Man shot was not linked to London terror attacks

The man shot dead by police in south London yesterday is not connected to attempted terror attacks on the capital, Scotland Yard said today.

“For somebody to lose their life in such circumstances is a tragedy and one that the Metropolitan Police Service regrets,” said a spokesman.

The fatal shooting happened in Stockwell at 10am yesterday when armed plain clothes police officers shot a man as he tried to board a train at the underground station.

He had emerged from a nearby house that was under surveillance because of a suspected link to Thursday’s attempted bomb attacks on three Tube trains and a bus.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, was then followed by surveillance officers.

He is thought to have caught a bus to Stockwell Tube station where he was challenged by officers, who told him to stop.

The man, who is believed to be of South American appearance, then bolted down an escalator, according to witnesses.

He apparently tried to get on a train before he was, according to witnesses, shot five times in the head by an officer with an automatic pistol.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair had said yesterday that the shooting was “directly linked” to anti-terror operations.

However, in a statement, Scotland Yard said today: “We believe we now know the identity of the man shot at Stockwell Underground station by police on Friday, July 22, although he is still subject to formal identification.

“We are now satisfied that he was not connected with the incidents of Thursday, July 21, 2005.”