Gazeta Digital Arquivo

"WE WANT A BIG EVENT TO RAISE AWARENESS that she is still missing. We would look at high-profile people who have already pledged support. IT WILL BE SOME SORT OF FOCUS AROUND AN ANNIVERSARY, to tell people that Madeleine ’s still missing. I think IT WOULD BE LATER THIS YEAR, once media attention has dropped, to bring it back up, hopefully, for a short period. IT WOULDN’T BE A ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, IT WILL BE SOONER THAN THAT." - Gerry McCann, interviewed by Jason Groves, from the Daily Express, three months after Madeleine McCann disappeared.

Gerry McCann, June 3, 2007: "It will be some sort of focus around an anniversary..."

2008-09-01T01:53:00.000+01:00

(click to enlarge - June 3, 2007 Daily Express, "screen capture")

www.express.co.uk/posts/view/8736/Lets+hold+a+Madeleine+Day+for+the+whole+world

(click to enlarge - June 3, 2007 Daily Express - same address, actual page view)

www.express.co.uk/posts/view/8736/Lets+hold+a+Madeleine+Day+for+the+whole+world

Madeleine McCann - Arquivo

2007-11-23T13:57:00.001Z

23/27 de Novembro de 2007
Pinto Monteiro diz que Madeleine pode estar morta
Caso Mccann e Comunicação Social em debate
18/23 de Novembro de 2007
Polícia portuguesa vai arquivar o caso Maddie
MP conclui cartas rogatórias para apertar amigos dos Mc Cann
Madeleine McCann: Cartas rogatórias ainda não estão prontas

Opinião - Arquivo

2007-11-18T20:37:00.001Z

O Estado policial de Gordon Brown (English)

INDEX - Opinion

2007-11-11T06:24:00.001Z

My opinion about British people

Is Mr. Rogério Alves cooperating with a farce? No, of course not!

Manipulation and false information in the British Press

Is Mr. Ian Herbert, journalist from The Independent, suffering from “parrot's syndrome”?

My opinion about Gerry and Kate McCann

Mr. Martin “I don't know but I suspect” Brunt, Sky News Cappuccinos Correspondent

Sky News: A lesson on how to manipulate facts and produce a documentary disguised as a news report

Martin Brunt comes alive (and Frankenstein Junior is with him...)

British Media and Manipulation

2007-11-11T06:20:00.001Z

The Telegraph: More manipulation from British Press

John Hill, Ocean Club manager: There was "no sign that anyone had forced their way in"

Jill Renwick: The McCann said "the shutters had been broken open"

Kate McCann: "I never thought for one second that she'd (Madeleine) walked out”

Alex Wolfall: The McCann “early assumption was that she (Madeleine) had wandered off”

Kate McCann lawyer: It was “a misunderstanding”, there was “no offer of a plea bargain”

Kate McCann: “Police said 'If you confess Madeleine had an accident (...) I'd get two or three years' suspended sentence.”

The McCanns have asked if American FBI could undertake a review of the case (... and British Police will ask German Police to make an independent review of the investigation of Rhys Jones murder...)

Some advice to Penny Wark, correspondent of The Times in Portugal

Selected stories

2007-11-11T06:10:00.000Z

António Toscano, "investigative journalist" and a hoaxer(17.06.07)
A crystal glass (09.08.07)
Dangerous connections (26.08.07)
'Find Madeleine' campaign scaled down following advice from Gordon Brown (29.08.07)
Under the McCann's shadow (01.09.07)
The predators that became the prey (01.09.07)
The circus has came to town (08.09.07)
Portuguese Prime-Minister launches a violent attack against British Government (13.09.07)
Desperate attempt to stop a rising tide: Justine McGuiness met with editors of British newspapers(13.09.07)
Cashing in on Madeleine's name: Fund managers asked for trademark registration(15.09.07)
McCanns appealed personally to David Miliband, Britain's Foreign Secretary” (17.09.07)
Gerry McCann: Portuguese policemen “are imbeciles” (18.09.07)
The McCann look for "more powerfull backers" and appeal to Gordon Brown(18.09.07)
McCann lawyers warning to Prosecutor Luís Verão: “We advise you not to go any further...” (03.10.2007)
Sky News special report about Madeleine's case: a total failure (03.10.2007)
Who’s afraid of the McCann? (03.10.2007)
British Police want to question Foreign Office envoys and McCann spokesmen (07.12.07)
Tapas group met in secret with McCann legal advisers (10.12.07)
Murat recommended as translator by British diplomatic staff (18.12.07)
“Desperate” McCann behind recent news about Murat (01.01.08)
Police has new evidence against Madeleine's parents (03.01.08)

O Mistério da Praia da Luz

2007-11-11T05:48:00.000Z

14 de Novembro de 2007
Deputados europeus portugueses distraídos
10 de Novembro de 2007
Gerry McCann: Preparando as “próximas semanas”
9 de Novembro de 2007
Gerry McCann em 3 de Junho: planos a longo prazo
Sábado, 10 de Novembro de 2007
Gerry McCann: Preparando as “próximas semanas”
Sexta-feira, 9 de Novembro de 2007
Gerry McCann em 3 de Junho: planos a longo prazo
Segunda-feira, 5 de Novembro de 2007
Comer, calar e desejar ainda mais
Sábado, 3 de Novembro de 2007
Uma empresa de detectives ou de assassinos?
Pedro Tadeu, novo porta-voz da Polícia Judiciária
Sexta-feira, 2 de Novembro de 2007
As tardias explicações do casal McCann

O Desaparecimento de Madeleine McCann

2007-11-11T05:41:00.000Z

15 de Novembro de 2007
Gerry McCan acusou polícia portuguesa de falsificar provas
CBS divulga video inédito dos McCann
14 de Novembro de 2007
Razões dos McCann para contratar investigadores privados
Polícia Bósnia confirma – menina loira de Medjugorje não é Madeleine
13 de Novembro de 2007
PGR comenta acusações de deputado inglês: "Sem qualquer fundamento" e "contraditórias"
Deputado inglês confirma interferência dos serviços secretos britânicos no caso Madeleine
12 de Novembro de 2007
Jornal "El Mundo", 11 de Novembro de 2007: “O lobby que rodeia os McCann é assustador” (Texto integral)
11 de Novembro de 2007
Advogado de “arrependido” do Tapas: “O lobby que rodeia os McCann é assustador”
Método 3: Madeleine pode estar na Arábia Saudita
Clarence Mitchell exige à PJ que os McCann deixem de ser arguidos
Turista irlandês viu Madeleine na Bósnia
10 de Novembro de 2007
António Cluny: Advogados dos McCann têm “conversa da treta”…
Segunda-feira, 12 de Novembro de 2007
Jornal "El Mundo", 11 de Novembro de 2007: “O lobby que rodeia os McCann é assustador” (Texto integral)
Domingo, 11 de Novembro de 2007
Advogado de “arrependido” do Tapas: “O lobby que rodeia os McCann é assustador”
Método 3: Madeleine pode estar na Arábia Saudita
Clarence Mitchell exige à PJ que os McCann deixem de ser arguidos
Turista irlandês viu Madeleine na Bósnia
Sábado, 10 de Novembro de 2007
António Cluny: Advogados dos McCann têm “conversa da treta”…
Sexta-feira, 9 de Novembro de 2007
McCann admitem processar polícia portuguesa
Segunda-feira, 5 de Novembro de 2007
Criança loira afinal é marroquina
Segunda-feira, 5 de Novembro de 2007
Governo marroquino desmente Método 3 e media ingleses
Sexta-feira, 2 de Novembro de 2007
Nova “testemunha” viu Maddie há mais de dois meses
Detective espanhol garante que Madeleine está viva
Novos resultados de ADN incriminam os McCann

Aerial pictures from Ocean Club

2007-10-14T19:21:00.000+01:00

(Click to enlarge)

My opinion about British people

2007-10-12T21:24:00.000+01:00

I have a strong admiration for the British people and it’s History. There are three countries that may be considered the “fathers” of all the Rights and Freedoms that we, European people, have: England, with the “Magna Carta”, France, with its ideas of “Liberté, Egalité et Fraternité” and the USA, when representatives of the 13 states wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights (...)”

I lived and worked in London, for some months, in 2005, during a financially difficult period of my life. I shared a flat with two Portuguese and three Brazilians, all immigrants working at cleaning services and in restaurants. I have a son who is studying in the University, in London. I admire the efficiency and the fairness of British society, in dealing with serious problems like racism and xenophobia. When I watch debates in the British Parliament, on TV, I always remember that the place where those debates happen is were modern Parliaments, an essential part of Democracy, were born.

For around 28 years, reading the weekly edition of “The Economist” has been some kind of a ritual, for me. I wish that I could be able to write with that accuracy, mixed with a touch of irony, giving to their readers a clear analysis and explanation of what happens, all over the world. And I don’t believe that a pack of blood-thirsty and howling tabloid journalists, willing to kill – or let someone be killed – to have a story that helps them to keep their jobs, is representative of the British people.

In 1941, my father was drafted to the Army, Infantry Battalion nº 13. As soon as the Portuguese Government gave permission to the Allied Forces to use the Azores Air Base, everybody in Portugal was convinced that, in a few weeks, the Nazi war machine would run over our country. A short-wave radio was a luxury item that few people could afford. There was an officer, at my father's Battalion, that had one. Many times, late at night, a few friends would gather around that radio, to listen to what was called “The Voice of Truth” - BBC radio broadcastings, in Portuguese.

I admire the British people, his achievements, his contribution to the History of Mankind. Great-Britain is one of the great nations of the world and if it wasn’t the decision to “fight on beaches, landing grounds, in fields, in streets and on the hills”, if necessary, and “never surrender (...) until in God's good time the New World with all its power and might, sets forth to the liberation and rescue of the Old”, all Europe – including Portugal – could have been, for a long time, under the darkest of all evil powers that have threatened Humankind, since the beginning of time.

I still believe that British people will never surrender.

The former British cops that helped to destroy the reputation of Portuguese Police

2007-10-05T05:25:00.002+01:00

Since Madeleine disappeared, at least five former British policemen – three of them, high ranking officers - played an important role in the regular bashing or Portuguese police, through the British Media. By coincidence, some of them work for or have connections with TV channels or consultancy companies specialized in handling media cases.

One the most violent critics of Portuguese Police, former CID detective Mark Williams-Thomas, is also the owner and managing-director of WT Associates, a company that offers, among many other services, media handling and advice for high profile cases and “design or review organisations media crisis policy”. Since the first week, when Martin Brunt took him to Praia da Luz, he criticised the inept and incompetent Portuguese police. After we filled a complaint with Ofcom and emailed Sky News editor, asking him if the TV channel knew about the business connections of the crime expert that has been a regular voice against Portuguese Police in Sky News, Mr. Mark Williams disappeared from the screen.

But other former policemen, including at least three ex-Scotland Yard commanders, played an important role in building up of the idea that Portuguese Police arrived hours after they were called, didn't sealed off the apartment, didn't take fingerprints, didn't questioned other guest of the resort, and wasn't able to get disposable clothing to their forensic experts – they used the same clothing in different crime scenes or just used no protective clothing at all.

Portugal, safe place for paedophiles

Mike Hames, the ex-commander who set up Scotland Yard's paedophilia unit, author of ‘The Dirty Squad’ and also a media consultant on child abuse, paedophilia, murder and high profile abduction cases, was Martin Brunt's choice to replace Mark Williams-Thomas, when the Sky News Crime Correspondent made a special report about Madeleine's case, last Sunday. But as early as five days after Madeleine disappeared, The Sun found that Portugal was a safe place for paedophiles: “But a Sun investigation has revealed the Med hot-spot does have a history of child sex offences — many by Brit perverts who fled there, believing they’d be more free to carry out their vile activities.”

Mr Mike Hames was quoted, in the same story, as saying that “Portuguese police should have circulated the sketch they have of a suspect” and he “feared the worst” for Madeleine’s safety, criticising the fact that Portuguese Police didn't made public a sketch of any suspect: “If you have a sketch by a witness, it should be shared with the public. Nine times out of ten it is the public who can solve this. I don’t see the logic of this. It seems to me to be a bit of shambles”.

The most senior of those ex-cops was also the author of an opinion column, on the Mirror, with the a violent attack against the Portuguese Police. Dai Davies, a senior associate of Kingfell Global Crisis, Director and Lead Consultant of Selectamark Consultancy, was responsible for the security of the Royal family and palaces, leading a force of 450 police officers, with an annual budget of £26 million for more than 15 years.

The McCann, innocent people

On a opinion column published on the Mirror, on September 23 (“Police here have given up looking for poor Maddie”), Mr. Dai Davies wrote: “I spent a week in Praia da Luz where Madeleine went missing, "walking the shop floor" as I call it, going over the available evidence and unearthing some startling new information about the case. And in what will surely be another hammer-blow to the McCanns' hopes of finding their little daughter, I've discovered from lengthy talks with my barrister contact that Portuguese investigators have unofficially abandoned the hunt for Madeleine's alleged abductor.”

Showing that he is a strong believer in the innocence of the McCann, Mr. Dai Davies left an advise to PJ detectives: “The police now need to halt their campaign to pin this awful crime on two innocent people and bring in new officers for a complete overhaul with fresh eyes.”

“Mr Davies, a former divisional commander in West London, with child protection experience, has “deliberately” not met with the McCanns”, while at Praia da Luz, according to the Daily Post, “but regularly speaks to their new spokesman Clarence Mitchell.

Flying Squad “reporter”

Ex-Flying Squad Commander John O’Connor is a former British Policeman that came to Praia da Luz to report for several TV Channels. On September 17, the web page of Crimesharetv has the following message: “CSTV is proud to report that the Commander has been to Portugal investigating Madeleine's disappearance and you can catch his daily media reports on GMTV, Sky News and the BBC.” John O'Connor was a policeman for 30 years and he ran “the Flying Squad at New Scotland Yard dealing with all armed robberies in London until retiring with the rank of Commander”, according to Crimesharetv. The page has a link to an interview of John O'Connor with Sky News.

Mr O'Connor gave an interview, on May 17, to The Resident, an English newspaper that introduced him as “a former Scotland Yard commander who is working with the Portuguese authorities investigating Madeleine’s disappearance”. Mr. John O’Connor praised the quality of Portuguese detectives, but stated that “looking in remote places is ineffective.” “Despite this, O’Connor spoke of the high quality detective work in Portugal and believes that they will solve this case. He spoke of the competency and professionalism of the Portuguese police, dismissing any accusations they have faced.”

Later, in the Sky News interview, he told more or less the same: Portuguese cops are nice guys, but they are looking in the wrong places...

Desmond Thomas, former deputy head of Hampshire CID, came forward, around the middle of September, when his expertise was needed. “So far no evidence has emerged in public to suggest that the missing four-year-old is even dead, he told the Daily Star and other British Media. “I think the Portuguese police are struggling. From what we know thus far, if I was bringing the charges I would be nervous about it being successful. In the McCann case, police have no body and no weapon – so it is going to be very difficult.”

The most tenacious and persistent

Mark Williams-Thomas, ex-CID offcier and managing-director of WT Associates was, with no doubt, the former British policeman that produced the largest amount of attaccks against Portuguese Police, with the help of Sky News and Martin Brunt:

“Mr Williams-Thomas believes that because of the huge doubts over the convictions, whoever abducted Joana is more than likely to be behind Madeleine's disappearance. Joana vanished in Figueira (...) He said he could not understand why the police are pursuing their "ludicrous" investigation into the McCanns, when such a strong line of inquiry remains open.”

“For much of the time we have heard or seen little police action (...) Whatever the outcome of this inquiry, the Portuguese legal system is in urgent need of review.”

“But crime expert Mark Williams-Thomas said "that apartment should have been sealed off and a thorough forensic examination taken place in the days and weeks after she went missing.” He added that he had been on the scene in Praia da Luz in the week after the abduction and noticed many flaws in the way the search was being carried out. The former police detective said shutters should have been taken away, a fingertip search of the area carried out and interviews done with people who had been using the local shop.”

“The inner cordon was very close to the apartment, within 30 yards. I would have put the inner cordon 100 yards away. There are limitations to that because there's a shop nearby and there are apartments so some of the cordon might be less than that. But it should have been at least 50 yards (...) I didn't see any house-to-house inquiries being done which is vital because, again, they are the people living and staying in these apartments.”

But at this stage it will be important for them to take stock and even ask for an external review. They need to take experts from outside the investigation, possibly from Britain or America, to undertake the review. This isn't about apportioning blame or criticism in relation to the investigation. It's about looking at possible lines of inquiry with a fresh pair of eyes. In a British investigation this would normally take place at 28 days, with an external force or another body reviewing the investigation.

Former police detective Mark Williams-Thomas told Sky News Online this week that Portuguese police had made errors in the investigation.

Paulo Reis & Duarte Levy

Who’s afraid of the McCann?

2007-10-03T22:23:00.001+01:00

From left to right: Portuguese Prime-Minister, Mr. José Sócrates, Chairman of the Supreme Magistrates Council, Judge Noronha do Nascimento, head of the Public Prosecutor's Service, Mr. Pinto Monteiro and director of Policia Judiciária, Mr. Alípio Ribeiro

Clarence Mitchell, a former spin-doctor from British Government, is a liar. Nothing new, because this is an essential characteristic for somebody who has this kind of job. The most recent lie was published today. Mr. Clarence Mitchell told the Mirror “Kate and Gerry have consistently said they are willing to co-operate with Portuguese authorities and will continue to do so, regardless of who is in charge of the hunt for Madeleine."

The “debutant” - as Richard Branson called him - Portuguese lawyer Pinto de Abreu said exactly the opposite. So, one of them is a liar. I believe Mr. Pinto de Abreu told the truth, when he revealed that Kate McCann refused to answer several times, when questioned by Police. I don't believe Mr. Clarence Mitchell, because his job has been – and still is – not to tell the truth, but to try to create the idea that truth is what better serves the interest of his bosses, whoever they are.

But the most interesting statement of Mr. Clarence Mitchell, the once powerful head of Media Monitoring Unit, was on GMTV: “What (the McCann) want now is whoever takes over to refocus the inquiry onto finding Madeleine.”

