ANDY HAYMAN

ANDY HAYMAN IS BEING MADE A SCAPEGOAT

ANDY HAYMAN IS BLAMED FOR THE SHOOTING OF CHARLES DE MENEZES

Senior officers at Scotland Yard have expressed fury over the "scapegoating" of Britain's anti-terror chief over the shooting dead of Jean Charles de Menezes. Andy Hayman, head of counter-terrorism and intelligence, is expected to be singled out for his actions in the aftermath of the killing at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July 2005. Brazilian Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot seven times in the head by police marksmen after surveillance officers mistakenly identified him as one of the 21/7 bombers who tried to emulate the 7/7 atrocity. Mr Hayman, the Met's Assistant Commissioneris attacked for apparently giving misleadingstatements and allegedly failing to brief Commissioner Sir Ian Blair soon enough that they had got the wrong man. The criticism is contained in the findings of a two-year investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into what the Met knew about the shooting and when, which will be revealed tomorrow. There was mounting anger today at Scotland Yard over the IPCC report, known as Stockwell 2. One senior source said: "At the time we had not confirmed who de Menezes was, he could have been a fifth terrorist for all we knew. "If senior officers went around briefing the Commissioner on the basis of unsubstantiated rumours then we would all be in a mess. There is a feeling that the IPCC is looking for a scapegoat." Mr Hayman is said to be furious over claims that the IPCC report concludes he "deliberately" misled people. The source said: "What possible motive would he have for doing that? At the time we were all focused on the hot pursuit of four terrorists who had tried to bomb the Underground." Mr Hayman may face disciplinary action. Sir Ian, who has insisted he did not know the wrong man had been killed until the following day, is expected to escape serious blame. Senior Met sources dispute the findings in the report, saying that until Mr de Menezes's body was positively identified, suggestions that he was not one of the men they were searching for were just rumours. The Met has defended the actions of its officersand their superiors, citing the unprecedented pressure they were under. The Crown Prosecution Service has recommended no action be taken against 11 officers, including the two firearms officers who shot Mr de Menezes. Four senior officers have been told they will have to await a disciplinary decision until after a criminal prosecution against the Met under health and safety laws. Three senior officers took legal action which forced the watchdog to admit it had failed to follow its own guidelines when it obtained statements from them about the shooting. The IPCC has been forced to withdraw critical comments about the three just before the report is published. They are retired Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alan Brown, Sir Ian's chief of staff Caroline Murdoch and his former staff officer Moir Stewart. • Former senior members of the National Black Police Association are being investigated over claims of financial mismanagement, the IPCC said. Andy Hayman 01 Aug 2007