> Is it possible that two sets of orders were being followed? That the surveillance officers had simply been told to follow de Menezes and apprehend him if he was thought to be acting suspiciously, while the armed team had been directed to shoot de Menezes as he definitely was a suicide bomber?
This is an extremely good question. When the surveillance guy who was sat a few people away from dM spotted the armed team on the platform, ran to the door and shouted "He's here!" before grabbing him and pinning him to his seat—and I realise at this point this probably sounds like it's meant to be heavily ironic, but it's actually a genuine question—what did he think was going to happen? Is his next choice of phrase in his statement—"I heard a gunshot very close to my left ear"—carefully placed, designed to convey that, good Lord, that was a total surprise, never would have thought, in all my born days, etc?
The "two sets of orders" thing isn't clear yet, so it remains a possibility, but I'd be surprised if the surveillance team hadn't at least some clue about where it was all headed.
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This is an extremely good question. When the surveillance guy who was sat a few people away from dM spotted the armed team on the platform, ran to the door and shouted "He's here!" before grabbing him and pinning him to his seat—and I realise at this point this probably sounds like it's meant to be heavily ironic, but it's actually a genuine question—what did he think was going to happen? Is his next choice of phrase in his statement—"I heard a gunshot very close to my left ear"—carefully placed, designed to convey that, good Lord, that was a total surprise, never would have thought, in all my born days, etc?
The "two sets of orders" thing isn't clear yet, so it remains a possibility, but I'd be surprised if the surveillance team hadn't at least some clue about where it was all headed.