads now have shoot-to-kill orders, if there's intelligence that a terror suspect might have a bomb, and he refuses to surrender when challenged by police.
That's according to the Times of London, which reported Sunday that the special units are tracking as many as 12 suspects with ties to al Qaeda. The paper said Scotland Yard is worried those people could be planning more suicide attacks, but there isn't enough evidence to justify arresting, or even detaining them.
That may have been the case a year ago, reports CBS News Correspondent Steve Holt, when Britain's domestic spy agency MI5 checked out Mohammad Sidique Khan, one of the July 7 bombers. At the time, investigators decided he wasn't a threat to national security, and stopped tracking him.
(Excerpt) Read more at wcbs880.com ...
I don't get it.
Sorry, this is something new?
What else could you do if a terrorist doesn't surrender but kill him?
They needed permission to do that?
[cue: "The James Bond Theme"]
* Kill Orders Come If Terror Suspect Refuses To Surrender *
I will be a very proud and much more comforted American when this statement is followed by by the words "from President George W. Bush and Sec. of State, Donald Rumsfeld..."
Unfortunately, I won't hold my breath...
He said it was common knowledge among the criminals but not among the public.
What do they think the orders were before, shoot to startle?
Do they even carry?
Can't the police negotiate more, or have a little therapy session beforehand instead? /sarc
"Do they even carry?"
Not routinely, but there are specialised firearms units attached to every force. Central London is the only place you'd see armed officers on an everyday basis.
Prior orders were probably negotiate... "Pretty Please, Mr. Terrorist don't blow the living snot out of our city and kill our families, friends and fellow countrymen...."
" If and when the police spot a suspected terrorist on his way to God knows what, they have to call home for the gun toters?"
Yeah that pretty much sums it up.
Not sure what the chances are of a terrorist being 'spotted' by a normal officer though, unless he is being particularly careless to draw attention to himself. If the terrorist is already under surveilance, then armed officers will already be present.
I thought London policemen weren't even issued
guns. After all, they DO have their nightsticks
which is used for crowd control, isn't it? <>g<>
Well, now we see the Brits are going to get serious
about foreigners and people performing suspiciously.
A welcome to Britain's belated entry into the real world.
I spent 3 years in the UK in the very early 1960's. At the time the Bobbies carried no firearms. I witnessed on more then one occassion the great respect afforded them by the people. Even the punks of the day gave them their due.
I didn't think British Police were armed, am I mistaken?
I hope they give them more than just the authority to kill terrorists. Specialized training would be a start before they turn them loose on the street with weapons.
I don't have to get it. I would think this always should be the case.
For one thing, the solution is permanent, hence no repeat offenders.
I vote for this option. Always.
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