Marksmen 'took their time' to get to Menezes

Scotland Yard has faced intense criticism over the killing of the Brazilian electrician for failing to reach the flat in Tulse Hill faster, despite police surveillance indicating that a terror suspect lived there. Today the commander who launched the operation admitted police believed they had a "bit of time" to get to the address.

Mr de Menezes, a 27-year-old Brazilian, was shot seven times in the head on a Tube train by two firearms officers who believed he was a suicide bomber.

The Metropolitan Police is on trial over alleged health and safety breaches which, it is claimed, resulted in the shooting at Stockwell station on 22 July 2005. The force denies the charges. John McDowell was the "gold" commander who dispatched a surveillance team to Scotia Road where they believed Hussain Osman, who had tried to launch a terrorist attack the previous day, was holed up.

The Old Bailey has heard that despite the operation being launched at 4.55am, firearms officers had still not arrived when Mr de Menezes left his flat for work more than four hours later.

Prosecutors claim that he and the public were exposed to risk because armed police were not there to challenge him and he was allowed on to two buses and a Tube train, where he was shot dead.

Today Mr McDowell told the court the police were trying their hardest to protect the public from a clear threat under "difficult circumstances".

Asked by Clare Montgomery QC, prosecuting, about the delay, he said there was "a feeling that there was a bit of time".

He said it was believed that the threat of an attack would not come until the rush hour several hours later, when there would be a "larger number of people about". The hearing continues.