Hopelijk het laatste Maddy McCann topic, maandag is d-day.

quote:

Gonçalo Amaral and Hernâni Carvalho on TVI at 12:30pm Joana Morais
^{30 July 2008 Thanks to Joana Morais for review}
Mr. Gonçalo Amaral was asked several questions regarding the book 'Maddie: The Truth of the Lie'. Some contradictions in the case were explained, also possible reasons for the simulation of kidnapping and hiding of the body were advanced. Several aspects were covered relative to the dogs and their findings and were shown on the diagram produced by Correio da Manhã, which also appears in the book.

Diagram and Dogs


^{Diagram of the McCanns' apartment by Correio da Manhã}

Regarding the diagram, produced by Correio da Manhã, there are a few mistakes: for example, the sofa should be placed under the left window, there, exactly at the middle of the window, human blood and cadaver scent was found. The window in the twins and Maddie's bedroom, which is annotated in the diagram with a dog is wrong - the cadaver scent was found on the opposite side of the apartment, outside, in the small garden or backyard . Through investigation it was established that no one had died in the apartment prior to that day, so the scent and blood, which indicated a partial match to the genetic profile of Madeleine, provides the conviction that she was the one that died there. The closet in the McCanns bedroom was big enough to hide a corpse inside.

Jane Tanner's Inconsistencies and Kate's Finger Prints

When Jane gave her statement, she explained that she saw a man carrying a child, but she and some of the tapas witnesses failed to see the window of Maddie's bedroom open, which was the alleged window used by the alleged kidnapper to take Maddie. The first problem is that Jane Tanner was never seen at that hour, and minutes, and place by either Gerry McCann, who has said that he was coming out of the apartment, or Jeremy Wilkins. They have both stated that they never saw her. Second inconsistency is that the window was cleaned on the previous day by the Ocean Club employees, and the only finger prints (thumb and middle finger) that were found were the ones of Kate and it was evident through the position of the prints that the window was opened from the inside, to the left. Kate McCann stated that she never touched the window.


^{1. Maddie's bedroom window, 2. Route taken to enter apartments by front door}

Gordon Brown and the existence of Political Pressures

The British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown called the police counterpart of Mr.Gonçalo Amaral, in Leicester, to warn him that Gonçalo Amaral had been removed. Gonçalo Amaral was only given notice of his 'removal' from the case two hours after this call was made.

Madeleine's Right Arm and the Strange Mark

The issue was raised by Mr. Hernâni Carvalho. Madeleine's right arm has a strange mark, a mark which, according to what Mr. Carvalho has learned with Doctor Natália Vara, a forensic psychologist is not a sun burn - in that case more parts of her body would show signs of sun burnings and it has the signs of a hard slap or similar. The point here, is that interviews were conducted with the baby sitters at the Ocean Club crèche and none of them remembers this very visible mark on Madeleine's arm. There wasn't any statement from the parents regarding this fact. Therefore, the conclusion is that this was made after 17:30, after the parents picked Maddie up from the crèche on the 3rd of May 2007.


This issue and the montage of other pictures (photoshoped images) was raised in several forums and by Mr. Tony Bennet and you can read more about his findings in The Truth For Madeleine

On the Side

A question regarding the Tapas Friends and how many people were seating at the table dining when the girl disappeared was done to Gonçalo Amaral, he stated: 'It is not Known.' The dispatch of the archival of the process has 140 pages. Since there are no longer jurisdictional problems the neglect case can be tried in the UK.

Note: this notes were taken from the morning TVI Talk show in a section called 'Crime, He Said. (by Joana Morais)

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Gonçalo Amaral admits that investigators protected the McCanns Jornal de Notícias 27 July 2008
^{By Marisa Rodrigues 27 July 2008 Thanks to Joana Morais for translation}

For the first time since he began to talk publicly about the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Gonçalo Amaral, the co-coordinator of the investigation, analyses his own responsibilities in the outcome of the case and in the conduct of all the work of the Judiciary Police.