Meaning, what the McCann want is that Portuguese Police forgets the evidence collected by a British Police special team, working with the two most valuable and efficient sniffer dogs of all police forces in UK – Keela and Eddie – at Praia da Luz.

What the McCann want, according to Clarence Mitchell, is that Portuguese Police start to pretend that it is a strong possibility that Madeleine McCann is alive – a theory that goes against the results of the analysis of the samples collected by the British Police special team at Praia da Luz - analysis done at Forensic Science Service, in Birmingham.

But Clarence Mitchell is doing his job. That's what is paid for, by the several British millionaires that are the financial supporters of the McCann. What I don't understand is why the answer for the challenges and threats coming from the McCann has been the silence, coming from the Portuguese Prime-Minister, Mr. José Sócrates, from the Chairman of the Supreme Magistrates Council, Judge Noronha do Nascimento, from the head of the Public Prosecutor's Service, Mr. Pinto Monteiro and from the director of Policia Judiciária, Mr. Alípio Ribeiro (pictured above...)

Are they afraid of the McCann? Are they afraid of who is behind the McCann? I can't believe they are. I can't accept they are. But I can't understand why they have been so silent, month after month of an amazing campaign of slur, slander, calumny, defamation and insult to all the institutions those persons represent: our Nation, our Judicial system, our Courts, our Public Prosecutor's Office and our Police.

I never heard a word of Mr. Alípio Ribeiro defending one of his men, Criminal Coordinator Gonçalo Amaral. He never had the courage to come forward and say that he trusted the man who was in the spotlight, the nº 1 target of British tabloid's journalists (*), people that behave like a pack of hyenas and have to lick each other for mutual reconnaissance, in order to avoid episodes of cannibalism.

When you are in command and you don't take care of your men, you risk to lose the battle. Because your men don't trust you. If you want to lead, you have to be the first to move forward and face the enemy. If you do that, your men will fight and die for you. But even if you stay in the comfort and cosiness of your command post, at the top of your ivory tower, while your men are struggling in the trenches, you can be sure they will do their job. They have a mission and a duty, and that's more important than the man that, by accident, happens to be their commander. A man that never had his shoes in the mud, never smelled a rotten body, never heard the noise of bullets passing by.

But when those men finish their job, they will come for you. They will ask you where you have been, when they needed you. Why you left them alone. They will demand answers. Hope you have a good one. You will need it. You and all the others that have been in such a comfortable silence, until now, as if you have nothing to do with what is going on at Praia da Luz.

Paulo Reis

(*) Mr. Grant Hodgson, from the Mirror, is a man that considers himself a journalist – an obvious mistake. He calls me with regularity, like many other British journalists – and I wouldn’t mention their names, as most of them are good professionals. And we just talk, between journalists, about the last gossips, information, recente news and so on.

Some of them ask me for help in clarifying aspects of the Portuguese legal system, others want more details about news that were published in the Portuguese Press. A few of them proposed me money in exchange for information and other usual unethical procedures, quite common among British tabloid journalists. Brendan de Beer, who works for a English language publication in Algarve, once called me asking who where my sources in the Police...

Last time Mr. Hodgson called me, he asked my opinion about the picture of Madeleine, in Morocco. I reminded him of the many sightings in Malta and I told him that everybody should be careful with those sightings. I gave him an example: the president of Portuguese Detectives Union told, during a TV program, on September 11, that Polícia Judiciária had to investigate and send teams to 252 different places where aleged sightings of Madeleine have been reported, only in Portugal, between May 3 and September 11. “Amazing” - he said.

And what did this "journalist" wrote, next day? He wrote this piece of fake, misleading and manipulated information: “The Sunday Mirror has discovered that 252 possible tip-offs about the four-year-old have been reported to Amaral, any one of which might just lead to her being traced. But the vast majority have not even been checked.”

Sky News special report about Madeleine's case

2007-10-03T04:12:00.001+01:00

The special report of Sky News about Madeleine's case promised to “separate fact from fiction”. But what it showed was that Sky News archives are badly organized and Mr. Martin Brunt is better creating fiction than reporting facts. Because important facts and steps of the investigation were completely ignored by Mr. Martin Brunt, with the obvious complicity of his editors (nothing new, as it has been done before...)

Mr. Martin Brunt brought a new crime expert. It seems that Mr. Mark William-Thomas went missing in action, after we published a story revealing that he was also the owner and managing-director of WT Associates, a PR company specialized in child protection, media handling and advice for high profile cases. By the way, I'm still waiting for the answer of Sky News Editor to an email I sent, asking if he was aware of the business connections of Mr. Mark Williams-Thomas, as Sky News never gave this information to its viewers.

But what did Mr. Martin Brunt forget, while “separating facts from fiction”, in his special report about Madeleine's investigation?

He forget to mention what was the reason of a “dramatic twist” in the case, after “the apartment was re-examined”. Mr. Martin Brunt refers the “dramatic twist, so far” and then jumps immediately to the moment when “Kate McCann was ordered in for questioning” at the PJ headquarters in Portimão. Gerry McCann was next and both were named formal suspects.

Why did it happened, that “dramatic twist”? Why did Mr. Marin Brunt forget to explain the reasons for this “dramatic twist”? This second question only can be answered by Mr. Martin Brunt – and I believe Sky News viewers would like very much to know his explanation.

What we can do, with the help of British Press, is to answer the first question, remind Mr. Brunt of the reasons for that “dramatic twist” and about many other facts that he manipulated, distorted and omitted in his special “report”:

The sniffer dog who found the body of murdered Ulsterwoman Attracta Harron has been flown to Portugal in the hunt for the body of Madeleine McCann, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. Specially-trained English springer spaniel Eddie and his companion Keela were taken to Praia de Luz complex in the Algarve several days ago as the search for the missing four-year-old intensified. The police dogs, which are trained to sniff out minute traces of blood, were drafted in after the focus of the investigation again turned on the apartment where the McCann family were staying when Madeleine disappeared 97 days ago.

A pair of elite police sniffer dogs attached to an English police force has been helping Portuguese police in their hunt for missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann, it has emerged. The specially-trained English springer spaniels Eddie and Keela were reportedly flown to Praia da Luz in the Algarve last week to take part in the investigation.

The spaniel can sniff out blood in clothes after they have been washed repeatedly in biological washing powder, and can detect microscopic amounts on weapons that have been scrubbed and washed. When faced with a “clean” crime scene, Mr Ellis and PC Martin Grimes, Keela’s other handler, will first send in Frankie, a border collie, and Eddie, another springer spaniel, to pick up any general scent. Then they wheel in the big gun. “We take Keela in and she will find the minutest traces of blood,” Mr Ellis said. “It’s not like looking for a needle in a haystack any more. The other two dogs will find the haystack and Keela will find the needle.”

Keela, a 16-month-old springer spaniel, has become such an asset to South Yorkshire Police that she now earns more than the chief constable. Her sense of smell, so keen that she can sniff traces of blood on weapons that have been scrubbed after attacks, has her so much in demand by forces up and down the country that she is hired out at £530 a day, plus expenses. Thought to be the only one of her kind, the crime scenes dog earns nearly £200,000 a year. Her daily rate, ten times that of ordinary police dogs, puts her on more than the chief constable, Meredydd Hughes, who picks up £129,963.”

A South Yorkshire police spokesman said: "The dogs are the only two in Britain who are capable of finding human blood in small quantities. "They are trained to seek buried remains and are put to search on areas which look disturbed, such as broken branches, rubble or turned over earth." At the end of last year, the FBI sought the dogs' help in a ten-year-old murder investigation in the United States.

The sniffer dog that helped detectives jail evil killer Trevor Hamilton has just returned from assisting the FBI with a murder probe in America. Six-year-old English springer spaniel Eddie’s career took off internationally shortly after he returned to Ulster for a third time to help in the hunt for missing Arlene Arkinson. Eddie helped police nail Hamilton after the victim-recovery dog found blood from Attracta Harron (63) on a mat from Hamilton’s burnt-out Hyundai car.

Sunday Telegraph
Madeleine McCann's parents flying back to UK
By David Harrison and Caroline Gammell in Praia da Luz and Andrew Alderson
Last Updated: 1:55am BST 10/09/2007
John Barrett, a former Scotland Yard dog handler, also indicated that the trained dogs used in an attempt to detect a "death smell" on Mrs McCann's Bible and clothes were brought in too long after Madeleine vanished. The crucial scent lasts for no longer than a month, he said.

The Times
September 17, 2007
Kate and Gerry McCann send to US for help against evidence of sniffer dogs
Steve Bird and David Brown in Praia da Luz
The parents of Madeleine McCann have contacted the lawyers of a man charged with murder who successfully challenged sniffer dog evidence. His lawyers claimed it was unreliable and persuaded a judge in the US to throw out prosecution claims that the dogs had detected the smell of a corpse. Kate and Gerry McCann hope that the case could help them to prove their own innocence.

Daily Telegraph
By Paul Harris and Sam Greenhill
September 18, 2007 12:00am
SERIOUS doubts were yesterday being cast on a crucial part of the police case against Kate and Gerry McCann. Portuguese police began to suspect the couple after a sniffer dog trained to detect "the scent of death" reacted strongly to their hire car and Madeleine's Cuddle Cat toy (...)However similar evidence has been dismissed as unreliable in a US murder trial where experts found the dogs had a poor record (...) It was a decision to bring over a sniffer dog from South Yorkshire several weeks ago which persuaded Portuguese police the McCanns may have been involved in their daughter's death. During police interviews the couple were shown videos of the animal "going crazy" when it approached their Renault hire car.

Blood samples from the Portuguese apartment where Madeleine McCann was on holiday with her family will reach a British laboratory today for analysis. The samples, which are understood to have been found in the apartment by a team of sniffer dogs (Keela and Eddie) operated by police from Leicestershire, will be examined by scientists from the Forensic Science Service, based in Birmingham, the Guardian understands. Police from Leicestershire, where the McCann family live, are leading the UK contingent of officers in Portugal helping detectives (...) But reports from Portugal suggest Leicestershire officers used specialised equipment and their own sniffer dogs to re-examine the two-bedroomed apartment at the Mark Warner holiday complex.”

The material was only collected at the end of July and early August in a review of the investigation carried out by Portuguese detectives with the help of British police and two sniffer dogs. Many of the samples are very small, containing just a few cells, while others are of poor quality because of damage by cleaning or simply the passing of time. A full report of the findings will not be ready for weeks, but many results have already been passed to the Portuguese authorities.

A British sniffer dog picked up the scent of a dead body in the apartment and samples, including suspected traces of blood, have been recovered from the scene. The UK's Forensic Science Service has spent the past month analysing them.

Daily Mail
Madeleine: Sniffer dogs 'found scent of death' on one of the McCanns' friends
Last updated at 09:29am on 26th September 2007
Friends of the McCanns faced fresh allegations yesterday after it was claimed that sniffer dogs had found the "scent of death" on one of them. The same police dog which reacted to Mrs McCann's clothes - first causing suspicion to fall on her - was alleged to have smelled "death" on one of the friends who had dinner with the couple the night Madeleine vanished. Police sources briefed a Portuguese newspaper that two police dogs from South Yorkshire, trained to detect corpses, human remains and microscopic traces of blood, had reacted to some items of clothing. Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell denied categorically that any such procedure had happened.

The McCanns’ efforts to fight police leaks about scientific evidence said to prove that they had some hand in their daughter’s death saw the couple criticised yesterday by the English organisation analysing samples seized from the scene of Madeleine’s disappearance and the family hire car. The Forensic Science Service is frustrated that DNA examinations they have carried out for the Portuguese police were being rubbished by the publicity campaign launched by the McCanns.

Other details about what happened in the first hours after Madeleine disappeared

Police helicopters flew over Praia de la Luz yesterday as the hunt intensified for Madeleine McCann, who went missing from her bedroom in the apartment on Thursday night. Teams of officers used sniffer dogs to scour the resort, in the south-west of Portugal, where Gerald McCann, a cardiac surgeon, and his wife Kate, had taken their three young children - Madeleine and her younger brother and sister, who are twins - for a week-long holiday.

John Hill, the Ocean Club manager, said the alarm was raised by the family between 10pm and 10.15pm: “The staff, many guests and the best part of the village started looking right away, a total of 40 to 65 people. The police were called and started taking details from the family and then took the decision to escalate the search.

Nigel Ragg, head of marketing at Mark Warner Holidays, defended the police operation. “It was felt by our staff that the police reacted quickly. The search was escalated throughout the evening,” he said.

Police were conducting checks at airports and more than 150 officers were searching the area. Hundreds of tourists, British ex-pats and local Portuguese were also helping with the search.

Police search well organized
“A HUGE hunt was going on last night for three-year-old Maddy McCann, feared snatched from her holiday flat (...) Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler (*) said local police had been giving out maps and telling people where to look. She said: 'It's very well organised."
(*) A guest at Ocean resort...

Border airport authorities already allerted, Spanish police contacted
“Resort manager John Hill said around 60 staff and guests had searched until 4.30am yesterday as police contacted border authorities, neighbouring Spanish officers and airports. "There are a criminal investigator and around 20 officers here but unfortunately there's still no information. If I was in the McCanns' situation, I'd be frustrated as hell. If there were 100 police here I'd want more."

Apartment sealed, fingerprints taken
“Officers sealed off the five-storey holiday block with crime scene tape and fingerprinted the shutters and window sill outside Maddy's room. A patio to the rear of the block, believed to be attached to the family's two-bedroom apartment, was also sealed off.”

Philomena McCan: Police did “very litlle”
Speaking from her home in Glasgow, Philomena McCann, Madeleine’s aunt, said: “The local policeman was doing very little. The area was not cordoned off for hours and hours. Kate and Gerry [were] frustrated at the lack of activity. [The police] tried to downplay the enormity of it and said Madeleine had perhaps wandered off. That is the most ridiculous suggestion.”

Shutters smashed, Kate told to Jon Corner, the twins godfather
“Close family friend Jon Corner, of Liverpool, told that "Kate said the shutters of the room were smashed. Madeleine was missing. It looks as though someone had gone straight past the twins to get to her. Kate was incredibly upset. I've spoken to her since, and she's still completely devastated.”

Mark Warner management denies shutters smashed
“Mark Warner management denied there were signs of forced entry at the flat claiming instead that roller shutters had been slid up and the bedroom window opened.”

“(...) Brian Healy, Madeleine's maternal grandfather, told the Guardian his son-in-law had phoned him shortly after returning to the apartment from a nearby restaurant to find Madeleine had disappeared. "Gerry told me when they went back the shutters to the room were broken, they were jemmied up and she was gone," said Mr Healy. "She'd been taken from the chalet. The door was open."

“Mark Warner, the holiday firm which runs the luxury resort, claimed last night there was no sign of a break in at the ground floor apartment overlooking the sea.”

McCann lawyer denies offer of a plea bargain
“Police were still questioning Gerry McCann when, already, his sister Philomena was telling Sky they had offered Kate McCann a reduced two-year sentence if she admitted to killing her daughter accidentally, hiding the body and then secretly disposing of it weeks later. On this occasion the police officers were right to be angry. Like many things said about the McCann affair over the past days and months, the story was wrong. There was no offer of a plea bargain. It had all been "a misunderstanding", the McCann lawyer, Carlos Pinto de Abreu, explained the following day.”

Paulo Reis & Duarte Levy

Portuguese Foreign Minister: “As a matter of principle, there are no exclusions in the summit between EU and Africa”

2007-10-02T23:23:00.000+01:00

The Portuguese Foreign Minister, Mr. Luís Amado, said today that there will be “no exclusions” in the summit EU-Africa. Speaking to journalists after the conference “Lisbon Energy Forum”, Mr. Amado said that “as a matter of principle, there are no exclusions in the summit between European Union and Africa.”

Asked about the presence of Mr. Robert Mugabe, from Zimbabwe, Mr. Luís Amado replied that the Portuguese Government, which holds the European Union Presidency, “is still working” on the details of the meeting: “In the last days, there were no new developments. We are working on it, from the points of view of Europe and Africa”.

The British Prime-Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, threatened to boycott the summit, if Robert Mubage is present. "I applaud the prime minister of Portugal for what he is trying to do to build stronger relations between Europe and Africa. This is a summit that is necessary for Africa's sake. But of course it would be totally inappropriate for me to be there if President Mugabe [is]”, Gordon Brown told BBC, on September 20.

The BBC's Europe editor, Mark Mardell, said diplomats were being "very active in trying to find a compromise" that could involve Zimbabwe being represented not by Robert Mugabe, but by another Government member.

This possible compromise “threw a lifeline to the Portuguese, who hold the EU presidency and are desperately looking for a diplomatic solution to avoid cancelling the meeting”, according to The Times. Mr Brown’s spokesman, quoted by The Times, said that if Robert Mugabe didn't attend the summit, and Zimbabwe was represented by other Government member, this “would be a different circumstance.”

“An army of media” followed the McCann ih their trip to Huelva

2007-10-01T01:53:00.000+01:00

KATE and Gerry McCann were stunned at the latest police claim about missing Madeleine — that they buried her during a “missing two hours” while putting up posters in Spain, according to The Sun: On August 3, the couple drove from the fateful Algarve resort of Praia da Luz across the border to the Spanish town of Huelva to put up posters.

With them were Gerry’s brother John and a cameraman hired to take footage for the website findmadeleine.com.Once in Spain, the couple were followed around by an army of media.

Despite this, police are focusing on what they claim was a “missing two hours”. They are investigating the possibility Gerry and Kate either buried the body then — or returned to the site of a grave they made earlier.

On the road to Huelva Spain (The Sun)

It is the latest in a string of controversial theories by the Portuguese — many of which have been discredited. To bolster their latest idea — leaked to one of the country’s newspapers — police say it was: SUSPICIOUS the trip was postponed from the day before — because Gerry had intestinal problems.

“STRANGE” that the couple, from Rothley, Leics, chose to visit Spain on a national holiday when shops were shut.MYSTERIOUS that the McCanns racked up “unjustified mileage” in their Renault Scenic — hired 25 days after Maddie disappeared. Police are awaiting further tests on the car — in which they claim to have already found DNA linked to Maddie.

