A new Netflix documentary about the 7/7 terrorist attacks includes an interview with a cop who shot an innocent man.
The documentary, released today on Netflix, follows the 7/7 bombings and subsequent shooting of Jean Charles de Menenez just a couple of weeks later.
Called Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers, the doc has received rave reviews from viewers, with The Guardian giving it a four-star review saying that Netflix have finally made ‘a great, serious documentary.’
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The doc includes interviews with survivors of the fatal terrorist attack that took place 20 years ago on July 7 which killed 52 people.
Over 770 people were injured as a result of the four suicide attacks.
The documentary largely focuses on the horrifying result of these attacks and the psychological effects it had on those affected by it.
In episodes three and four of the doc, however, it focuses on the death of de Menenez, killed by a Met Police officer in 2005.
One of the most shocking revelations of the documentary is Netflix managing to secure an anonymous interview with the man who shot him.
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A day before he was shot, a further set of attacks were attempted and foiled and he was falsely identified as one of the culprits who carried these attacks out.
This was only discovered after he was shot by armed police.
Called C2 in the Netflix doc, he states that this will likely be the only time he talks about the shooting. He states that de Menenez was shot in the head seven times, five of these that were fired by C2.
Police followed him the day after the attempted bombing, with several misunderstandings leading them to believe he was ‘suspicious.’
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This includes him getting off a bus, discovering a train station was closed, and getting back on the bus. They did not spot that the station was closed and felt he was trying to lose possible tails.
One officer grabbed him after a short pursuit into the tube and was attempting to handcuff the man, however, he struggled to get him into a seated position.
Speaking about the incident, C2 said: “My only way in was to leap over the barrier. I remember chasing down the escalator steps, I drew my weapon and I put it behind my back. The surveillance officer indicated who the subject was.
"The surveillance officer pinned his hands to his side. I was convinced we were about to die, I had a responsibility and I feared the very worst. I fired and so did my colleague Charlie 12. And I kept firing until I was absolutely certain there was no further threat."
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He described feeling relief in the moment, believing he had prevented another terror attack. The next day he discovered that they had killed an innocent man, saying in the doc: “I can’t describe how I felt, the worst feeling ever, I killed an innocent man and I now know who that man is.
“I am responsible, and I accept responsibility. As a firearms officer, ultimately, the decision to use force is yours.
“But why were we in that position? Those people who put him in that position they also have to answer.”
He went on to apologise to Jean Charles de Mendenez’s family, some of whom also speak in the documentary.
He said: “I would say to Jean Charles's family that I am sorry. That I, and another officer, were put in a position where we killed your son.
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“I would do anything to roll back time to have a different set of circumstances where that didn't happen. It shouldn't have happened.”
Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers is available to stream on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, Terrorism, London, TV and Film, TV, Documentaries
Michael Slavin