The Brazilian government "was shocked and perplexed" to learn that London police mistakenly shot dead a Brazilian citizen when hunting for subway bombers, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

"The government expects the British authorities to explain the circumstances that led to this tragedy," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the person was "apparently the victim of a lamentable mistake."

London police confirmed that Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old electrician, was mistakenly killed Friday at the Stockwell subway station as police investigated the series of botched transit bombings a day earlier and the July 7 attacks that killed 56 people.

CBN Radio in Brazil cited a member of his family as saying that Menezes had been living in London for the last three years and knew English very well.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, who is on his way to London for talks on United Nations reform, will try to meet with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to seek an explanation, the statement added.

"Brazil has always condemned all forms of terrorism and has been willing to contribute to the eradication of this scourge under international norms, including with respect to human rights," the statement said.

Source: Xinhua