Bringing Lying Authoritarianism to the West...

While the Bush-Blair consortium trumpets its goal of bringing democracy to the Middle East, it's nice to see that they're not too proud to adopt in their own countries a few tricks they learned from Saddam along the way.

Here witness a Baathist-style execution and the ensuing web of deceit:

Initial police reports said the Brazilian electrician was dressed suspiciously in a heavy coat, had fled armed officers, vaulted over ticket barriers and run onto a train.

But leaked documents obtained by ITV News said CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts showed he was not wearing a padded jacket which could have concealed a bomb, and walked calmly through the station, even stopping to collect a free newspaper.

According to witnesses and statements made by police officers involved, de Menezes then boarded a train and was restrained by a surveillance officer before he was shot.