Leaflets: distribution began at 1pm (The Sun)

They are said to have met with Spanish counterparts to study CCTV showing the motor travelling in “places without reason.” Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for the McCanns, insisted: “The trip to Huelva was organised on behalf of the Find Madeleine campaign.”

A source close to the McCanns said that Kate and Gerry had a “new determination” to find Maddie. Yesterday the couple left their home in Rothley to take their two-year-old twins to nursery. Gerry told supporters: “It’s just over two weeks since we returned home.

The news in that time is we have not been charged with any offences regarding Madeleine’s disappearance.”Meanwhile Kate’s mum spoke of the toll the ordeal is taking on her daughter.Susan Healy, 61, said: “Like any mum I worry for her. She’s lost a few pounds but that’s only to be expected because of the constant levels of stress.“She’s coping from day to day and remaining strong.”

The couple's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, told Daily Mail “that Mr and Mrs McCann, both 39-year-old doctors from Rothley, Leicestershire, have a full account of their visit to Huelva. He said the couple were never alone during the trip and were always in the company of PR adviser Jon Corner and a cameraman.”

According to Clarence Mitchell, “there is even a video of the trip on the website YouTube, showing the McCanns handing out leaflets as part of their drive to find their daughter. Mr Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry stopped several times to distribute leaflets and they had the car boot open all the time."They transported all the campaign material in it. If there had been a body in there, people would have seen." Spanish authorities said yesterday they have not been asked to investigate the Huelva trip.

Spokesman Manuel Bago insisted: "There is no investigation involving Madeleine's parents in the province of Huelva (...)"

Gerry and Kate McCann in Huelva, August 3, 2007

2007-09-28T08:12:00.000+01:00

The Sun, September 28

Cops: Maddie buried in Spain

“(...) On August 3, the couple drove from the fateful Algarve resort of Praia da Luz across the border to the Spanish town of Huelva to put up posters (...) Once in Spain, the couple were followed around by an army of media (...)"

Sky News, August 2

Madeleine Push Delayed As Gerry Sick

Updated: 12:40, Thursday August 02, 2007

“A new push to publicise the search for Madeleine McCann has had to be delayed as the four-year-old's father is suffering from a stomach bug. Updated posters of Madeleine have been printed in the latest appeal for information. Gerry and Kate McCann had been due to travel to the Spanish city of Huelva to begin handing out the posters and meet politicans. The fresh campaign is timed to coincide with the upcoming 100-day milestone since Madeleine's abduction in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz. But the plans have been put on hold until Mr McCann has recovered from his illness (...)”

Sky News, August 3

Madeleine Campaign Shifts Up A Gear

Updated: 19:08, Friday August 03, 2007

Madeleine McCann's parents are distributing a new poster of the missing four-year-old. New poster distributed in Spain. Kate and Gerry McCann are in Huelva in Spain, close to the Portuguese border. They are putting up posters of Madeleine across the city exactly three months after her abduction. Madeleine's mother has already distributed the posters in shops around Praia da Luz, the Portuguese resort where she went missing.

Critical Estoppel

Madeleine publicity push delayed after Gerry McCann is struck by stomach bug

by WM on Thu 02 Aug 2007 18:58 BST

Madeleine publicity push delayed after Gerry McCann is struck by stomach bug. The latest push to find Madeleine McCann has had to be delayed because her father Gerry is suffering from a stomach bug. New posters of the four-year-old have been printed in the latest appeal for information and both Gerry and Kate were due to arrive at the Spanish city of Huelva to distribute them. However Gerry McCann, who was said to have returned home exhausted after his recent US trip, has had to put their plans on hold.

The Daily Sport, August 4

MADDIE'S PARENTS WAIT FOR DNA TEST

Experts check drink bottle after sightingYesterday, the McCanns travelled from Praia da Luz to Huelva in Spain. They put up posters of Madeleine and prayed in a cathedral there.

Jean Marie Lustiger

2007-09-28T04:01:00.000+01:00

Aaron Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger (September 17, 1926 – August 5, 2007) was a French prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Paris from 1981 until his resignation in 2005. He was made a Cardinal in 1983.
Lustiger's nomination was soon seen as a defeat by the French clergy whom supported the Second Vatican Council. He participated to the meeting of the Charismatic movement Comunione e Liberazione in Rimini in summer 1982.
Lustiger was a favorite of Pope John Paul II, partly because of his Polish background and partly because he staunchly upheld the Pope's conservative views in the face of much hostility from liberal Catholic opinion in France.
Grand cordon of the Lebanese Order of the Cedar, "Bailli Grand-croix d'honneur et de dévotion" of the "Sovereign Order of Malta" and had the "Grand-Cross of the Order of the Infant Henry the Navigator"

Madeleine : British mercenaries in action in Portugal, Morocco and Spain

2007-09-27T06:49:00.000+01:00

”Private investigators unconnected to Control Risk Group” hired by the McCann couple “are believed to be already working in Morocco, Portugal and Spain”, helping in the search of Madeleine McCann, according to The Times. Those “private investigators” are “freelance” former member of British Special Forces and, as a source close to the McCann’s legal team told the Daily Mail, "you wouldn't tangle with some of them. They're not pastry chefs, let's put it that way."

Gerry and Kate hired, in May, the Control Risk Group, a private security company with 600 employees all over the world, most of them former Special Air Service soldiers, MI5 and MI6 agents. Reports in the British Press said they had teams working in Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland, looking for Madeleine McCann and “doing some things that the Portuguese police can’t do.”

Private investigation of a crime, in Portugal, is also a crime, as the president of Portuguese Judges Union told The Times. Antonio Martins said that the McCann “could be charged with 'obstruction of justice' if prosecutors find evidence of a parallel investigation,”

Story deleted by Daily Express from its Web site

2007-09-27T05:39:00.000+01:00

Daily Express

NOW A 'PHOTO' OF MADELEINE IN MOROCCO
Wednesday September 26, 2007

A PHOTO has emerged that could prove Madeleine McCann is alive and being held in Morocco.

Interpol is investigating the picture of a very frightened blonde girl being carried by a gang of Moroccans.

It was taken from a car window by a Spanish couple in Zinzat, in the north of the African country on August 31. The group was walking along a road in the direction of Tangiers and the blonde head of the little girl can be seen behind a woman's shoulder.
Another previously unreported sighting in Morocco came to light yesterday. Another Spanish woman claims she saw Madeleine at the end of May but when she reported it to Portuguese authorities they told her: "It can't be Madeleine because we believe she is dead.
Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry are being kept informed of developments. The photograph is now in the hands of their London lawyers who are considering whether it should be passed to Leicestershire police and then the couple. The Spanish couple were so struck by her likeness to pictures they had seen of Madeleine that they emailed the image to police based in their home city of Albecete, in south-east Spain.

The little girl looked so similar to Madeleine that officers passed on the photograph to Interpol. Spanish Government official Jose Herrero Arcas confirmed the development. He said: “The National Police received a photograph by email taken by a young Spanish couple who believe it shows Madeleine McCann. The quality of the photograph is not very clear and it was taken from around 200 metres away. “However, the National Police are taking the claim seriously enough to have sent it on to their colleagues at Interpol.
I cannot give any more information than that.” Clara Torres, the Spanish woman who took the photo, told of the chilling moment she realised she may have taken a photograph of the little girl. And she said has spoken about it to the McCanns. She told Spanish radio station COPE: “I was taking photos of everything we saw, and we saw a group of people and took a photo. “As soon as I took the photo we were struck by the little girl, who was very blonde.
“We said the name of the girl, but we couldn’t believe it could be here. “When we arrived back in Spain we downloaded the card of photographs onto our computer.

“Then yesterday we heard on the news that there were various people who said they had seen Madeleine in Morocco. I ran to the computer, downloaded the photos and started to amplify the photo and when we saw it we realised yes, it could be her. It sent shivers down my spine. “The first thing we did was to call the police. They took a CD with all the photos. They told us they would take 10 to 15 days to get the results back from the photos. I thought that was a long time considering how important these photos are.”
The second sighting in Morocco to emerge yesterday – which brings the total to four – was made by a Spanish mother who told Portuguese detectives that she was convinced she had seen Madeleine – who disappeared in May 3 – in the north-eastern town of Zaio at the end of May. The witness said she spotted the girl being dragged across a busy street by a Muslim woman wearing a traditional headdress. She tried to give chase but lost the pair in a crowd. Her suspicions were immediately raised by the unusual sight.

The little girl, who was wearing a skirt and short-sleeved top, had her hair tied up and was wearing a hat. She became convinced it was Madeleine after seeing her face when a gust of wind blew her hat off. The witness, who asked for her identity to be kept secret, said: “I saw her face very clearly from close up and I know it was Madeleine. She looked very sad and scared. I shouted, ‘It’s the girl from the television!’ to my husband and ordered him to stop. “But by the time we pulled over and ran back to where she had crossed, they had both vanished.” She said yesterday: “I am totally convinced it was Madeleine and I cannot believe the sighting was not even investigated.”

The claim shows Portugese detectives had already abandoned the theory they were looking for an abductor as early as four weeks after Madeleine disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz. The two other Moroccan sightings of Madeleine took place on May 9 in Marrakech – one at a petrol stationn on the outskirts of the city and the rother at the nearby Hotel Ibis. Both accounts were given to the police independently and without knowledge of the other. Yet incredibly detectives in Portugal failed to follow either up at the time they were reported. A friend of the McCanns said: “Kate and Gerry believe the Morocco sightings were vital. They are furious they weren’t followed up properly by police. They should have been fully investigated and publicised.”

Other sites wher the story is reproduced and/or referred:

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1902290/posts
http://www.anorak.co.uk/madeleine-mccann/176572.html#comment-58007
http://www.recycledart.org/madeleine/node/1789

Jeannie Thompson also saw Madeleine McCann in Morocco, in May...

2007-09-27T03:37:00.000+01:00

Heartbreak for McCanns as girl in photo is revealed as farmer's daughter
By VANESSA ALLEN, SAM GREENHILL and CHRISTIAN GYSIN
Last updated at 00:30am on 27th September 2007

(...)

Yesterday another British holidaymaker came forward saying she had seen her in the Cafe des Epices in Marrakesh on May 11. Jeannie Thompson saw a little blonde girl looking "dishevelled" with a man who was taking photographs of her. Mrs Thompson, 56, a mother of one from Devon, thought immediately that something was wrong, but only reported it two weeks later when she was back in Britain.

"I was with a friend," she said. "The girl looked stunned, really shell-shocked. "We didn't know then about the Madeleine case, but we were both really struck by how this girl looked." The pair contacted Leicestershire Police when they heard about another possible sighting in Marrakesh and police took statements from Mrs Thompson in July but she has heard nothing since

Is this a picture taken from a bus driving at 60 km per hour?

2007-09-27T02:54:00.000+01:00

Daily Express: Gang of maroccans carrying a frightened blonde girl

2007-09-26T03:19:00.000+01:00

DAILY EXPRESS

NOW A 'PHOTO' OF MADELEINE IN MOROCCO SIGHTINGS: Madeleine

Wednesday September 26,2007

A PHOTO has emerged that could prove Madeleine McCann is ALIVE and being held in Morocco. Interpol is investigating the picture of a very frightened blonde girl being carried by a GANG OF MOROCCANS

EDITOR'S NOTE: DAILY EXPRESS DELETED THE STORY. SEE THE ORIGINAL PAGE AND THE FULL STORY HERE...

It was taken from a car window by a Spanish couple in Zinzat, in the north of the African country on August 31. The group was walking along a road in the direction of Tangiers and the blonde head of the little girl can be seen behind a woman's shoulder. (...)

Aerial view

2007-09-23T14:47:00.000+01:00

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Religion

2007-09-22T18:17:00.000+01:00

Father Jonathan Morris

Criticised strongly the decision of the Public Prosecutor to name the McCann as formal suspects, calling it a "tragic" decison
Fox News commentator for ethical and moral affairs
Member of the Legionaires of Christ
Religious advisor of Mel Gibson in the movie "The Passion of Christ"

Father Marcial Maciel

Founder of the Legionaires of Christ

Cardinal Murphy O’Connor

Suporter of the McCann
Organized the meeting with the Pope
Activist and supporter of Catholic Evangelisation Services
Personal friend of Jean Marie Lustiger, Arcebishop of Paris
Accused of covering up allegations of child abuse when he was Bishop of Arundel and Brighton

Father Haynes Hubbard

Took over, in May 19th, the Chaplaincy of St. Vincent's, which stretches along the entire Algarve coast, in Portugal
Comenting about the donation of Richard Branson to the McCann: "That’s absolutely wonderful.
If I had £100,000 I would give it to Kate and Gerry, too.”
Arrived in the Algarve on the weekend of May 5 with a mission to help heal the rift in the Anglican Church in the Algarve

Father José Pacheco

In charge of the Parish of Praia da Luz
"In the weeks after Madeleine’s disappearance on May 3, the (McCann) couple became extremely close to Catholic priest Father Jose Manuel Pacheco (...) they were even given their own key to the tiny church in Praia da Luz where they would go at all hours of the day and night to pray and spend private time alone."

Dr John Sentamu

Archbishop of York
Violent critic of the Portuguese Police and Justice system:
"With innocence we must also couple the need for evidence with which a reasonable jury is likely to convict prior to accusation (...)
"Unless a body is discovered, this remains an investigation into a missing person."

Father Marcial Maciel

2007-09-22T04:18:00.001+01:00

Founder of the Legionaires of Christ

Father Haynes Hubbard

2007-09-22T04:03:00.002+01:00

Father Jonathan Morris

2007-09-22T04:03:00.001+01:00

Fox News commentator
Member of the Legionaires of Christ
Criticised strongly the decisions of the Portuguese Public Prosecutor Luís Verão

Legionaires of Christ

2007-09-22T04:02:00.001+01:00

Philipe Green

2007-09-22T04:01:00.001+01:00

Richard Branson

2007-09-22T04:00:00.000+01:00

Mari Olli Pollard

2007-09-22T03:51:00.002+01:00

António Toscano

2007-09-22T03:51:00.001+01:00

Kate McCann

2007-09-22T03:48:00.002+01:00

Gerry McCann

2007-09-22T03:48:00.001+01:00

Critics

2007-09-22T03:47:00.001+01:00

Victims

2007-09-22T03:46:00.003+01:00

Criminals

2007-09-22T03:46:00.001+01:00

Celebrities

2007-09-22T03:45:00.003+01:00

Outsiders

2007-09-22T03:45:00.001+01:00

António Toscano
Clara Torres
Mari Olli Pollard
Naoual Malhi

Government

2007-09-22T03:44:00.001+01:00

Politicians

2007-09-22T03:43:00.000+01:00

David Hughes

2007-09-21T05:10:00.000+01:00

Public relations consultant
Liberal Democrat Party member
Press Officer for the McCann Family

Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu

2007-09-21T02:09:00.000+01:00

Archbishop of York
Launched a staunch attack against Portuguese Police, when he told BBC that "Kate and Gerry have been treated unjustly and inhumanely, because the evidence does not stack up at all. There is this great injustice which they feel is piled upon them."

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor

2007-09-20T18:14:00.000+01:00

Arcebishop of Westminster
Organized the Meeting of McCann couple with Pope Benedict XVI

David Payne

2007-09-20T06:53:00.000+01:00

Cardiologist and Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Leicester
Oganized the trip to Ocean Club

Martin Fricker, version one and version two: The Mirror against The Mirror...

2007-09-20T05:33:00.001+01:00

Martin Fricker, version ONE...

Daily Mirror

MADDY, 3 GOES MISSING
Agony as 3-yr-old vanishes from holiday flat Martin Fricker In Praia Da Luz and Rod Chaytor 05/05/2007

A HUGE hunt was going on last night for three-year-old Maddy McCann, feared snatched from her holiday flat
(...)
A 24-hour search by police, hundreds of villagers and British holidaymakers failed to find any trace of the child.
(...)
"The window shutters, which had been closed since we arrived on Saturday, were open along with the window.
They can be opened from the outside.
(...)
Mark Warner management denied there were signs of forced entry at the flat claiming instead that roller shutters had been slid up and the bedroom window opened.
(...)
Resort manager John Hill said around 60 staff and guests had searched until 4. 30am yesterday as police contacted border authorities, neighbouring Spanish officers and airports.
(...)
Mr Hill said: "It was a very emotional and very frantic night and everyone did a fantastic job of getting involved and trying to search the area. "There are a criminal investigator and around 20 officers here but unfortunately there's still no information. If I was in the McCanns' situation, I'd be frustrated as hell. If there were 100 police here I'd want more.
(...)
"Officers sealed off the five-storey holiday block with crime scene tape and fingerprinted the shutters and window sill outside Maddy's room. A patio to the rear of the block, believed to be attached to the family's two-bedroom apartment, was also sealed off. By late afternoon the hunt for Maddy had intensified with helicopter crews, firemen and maritime search teams involved. A special criminal investigation team from the Policia Judiciria was travelling down from Lisbon. Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said local police had been giving out maps and telling people where to look. She said: "It's very well organised. "

Martin Fricker, version TWO (After Alex Woolfall arrived at Paraia da Luz...)

Daily Mirror

CLUELESS
We reveal errors made by police in kidnap hunt for Maddy

Martin Fricker and Stewart Maclean In Praia Da Luz 09/05/2007

BLUNDER ONE: Officers failed to cordon off the holiday apartment where Maddy was snatched as soon as they arrived. Amazingly, other tourists were allowed to stroll around the crime scene up to 24 hours later - potentially destroying clues and contaminating forensic evidence.

BLUNDER TWO: Police did not "lock down" the Mark Warner resort where the youngster was staying with parents Kate and Gerry, both 38, and their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie. They refused to believe Maddy had been kidnapped and insisted she probably wandered off.

BLUNDER THREE: Border officials were not alerted until 12 hours after the snatch, meaning the kidnapper could have fled to Spain - only an hour's drive away from the holiday complex at Praia da Luz on the Algarve.

BLUNDER FOUR: Coastal patrols had to wait 14 hours to be told of last Thursday's snatch.