Of the pressures and constraints that they were anticipating, more than feeling, of the virtually unlimited autonomy in the carrying out of the diligences and even in the mistakes that he himself now assumes to have committed, particularly the group of investigators initial decision to show precaution with everything that concerned Kate and Gerry McCann. For fear of the reaction of public opinion. Today, he would not agree with decisions that he helped the group of investigators to take. In the book " Maddie, The Truth of The Lie " he does not say everything that he knows. A second book is not out of question.

Jornal de Notícias | Who has pressured the Judiciary Police (PJ) so that it could not advance with diligences?

Gonçalo Amaral | The pressures were immediately felt in the morning following the disappearance of the girl. The British consul in the Algarve went to the Judiciary Police to find out about the investigation, which is not abnormal. Shortly afterwards, it was the turn of the ambassador to go there. It is not a normal proceeding with all the English subjects. At least, I had never assisted a similar situation.

But were you prevented from advancing with the diligences that had been planned?

To me no one told me "do not do it". If that had happened the "broth would pour over" [Portuguese idiomatic expression meaning it would be over the top]. There my participation in that investigation would have ended. But we felt constrained.

In what way?

Notice. Soon after the visit of the ambassador, an announcement goes out referring the thesis of abduction.

Was it the ambassador who pressurised the PJ?

It was not that what I said. The pressure was felt in the team of investigators. When, in the heart of the group, if it was discussed the realisation of a determined diligence there was always someone who would say "Oh, oh, we have to be careful".

Who?

I am not going say names. If in the book I was careful to never give names, I am not going to do that now. It is one of those things that are kept. But in the group there were seven, eight, ten persons taking part, between co-ordinators, directors… When the question of the necessity of doing a determined diligence was raised, everything was discussed, namely, which was the importance, the objective that was wanted to accomplish and what were the consequences. And when there were issues that needed us to come even closer to the couple and the group of friends, one was careful for them not to be considered suspects so soon at that time, to prevent them from being accused in the public opinion, faced with the existing media pressure.

Are you saying that the PJ itself decided to protect them. Why so many precautions? It's natural to have suspects in a criminal investigation.

Because, at that time we would have been crucified by public opinion.

You were afraid of the media pressure…

No. We felt it was necessary to treat them with ‘tweezers’. I recognise what we were mistaken.

If you believed in the accidental death thesis and in the parents involvement what was the reason for you not to insist that determined diligences were done?

At the time when the arguments against were suggested they were considered valid for the whole group. It was the group itself that said "let us not go there".

If you didn't agree why didn't you close the door? It was your image, while co-ordinator, that was in question.

Those were not times for rebellions. I always worked in group. If the arguments were valid, one had to respect them.

Even without agreeing with them?

At the time I agreed because I considered them to be valid. Perhaps now, at a distance, I do not agree.

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McCanns pressure PJ Correio da Manhã (no online link, appears in paper edition)

Kate's notebooks – English diplomacy in defense of Maddie's parents
^{30 July 2008 Thanks to 'astro' for translation}

Couple didn't admit any responsibility in their daughter's disappearance and called the British ambassador, John Buck, to "take care" of the matter

When the Polícia Judiciária suggested that the apartment where Maddie had disappeared from might be contaminated, due to the responsibility of the parents themselves, who failed to immediately contact the authorities, thus allowing for several persons to enter the bedroom, the McCanns set the British diplomacy in action to "take care" of the matter.

"How does anyone dare to insinuate that our daughter's life may be in danger because of us?!" Kate writes in her notes dated June 17, showing she is "very angry". The McCanns didn't lose any time. "Gerry took the matter up". Madeleine's parents only needed to "call the ambassador" and a few hours later they had the guarantee that "the Portuguese police are going to publish a statement to clarify what was said".

