FACTBOX - Key facts on Scotland Yard chief Sir Ian Blair

Thu Nov 1, 2007 4:41pm GMT
 
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(Reuters) - London's Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair came under pressure to quit on Thursday after his force was found guilty of putting the public at risk when it mistook an innocent Brazilian man for a suicide bomber and shot him dead in 2005. He told reporters he would not resign.

Here are key facts about Blair, 54:

* He graduated with a degree in English from Oxford University and joined the Metropolitan Police, also known as Scotland Yard, in 1974.

* He was knighted in 2003 for services to policing. Two years later he took over as head of the Met.

* Five months after taking office, he faced his biggest test on July 7, 2005 when four suicide bombers struck London's transport system, killing 52 people.

* Two weeks later, four failed suicide attacks on London transport plunged the city into chaos. The bombers fled, and a day later armed police shot dead Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes, mistaking him for a suspected bomber.

* Blair said he was unaware officers had shot the wrong man until 24 hours later, when he apologised. An independent police watchdog report cleared Blair of lying and confirmed he had not been told of the mistake on the day of the shooting. Critics said he was out of touch with his staff.

* On Thursday he said he would not resign because the case had not revealed any systemic failures in his force.

 
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