BLUNDER FIVE: Instead of amassing a huge force of officers to hunt for Maddy, just 150 were involved in the initial, badly organised searches. The scouring of 500 apartments did not begin until Sunday.

BLUNDER SIX: No direct appeal was made to the kidnapper in the hours after the crime. It was left to Maddy's distraught parents to publicly plea for help.

BLUNDER SEVEN: There were no officials posters of the missing child printed. Locals and Mark Warner staff produced their own. Police even refused to distribute pictures of Maddy until yesterday.

BLUNDER EIGHT: A complete list of guests at the resort was not gathered until Sunday, by which point many of them - potential witnesses - had left.

BLUNDER NINE: Police have still not identified any suspects, despite having the e-fit of a man with long hair which they showed only to locals. One restaurant worker said his wife saw a man fitting the description hanging around suspiciously outside their bar just 100 metres from the resort. BLUNDER TEN: A detailed description of what Maddy was wearing when snatched was not issued. In fact, Portuguese police have maintained a wall of silence, claiming privacy laws stop them from revealing many details about their investigation.

Index - Madeleine McCann's Disappearance and the Media

2007-09-20T04:56:00.001+01:00

What will be the next step in the British Media campaign to defend Gerry and Kate McCann ? 14.9.07
Daily Express: “Find Madeleine” campaign scaled down following advice from Gordon Brown – 29.08.07
The forgotten victim in the McCann case - 28.08.07
"Enfants Kidnapés": Antonio Toscano "not credible" - 27.07.07
El Mundo, July 12, 2007: Toscano and Portuguese CID are colaborating in Madeleine's abduction investigation - 16.07.07

(Back to Front Page)

Index - Special Reports

2007-09-20T04:53:00.000+01:00

Journalists acting like lemmings: British Media colective suicide - 11.09.07
Under the McCann's shadow - 01.09.07
Dangerous connections -26.08.07
Robert Murat was under close police surveillance since early hours in the morning of May 4 (20.05.07)
António Toscano, "satanic sects expert", "investigative journalist" and a hoaxer (17.06.07)

(Back to Front Page)

Why Kate and Gerry McCann are innocent

2007-09-20T04:49:00.000+01:00

Madeleine’s body can’t be found – Daily Mail
Samples were contaminated during collection on crime scene – The Independent
DNA results were wrongly interpretated by Police – The Telegraph
Portuguese Police framed the McCann, planting evidence – Daily Express

Gerry and Kate McCann: “Now we’re fighting for our lives”

2007-09-20T04:46:00.000+01:00

Gerry and Kate McCann: “Now we’re fighting for our lives”

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/0909_maddie.shtml

(News of The World site was redirecting all attempts to connect to this story to its actual main page. So, to read it, you have to copy the adress and past it to another window of your browser..)
“News of The World” – 09.09.07

Why Kate and Gerry McCann are "figthing" for their "lifes"

Police “is running out of budget and want to end investigation” – News of The World
Portuguese Judicial system “is more appropriate to break down the reputation of an innocent man than to identify those responsible”–McCann's lawyer, Pinto de Abreu, Daily Express
“The McCann may be victims of a miscarriage of Justice, if they are extradited to Portugal” – The Times
“The Portuguese hate (Praia da Luz, it) was quickly colonised by English second-homers (...) The locals were priced out long ago.” - Charlotte Ross, The Evening Standard

Index - Blogging about Praia da Luz (II)

2007-09-20T04:40:00.000+01:00

(Back to Front Page)

Madeleine McCann Disappearance

2007-09-20T04:23:00.002+01:00

November 15, 2007

New “intimate” footage show McCanns after Madeleine disappeared

“Most Wanted” special about Madeleine McCann

November 14, 2007

Bosnian police confirms – Blond girl from Medjugorje is not Madeleine

Forensic Science Service tests point towards the McCanns

A reason for the McCanns to hire private investigators

The McCanns prepare a “new campaign” to find Madeleine

November 13, 2007

Public Prosecutor's Office reacts to Roger Knapman's letter

All Roger Knapman threads deleted from Mirror's Forum

Madeleine McCann: British Intelligence services know more than Portuguese police

November 12, 2007

Lawyer from “Tapas 1”: “The lobby surrounding the McCann is frightening”

November 11, 2007

Philomena McCann: Madeleine could have been snatched by a Saudi paedophile

Clarence Mitchell called Policia Judiciária and demanded "McCann 'arguido' status lifted now”

November 10, 2007

Madeleine McCann spotted in Bosnia

PJ “lacking money” for Madeleine's investigation is McCann's lawyers “empty talk”

November 7, 2007

McCann friends breaking ranks

November 5, 2007

Another blonde Moroccan girl who is not Madeleine McCann...

Portuguese Police isn’t allowed to drop Madelein’s case

Moroccan government denies Metodo 3

600 hundred children missing in UK since May 2007

November 3, 2007

Paul Luckman, “Portugal News”: McCann are guilty of leaving the children alone

November 2, 2007

Gerry McCann send 14 written messages on the night of May 3

Missing children in Portugal: eight cases still open in the last 14 years

November 1, 2007

Moroccan police: Madeleine in Morocco just “doesn't make any sense...”

October 30, 2007

PJ detectives prepare for final steps of the investigation

Ocotber 29, 2007

Police back to Ocean Club apartment

Kidnapped American girl found in Morocco

Metodo 3 confirms: Madeline is alive and in Morocco

Metodo 3 or Murder Ltd ?

Ocotber 28, 2007

Spanish detectives: A Portuguese paedophile kidnapped Maddie

Professor Carolyn Hamilton: What the McCann did was wrong

Ocotber 26, 2007

Most calls to McCann hotline report Madeleine's sightings in Morocco

One more witness contradicts Jane Tanner statement

October 25, 2007

British citizen expelled from Morocco

October 24, 2007

Portuguese Police not informed by the McCann about the hotline in Spain

October 23, 2007

Jeff Edwards: Unconscious racism in UK about the Portuguese police

October 22, 2007

Lord Stevens, chairman of Quest Ltd, Corporate Intelligence & Risk Mitigation

Lord Stevens, Gordon Brown's adviser on international security issues

Lord Stevens: "Maddie's parents are innocent"

October 21, 2007

Run, Gordon, run...

Lord Stevens: another former police chief joining the circus

October 18, 2007

48 children missing from the care of local authorities in UK, in 2006

Petition to Gordon Browm: Equal protection to all British citizens

Anne Enright: "I am the very opposite of the McCanns"

British "experts": Child abusers in Portugal are "often left free"

Chief Superintendent Chris Stevenson: Portuguese Police is incompetent

October 17, 2007

Has Chief Superintendent Chris Stevenson commited a crime?

PJ request to Leicester Police: It's urgent to question again the McCann friends

October 16, 2007

Clarence Mitchell's conference at Coventry University: “Madeleine McCann,The Perfect PR Campaign”

A Nazi-inspired site willing to help “bring home Madeleine McCann”

October 11, 2007

Daily Star: The McCanns had Special Branch protection

October 10, 2007

Kate and Gerry McCann: "We Want New Police Chief To Clear Us"

One more former British Police Chief (and TV Reporter...) “investigating” at Praia da Luz

October 9, 2007

Computer-animated video shows crucial hours before Madeleine's disappearance

Paulo Rebelo is the new man in charge of Madeleine's case

Clarence Mitchell: The McCann could go back to Portugal "of their own accord"

FSS: “Everything that has emerged indicates that” Police investigation “is focusing where it should."

The Times and Daily Express publish opposite versions about DNA evidence

October 8, 2007

Leicestershire police: Portuguese police are "a bunch off incompetents"

October 7, 2007

McCann legal team want British police to carry out an independent review of the case

Manhunt expert discovered Madeleine’s DNA trail at the beach of Praia da Luz

McCann’s private detectives found new witness in Spain, Málaga

Forensic Science Service: Tests “have not provided a positive match to Madeleine.”

October 6, 2007

PJ detectives union filled a libel suit against two British Mediaorganizations

PJ spokesman and chief investigator accused of mocking Madeleine's parents

Britain’s longest-running missing person case: Genette Tate disappeared in 1978...

British cops launched an urgent hunt for a new suspect of Madeleine's kidnapping

BBC: Under Portuguese law it is not possible for the police to make a plea bargain deal...

Gerry McCann: "Madeleine is as close to the perfect child as you could get"

Police in court over shooting of innocent man

The investigation into the McCanns is running into the sand

Gerry McCann (05/Oct/07): "We did our first interview since returning from Portugal..."

The Sun: McCanns plea to talk as cop case collapses

Alex Woolfall: if the McCann "were acting they deserved an Oscar"

Gonçalo Amaral was in Huelva the day he was fired

Huge blunders made by Moroccan police

McCann could be questioned by British Police next week

British detective: naming the McCann formal suspects "was not a decision that would have been taken at all lightly"

The real reason why Gonçalo Amaral was sacked from the case

October 5, 2007

The maid made it: McCann "encouraged" by news about a suspected disgruntled maid, Clarence Mitchell said...

Gerry McCann vision and the Media campaign to find Madeleine

Gerry McCann and his experience inside Praia da Luz church: "I became a man possessed that night..."

Kate McCann: "I knew straight away she'd been taken"

British Police liaison officer: “I have arrested people for less than that...”

McCann lawyer Rogério Alves: “The Portuguese investigation will surely lead to a result"

October 4, 2007

Leicester Mercury readers raise 57, 000 pounds to help the McCann

Clarence Mitchell: McCann want to "refocus the inquiry on to finding Madeleine"

McCann hope Amaral replacement "will be a high-flying younger officer more focused on finding Maddie”

McCann hope new Police chief will “establish where the enquiry is” and “move it on"

Gonçalo Amaral removal gave the McCann "a sense of relief"

McCann happy to fly back to Portugal to meet the man who replaces Gonçalo Amaral

Parents hope sacking of Madeleine McCann police chief is turning point in probe

Psychic Kate Houston claims she has been in touch with Madeleine...

Leicester Police asked to question McCann's friends

PJ detectives against removal of Gonçalo Amaral

October 3, 2007

Madeleine's grandmother had “orders” to take the twins home if the McCann were charged

Portuguese Foreign Minister: “As a matter of principle, there are no exclusions in the summit between EU and Africa”

October 2, 2007

Madeleine's case: Luis Neves will replace Gonçalo Amaral

PJ national director's decision: Gonçalo Amaral is out from Madeleine's investigation

Police asked Interpol to investigate witnesses that claim they saw Madeleine

Madeleine must have been drugged, says grandmother

Clarence Mitchell's “relentless spin” and the “most ludicrous of all” Press reports about Madeleine

Gonçalo Amaral: British police only follows leads that are 'convenient' to the McCann couple

McCann's lawyer confirms: Kate refused to answer when questioned by Police

October 1, 2007

Portuguese journalists: “rags” with “no decency, humanity (...) or professional pride...”

3,800 comments about Madeleine posted on the Guardian website in a single day McCann clan gathered in Donegal before Madeleine disappearance

Seventh witness claims she saw Madeleine in Morocco

Kate's first words: "They've taken her, they've taken her!"

Kate's first words: “Madeleine’s gone, Madeleine’s gone!”

September 30, 2007

Clarence Mitchell informed newspapers about the picture of the Moroccan girl

Richard Branson: Portuguese press published “a load of garbage”

Maddie “kidnapped by disgruntled maid in revenge for her sacking”

British Press discovers the sixth witness that saw Madeleine in Morocco

Kate didn't left the twins alone in the apartment after she found Maddie missing

Friend of McCann gave back the hired card

How kidnappers passed Madeleine on to a “gang of Moroccans”

Morocco, colateral damage in the Madeleine case

Madeleine may be “in the hands of a gang of Moroccan traffickers”

September 29, 2007

Madeleine McCann? Don’t Believe Your Eyes

Daily Mirror: New suspect in stairwell Charlotte Pennington, a very helpful nanny

Martin Brunt hopes to “separate fact from fiction. Good. At last!”

Presidente of Portuguese Bar is missing in action

“Judge” Branson has already decided, we can go home

Fourth witness says she saw Madeleine in Morocco (06h56, September 26, 2007)

Daily Express :Interpol is investigating the picture of a very frightened blonde girl being carried by a gang of Moroccans (03H34, September 26, 2007)

Morocco Police and Madeleine' sightings: Witnesses reports had no consistency (10h08, September 25, 2007)

Police checked the trip to Huelva, on August 3: McCann couple “disappeared” for two hours in Spain (18H24, September 24, 2007

Moroccan picture: It's NOT Madeleine McCann (17h33, September 26, 2007)

Fourth witness says she saw Madeleine in Morocco (06h56, September 26, 2007)

Daily Express :Interpol is investigating the picture of a very frightened blonde girl being carried by a gang of Moroccans (Wednesday September 26, 2007)

Dai Davies (*) Director of Selectamark Consultancy: Portuguese Police is incompetent.. (12h40, September 23, 2007)

Dai Davies, former Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent: “I am afraid to say it is most likely Maddie is dead” (12h40, September 23, 2007)

McCann family asked to Control Risk Group to replace Police in the search for Madeleine (07h50, September 23, 2007)

British Police liaison officer surprised with the story of a 'hidden kidnapper': "Never heard the McCann talk about it with my Portuguese colleagues” (01h54, September 23, 2007)

Daily Express: McCann in ultimatum to Portuguese Justice, either charge us or clear our name (05h45, September 22, 2007)

Another invention from Team McCann: "Kate and Gerry have “been banned rom Barbara Walter' show because of threats from Portuguese Police" (20h58, September 28, 2007)

McCann couple refuses to take a lie detector test (15h39, September 28, 2007)

Madeleine : British mercenaries in action in Portugal, Morocco and Spain (06H38, September 27, 2007)

Clara Torres: From "If it's nor Madeleine, it's her twin sister” to “it's not 100 % certain..." (06h16, September 27, 2007)

Read the story about "a very frightened blonde girl being carried by a gang of Moroccans" that Daily Express deleted from it's web site (06h04, September 27, 2007)

Jeannie Thompson also saw Madeleine McCann in Morocco, in May... (03h50, September 27, 2007)

A question for Clara Torres: Is this a picture taken from a BUS driving at 60 km per hour? (02h56, September 27, 2007)

Moroccan picture: It's NOT Madeleine McCann (17h33, September 26, 2007)

Journalists acting like lemmings: British Media colective suicide (11.09.07)

Sky News was informed about Madeleine’s disappearance 30 minutes before Police (13.09.07)

DAILY MAIL DELETED THE STORY "Portuguese police admit Madeleine MAY have been abducted after all"... (21.09.07)

The Telegraph - McCann family stark ultimatum to the Portuguese authorities: “Put up or shut up...” (04h59, September 22, 2007)

Seven questions to the President of the Portuguese Bar, Mr. Rogério Alves (03h04, September 22, 2007)

O Globo Online (19H17, September 21, 2007) Brasil tem 40 mil 'Madeleines' a cada ano (Portuguese version)

Brazil has 40 thousand “Madeleines” each year (English version – Google translation)

Just to remember: Madeleine McCann’s parents were given a boost last night when David Miliband assured them of his full support (06.06.07)

This Is London: McCann have a “fearsome legal team of lawyers working for them” (00h18, September 22, 2007

Madeleine parents hire top Portuguese lawyer (00h18, September 22, 2007)

Clarence Mitchell about McCann being named as “arguidos”: “This is a travesty...” (September 9, 2007)

Fox News: Father Jonathan Morris (*) attacks Portuguese Public Prosecutor Luís Verão (22h07, September 21, 2007)

Sky News: Madeleine: Was there really an intruder? Or did Madeleine wandered out of the apartment and was taken by somebody? (22h07, September 21, 2007)

DAILY MAIL" spining completely out of control... (17h44, September 21, 2007)

Clarence Mitchell spining out of control Polícia Judiciária: Daily Mail news story “seem a strange fairy tale..." (09h04, September 21, 2007)

Daily Mail: Portuguese police admit Madeleine MAY have been abducted after all (09h02, September 21, 2007)

“The Mirror (16.09.07): British Police says the evidence the Portuguese police are gathering is legitimate and the investigation is progressing.” (06h44, September 20, 2007)

The People: Scotland Yard may take over investigation of Madeleine McCann disappearance - after British Army invades and conquers Portugal... (06h15, September 20, 2007)

David Hughes, McCann Press Officer, a well connected PR consultant (06h06, September 20, 2007)

Why have British taxpayers supported the expenses with some McCann's Press Officers? (06h05, September 20, 2007)

Clarence Mitchell’s team got Portuguese reinforcements (06h02, September 20, 2007)

Former Scotland Yard Commander is in Portugal “investigating Madeleine's disappearance” and reporting daily on GMTV (05h51, September 20, 2007)

Martin Fricker, version one and version two: The Mirror against The Mirror... (05h41, September 20, 2007)

Petition to help support Gerry and Kate McCann backfires (08h39, September 19, 2007)

PJ has a video with Madeleine, recorded in the afternoon of May 3 (08h29, September 19, 2007)

Gerry and Kate McCann: 'We can explain Madeleine's DNA in our car' (07h26, September 19, 2007)

Search for the body of Madeleine McCann to start within less than two hours (06h53, September 19, 2007)

Steve Bird and David Brown: Could the McCanns be prosecuted in Britain? (02h01, September 19, 2007)

The Times: "Sources in Britain" agree that “there is 'significant' scientific evidence linking Mr and Mrs McCann to their daughter’s death.” (03h42, September 19, 2007)

Portuguese detectives left to UK to follow the questioning of Kate and Gerry McCann (00h11, September 19, 2007)

A blatant lye from Paul Harris and Sam Greenhill, from the Daily Mail, about Portuguese police spokesman having quit over McCanns' treatment (11h20, September 18, 2007)

Clarence Mitchell, former head of Media Monitoring Unit: McCanns 'innocent victims of heinous crime' (03h39, September 19, 2007)

The McCann couple “have expressed fears that Portuguese detectives are attempting to frame them for Madeleine’s death.” (01h43, September 19, 2007)

