[Denver]

The Queen was almost killed by a teenager in an assassination attempt later covered up by New Zealand authorities, a former police officer has claimed.

Retired Dunedin detective Tom Lewis says an attempt on the monarch’s life was made when she visited the city in October 1981.

The former officer told the Stuff website that 17-year-old Christopher John Lewis narrowly missed the head-of-state when he fired shots the royal motorcade.

But he claimed police and government officials covered up the would-be assassin’s actions due to fears the Queen would refuse to visit the country in future.

Many in attendance at the event had heard the gunshots, although authorities maintained at the time it was the sound of a council sign falling over.

"You will never get a true file on that, it was reactivated, regurgitated, bits pulled off it, other false bits put on it,” Mr Lewis said. “They were in damage control so many times."

Christopher Lewis later told investigators that he was ordered to kill the Queen by a mysterious Englishman called “Snowman”.

The teenager believed pro-Nazi, far-right groups were “sprouting up” across New Zealand and wanted to lead a local terror cell.

Police files show Lewis had led officers to a fifth story toilet in a building overlooking the Queen’s route after being questioned over a non-related burglary incident.

There, they found a .22 calibre rifle and empty shell casings.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8158686.html

[Livia]

A 17 year old with a .22 calibre rifle shooting at a moving motorcade at distance. He'd have to have been one hell of a shot.

[bots]

isnt the car bullet resistant too? I would have thought so