Cock-up: Blair's behind it 101%

Don't inhibit police, Blair says. Because obviously, they're good at this sort of thing.

Tony Blair has told anti-terror police not to be "inhibited" in the wake of controversy over the Forest Gate raid. Mr Blair told MPs he fully endorsed the apology given by Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman for the "hurt" caused in the raid. But he said Mr Hayman's team were doing a superb job and he stood "101%" behind them when they acted on intelligence.

By the way, the apology was phrased as follows:

Mr Hayman said: "I am aware that in mounting this operation we have caused disruption and inconvenience to many residents in Newham and more importantly those that reside at 46 and 48 Lansdowne Road. I apologise for the hurt that we may have caused."

"Hurt we may have caused"? "Disruption and inconvenience"? They shot an innocent man for crying out loud. I've heard that getting shot definitely hurts. Never mind the psychological trauma of having your house stormed by 250 armed, masked policemen in the middle of the night. I'm inconvenienced when my train is late; Do you think this goes a little bit beyond disruption and inconvenience?

Mr. Kahar, the innocent brother who was shot in the botched raid, responded:

Is he 101 per cent behind the bullet which went into my chest? I am the same age as his son. I am as innocent as his son.

Well said, Mr. Kahar. I've never been a victim of overzealous British policing the way you have, or the way David Mery has, but I'm with you 101%. I hope you get all the apology you wish for, and plenty of compensation besides. Sue them blind if you have to, we the taxpayers owe you a lot for the bungling of Blair's anti-terrorism police. Thank goodness they didn't shoot you seven times in the head like Jean-Charles.

By my count, in this armed anti-terrorism campaign, it's shot terrorists: 0, shot innocents: 2. Maybe they should start asking questions first and shooting later.