Portuguese Police: “Doesn’t Gordon Brown have a job to do?” (23h24, September 18, 2007)
Belfast Telegraph: Time for the British Government keep out of a serious criminal investigation (16h14, September 18, 2007)

John Redwood, Tory MP: “The Mc Canns theory that the girl was abducted also needs evidence to support it...” (06H37, September 18, 2007)

Gerry McCann: Portuguese policemen “are imbeciles” (04H30, September 18, 2007)
The amazing quality of British journalism (19h31, September 17, 2007)

Chief-Inspector Olegário de Sousa: “Mr Martin Brunt story about my alleged resignation is completely false” (14h54, September 17, 2007)

Independent.ie: “McCanns appealed personally to David Miliband, Britain's Foreign Secretary” (18h13, September 17, 2007)

Channel 4: “McCann's legal tem wooried about Keela and Eddie, the sniffer dogs from South Yorkshire Police” (18h13, September 17, 2007)

Daily Telegraph: “The McCanns were between 50 m and 200 m away” from Ocean Club apartment (17h51, September 17, 2007)

The First Post: Clarence Mitchell, head of Media Monitoring Unit joins “The McCann Network” (17h50, September 17, 2007)

The Independent, 16h56, September 17, 2007:
Kate McCann: My Story - What really happened the night Madeleine vanished (Published: 05 August 2007)

The Telegraph: New allegations against McCanns (17h12, September 17, 2007)

Sunday Mirror: “The McCanns' team believe Portuguese police have a history of trying to cover up abductions (...) and throwing the spotlight of suspicion on the parents” (17h05, September 17, 2007)

Sunday Mirror confirms: McCann hired car was also used by Kate's cousin, Michael Wright (16h50, September 17, 2007)

Daily Express: Police to serch the holy shrine of Fátima (13h54, September 17, 2007)

Mark Williams-Thomas, WT Associates managing director and PR consultant: Portuguese Police used secrecy law as "an excuse for not doing proper detective work" (13h27, September 17, 2007)

The Guardian: Ian Woods, from Sky News is one of the McCann's “favourite journalists” (13h27, September 17, 2007)

Sky News: Thousands Show Their Support For McCanns (13h11, September 17, 2007)

Richard Branson pays McCann legal expenses (13h03, September 17, 2007)

Daily Mail: 48 % of British people believe that Madeleine's parents may have been responsible for her accidental death (07h44, September 17, 2007)

The Telegraph: Evidence obtained by South Yorkshire Police sniffers dogs “no more reliable than 'the flip of a coin" (07h29, September 17, 2007)

Matthew Oldfield, friend of McCann says British Police has bugged his mobile phone (10h14, September 17, 2007)

Former Scotland Yard Commander is in Portugal “investigating Madeleine's disappearance” and reporting daily on GMTV (07h42, September 17, 2007)

The Guardian: Pinto de Abreu, McCann family's lawyer denies any offer of a 'plea bargain to Kate McCann (07h59, September 17, 2007)

The Guardian: Philomena McCann “was wrong” about Portuguese Police offering a 'plea bargain to Kate McCann (07h59, September 17, 2007)

Portuguese Police sealed an animal crematorium near Monchique, 20 miles from Praia da Luz (02h54, September 15, 2007)

PORTUGUESE POLICE LOOKS AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT MADELEINE McCANN BODY WAS INCINERATED (14H47, September 14, 2007)

Wat is the name of Justine McGuiness PR company? (01h02, September 15, 2007)

Online petition to freeze the “Find Madeleine” fund until the conclusion of the case (22h58, September 15, 2007)

PR expert Mark Williams-Thomas: “huge doubt" about “the integrity of the Chief-Inspector Gonçalo Amaral” (22H35, September 15, 2007)

New PR manager in action: McCann launch advertisement campaign to look for Madeleine (22h12, September 15, 2007)

Mark Williams-Thomas, director of a PR company, confirms business links with McCann family and later denies it (20h04, September 15, 2007)

Sky News Crime Expert is director of a company for media handling and advice for high profile cases (04h55, September, 15, 2007)

Martin Brunt, Sky News: Local papers are “accurate” and “pretty clear” (14h48, September 15, 2007)
Cashing in on Madeleine's name: Fund managers asked for trademark registration (12h44, September 15, 2007)

A few questions to Mr. Matt Baggott, Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police (12h23, September 15, 2007)

Rachel Charles case: A professional campaign against Portuguese Police in full swing, in the Web and with the help of British Media (03h03, September 15, 2007)

What will be the next step in the British Media campaign to defend Gerry and Kate McCan? (21h03 , September 14, 2007)

Kate McCann's Madeleine diaries could fetch £1 million from publishers (21h14 , September 13, 2007)

SKY NEWS WAS INFORMED ABOUT MADELEINE'S DISAPPEARANCE 30 MINUTES BEFORE POLICE (13h17 , September 13, 2007)

“Find Madeleine” Fund gaves up search for Madeleine's abductors (9h11 am, September 13, 2007

Leicester head of CID spent an hour with the McCann family (September 13, 2007)

Police Warrant At McCann Family Home (September 13, 2007)

Leicester Police: Madeleine McCann enquiry is a Portugese police investigation (September 12, 2007)

Portuguese Prime-Minister: “It's a duty of all politicians not to contribute to 'feed' a 'soap opera script” (03h31 am, September 13, 2007)

Madeleine's case: Portuguese Prime-Minister launches a violent attack against British Government (2:59:00, September 13, 2007)

PJ asked British authorities to seize the original of Kate McCann's diary (20h12, September 12, 2007)

Portuguese Police investigations in Spain (19h39, September 12, 2007)

Kate McCann diary can be used as evidence in court (23H39, September 12, 2007)

Alberto Izaga charged with the murder of his two-year-old daughter, according to Scotland Yard

BRITISH MEDIA LAUNCHES A SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE McCANN

POLICE GOT A COPY OF KATE McCANN PERSONAL DIARY

Madeleine' case: Public Prosecutor says “international cooperation” will be needed

Mari Olli is married with Ray Pollard, born and raised at Groby, Leicester

MADELEINE McCANN'S CASE: POLICE PRELIMINARY REPORT DELIVERED TO THE MAGISTRATE IN CHARGE OF THE INVESTIGATION

DNA FORENSIC EXPERT: “100% DNA MATCH IS NOT POSSIBLE FROM A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW”

PORTUGUESE CID DIRECTOR: SKY NEWS STORY ABOUT MADDIE'S DNA 100% MATCH IS FALSE -

PORTUGUESE CID SPOKESMAN: "SKY NEWS STORY ABOUT MADELEINE's DNA IN VAN RENTED BY McCANN IS FALSE"

PORTUGUESE PJ (CID) DIRECTOR: MADELEINE's BODY IN THE CAR McCANN HIRED IS SPECULATION

MADELEINE McCANN DISAPPEARANCE: TRACES FOUND ON A SECOND APARTMENT AT OCEAN CLUB

BRITISH POLICE BODY LANGUAGE EXPERTS REPORT: KATE MAcCANN HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE -

PORTUGUESE CID PUTS PRESSURE OVER THE McCANN

DRAMATIC SUPRISES PROMISED FOR THE NEXT DAYS

CLARENCE MITCHELL: THE McCANN WANT TO CAME BACK TO UK SOON

MADELEINE'S GRANDFATHER ADMITS KATE “MAY HAVE USED CALPOL”

GERRY McCANN “WASN'T SURPRISED” THAT HE WAS NAMED AS A SUSPECT

THE CIRCUS HAS COME TO TOWN

THE SUN: JAILED CHILD MURDERER CASE “HAS SOME CHILLING ECHOES” WITH KATE McCANN

McCANN COUPLE REFUSED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT BLOOD IN THEIR RENTED CAR

GERRY AND KATE McCANN IN THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA : Kate McCann was offered a deal by police

Official confirmation: Gerry and Kate McCann are both named as “arguidos”

Kate McCann explains smell of cadaver on her clothes

(Back to Front Page)

Fund Managers

2007-09-18T19:54:00.002+01:00


Esther Mcvey	Name	Name	Name	Name	Name

Advisers

2007-09-18T19:54:00.001+01:00


Clarence Mitchell	Name	Name	Name	Name	Name

Friends

2007-09-18T19:48:00.000+01:00

Jill Renwick

Companies

2007-09-18T19:26:00.000+01:00


GMTV	Charles Street Buildings	AstraZeneca	Name	Name	Name

Media & PR

2007-09-18T19:23:00.000+01:00


Bell Pottinger	Alex Woolfall	Sheree Dodd	Max Clifford	Kirsty Wark	Penny Wark
Lori Campbell	David Hughes

Police

2007-09-18T19:13:00.001+01:00


Gonçalo Amaral	Name	Name	Name	Name	Name
Bob Small

Cientists

2007-09-18T19:13:00.000+01:00


Allan Jamieson	Name	Name	Name	Name	Name

Finantial Backers

2007-09-18T19:12:00.000+01:00


Richard Branson	Philipe Green	Name	Name	Name	Name

The Portuguese Connection

2007-09-18T19:11:00.000+01:00


Vitório Cardoso	Cabral-Mendes	Mari Alkatiri	Leandro Silva	Leonor Cipriano	Biranta
Justine McGuinness

Institutions

2007-09-18T19:05:00.000+01:00


Holyrood Grammar School	St. Mungo's Secondary School	Jewish Community Center	British Cardiovascular Prevention Society	Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)	Name

Praia da Luz

2007-09-18T19:04:00.002+01:00

Charlotte Pennington
Robert Murat
Sergei Malinka

Tapas'11

2007-09-18T19:04:00.001+01:00

Russel O'Brien
David Payne

Family

2007-09-18T18:57:00.000+01:00

John McCann

Philomena McCann

All The Names

2007-09-16T14:10:00.000+01:00

Gerry McCann and Kate McCann

PR expert Mark Williams-Thomas: “huge doubt" about “the integrity of the Chief-Inspector Gonçalo Amaral”

2007-09-16T04:32:00.000+01:00

Mark Williams-Thomas, a former policeman and managing director of WT Associates, a PR company specialized in child protection, media handling and advice for high profile cases, urged Portuguese police to ditch the case against the McCann – a case that he classified as “ludicrous” - and follow another lead that he thinks could take PJ to the real kidnapper.

The managing director of PR company WT Associates, who is usually introduced to Sky News viewers only as a “child protection expert” or “crime expert”, criticised Polícia Judiciária for not paying attention to “such a strong line of inquiry”. The PR expert referred that, even if “over 90% of murders are domestic-related”, he can’t “accept that Gerry and Kate as parents of the child could have been involved in her murder.”

For the managing director of WT Associates, “the answer to the case may lie in the disappearance of an eight-year-old Portuguese girl in 2004.” Joana Cipriano vanished from a village just seven miles from Praia da Luz, where Madeleine disappeared.

Leonor Cipriano and her brother, who had a incestuous relationship, were both sentenced to 16 years in jail, after appealing to Portuguese Supreme Court, for the murder of Joana Cipriano. Her body never appeared, but blood found inside the family’s refrigerator and the confession of Joana’s uncle were sufficient to convince the jury. Her case has been referred, by the British Media, in what seems to be an attempt to discredit Portuguese Police, comparing it with Madeleine’s case.

Joana Cipriano, who never confessed the crime, accused five CID officers of beating her. Later, she was not able to identify none of the five officers, when she was taken to a police line-up, behind a two-way mirror. The Public Prosecutor’s Office decide to charge the five CID officers ASFIC, the CID inspectors union filled a formal complaint against the Public Prosecutor's magistrate, because he didn’t included in the case's dossier the results of the police line up.

The fact that one of the officers accused in Chief-Inspector Gonçalo Amaral casts “huge doubt” to the managing director of WT Associates, who believes that Mr. Amaral should be ousted from the investigation of Madeleine’s case: “"Even if we work on the basis that he is innocent, given this allegation against him, he shouldn't have anything to do with the Madeleine investigation”, the PR expert told to Sky News.

Questioned yesterday, September 14, about his business relationship, as a expert also in media handling and advice for high profile cases, Mr. Mark Williams-Thomas initially confirmed that his company had a contract to provide services to the McCann. Asked to confirm some details of that business relationship, he changed his initial answer and denied any relationship, admitting only that he has “been in contact with the press officers for the family.”

We asked also to Sky News if they were aware of the fact that Mr Mark Williams-Thomas was also the owner and managing director of a PR company, as Sky News has invited almost every day, to comment about Madeleine McCan's case, introducing him only as a "child protection expert" or a "crime expert". We are waiting for Sky News answer to those questions.

Duarte Levy (Rothley) and Paulo Reis (Sevilha)

PORTUGUESE PJ (CID) DIRECTOR: MADELEINE's BODY IN THE CAR McCANN HIRED IS SPECULATION

2007-09-11T14:06:00.000+01:00

Alípio Ribeiro, Polícia Judiciária national director, said yesterday, September 10, that news about Madeleine's body having been at the boot of the car the McCann hired, 25 days after their daughter disappeared, are “speculative”: “We have no evidence at all that something like that has happened.

SKY NEWS , SUNRISE:

- 07h15, September 11, 2007 – ANDREW WILSON, (*) referred a report "from the SPANISH POLICE (...)" and said that "a police source confirmed that a full DNA match" of Madeleine McCann was found at the boot of the car the McCann hired more than 25 days after she disappeared.

- 07h30, September 11, 2007 – ANDREW WILSON, (*) talked again about DNA of Madeleine being found at the boot of a car, said that "it does seem there is some DNA” that matches Madeleine McCann's DNA, and "police interpretation" was that it was evidence that Madeleine's body was in the car the McCann hired, 25 days after the child disappeared.(*) Reporting live, from the CID headquarters in Portimão. (Published at 07h 38, September 10, 2007)

Paulo Reis, in Praia da Luz and Duarte Levy, in Leicester

JOURNALISTS ACTING LIKE LEMMINGS: BRITISH MEDIA COLLECTIVE SUICIDE

2007-09-11T11:09:00.000+01:00

Yesterday (September 10, 2007, at 8:26 pm), Martin Brunt (*), Sky News crime correspondent broke a big story: A full DNA match from Madeleine McCann was found at the boot of the car that McCann hired, 25 days after the child disappearance. Portuguese police believed this was evidence that the body of Madeleine was in that car and, Mr. Martin Brunt said, it was this evidence that prompted Portuguese police to name Gerry and Kate McCann as formal suspects (“arguidos”). The sources quoted were Portuguese police non-identified sources.

But, as Mr. Ian Woods explained, in a report following Mr. Martin Brunt breaking news, that DNA evidence means nothing: we spread DNA all over the places we are, our skin cells and hair can be found at any place where we have been. So, as the car was used by McCann family and Kate McCann was inside it, with Madeleine's pink toy – a toy full of Madeleine's DNA – the strongest evidence that Portuguese Police had to named the McCann couple as formal suspect, was zero. Even because a DNA sample couldn't indicate if the person was dead or alive.

But also yesterday (September 10, 2007, at 9.00 pm), Polícia Judiciária spokesman, Chief-Inspector Olegário de Sousa, on a formal statement, said that “Sky News story about Madeleine's DNA in the van rented by the McCann, is false.” Mr. Olegário said also that the he talked with Martin Brunt on September 10 afternoon, around 7.00 pm, but the Sky News crime correspondent didn't asked any question about DNA samples in the McCann van and that subject wasn't even referred during the conversation. “The content of that news is completely false”, the Polícia Judiciária spokesman said.

Later, the national head of Polícia Judiciária (Portuguese CID) said that Sky News story about a sample with a100% DNA match of Madeleine McCann having been found by Portuguese Police was false. Mr Alípio Ribeiro was invited, yesterday night (September 10, 2007, at 10.25 pm) to a popular TV program, at RTP, called “Prós E Contras” (“In Favour And Against”), where Madeleine's case was discussed by more than a dozen experts, including Professor Francisco Corte Real, a forensic scientist from Portuguese National Forensic Institute, Mr. Carlos Anjos, president of Polícia Judiciária Inspectors Union, Professor José Cabreras, a leading Spanish experts in reading facial expressions.

Professor Francisco Corte Real, deputy-director of Portuguese National Forensic Institute and a leading expert in DNA forensic analysis, said that “a 100% match in DNA analysis is not possible, from a scientific point of view". Professor Corte Real was in charge of a special Portuguese forensic team that made all analysis to samples concerning Madeleine's case that were done at Portuguese laboratories.

But the British Media preferred to follow Mr. Martin Brunt, instead of paying some attention to what the Polícia Judiciária national director was saying on TV. And around 11.00 pm, the front pages of most British dailies were a copy of Sky news story: a DNA match of 100% found at the boot of the car the McCann hired 25 days after Madeleine disappeared. It seems that nobody called a forensic expert to ask if it was possible, from a scientific point of view, with a blind trust in the source of this information. (To be continued)

(*) - Sky News references about Mr. Martin Brunt story:

Sky News story: 'Police Match Madeleine DNA To Hire Car'
Updated: 20:26, Monday September 10, 2007
Portuguese police say they have found firm DNA evidence that the body of Madeleine McCann was in the boot of the family's hire car five weeks after she went missing, sources have told Sky News (...)

Sky News video: Police 'Found Full DNA Match' In McCanns' Car
Portuguese police claim to have found a full DNA match which links Madeleine McCann's body to a hire car rented by her parents five weeks after she went missing. Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt has the latest.

Paulo Reis, in Praia da Luz and Duarte Levy, in Rothley

Version Française - Versão Portuguesa (brevemente) - 瑪德琳綁架案 – 中文新聞

MADELEINE McCANN DISAPPEARANCE: TRACES FOUND ON A SECOND APARTMENT AT OCEAN CLUB

2007-09-11T03:33:00.000+01:00

The Forensic Science Service, in Birmingham, is analysing several samples collected on another apartment of Ocean Club where, in the early morning of May 4, Portuguese sniffer dogs have signalled the presence of Madeleine McCann.A new set of results will be send to Portugal in the next days. Those results are considered “very important”, as Police expects they can confirm or, at least give strong indications about the presence of Madeleine McCan on the second apartment at Ocean Club. Among the samples of this new set of results are also traces of biological material collected at apartment 5A and in the house the McCann rented, at Praia da Luz, when they left Ocean Club, several weeks after Madeleine disappeared.