"Olegário de Sousa was very embarrassed", Kate writes in her notes, after the couple stated that they were "prepared to do whatever is necessary" if the police didn't clarify Kate and Gerry's role in the investigation. Three days later, Kate writes that Olegário de Sousa needed to "wisen up" and reveals that she feels they are "going nowhere".

The "frustration" with the PJ starts being registered by Kate right after her daughter's disappearance. After an alleged sighting of Maddie in Morocco, on the 11th of May, Kate accuses the PJ of not having acted swiftly enough and of not doing everything that they can, given the fact that when they arrive in Marrakesh there are only images of the garage from the 14th onwards. "If the authorities had acted swiftly, we would now hold this potentially important information. She deserves better. We need everyone involved to give their best", Maddie's mother criticises.

Bed remained intact

One of the criticisms that is launched by Gonçalo Amaral in the book "Maddie, The Truth of the Lie", was the contamination of the apartment. The alert to the authorities was given very late and the GNR didn't protect the collection of the first residues, either.

When the PJ arrived at the house, everything had already been rummaged. There were hundreds of fingerprints spread all over the apartment, tens of useless residues that only made the lab technicians waste time.

One detail was, however, retained by the investigators. The bed where Maddie had allegedly been abducted from remained intact. The child's soft toy was also impeccably placed next to the pillow, in a scenario that seemed to have been set up. On the window through which Kate says the abductor took Maddie, there were only her own fingerprints.

Kate's notes:

"Frustration with a police employee: asking me where my little Madeleine might be…" May 14

"Very upsetting. If the authorities had acted swiftly, we would now hold this potentially important information. She deserves better. We need everyone involved to give their best" June 12

"How does anyone dare to insinuate that our daughter's life may be in danger because of us?" June 17

English attacked Gonçalo Amaral

Gonçalo Amaral, the coordinator of the Maddie case during the first five months, who never believed in the abduction theory, was harshly attacked by the English press – which is controlled and manipulated by the McCanns.

The former Judiciária inspector, who retired after a career of 17 years and published his theory about the disappearance of Maddie in a book, was removed from the case on the 2nd of October, the day of his 48th birthday.

When the investigation quit being focused on abduction, after the first DNA results and the action of the forensics dogs, Gonçalo Amaral was accused of being a "drunk".

The English tabloids, even the more temperate 'The Times', wrote that the Portuguese inspectors at the Polícia Judiciária, [who were] responsible for the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, had two hour lunch breaks, during which they ingested alcoholic drinks. Apart from the "well watered" meals, the British journalists accused Gonçalo Amaral of working only four hours per day.

The case which revealed itself as less of an investigation than a political and diplomatic process, ended up hastening the retirement of Gonçalo Amaral, who reports the pressures that he suffered, in the book 'Maddie, the Truth of the Lie'. The former coordinator of the process remains convinced that Madeleine McCann accidentally died on the evening of the 3rd of May, in the Ocean Club apartment where she was on holiday.

Manipulated press

The McCanns controlled the English press – which constantly attacked the Portuguese police – in order not to become the target of unfavourable news, and in exchange offered previously arranged photo shoots. This is admitted by Kate in her notebooks, namely on June 15, when she arranged "a photo shoot on the way to the church to pacify them". The editor of 'The Sun' newspaper guaranteed to Kate, on the 11th of July, that there would be no "adverse publicity". "She was really nice. Perfect solution", Kate concluded.

Tomorrow: How Kate managed the relationship with the twins.

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Enfants Kidnappés 30/07/08: Was Madeleine abducted?
^{Enfants Kidnappés 30/07/08}
Was Madeleine abducted?

On many forums we can read about the parents' delay in informing the police about Madeleine's disappearance. Certainly, the fact that the Brirish press was very quickly alerted is not normal. In the same way, it is not normal that the PJ Director should be disturbed in the middle of having dinner in Lisbon by a British diplomat asking him if he was aware of the disappearance while the PJ had not yet been contacted on the matter. However, the fact that the couple's friends and Gerry, with the exception of Kate who stayed to talk with a friend, had first of all looked for Maddie in the immediate vicinity, seems to me to be undoubtedly logical. It is totally natural that someone should first look for his child in the vicinity before alerting the police. The child could simply have wandered off. Only Kate was already talking about the idea of abduction.

