Intelligence staff quizzed over shooting

Two intelligence officials were questioned yesterday during an inquiry into a police shooting seven years ago. The two, named only as S2 and S1, gave details about the intelligence operation in the run-up to the fatal shooting of Azelle Rodney, 24, who was believed to be on his way to rob members of a rival drugs gang in north London.

S2, who works for HM Revenue and Customs, told the inquiry that intelligence gathered on Colombian drug gangs had led to tens of arrests and the seizure of hundreds of kilos of drugs.

In her statement, she said intelligence indicated that the group comprising Mr Rodney and two other men would have automatic weapons as they headed to a meeting to steal class-A drugs from a Colombian gang.

Their car was stopped by police on 30 April 2005. Mr Rodney was shot by a Scotland Yard firearms officer, named only as E7, who believed Mr Rodney was reaching for an automatic weapon. Three guns were found in the car but none were machine guns.