The last set of results received by Portugues Police has a low degree of reliability – between 50 to 60 % - which is not enough to be admitted as evidence, on a trial. However, they were useful to help to give more consistency to other clues that Polícia Judiciária, in a close cooperation with British Police, has been collecting during the last four months. A surveillance operation, for example, has been set up one month ago and all movements of the McCann couple were followed closely by Police.One of the first results to be ready was from blood specks found on the wall of the apartment from where Madeleine disappeared.
Those results showed that the blood was not from Madeleine but from a man and the Forensic Science Service preliminary report referred a 72 % degree of reliability. Other blood sample, collected from the floor of the same apartment, matched partially the genetic profile of the missing child, but with a lower degree of reliability, a little bit over 50 %, result that does not allow to say that it belongs to Madeleine.

On Thursday night, Gerry and Kate McCann knew already that they would be named “arguidos” or formal suspects the following day, after the questioning at Portuguese CID headquarters in Portimão. Before that, during meetings between the PJ Inspectors that have been directing this investigation and the British Police liaison team, which received several reports related with the case from Police forces in the UK, all information was checked, once more. The final decision was consensual: the line of inquiry that admitted Madeleine McCann could be dead – which Police first revealed on August 11 - was getting much stronger and the next step should be to name the parents as formal suspects.

Police hopes, now, that the new batch of results to arrive in the next days may have some indications about the area were Madeleine's body could have been placed. When a British Police special team was at Praia da Luz, on July, several samples were collected, in different places far from the Ocean Club, with the help of Eddie and Keela, the two specially trained dogs from South Yorkshire Police able to detect the scent of blood and dead bodies, even months after the incidents occurred.Meanwhile, Gerry, Kate and the twins took a plane, this morning, and are back in Rothley. Gerry McCann read a statement, upon his arrival, appealing to people to keep searching for Madeleine and "remain vigilant". The statement referred, indirectly, their legal situation as "arguidos" and made clear that they "played no part in the disappearance" of their "lovely daughter".

The McCan got the final authorization to go back to Rothley yesterday, late at night, after contacts between their lawyer, Carlos Pinto de Abreu, and the Public Prosecutor's Offcie.Family members, who have reacted with anger to the fact that the parents of Madeleine were named as formal suspects, adopted a much lower profile, after their arrival to Rothley. The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, told the Media that the British Government believed "the Portuguese police have the objective of solving this crime, and most importantly finding Madeleine, and that is what we in our support of the McCanns have tried to do as well." The British Prime-Minister Gordon Brown, who had, previously, shown a strong support for the McCann family, remained silent.

Published at Gazeta Digital front page on September 9, 13h30

Paulo Reis, in Praia da Luz and Duarte Levy, in Leicester

Portuguese CID puts pressure over the McCann

2007-09-08T23:17:00.000+01:00

Investigators form Polícia Judiciária are sure, now, that Madeleine McCann is dead but the results of the analysis from the Forensic Science Service are not strong enough to support charges against the McCann. So, the decision was to put pressure over Kate McCann, first, and than on Gerry McCann. The same strategy will be applied to the McCann friends that had dinner with them, on the night of May 3.

Yesterday, after fifteen hours if questioning, Kate McCann went out from CID headquarters already named as as formal suspect. The same would happen to Gerry McCann, eight hours later. But the long questioning didn't achieved the results PJ expected – to find exactly what happened to Madeleine, if she was the victim of an accidental death or not. Police doesn't have strong evidence about the eventual responsibility of the McCann couple in what happened to Madeleine but they are convinced – if the reliability of the results from FSS isn't challenged – that the couple has hide and transported a corpse.

The problem is that, after more than one month, Portuguese Police doesn't have yet the results for all the samples that were sent to Birmingham. That is the reason why Police can't go forward with the investigation and is not able to charge any suspect. The evidence used in the long questioning of Gerry and Kate McCann came from the results send from FSS, but also from the contraditions on the statements of McCann's friends, about what heppened on the night of May 3.

Kate McCann's explanations for the scent of a corpse in her clothes and in the pink toy of Madeleine seem to be quite solid. A source from the Health Center where she works, in Leicester city, confirmed that there was at least one case where the mother of Madeleine was in close contact with a dying patient, just a few days before she left to Portugal.

Meanwhile the Media "circus" reached unbelievable proportions, in Algarve. More than 200 foreign journalists were in front of CID headquarters and Police had to cordon off a large area in the city centre to allow them space to work. CNN has five teams in place and one the most famous TV shows, “The Larry King Live”, was broadcasted from Portimão, yesterday. The criminologist Moita Flores was critical about all of this Media attention which, in his opinion, may disturb the investigation, omparing it to what happened during the O.J. Simpson trial.

Duarte Levy and Paulo Reis

French Version

McCann couple refused to answer questions about blood in their rented car

2007-09-08T07:27:00.000+01:00

Gerry and Kate McCann refusal to answer questions about traces of bold found at the van they rented, almost one month after Madeleine disappeared, was the main reason they were named as “arguidos”, according to today's edition of Jornal de Notícias. Police sources quoted by the newspaper say they found this attitude “strange” as both parents of the missing child repeatedly said they were willing to “fully cooperate with the Police investigation”.

British Media Headlines and quotations

2007-09-08T02:43:00.000+01:00

McCann case dominates Portuguese press
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
Sympathy and suspicion — the case so
Times Online, UK
UK press shocked as McCanns named suspects
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Family rallies to support McCanns
The Herald, UK
Cops tie mom and dad to missing British girl's death
New York Daily News, NY
McCanns 'to remain in Portugal'
The Press Association
Madeleine parents 'will fight on'
BBC News, UK
Missing British girl's mother questioned again by Portugal police
Xinhua, China
Experts Stymied by Latest McCann Twist
The Associated Press
Could Kate McCann Be a Murderer?
TIME
Madeleine's mother 'named as suspect'
CNN International
Mother accused of killing Madeleine
The Press Association
Police identify new suspect in Madeleine case
Euronews.net, France
Portuguese police name new suspect in Madeleine case
Reuters
Police announce formal suspect in Maddie case
AFP
Portuguese police name Madeleine parents suspects
Reuters
Kate's shocked family and friends: This is a set-up
Daily Mail
The three crucial hours before the alarm was raised that Madeleine was missing
Daily Mail
The 17 key questions detectives may have asked Madeleine's mother
Daily Mail
Kate McCann: The claims and case for defence
The Telegraph
How couple helped to build ‘brand McCann’ into global phenomenon
The Times

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Christian Post

Missing Madeleine Case Takes Unexpected Turn

By Eric Young Christian Post Reporter

Fri, Sep. 07 2007 05:45 PM ET

Madeleine’s aunt said police suggested the missing girl might have been killed accidentally rather than kidnapped, as has been believed since Madeleine disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, a resort town in the southern Algarve region of Portugal, while her parents were dining at a nearby restaurant.

"They tried to get her to confess to having accidentally killed Madeleine by offering her a deal through her lawyer — 'If you say you killed Madeleine by accident and then hid her and disposed of the body, then we can guarantee you a two-year jail sentence or even less,'" Gerry McCann's sister, Philomena, told ITV news.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Daily Mail
A haunting question for all of Kate's supporters
Amanda Platell
00:42am 8th September 2007

As so often in this terrible case, it's the pictures that stick most keenly in the memory. Madeleine, bright-eyed and smiling, clutching two tennis balls to her chest in one of the last photos taken of her... Her parents, weighed-down by exhaustion and grief as they walked by the sea shore... Madeleine's pink "cuddle cat" held tight in her mother's hands as she attended mass each Sunday.

Now we have an even more haunting image: Kate McCann walking into the Portuguese police station for a second day of questioning, to be branded a formal suspect in her daughter's disappearance.

One can only speculate what mental torment she must be going through. But there are now surely two horrible possibilities. Kate could be being set up by a Portuguese police force, humiliated by its inability to find a single solid lead in Madeleine's disappearance. If that is indeed the case - as her friends fervently believe - or if she is simply the victim of yet more police incompetence, then it is surely appalling.

Despite their mishandling of the case so far, are the Portuguese police really so stupid and callous as to put Kate through this latest ordeal unless there remained questions only she could answer?

For Kate McCann's sake - and for those of us who have identified with her - we can only hope so.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Telegraph
Kate McCann: The claims and case for defence
By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter
Last Updated: 10:51pm BST 07/09/2007

Salacious reports of blood spots, intercepted phone calls and child sedation so far have been dismissed as nothing more than libellous slurs by the McCann family.

Now there is the very real prospect that Kate McCann be charged and tried over Madeleine's disappearance.

races of dried blood, said to be Madeleine's, have allegedly been found in a car hired by the McCanns 25 days after Madeleine's disappearance.

The blood is said to have been found in the boot of the Renault Scenic hire car after sniffer dogs were brought in by British police as part of a review of the investigation.

Tests by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham are thought to have indicated the blood may be Madeleine's.

Then last month there were speculative claims that the McCanns, both doctors, may have 'doped' Madeleine to get her off to sleep before they set off for dinner at a tapas bar near the apartment.

There were reports today that the police were questioning Mrs McCann about giving Madeleine a dose of a sedative.

Mrs McCann's lawyers will already have identified several huge holes in the theory that she could have killed Madeleine.

How, for example, could she have killed her daughter, removed her body from the apartment and hidden it while her friends sat just yards away in a tapas bar?

And how, four weeks later, was one of the most watched women in the world able to bundle a body into a hire car and dispose of it under the noses of her family, police liaison officers and the world's press?

The McCanns were among a party of nine people on the day Madeleine disappeared, in a resort full of tourists, and were never away from their friends for more than a few minutes at a time.

It would surely have been impossible for Mrs McCann to kill her daughter and hide the body in such a short space of time without being seen, not to mention returning to the restaurant as if nothing had happened.

The only other window of opportunity would have been in the two and half hours between the time when Madeleine was last seen alive and when the couple met their friends for dinner.

Most implausible of all, perhaps, is the suggestion that Mrs McCann returned to the place where she had hidden the body a month later, put it in the boot of her hire car and driven somewhere to dispose of the body.

Ever since Madeleine's disappearance the McCanns have been surrounded by friends and family, police officers and the media - are we to believe that she somehow gave them all the slip and buried her daughter or threw her out to sea?

Furthermore, could she really have gone through 127 days of constant interviews and media exposure without once showing any signs of guilt?

On a procedural level, a catalogue of blunders by the police, who failed to seal off the crime scene, would be likely to render any forensic evidence unreliable.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Times
September 8, 2007
How couple helped to build ‘brand McCann’ into global phenomenon
Skilful media handlers recruited celebrities and world leaders to a campaign driven by parents’ acceptance of the press as partners
Dominic Kennedy and David Brown

If the Portuguese police were sluggish about starting to search for the missing girl, nobody could accuse British spin-doctors and reporters of being slow off the mark in their hunt for headlines.

The McCanns dominated the news quickly. As doctors and young parents living a quiet provincial life, they had no experience of dealing with the media.

Fortunately, the Mark Warner organisation that runs the holiday camp where Madeleine disappeared was represented by one of the best PRs in the business.

Alex Woolfall is crisis management head at Bell Pottinger, the public relations outfit headed by the original sultan of spin, Lord Bell. Mr Woolfall’s main clients have included that other global brand Coca-Cola.

For the first fortnight after Madeleine disappeared, he was on the spot in Praia da Luz, acting as gobetween for the family and the growing pack of journalists.

In an unprecedented move, the Government took over news-handling on behalf of the McCanns. Sheree Dodd, a former Daily Mirror journalist and long-serving senior spokeswoman for the Government, was dispatched to Portugal. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office announced that she was being deployed as “press officer responsible to act as media liaison officer for the McCann family”.

After a couple of weeks, she was replaced by an even more prominent political figure. Clarence Mitchell, a former BBC News presenter now working as a senior government spin-doctor, became the voice of the McCanns. He was described formally as providing “consular support in exceptional circumstances”. His costs came to just over £6,000, and Ms Dodd’s are likely to be similar.

Justine McGuinness, a public relations expert, has been recruited, with the help of a headhunter, to become the McCanns’ private spokeswoman in Praia da Luz.

It’s not surprising, then, that the Daily Express has put Madeleine’s picture on its front page almost every day. Its previous favourite cover girl was that other British blonde who came to grief mysteriously in foreign parts: Diana, Princess of Wales.

Gerry and Kate McCann in the international news

2007-09-08T01:12:00.000+01:00

Missing British girl's mother questioned again by Portugal police
Xinhua, China - 1 hour ago
LISBON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese police on Thursday again questioned the mother of missing British toddler Madeleine McCann in Portimao, ...
Experts Stymied by Latest McCann Twist
The Associated Press - 2 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — The stunning news from Portugal that little Madeleine McCann's mother has been named a suspect in her disappearance evokes memories of other ...
Could Kate McCann Be a Murderer?
TIME - 3 hours ago
Kate McCann has been named as a suspect in the disappearance of her daughter Madeleine. Miguel Angel Morenatti / AP From a distance, Kate McCann looked like ...

Madeleine's mother 'named as suspect'
CNN International - 8 hours ago
(CNN) -- Police on Friday named Madeleine McCann's mother Kate a suspect in her disappearance, and said the girl's blood was found in a vehicle the family ...
Mother accused of killing Madeleine
The Press Association - 5 hours ago
Portuguese detectives have accused the mother of missing Madeleine McCann of killing her daughter. Kate McCann, 39, fears she could be charged over the ...
Police identify new suspect in Madeleine case
Euronews.net, France - 5 hours ago
Portuguese police say they have identified a second suspect in the case of missing
Madeleine McCann, after interviewing the British girl's mother. ...
Portuguese police name new suspect in Madeleine case
Reuters - 7 hours ago
PRAIA DA LUZ, Portugal (Reuters) - Portuguese police said on Friday they have identified a new suspect in their investigation into a missing British girl ...
Police announce formal suspect in Maddie case
AFP - 7 hours ago
LISBON (AFP) — Portuguese police said Friday they have declared a new formal suspect in the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, ...

Dream holiday that turned into a nightmare
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 26 minutes ago
By Richard Edwards Four months ago, Kate and Gerry McCann were an ordinary family on a one-week break in the Algarve. They chose a Mark Warner holiday ...
Portuguese law: naming an 'arguida'
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 26 minutes ago
Portuguese law differs in many ways from British law, but in one obvious respect it is exactly the same: if police had evidence to suggest Kate McCann was ...
We all so want to admire Kate McCann
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 40 minutes ago
By Andrew Pierce So it has come to this: Kate McCann is a suspect in the disappearance of her daughter. How could it be true? She went to see the Pope, ...

Being suddenly under suspicion will reinforce the feeling of being ...
Times Online, UK - 3 hours ago
Kate and Gerry McCann will probably be coping reasonably well so far with the pressure of suspicion, for the same reason that they have been able to behave ...
Global phenomenon that is ‘brand McCann’ may rebound on creators
Times Online, UK - 3 hours ago
The naming of Kate McCann as a suspect in the disappearance of her daughter is all the more shocking since she has become a symbol of mothers of missing ...
Kate McCann accused of killing Madeleine
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 3 hours ago
By Caroline Gammell in Portimao and Gordon Rayner Kate McCann has been warned she could be charged tomorrow with the "accidental" killing of her daughter ...

'Ludicrous' to suspect Kate McCann: husband
ABC Online, Australia - 4 hours ago
The husband of Kate McCann, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared from a seaside resort in Portugal in May, has hit out at Portugese police for treating his ...
Kate McCann: The claims and case for defence
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 5 hours ago
By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter Until today, salacious reports of blood spots, intercepted phone calls and child sedation were dismissed as nothing more ...
Madeleine's mother now a suspect
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - 5 hours ago
In a shock new development in the Madeleine McCann case, Portuguese police have named the British girl's mother as a suspect in her disappearance. ...
Portugal Police to Name Mother as McCann Case Suspect (Update3)
Bloomberg - 7 hours ago
By Camilla Hall and Brian Lysaght Sept. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Portuguese police will name the mother of missing British girl Madeleine McCann as a suspect in the ...

Villagers back Madeleine McCann's parents
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 7 hours ago
By Nick Britten In Rothley village square, which became a shrine for Madeleine with thousands of yellow ribbons, cards and cuddly toys piled high, ...
Madeleine's mother 'fears charges'
Guardian Unlimited, UK - 7 hours ago
Missing Madeleine McCann's mother has left a Portuguese police station amid fears she could be charged over her daughter's disappearance. ...
Madeleine: father faces police quiz
The Press Association - 8 hours ago
Missing Madeleine McCann's father has arrived at a Portuguese police station to face fresh questioning over his daughter's disappearance. ...
Madeleine's father blasts suggestions of wife's involvement
AFP - 8 hours ago
PORTIMAO, Portugal (AFP) — The father of missing British toddler Madeleine McCann dismissed as "ludicrous" a suggestion that his wife was involved in her ...

Police allege mother accidentally killed Madeleine: relative
ABC Online, Australia - 8 hours ago
Kate McCann and her husband Gerry, parents of Madeleine McCann, walk on the Luz beach in the southern Portuguese province of Algarve May 13, 2007. ...
Madeleine's mom a suspect - police
Independent Online, South Africa - 8 hours ago
London/ Lisbon - The four-month global search for missing British toddler Madeleine McCann took a dramatic twist on Friday when the girl's mother, Kate, ...
Maddy's mother named a suspect
The Australian, Australia - 8 hours ago
THE mother of missing four-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann was last night named a suspect in the investigation after traces of the girl's blood were ...
Kate McCann questioned by police
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 8 hours ago
THE mother of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann, will be made a suspect by police, a family spokesman said yesterday. Kate McCann was quizzed by police ...

Shocked response from friends and family
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 8 hours ago
By Caroline Gammell in Praia da Luz Friends and family of the McCanns have expressed shock at recent developments in the case. "Anybody who knows Kate and ...
Madeleine's mother guilty: police
The Age, Australia - 8 hours ago
PORTUGUESE police have suggested the mother of missing British child Madeleine McCann accidentally killed her daughter, her sister-in-law said yesterday. ...