What do the police do?

Once the police have been alerted to the disappearance of a child of Maddie's age, they immediately go to the scene. Once there, the police make contact with the family and try to obtain a clear description of the little girl as well as a photo. In the first instance, the police officers seek to eliminate various simple hypotheses. Unless one or several elements are present to support any crime, the procedure for an incident is followed. The family, the friends, passers-by etc are questioned informally. Thus they try to find out if the child could have left her bedroom. They try to find out if other children are missing in which case it could be supposed that they were together somewhere. The friends are asked if the child is not in their rooms. It is only later that it is realised during the hearings by the PJ that the friends have not been to see if their children are still there and that they have not checked to see if Maddie is in one of their rooms.

The police work with the statements from everyone without doubting their truthfulness. We are talking here about a lost child and not yet about a crime. There is therefore no valid reason to doubt the statements collected. If they are told that the rooms have been checked, the police don't go and check. Every minute counts. It is still about a lost child. If the initial searches find nothing, the police request reinforcements to organise a wider sweep. The idea of an accident is considered. From that time and as long as no other elements suggest the contrary, the search is for a child who is the victim of an accident. Perhaps she has fallen into a gully, a nearby river, a cellar, through a sewer manhole etc...The sweep begins. If at the end of the first phase of sweeping, no trace or clue as to where the child has gone is found, the phase called, "worrying disappearance," begins. This is when the police, in this case the GNR, call upon a more specialised service, which in the case we are concerned with is the PJ. From then on every hypothesis is studied, analysed, compared and all possible motives will be considered. This is the time when a security perimeter could be considered but, alas, too late in this case. In fact the parents' apartment has already been contaminated by continuous comings and goings, by dozens of people going in and out of the room, without taking into account that cleaning had been done in the room before the police arrived.

At this stage of the investigation, the PJ will proceed to countless hearings. They will continue to organise a search. They will look at the clues and contradictions in statements. They will proceed by elimination. We "close the doors," as the police say. The idea is to check every lead until it comes to a dead end. It can then be said that the door to that lead is closed.

Detectives to the rescue

There is a multitude of detective agencies of all kinds. As a rule, these agencies work mainly on simple investigations. Tailing an unfaithful husband/wife, background research on associates, family research, genealogy, etc etc. All detectives, those who are a little professional, will tell you: "As soon as the investigation becomes complicated or dangerous or verges on the illegal, in short when it stops being a simple investigation, the case is forwarded to the police who take over." Remember that our laws do not authorise detectives to be armed. That perhaps explains it. Sometimes, a criminal organisation is hidden behind the facade of a detective agency, practising blackmail, intimidation, illegal wiretapping, industrial espionage etc etc. This leads me to talk about the Spanish agency, Metodo3. Certain of that agency's detectives are suspected of extortion and attempted murder in the course of their work for the McCann couple. We will pass over without comment on the detective implicated for drug trafficking. All the same, we are still perplexed about the fact that this agency pays witnesses to state they have seen Madeleine as revealed by SOS Maddie.

Right, Madeleine was abducted and in that case, the attitude of Metodo3 is criminal. The act of claiming that Madeleine is at such and such a place, on the basis of false witness statements paid for by them, renders them complicit in the abduction. If Madeleine was abducted, their witness statements only blurr the tracks and that is criminal. If I were in the parents' place I would dismiss them on the spot.

Right, Madeleine was not abducted and indeed died by accident in the parents' apartment and in that case, the ludicrous attitude of Metodo3 has no other objective than trying to win over a section of public opinion to the idea defended by the parents, in trying to make people believe that Maddie is alive somewhere. And in that case we may wonder why they want to manipulate public opinion? What truth must be hidden?

