Explosive letters reveal full scale of behind-the-scenes rows between Boris Johnson and ex-Met chief Sir Ian Blair

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THE scale of a behind-the-scenes row between London mayor Boris Johnson and the police chief he later forced out has been revealed after an exchange of letters between them was published.

Former Metropolitan commissioner Sir Ian Blair wrote to the then mayoral candidate in November 2007 after being incensed by his public suggestion that armed officers who mistook innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes for a terrorist and shot him dead could have been "too trigger happy".

Letters obtained by Channel 4 News using freedom of information legislation showed Sir Ian demanded a retraction of the "outrageous" comments but was strongly rebuffed.

"I consider your comments that it could be argued that MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) officers are 'trigger happy' to be outrageous. I would remind you that out of over ten thousand potential firearms incidents attended by the MPS in the past year, shots were fired on only three occasions," he wrote to Mr Johnson.

"I would suggest in the strongest possible terms that you withdraw your remarks."

But an unrepentant Mr Johnson, who was elected the capital's mayor months later, refused.

"I have absolutely no intention of doing so," he wrote.

"It is hard to think of any other description of a catastrophe in which a completely innocent man ends up with seven bullets in his head."

While the officers involved had been "personally extremely brave", he said, no one had answered the question of "why the hell" a suspected suicide bomber was allowed to take two buses and then get on an Underground train before being shot dead.

"Why was he allowed to put the public at progressively greater risk? Many people believe that common sense policing would have allowed his identity to be established at a much earlier stage."

In a final response, Sir Ian said he was "very, very surprised" that he would not take back the comment, which had led to many complaints from armed officers.

The claim was "offensive to the men and women who routinely have to face some of the most dangerous situations within policing, to protect the Londoners they serve and their unarmed colleagues", he said.

"These courageous men and women volunteer: they accept that they will have to stand between armed criminals and the public in life and death situations, which demand split second decision-making."

In advance of the inquest into the death, "those without knowledge of what they will say should think long and hard before making comment", he suggested.

A spokeswoman for Mr Johnson said he believed many others shared the concerns he raised in the letters.

"The Mayor expressed a considered view as a commentator and mayoral candidate. The letter makes it clear that he is not questioning the courage of the officers at the scene. He stands by the concerns he raised and believes they are shared by many in London and across the UK," she said.

Last month, a jury returned an open verdict at the inquest into the death of 27-year-old Mr de Menezes, whom police mistook for Hussain Osman, the day after four botched attacks on the London public transport system.

In giving their verdict, jury members rejected police accounts of the shooting and the Scotland Yard argument that the killing was lawful.

Revelations of the letters exchanged between Sir Ian and Mr Johnson emerged as London awaits the decision over who will become the next Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Sir Paul Stephenson and Sir Hugh Orde - the two candidates left in the race - faced their final interviews in front of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Mr Johnson yesterday and an announcement is expected later this week. 2009