'Blood in car' - Maddie's mother is now a suspect
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 9 hours ago
THE mother of Madeleine McCann, the British four-year-old who vanished in Portugal, will be formally declared a suspect in her daughter's disappearance - a ...
UK Girl's Parents Considered Suspects
Guardian Unlimited, UK - 9 hours ago
From AP By IAIN SULLIVAN AP Writer PORTIMAO, Portugal (AP) - The parents of a British girl whose disappearance sparked a global search will be formally ...

CORRECTION AND APOLOGIES

2007-09-07T13:58:00.001+01:00

1 – The late John “Jack” McCann, Labour MP from Rochdale, is not the father of Gerry McCann. Our apologies to both families for publishing this story all based in a wrong fact;

2 – After we (me and Mr. Duarte Levy) got the initial information, we checked with two persons who, because of their jobs, have the responsibility to clarify these kind of questions, coming from journalists and got a positive answer;

3 – After several emails and comments, all with the same message – we were wrong – we had a second talk with those persons and we heard the following explanations:
- One of the persons couldn't hear the phrase "from the Labour Party", in our question ("Late MP Jack McCann, from Labour Party, was the father of Gerry McCann?"), because of conditions of the place that person was, at the time we called;
- The second person misunderstood the phrase "from the Labour Party" and though we were saying "from Ireland", for similar reasons;

4 – After some time of reflexion, we decided to accept the explanations as plausible;

5 – Mr. Clarence Mitchell was not one of the persons we contacted, as some comments posted at our pages suggested. He was somebody who, as a family friend - one of above mentioned persons told us - could gave more details about who was Gerry McCann's father.

Paulo Reis and Duarte Levy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Late father of Gerald (“Gerry”) was a Labour Party high ranking politician

Jack McCann, father of Gerald (“Gerry”) McCann was an influential politician from the Labour Party, elected as a Member of Parliament in a 1958 by-election, in Rochdale, near Manchester. This campaign is in Media history books, as the first by-election to be covered by television. BBC has decided not to cover it, but Granada TV, an ITN franchise, decided to report the campaign. After the Labour Party smashing victory, Harold Macmillan, British Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963, decided to give his first TV interview as Prime-Minister, talking to a BBC program called “Press Conference” and on a ITV “Tell The People.”

Jack McCann (1910-1972) studied at elementary school and then at classes of the National Council of Labour Colleges and Workers' Educational Association. An engineer, he served as councillor on Eccles Borough Council in 1945 and was leader of the Labour Group. Elected in 1958 to the Parliament, in 1964 he was appointed to the Government's Whips' Office as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, than in 1966 as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, returning to be a Lord of the Treasury 1967–69.

The fact that Gerald (“Gerry”) McCann is the son of a late Labour Party high ranking politician may help to explain how the couple was able to build the Media machine that took Madeleine McCann case to all over the world, from the Vatican to near the White House. And also why there has been a connection so strong between the nº 10 of Downing Street and the father of the missing child. As we first referred, on August 26, it was the British Prime-Minster, Gordon Brown, who suggested to Gerald McCann, on the eve of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh Television Festival, that it was time to scale down the campaign to find Madeleine.

But in the last days there have been some signals that show the support for McCann family is starting to loose speed and strength. Gerald McCann gave an interview, on August 28, to the Independent Catholic News, where he felt the need to explain that the couple meeting with the Pope has nothing to see with his high profile campaign. Gerald McCann said that Cardinal Cormac, who was the middle-man who moved things in order to get that meeting, had told them that Pope Benedict would meet “other Catholic parents” in similar circumstances. "The cardinal made clear that it wasn't necessary to have a high profile media campaign to be given this opportunity," Gerald McCann told the newspaper.

Now, that Kate McCann could be charged in connection with her daughter disappearance, according to family sources and her lawyer, quoted by Sky News, some other strong supporters may be thinking twice. Like, for example, some of the hundreds of policemen who gave Gerald McCann, a standing ovation during the ceremony to present the Police Bravery Awards.

Duarte Levy and Paulo Reis

Version Française - Versão Portuguesa

Kate McCann could be charged today in connection with Madeleine's disappearance

2007-09-07T13:58:00.000+01:00

Kate’s lawyer told her she could be charged today in connection with the disappearance of her daughter, according to Sky News. Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's uncle read a short statement from McCann family and said they continue to believe in Kate and Gerry. Justine McGuiness, the Press Officer for the couple classified that possibility as “ridiculous” and “ludicrous”. Philomena McCann, sister of Gerald McCann, on a interview with Sky News, said that Kate was “furious” with those allegations.

Pictures from Ocean Club

2007-09-04T11:26:00.000+01:00

DNA測試只需6小時

2007-09-04T04:52:00.000+01:00

從葡萄牙『陽光海灘』搜集的樣本送達『英國刑事鑑識服務機構』已有一個月

『英國刑事鑑識服務機構』可以在6小時內完成DNA測試。所有的程序需時36小時，包括官僚步驟、完成報告初稿及最終報告。無論如何，在葡萄牙『陽光海灘』案發現場及其他地方搜集的樣本送達『英國刑事鑑識服務機構』已有一個月。

『英國刑事鑑識服務機構』的發言人在八月三十日向『星期日郵報』透露， «沒法知道何時可以將報告送回去 »。『星期日郵報』引述了有關實驗室資料來源： « 在進行樣本分析時遇到了難以想像的困難 »

最終調查報告已完成，『英國刑事鑑識服務機構』將會盡快把報告寄給負責調查該案的葡萄牙法院檢察署法官，同時亦會送達蘇格蘭場。

麥恩夫婦本來打算下星期回英國，但葡萄牙警方要求麥恩夫婦延遲回英國。葡萄牙司警告訴麥恩夫婦，一旦收到報告，有關調查會有很大的進展，可能需要再次傳召麥恩夫婦。

Duarte Levy and Paulo Reis

French version - English Version - Portuguese version

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Laboratório de Birmingham faz análises de ADN em seis horas

2007-09-04T04:44:00.000+01:00

Amostras da Praia da Luz estão no FSS há quase um mês

O Forensic Science Service (FSS) consegue fazer o trabalho laboratorial das análises ao ADN em apenas seis horas. Todo o processo, incluindo os passos burocráticos necessários, a realização de um relatório preliminar e do relatório final, demoram, em média, cerca de 36 horas. No entanto, as amostras recolhidas no local do crime, o apartamento 5A do Ocean Club e noutros locais da Praia da Luz, estão no FSS há quase um mês.

Um porta-voz do laboratório de Birmingham disse ao jornal britânico «Mail on Sunday», no passado dia 30 de Agosto, ser «impossível definir uma data concreta para a conclusão dos testes». Uma outra fonte do FSS, não identificada, disse ainda ao mesmo jornal que a análise das amostras recolhidas na Praia da Luz era uma tarefa de «incrível compexidade».

O relatório final das análises efectuadas a essas amostras já está pronto há algum tempo e será enviado, em breve, ao magistrado do Ministério Público que tutela a investigação. Uma cópia dos resultados será também enviada à direcção da Scotland Yard.

A Polícia Judiciária insistiu novamente com o casal McCann para que adiem o seu regresso a Inglaterra, previsto para o início da próxima semana. A PJ disse a Gerry McCann que, após a recepção dos resultados das análises, a investigação poderá dar «passos significativos» e será provável que a polícia precise da ajuda dos McCann, para poder avançar com a investigação.

French version - English Version - Chinese version

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有人在比利時城市Tongres見到英國失蹤兒童瑪德琳(2007年8月01日星期六)

2007-08-02T15:18:00.000+01:00

根據博客『SOS Madeleine』的法語報導：比利時警方發出素描圖：男子，約40歲，高1.8米，剃短髮，少鬍子。昨天，有人在比利時和荷蘭交界的城市Tongres見到一名女孩，其樣貌似英國失蹤兒童瑪德琳。那男子說法蘭德斯語帶荷蘭口音，他曾和一名說英文的女子在一間餐館的天台，行為詭異。在該餐館的證人說：那女子說話帶英國口音。

Friends of McCann questioned by Portuguese CID

2007-07-11T23:32:00.000+01:00

The three McCann friends questioned yesterday, July 11, by Police - Rachael Oldfield, Russell O'Brien, and Fiona Payne - refused to talk to journalists, when they left Portuguese CID headquarter, in Portimão. The spokesman of McCann family said, on a note released to the Press, that the three friends were pleased to help the Police in this investigation. An unidentified source quoted by Lusa, the Portuguese news agency, said that the questioning of the three McCann friends was a “routine procedure”. Robert Murat was also questioned, and left CID headquarter just before the three friends of Gerry and Kate.
Antonio Toscano, the Spanish “investigative journalist” that has been saying, for more than a month, that he knows the identity of Madeleine’s kidnapper, is again in Portugal and went to Policia Judiciária headquarter in Portimão, allegedly to give police more evidence about the person he says abducted Madeleine McCann.

Robert Murat questioned a second time by Portuguese CID

2007-07-10T16:01:00.000+01:00

Robert Murat is being questioned, since this morning, at Policia Judiciaria headquarters in Portimão. Murat is the only formal suspect named by police in the case of Madeleine McCann abduction. According to Portuguese TV channel SIC Noticias, his German girlfriend, partner of Murat in the Remigen real estate company, and her ex-husband are also at PJ headquarters, to be questioned. Both of them are named as witnessess in this crime investigation.

CORRECTION (July 10, 2007 - 18h23): Robert Murat is being questioned for the THIRD TIME. My apologies for the mistake.

Sightings of Madeleine McCann out of Portugal are groundless

2007-07-08T20:46:00.000+01:00

Portuguese authorities have dismissed as groundless all leads on sightings of Madeleine McCann in other countries rather than Portugal, namely in Morroco and Malta, said Polícia Judiciária (PJ), Portuguese CID, spokesman Olegário de Sousa.

The claims and reports of Madeleine or «look-alike» four years old girls sightings in Malta, Morroco and other countries were throughly checked and proved to be groundless, said Chief Inspector Olegário de Sousa, quoted by Diário de Notícias, a leading Lisbon newspaper.
All leads were followed up by the police but none turned out to be positive, reports Diário de Notícias in its Sunday edition. Further investigations are being carried out centered mainly on the area of Praia da Luz itself, said Mr. Olegário de Sousa. «The clue to this mistery is in Praia da Luz», according to other police source quoted by Diário de Notícias.
Madeleine disappeared from the holiday apartment where she was staying with her parents and brothers in Praia De Luz, Portugal, on 3 May. (08.07.07)

Bernard Alapetite: “On May 3, I was in Paris, May 4 in Brussels and I voted for the French presidential elections, at May 6, in Paris”

2007-07-03T16:51:00.000+01:00

The alleged "kidnapper" of Madeleine Mccann – according to the “version” of the so-called “investigative journalist” Antonio Toscano – was in Paris, at May 3, and has a judge, the bailiffs and other staff of a French Judicial Court as witnesses. Bernard Alapetite called today the owner of a blog in French, “SOS Madeleine Mccann” and said that he has several witnesses that can confirm were he was, between May 3 and May 6.
Alapetite rejected the accusations of Antonio Toscano and said that he “can't see what interest has Toscano for making those alegations”.
About the fact he served time in jail, Bernard Alapetite admitted that he was sentenced for selling porno videos with under aged boys, but he said he didn't produced those videos, just bought them from an Eastern European country and sold the copies.
“I was in Paris, on May 3, in Brussels on May 4, in Namur, on May 5, and I voted for the French presidential elections on May 6, in Paris”, he told to “SOS Madeleine Mccann”

Is Mr. Ian Herbert, journalist from The Independent, suffering from “parrot's syndrome”?

2007-07-03T04:51:00.000+01:00

There is a person – Ian Herbert - who considers himself a journalist and writes for The Independent, from London. He is so clever and knows so much about what he writes, that he managed to create something that doesn't exist: border posts between Portugal and Spain!

Mr Ian Herbert wrote on The Independent, on May 12: “The A22 motorway which cuts across the Algarve is 10 minutes away. At speed, the Spanish border is 90 minutes away. The border might have been sealed in time had the police been alarmed by the distress call from the Ocean Club. Instead, it took a desperate call to GMTV from a McCann family friend, Jill Renwick, to alert the British nation to the inaction.”

What you wrote, Mr. Ian Herbert, is fake, fraudulent and misleading. There are no border posts to be sealed, between European Union countries that signed, in 1995, the Schengen Agreement, which allows for the abolition of systematic border controls between those countries. How can you be so ignorant?

But Mr. Ian Herbert says that police was not alarmed by the distress call from the Ocean Club and “it took a desperate call to GMTV from a McCann family friend, Jill Renwick, to alert the British nation to the inaction.” That is a lie, Mr. Ian Herbert! And it is also fake, fraudulent and misleading. Are you lying or are you just repeating, like a parrot, something somebody told you, without checking it? Are you suffering from the same problem many other British journalists covering Madeleine's abduction have – what I call the “parrot's syndrome”?

Police precinct in Lagos was called only at 22.50pm, May 3 – almost one hour after Kate realized Madeleine had disappeared. They sent a patrol that arrived at Ocean Club 12/15 minutes later. I hope you can read this and explain to the few readers of Gazeta Digital that I'm wrong, when I admit the possibility that you were lying and that you were just acting like a parrot...

Mr Ian Herbert also talks about the fact that “CCTV cameras are few and far between here”. Let me tell you another thing that you don't know: CCTV cameras are so common in UK as ID cards are, in Portugal. And there more CCTV cameras in Portugal, than ID cards in UK. You don't have individual ID cards, in UK. It's a breach of your right to privacy and a risk for your freedom. UK government has been trying to introduce ID cards with no success at all.

In Portugal, every citizen, almost since he is born, has an ID card. We don't consider that it breaches any of our rights or freedom. But we consider that having CCTV cameras everywhere is against our right to privacy. So, Portuguese Law is very strict about putting CCTV cameras in public places. In private places, they need a permission from the authorities and there must be a clear signal saying that there is a CCTV camera and images of people going there are recorded. You see? You have learned something...

At the end of your story there is another misleading remark: “Friday 4 May: Police launch search, using sniffer dogs, and alert airports”. Police didn't started the search on May 4. They started it on May 3. Even before the morning of May 4, there were already sniffers dogs - local canine units from GNR - at Ocean Club. At 3.00am, May 4, several canine units left from Lisbon and arrived at Praia da Luz at dawn, to reinforce the units already searching for Madeleine. And they alerted airports and Border Police (a police that, nowadays works in airports and ports...)

At least, that's what Mr. John Hill, manager of Ocean Club said to your colleague Mark Oliver, from The Guardian. And Mr. John Hill was a privileged witness of everything that happened at Ocean Club, immediately after 10.00pm, May 3. So, are you telling the truth to The Independent readers? Because if you are, than Mark Oliver, Sandra Laville and Dale Fuchs, journalists from The Guardian, are lying. And Mr. John Hill, he is also lying.

Bernard Alapetite 執導的電影在英國影展展出 - 2007年6月30日星期六

2007-07-03T00:14:00.001+01:00

『倫敦19界同志電影展2006』在『英國電影學院』舉行，由Bernard Alapetite執導的電影 “兄兄我我” 榜上有名。
上述影展的贊助商都是國際著名的大型企業，其中有London Metropolitan Police、 Credit Suisse、Merryl Linch 、Goldman Sachs等；該影展『基金捐贈人』名單上還列有倫敦市長、加拿大政府及英國電影協會。

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Bernard Alapetite，綽號﹝法國佬﹞對本報說： “我最後一次到葡萄牙是1977年”- 2007年7月1 日星期日

2007-07-03T00:03:00.001+01:00

“我剛渡假回來，那些消息及指控真是荒謬！我並不認識你，但我要告訴你，我最後一次到葡萄牙是1977年”。這是Bernard Alapetite回覆本報的完整譯本。西班牙 “偵探”記者António Toscano指控﹝法國佬﹞是綁架瑪德琳的主謀。下列是本報向Bernard Alapetite提出的問題：
你是否綁架瑪德琳的主謀？
你認識António Toscano 或Reinaldo Colas嗎？
對於António Toscano的主控，你有何解釋？
Bernard Alapetite用電郵回覆了本報並拒絕接受訪問。
他成為成功的同志電影導演是最近的事，其執導的電影有：片名Vincent River, 2005年及2006年同部電影的DVD制作。其網站(La Garconniere)介紹了他出版印有少年相片的書籍。
其網站展示的少年相片在美國加州拍攝，相中的少年看來只有10至12歲。
Bernard Alapetite曾涉足政界，曾是極右同性戀刊物 “Gaie France Magazine”的其中撰稿人。被António Toscano稱為『法國佬』的他在該雜誌刊登了48張題為『沙灘男孩』相片：淋漓盡致的少年美！1992年，該雜誌被法國當局以“鼓吹戀童癖”為由而禁止向18歲人士出售；1993年該雜誌倒閉。
Bernard Alapetite亦是極右刊物Defense de L´Occidente的撰稿人。在1976年的其中一期雜誌裡，他的名字曾和著名的極右政客如José António Primo de Rivera 及René Faurisson 排列在一起。

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傳聞綽號“法國佬”(Bernard Alapetite)是綁架英國女孩瑪德琳的主謀 - 2007年6月28日星期四

2007-07-03T00:03:00.000+01:00

在首次與葡萄牙警方聯絡的兩個月後，西班牙“偵探” 記者Toscano昨天，即5月27日被葡萄牙Portimão警方傳訊。當記者問及其尋回失蹤兒童的成功個案時，(其之前聲稱，在15名失蹤兒童中，曾成功尋回14名)，他拒絕透露案發地點的詳情，只是說地點是歐洲；當問及被尋回的失蹤兒童的情況時，他說那是 “私人案件” 並拒絕回答。
由6月8日開始，António Toscano 不斷在十多份英葡報章聲稱：“法國佬” 是綁架英國女孩瑪德琳的主謀。
Bernard Alapetite，綽號 “法國佬”在1977年在法國警方展開的一次行動中被捕，該次行動共有323人接受調查、24被捕。Alapetite 以前是同志電影合法制作人，曾非法複製那些電影並以120美金一套出售。在2000年，當時47歲的Alapetite被法國西南部Macon法院判處3年徒刑。
在離開Portimão 警局時，Toscano 向記者透露： “瑪德琳在﹝法國佬﹞手上但仍然安全，瑪德琳父母不用擔心”。
António Toscano 及其朋友Reinaldo Colas 透露，﹝法國佬﹞出獄後，從操故業，在2005年，制作了一部同志電影： “兄兄我我”。

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Map from Leonor Cipriano "village": Figueira, near Portimão

2007-07-02T23:19:00.000+01:00

(click to enlarge)

Daily Express: Never allow truth or reality to kill a good story...