The McCann law

Clarence Mitchell, spokesperson for the McCann parents, has stated that journals which publish the contents of Gonçalo Amaral's book, "The Truth of The Lie," were very brave or very stupid, implying that legal action could follow as well as damages and compensation that go hand-in-hand. Thus, Clarence Mitchell wants to muzzle all those who hold a different opinion to the parents' official one. Forums and blogs of all kinds could be their next target. Mr Mitchell should remind himself that we are in a state of law and not under a dictatorship. People have the right to express an opinion and to state their point of view even if it does not fall into line with the McCanns. As the editor in chief of Correio da Manha makes clear, there exists freedom of expression which, without offending anyone, still allows the writing and saying of different things to those said by the McCanns and by Clarence Mitchell.

Reminding Mr Mitchell, who seems to need it, that the archiving of the case is not a statement of absolution. This archiving does not clear the parents Gonçalo Amaral reminds us. In fact, Mr Mitchell, making war on all those who speak otherwise than you, who say other things whatsoever on forums, in journals or on blogs is pie in the sky. The laws being very different from one country to another, Mr Mitchell will very quickly be faced with the same problems as the police in fighting against paedophile sites. It is almost impossible to manage to muzzle all these sites. Of course, led by money, perhaps he could try to make an example of the UK to collect a little more money. Money which would go into the fund to save Madeleine, of course. Funds which may help to leave no stone unturned, save perhaps that of the reconstruction. What is there to be afraid of finding under that stone? Perhaps only....THE TRUTH. While the parents complain about not having been on holiday since Madeleine's disappearance, Clarence Mitchell wants to battle with everyone who does not speak the same language as him and the parents. What energy and time spent to impose his point of view. For nothing! Shouldn't that energy be spent in finding Madeleine or has she already been forgotten?

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Exclusive in English: Former 'Maddie Cop interview The Portugal News

Brendan de Beer Dated: 2/8/2008, Appeared online: 31/7/2008

In an interview staged only a short walk from the regional PJ police headquarters in Faro over the weekend, Gonçalo Amaral, the former leading detective in the case involving the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has an open and frank conversation with The Portugal News. Lambasted by the British media, and ignored by much of the Portuguese written press since the launch of his controversial book last week (which the Correia da Manhã newspaper has assisted in promoting), Gonçalo Amaral explains his reasoning behind certain methods of investigation, and stresses his actions to date have not been to accuse anyone, rather, he argues, his focus has been about the pursuit of truth.

The Portugal News: Did you leak information about the investigation to the media?

Gonçalo Amaral: I never had anything to do with leaks. We have to look at from where these leaks could have originated. A number of entities worked with us during the investigations and we cannot rule out the possibility that some of these leaks originated in Britain. As a matter of fact, when the FSS handed over their report to Portuguese police, we kept it under wraps, but a British daily was the first to appear with extracts of the FSS's findings.

TPN: But how does that explain that some sections of the Portuguese press have printed confidential information that later proved to be accurate?

GA: Perhaps they had good sources of information, but we cannot conclude that they were given information by police in the Algarve.

TPN: The report leaked last week says that Gerry and Kate were made arguidos on the "merest possibility" that they were involved in the disappearance of their child. Is that accurate?

GA: They were made arguidos on suspicion of two crimes: concealing a body and simulating an abduction and potentially the crime of abandonment. But saying they were made arguidos on the merest possibility that they were involved in the disappearance of their child is not true. The conclusions reached by the team investigating the crime, including colleagues in Britain, are the same as the five points I mention at the end of my book. Perhaps the conclusions reached in this latest report were made to facilitate the archiving of the case and findings were put across in a mild manner. Once you gain access to the case files, you will find that it was not due to a mere possibility.

TPN: What do we know about Madeleine's disappearance?

