On July 22, 2005, Met officers hunting the 21/7 bombers shot dead an innocent Brazilian electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes. Before he had been identified, Mr Hayman and Sir Ian Blair had to face the world’s media.

I went over to the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre a few hundred yards from New Scotland Yard where the press were waiting. The planned conference kept being delayed and the 200 or so journalists from across the world were fractious. Dick Fedorcio [the Met’s head of press] said: “I’ll introduce the press conference. Ian, can you give the broad overview, and Andy the details. There’s a huge screen behind you and while you speak the CCTV pictures of the four bombers will appear on it. Is that OK?” It was a sensible plan. We opened the door and Ian went into the room.

Bulbs flashed, cameras whirred. I walked behind him, thinking, “Oh, God, this must go well.” Dick did the introductions, then Ian set the scene. We expected him to be pretty constrained, outlining that the purpose of the conference was to publicise the four photographs. He started as expected — and then he went off piste.

I nearly fell off my chair when he started addressing the shooting: “The information I have available is that this shooting is directly linked to the ongoing and expanding anti-terrorist operation. Any death is deeply regrettable. I understand the man was challenged and refused to obey.”

This was news to me . . . I couldn’t recall any conversation when that was shared as verified fact or speculative information. Even if that was known, there was no way we would have shared it at a worldwide press conference so soon after the event.

— Terrorist Hunters by Andy Hayman with Margaret Gilmore is published by Bantam Press. RRP £18.99 and offer price £17.09. Books First: 0845 2712134 or visit timesonline.co.uk/booksfirst

Times Recommends

• Why Witherspoon is highlighting domestic violence
• No, MP does not stand for Mostly Plastered
• Don’t bottle out of your champagne moment