2007-07-02T17:49:00.000+01:00

“Daily Express” deserves the honor to be part of Gazeta Digital "Top Ten British Gutter Press News and Journalists” for what may be the most biased, incompetent and low-quality coverage of Madeleine's abduction (*).

Here are some of the reasons why “Daily Express” deserves this distinction:

1) “MADELEINE: POLICE CHIEF QUIZZED OVER TORTURE OF MOTHER”
Amaral is in charge of finding Madeleine McCann
Monday June 11,2007
By David Pilditch in Praia da Luz
A senior police officer investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been charged over a violent attack on the mother of another missing girl.
- First, it's “torture”. Than, just a “violent attack”. There is no difference between “torture” and “violent attack”?
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“Yesterday it was revealed that Goncalo Amaral is one of five officers formally accused of torturing a confession from Leonor Cipriano.”
- Not exactly. She never confessed the crime of killing her own daughter. His brother, with who she had an incestuous relationship (both were sentenced to 16 years in jail, for the killing of Joana...) said, in a letter sent from prison, that Leonor Cipriano has sold her daughter.
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“The investigation was surrounded in controversy. In echoes of Madeleine’s case, the hunt for Joana got off to a false start when police failed to seal off the house where she was last seen.” In the meantime, hundreds of police and friends of the family had trampled over the crime scene.
- False. Joana lived in the outskirts of a place near of Portimão (10 km from the city) that can't even be called a village – it's just five or six of roads, as can be seen in these maps. There aren't more than a few dozen friends and neighbours, in the surrounding area. Police who first arrived was GNR, the Portuguese rural police. The all “concelho” (a Portuguese administrative division) where Joana lived, Portimão, has an area of 183 square km and around 45 thousand inhabitants. All the Algarve disctrict has 1.847 GNR officers.
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“Mrs Cipriano alleged that she had been punched and kicked during the interview, which took place without the presence of a lawyer and without the public prosecutor’s knowledge. She lodged a formal complaint which was followed up by the public prosecutor’s office.”
- Partial information: David Pilditch just “forget” to mention that Mrs. Cipriano didn't recognized any of the CID officers that allegedly “tortured” her, on a Police line-up, where were the inspectors named by her as aggressors
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2) “WE KNOW MADDY MONSTER”
Sunday May 6,2007
By Matt Drake and David Paul
KIDNAPPED toddler Madeleine McCann is in the clutches of a paedophile, Portuguese police said last night.
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“But despite the news of a prime suspect there was mounting criticism of the Portuguese police’s failure to respond quicker and more decisively when the youngster was first found to be missing at 10pm on Thursday.”

a) The first call to Police Precinct of GNR (Portuguese Rural Police) in Lagos, reporting a missing child was made at 10.50pm and a patrol was sent, arriving at Ocean Club 12/15 minutes later, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Costa Cabral, Head of Public Relations of GNR (email: cg.rep5@gnr.pt - Tel: (+351) 213 217 046).
b)“(...) AROUND 60 STAFF AND GUESTS at the complex had SEARCHED UNTIL 4.40PM (May 4) WHILE POLICE NOTIFIED BORDER POLICE, SPANISH POLICE AND AIRPORTS (...) There is A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR HERE (1) in charge of the situation and AROUND 20 OFFICERS (..) Assisted by sniffer dogs, police, who started the search last night (2), were today continuing to comb the resort and the village. Detectives were also speaking to guests at the resort, asking if they had seen anyone acting suspiciously last night (..) Police helicopters flew over Praia de la Luz yesterday (3) as the hunt intensified for Madeleine McCann, who went missing from her bedroom in the apartment on Thursday night. Teams of officers used sniffer dogs to scour the resort, in the south-west of Portugal (..)
c) At one point yesterday morning (May 5) sniffer dogs were taken into the apartment where Madeleine had been sleeping (4) to pick up her scent before heading off around the Ocean Club complex and into the nearby village.
d) John O'Connor, former Scotland Yard Commander, told to “The Resident”, a English language published in Algarve, that there was a “high quality detective work in Portugal” and “dismissed any accusations” the Portuguese Police have faced. He said also that he does not believe that the police were too slow to put the borders on alert, and made a point very clear: “It is not possible to control the border such as the one between Portugal and Spain.”

(1) – Guardian Online, May 4, 2.30pm, by Mark Oliver and agencies;
(2) - Guardian Online, May 4, by Mark Oliver and agencies;
(3) - Guardian Online, May 5, by by Sandra Laville and Dale Fuchs;
– Daily Express, May 6, by Matt Drake and David Paul;

- “The Resident”, May 17, by Ruth Sharpe (ruth@portugalresident.com);

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“Meanwhile, Gerry’s sister Philomena slammed Portuguese police for not doing enough to find Madeleine’s faster. Speaking from her home in Glasgow she said Gerry was furious with the way the inquiry was being handled. “My brother is at his wits’ end. They’ve just played it down from the minute he first approached them.
a) Later, Gerry McCann expressed a completely different opinion: We are “receiving as much information, from Portuguese Police, as will will receive, from British Police, had Madeleine disappeared in UK”;
b) “His wife Kate goes to check on them again at 10pm and finds the shutter slid up, the bedroom window open and Madeleine gone. They carry out their own quick search for Madeleine but find nothing and inform the police. Fellow holidaymakers, staff at the resort and police spend most of the night (May 3 to Mat 4) searching frantically (1);
c) “At that Berlin conference, Gerry McCann had made it clear he was confident police were doing all they could to find Madeleine. During a live broadcast that morning he had said: 'We have had no doubts about the desire of the police to find Madeleine. (2) We have witnessed their efforts first hand and they're working harder than Kate and I.”
d) “Madeleine's parents (...) also praised Portuguese police for (3) "their hard work and determination" during the investigation.
– Daily Mail, June 28;
- Thisislondon.co.uk, June 7;
- ITV News, May 26;
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3) MADELEINE: NOW PSYCHICS ARE PROBED
Friday June 1,2007
By David Piditch and Matt Drake in Praia da Luz
Portuguese detectives struggling to solve the abduction of Madeleine McCann have resorted to investigating visions and “sightings” of the youngster reported by psychics.
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Officers in the Algarve have compiled two, three-inch thick dossiers containing e-mails and messages from clairvoyants who are convinced they know the location of the missing four-year-old girl.
a) “(...) detectives struggling to solve the abduction of Madeleine McCann” “probing” psychics. They also “resorted to investigating (2) visions and 'sightings' (...) reported by psychics.”
c) Mr Olegario, in this same story, is quoted as saying“ (...) he could not rule out the possibility that Madeleine’s captor will make contact through encrypted messages giving coded details about where to find the little girl” (3);
d) Not ruling out any possibility and analysing everything, before deciding what to investigate, are basic rules for any Police force, in a case like Madeleine's abduction;
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4) MADDY: NOW PORTUGUESE POLICE OBJECT TO 'MISSING' POSTERS
Saturday June 9,2007
By David Piditch and Matt Drake in Praia da Luz
POLICE in Portugal were at the centre of a new row today after members of kidnap victim Madeleine McCann’s family were manhandled by armed officers as they tried to put up “missing” posters.
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This is COMPLETELY FALSE. “We have been running an internal inquiry, since a few days, and until now there is no report of any incident involving members of McCann family, at all the three major airports in Portugal – Lisbon, Oporto and Faro” (1), Mr. Hipólito Cunha, Head of PSP (*) Press Office told today to Gazeta Digital. Philomena McCann, the aunt of Madeleine that is quoted by David Piditch and Matt Drake, is also quoted by Lusa, the Portuguese News Agency. She told Lusa that she and a cousin were placing the 'missing posters' after asking for authorization from the informations desk, “but they were stopped by two elements from a private security company”. (2) They told her that she need permission from the Airport management, before doing that. She made no mention about somebody being “manhandled” or “escorted from Lisbon airport by gun-toting police,” as David Piditch and Matt Drake wrote in the Daily Express.

(1) – Gazeta Digital, June 19;
(2) – Observatório do Algarve, May 9;
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5) DID KIDNAPPER SLIP OUT OF THE COUNTRY?
Monday May 7,2007
By David Pilditch
A 12-HOUR delay in alerting border police could have allowed kidnapped British three-year-old Madeleine McCann to have been taken out of Portugal.
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a) (...) AROUND 60 STAFF AND GUESTS at the complex had SEARCHED UNTIL 4.40PM (May 4) WHILE POLICE NOTIFIED BORDER POLICE (1), SPANISH POLICE AND AIRPORTS (...)

b) John O'Connor, former Scotland Yard Commander, told to “The Resident”, a English language published in Algarve, that "he does not believe that the police were too slow to put the borders on alert, and made a point very clear: 'It is not possible to control the border such as the one between Portugal and Spain.”

(1) – Guardian Online, May 4, 2.30pm, by Mark Oliver and agencies;

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6) COULD BRITISH POLICE HAVE HANDLED THE MCCANN CASE BETTER?
Sunday June 10,2007
A POTENTIAL witness in the Madeleine McCann mystery claims she has not been properly interviewed by police – even though she may have crucial information.
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“Norwegian Mari Pollard, 45, is “100 per cent certain” she saw the four-year-old at a garage in Marrakech, Morocco, on the morning of May 9, six days after she vanished in Portugal. She told the Sunday Express: “I contacted the police but no one has come to see me to take a statement. An Interpol officer rang me and asked for details and this is all I have heard. I’d go back to Morocco if it helps. I’m convinced it was her. I just wish I had done something. What do YOU think? Have the Portuguese police made a mess out of this case?”
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a) I sent a complaint to Press Commissions Complaints (1) (PCC) against Daily Mail, exactly for the same reasons and I will send, today, another complaint against Daily Express: the remarks of Mrs. Mari Olli Pollard about police not paying attention to her refer to Spanish Police. After several unsuccessful attempts to contact Spanish Police, MRS MARI OLLI CALLED BRITISH POLICE. It was BRITISH POLICE WHO INTERVIEWED HER AND HANDLED THIS CASE. She was CONTACTED BY KATY PETERS, FROM SCOTLAND YARD. She send a written statement to British Police, with all details of alleged sighting. British Police than passed the information to Portuguese Police, who contacted Mrs. Mari Olli several times and requested the help of Interpol, to ask Moroccan authorities to investigate the case.
– I won the case against Daily Mail. Assistant-Editor of Daily Mail, Charles A. Garside, wrote to PCC saying that Daily Mail has “drawn the error in to the attention of the Sub Editor concerned and have already corrected the headline”, which had, in his own words, “a potentially misleading point”. I accepted the explanation and considered the complaint resolved, in an amicable way (I have the link to the story, but now it's empty...)

7) MADELEINE: PARENTS LOST VITAL CLUES CLAIM POLICE
The police have turned on the McCanns
Monday June 18,2007
By Matt Drake
POLICE in Portugal searching for Madeleine McCann last night blamed her parents for destroying evidence that may have helped solve the case. Detectives said vital DNA samples were contaminated by the family during their frantic hunt to find the four-year-old on the night she vanished. The callous claim comes amid accusations that police in the Algarve bungled the 46 day investigation. In an attempt to deflect criticism, the officer leading the inquiry criticised the McCanns for searching their apartment in the first hour after Madeleine vanished.

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a) Only Mr. Martin Brunt, Sky News Crime Correspondent, wrote something more offensive and slanderous. It was also Sky News that made one of the worst manipulation of facts, reason why I complained to Ofcom. Madeleine family, dozens of other guests, and Ocean Club staff searched Madeleine inside the apartment and in the surrounding area, for almost one hour (50 minutes, to be exact). Only at 10h50pm, May 3, they called the Police precinct in Lagos. A police patrol arrived 12/15 minutes after the call. So, between 10h00pm until 10h50pm, Police was not in the crime scene – they were called only at 10h50pm, May 3. That is the reality, that is the truth. And it's truth also, that dozens of persons coming in and out from an apartment were a crime was committed, during more than one hour, DESTROYS ALMOST ALL FORENSIC EVIDENCE AVAILABLE.
b)The fact that things happened like this were clearly referred by Mr. John Hill, manager of Ocen Club, talking to Guardian and QUOTED IN A STORY PUBLISHED ON MAY 4, UPDATED AT 2h30PM : “Mr Hill said the police had been doing all they could. He said around 60 staff and guests at the complex had searched until 4.30am (May 4) while police notified border police, Spanish police and airports. "There is a criminal investigator here in charge of the situation and around 20 officers but unfortunately there is still no information," Mr Hill said. The spokesman said the apartment the family were staying in was surrounded by other apartments, all of which have "quite sophisticated" locks on the doors.”
c) The Guardian also wrote, quoting Mr. John Hill: “(...) "We are hoping that Madeline is found as soon as possible and safe and well." A Mark Warner spokesman said the Hotel did offer families a baby-sitting service, where parents can drop off their children for the night. There is a crèche above the hotel's reception which is open from 7pm to 11.30pm. "Those facilities were available but for whatever reason they were not being used," a Mark Warner spokesman said.
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8) HOLIDAY FLATS 'WERE NOT SEARCHED'
The McCanns at the Vatican yesterday
Thursday May 31,2007
By David Piditch and Matt Drake in Praia da Luz
PORTUGUESE police hunting for Madeleine McCann faced further criticism last night for allegedly failing to search empty apartments yards from where she was snatched.
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a) Guardian wrote: “Assisted by sniffer dogs, police, who started the search last night, were today continuing to comb the resort and the village. Detectives were also speaking to guests at the resort, asking if they had seen anyone acting suspiciously last night.” (May 4);
b) BBC: “(...) On Tuesday, Portuguese officers said they had quizzed 100 people and searched 500 apartments.” (May 10):
c) Thisislondon.co.uk: “(...) For the first time in five days, Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa offered some concrete information, disclosing that 500 apartments had been searched, as well as ten miles of fields and rivers. He said 100 foreign nationals had been interviewed.” (May 9)
d) Guardian: “(...) Five hundred apartments and an area nine miles around the resort of Praia da Luz on the Algarve, from where Madeleine disappeared, had been searched. Mr Sousa, clearly impatient, hit back at claims that the police operation was botched, saying: "We are doing everything we can." (May 9)

(*) - Note: A copy of this text will be sent to Press Commissions Complaints.

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"Top 10" Portuguese Press Gutter News and Journalists

2007-07-02T17:36:00.002+01:00

1 – Correio da Manhã: A different “key to solve the crime” almost every week...

Few days after Madeleine disappeared, Correio da Manhã (CM) revealed that “Polícia Judiciária believed they could find Madeleine alive in the next hours”. The edition of May 12 has a phrase we will see again, later: “They key to solve the crime is with nine British citizens, all guests of Ocean Club, that PJ is questioning”. Right. Next day, May 13, Correio da Manhã gave a more detailed explanation: “Revenge is the motive behind the kidnapping” and the revenge is related with something that happened, in the past, involving Gerry and Kate McCann: “The key to solve the crime (…) is with the nine British citizens who were questioned last Thursday and Friday”. CM quoted a non-identified source, close to the police investigation.

Only two days later, the nine British citizens that were holding “the key to solve the crime” disappeared from the newspaper pages. On May 15, Robert Murat is referred as “a predator” that, “CM knows”, was a regular visitor to web sites with sexual violence. “It is this 33 years old Englishman that Polícia Judiciária believes grabbed Madeleine from the bed were she was sleeping, taking her to the home where he lives with is mother”.

And the follow-up about Robert Murat brought “new leads” and a new suspect, on May 21: “The key to solve the crime may be with Romigen and Polícia Judiciária is investigating Genaro Gonzalez”, introduced as “The third friend of Murat”. Romigen was a company set up by Murat and his girlfriend, Michaela Walczuch. The name of the company has the first letters of their names – Ro(bert) Mi(chaela) – and the last two letters could be from GENaro Gonzalez, described as a man in his 50's. Genaro is not a suspect, says Correio da Manhã, “but PJ investigators insist in the relationship of these three partners with Sergei Malinka, the Russian web site designer who build the page of the real estate company (Romigen)”. Mr. Genaro Gonzales disappeared from the pages of Correio da Manhã after Gazeta Digital talked with him. He denied any connection with Murat and said that he was 29 years old - not exactly a man in his 50’s…

On June 19, Correio da Manhã wrote that the lead given by António Toscano is now a priority for Polícia Judiciária, and they were in close cooperation with Spanish authorities: ”Toscano is already working with Judiciária”, claimed the headline of that day. “CM knows that PJ has contacted, yesterday, Toscano, to prepare a meeting in Spain, as soon as possible, to try to find a man with strong connections to an international paedophile ring, known as “The French”, who Toscano believes was Madeleine's kidnapper”. A few days before, the newspaper had quoted António Toscano, who told that his lead “is the only reliable lead” to find Madeleine, who Toscano believed was still alive. Portuguese CID director made things clear, on June 30, saying that Antonio Toscano's information “does not deserve particular credibility” to Police.

2 – Diário de Notícias: The quotation that never existed

On May 23, Mr. Duarte Nuno Vieira, head of “Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal” (National Forensic Institute) said that the tests to the samples collected at Robert Murat’s house were inconclusive, because those samples have been contaminated. This was the version of Diário de Notícias (and also Correio da Manhã…), both quoting the head of INML. But, that same day, Mr. Duarte Nuno Vieira denied he ever said what the two daily newspapers wrote and explained that the results of the analysis could only be revealed to Police, by that Government department. Also, the analysis weren’t finished, so there were no results to be announced, he further explained.

(To be continued)