Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent Brazilian visitor to London was intentionally shot and killed by police officers at Stockwell Underground Station. This constitutes a crime of murder in English criminal law.

Introducing a ‘shoot to kill’ policy is a crime of conspiracy to murder

De Menezes’ murder resulted from the ‘shoot to kill’ policy adopted by the Metropolitan Police in response to the London bombings which resulted from Tony Blair’s policy to wage war with Iraq. Introducing this ‘shoot to kill’ policy constitutes a crime of ‘conspiracy to murder’.

Aiding or abetting these crimes is a crime of accessory to murder

Any person, including a police officer, who knowingly aids, abets, or assists these crimes becomes an accessory to the crime and commits an offence under the Accessories and Abettors Act 1861. Be warned that co-operation with any person or police officer known or suspected to be aiding or abetting these serious crimes renders a person criminally liable as an accessory to murder and conspiracy to murder.

Report these crimes

The purpose of this leaflet is to notify you of these facts, to ask you to report these crimes to police and demand that they arrest and charge the Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, and all Ministers of State, police officers and other offenders and accessories responsible for these serious crimes.

Produced by Action Against War, a group of individuals committed to ending warfare and military conflict and holding warmongers to account for their crimes in court.

Further reading regarding current laws - see below

The Law

Offences Against the Person Act 1861

Whosoever shall solicit, encourage, persuade, or endeavour to persuade, or shall propose to any person, to murder any other person, whether he be a subject of Her Majesty or not, and whether he be within the Queen’s dominions or not, shall be guilty of an offence, and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for life.

Criminal Law Act 1977 Conspiracy

Subject to the following provisions of this Part of this Act, if a person agrees with any other person or persons that a course of conduct shall be pursued which if the agreement is carried out in accordance with their intentions, either (a) will necessarily amount to or involve the commission of any offence or offences by one or more of the parties to the agreement, or (b) would do so but for the existence of facts which render the commission of the offence or any of the offences impossible, he is guilty of conspiracy to commit the offence or offences in question.

Accessories and Abettors Act 1861

Whosoever shall aid, abet, counsel, or procure the commission of any indictable offence, whether the same be an offence at common law or by virtue of any Act passed or to be passed, shall be liable to be tried, indicted and punished as a principal offender.

The Elements of Criminal Conspiracy

“The essence [of the Criminal Law Act 1977] is that two or more persons should agree on the commission of a crime. It is well established that they need not know that the agreed course of conduct does amount to a crime – ignorance of the criminal law does not excuse here. The ‘course of conduct’ includes not only the acts agreed upon but also the intended consequences: conspiracy to murder requires not only an agreement to shoot at a person but also the intention that the shots should cause death.” [P.477 The Principles of Criminal Law - Ashworth]

Chris Coverdale August 2005