THE Metropolitan Police should apologise to the families involved in an anti-terror operation based on flawed intelligence, according to a report published today.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has finished its investigation into the raid of two neighbouring houses in Lansdown Road, Forest Gate, in which a man was shot.

Mohammed Abdul Kahar and his brother Abul Koyair were then detained for a week before being released without charge in June last year.

The full statement issued by the IPCC reads: "The IPCC has concluded its inquiries into complaints from the occupants of two houses raided by counter-terrorist police in Forest Gate last June.

"The investigations, known as Forest Gate two and Forest Gate three, looked at over 150 complaints from the 11 members of the two households. These ranged from complaints about the operation itself, to allegations of assault and complaints about treatment in custody."

The key findings were: A small number of complaints, involving treatment in custody, were upheld An officer has received a written warning for one allegation of neglect.

Although the intelligence was subsequently found to be wrong, we accept that at the time the police had no choice but to act on it.

There was a deep and understandable sense of grievance felt by all those affected by what was a terrifying experience. The police tactics adopted were indeed forceful and aggressive, but this was inevitable given the threat the police genuinely believed they faced.

The police could and should have changed their response much sooner once in control of the situation.

People not arrested at the scene should not have been taken to a police station, which caused unnecessary anxiety and confusion.

The IPCC's findings and recommendations have been published and are available on the IPCC's website (www.ipcc.gov.uk).

Deborah Glass, IPCC Commissioner, said: "Today's report is the second stage of our inquiries into the counter-terrorism raid carried out in Forest Gate last June. Our first report, into the discharge of a police firearm, concluded that the discharge was an accident as a result of contact on a narrow staircase between the police officer and the man who was shot.

"This second stage examined the intelligence that led to the raid and the complaints made by the 11 occupants of the two premises. To assist our inquiries the IPCC was provided with full access to the intelligence on which the operation was based. This was made available to us on a confidential basis, but I can confirm it involved an alleged, highly dangerous explosive device that could be set off remotely, believed to be in one of the two houses raided.

"I have concluded that the police were right to take no chances with public safety. But they were wrong not to have planned better for the intelligence being wrong.

"We upheld a small number of complaints, involving treatment in custody. We did not uphold any complaints about excessive force although there is no doubt that some of the residents were injured by police actions. The police tactics deployed were indeed very forceful. Everyone in those houses would have been regarded as an unknown threat until it could be established otherwise. It is quite right that the level of force used will have raised the most serious concern. I know that some people will feel very strongly that individual officers should be disciplined.

"However, after much thought, I have concluded that the level of force has to be judged in the light of the officers' belief that they were facing an extreme lethal threat - not just to themselves but to the public and indeed to the occupants of the houses themselves.

"None of this should minimise the deep and understandable sense of grievance felt by all those affected by what must have been a terrifying experience. I also believe the police could and should have changed their response much sooner once in control of the situation. Despite the small number of complaints upheld, there are very important lessons to be learned from this case.

"I have made five recommendations to the police as a result of this investigation:

"The police need to plan for the failure of intelligence. 'Intelligence' is not evidence, and in its very nature cannot be relied on with absolute certainty. Although the police must prioritise public safety, they need to plan for the consequences that intelligence may be wrong. This includes making much better provision for innocent people who are likely to be caught up in an operation, and being aware of the impact on people's lives, and the communities to which they belong, of an operation of this nature. The people not arrested at the scene should not have been taken to a police station. This caused unnecessary anxiety and distress.

"The police service as a whole needs to explain the process by which they evaluate and act on intelligence, to respond to public perceptions that it can be misused.

"Our third recommendation responds to the concern that the occupants of those houses did not realise that the officers, who were wearing full protective clothing, were police officers. In this kind of operation the police need to ensure that their identity as police officers is absolutely clear.

"We upheld several complaints that related to treatment in custody. I recommend that the police consider upgrading or relocating the cell block in Paddington Green Police Station to improve it for longer term detention.

"That police did not find an explosive device does not mean they were wrong to have launched the raid. But where as a result of a high profile operation innocent people are injured or publicly branded as terrorists, the police should make an equally high profile public apology."

The Metropolitan Police stressed that the vast majority of complaints made against them in connection with the raid were found to be unsubstantiated.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alf Hitchcock said the police's actions had been found to be necessary and proportionate.

He said: "The Met Police learned a great deal from Forest Gate about community consultation and engagement, and it is only with the help and support of all Londoners that we can continue to fight the very real and serious threat of global terrorism. The recommendations made by the IPCC will help inform future operations."