GA: She was here on holiday. There is obviously no doubt that Madeleine existed. There is also no doubt that she went missing. The scheme employed to visit the children does, to a large extent, not correspond with the truth, it was probably used to safeguard the view that the children were safe [in the apartments on their own as their parents dined at the Tapas restaurant].

TPN: How often were the children checked upon?

GA: One of the first lines of the investigation was to interview the party that was on holiday with the McCanns to establish this.

TPN: What did you find at the apartment?

GA: No signs of forced entry. There were no signs of glove marks on the window. We compiled a report of the evidence we collected, but we are not here to accuse anyone.

TPN: Do you think more could have been done before archiving or closing the case?

GA: In my opinion, a number of things are still lacking: We should have continued investigating the parents in order to either charge them or rule them out as suspects. If I represented this couple, I would have insisted that police investigations continue. Not everything we do is to incriminate a suspect. Often a phone will be tapped in order to obtain information that will clear a suspect.

We worked long hours discussing a number of potential explanations for Madeleine's disappearance; we did not insist solely that she had been abducted.

TPN: You say that politics prevented you from doing certain things during the investigation. What were those actions you would like to have taken?

GA: I found the intervention of the [then] British Ambassador strange, as besides the British Consul in Portimão already being involved in the case from the first morning of Madeleine's disappearance, all diplomatic channels had been opened and were functional. With the arrival of the Ambassador, my colleagues and I thought it was odd, and to a certain extent made us feel limited in our investigations.

TPN: Did you ever receive orders to investigate in a certain manner?

GA: No we did not receive any orders. I don't like talking about orders. But we felt limited.

TPN: Did the police offer a plea bargain to Kate McCann?

GA: No.

TPN: But did you not suggest she consider a plea bargain?

GA: We only explained the nature of certain crimes. Her lawyer was there, you can ask him.

TPN: Did Kate and Gerry McCann answer all the questions that you posed to them as fully as possible?

GA: Up until being declared an arguido, Kate, at the request of her lawyer, co-operated. When questions became of a nature that could incriminate her, she was made an arguido, her rights and duties were read out to her in English and thereafter she opted for the right to remain silent.

TPN: And Gerry McCann?

GA: He answered all questions, before and after being made an arguido.

TPN: When did the police first learn of the intention of the McCanns to leave Portugal?

GA: With the arrival of the sniffer dogs, I think back in August, the couple started showing a keenness to leave the country. As for these dogs, I have not seen or heard any scepticism in Britain, contrary to Portugal.

TPN: How can you explain the theory that Kate and Gerry used their hire car in the disappearance of their daughter when it was hired 25 days after she vanished?

GA: I don't know. I was not the one who hired the car.

A bodily fluid was detected in the trunk of the car which was similar to that of Madeleine McCann in 15 of the 19 indicators of her profile.

TPN: Has this evidence been investigated further?

GA: No.

TPN: Why not?

GA: You will have to ask my former colleagues that question.

TPN: What evidence was there that someone had been watching apartment 5A prior to Madeleine’s disappearance?

GA: We spoke to a number of people who came forward.

TPN: Anyone suspicious mentioned in these statements?

GA: No. Perhaps just a British musician we later tracked down.

But in a reconstruction, witness testimonies, such as that of Jane Tanner and others, including restaurant workers, could be clarified further.

TPN: At what stage did you become suspicious of the McCanns and why?

GA: There were a number of inconsistencies detected during the first interrogations.

TPN: Such as?

GA: We were initially told by the parents that when they checked on the children they would use the front door. But Kate later said they used the other door. Because had they used the front door, they would have detected someone had forced their way into the room [where Madeleine and the twins had been sleeping].

But during these initial rounds of questioning, my team and I believed these inconsistencies were due to the McCanns and their friends trying to cover the fact they had left their children unattended, along with their possible lack of trust in the Portuguese police. This had a lot of weight for me in the beginning, especially as the law in Britain is far tougher concerning the abandoning of children.

TPN: Did you look into sex offenders, and what was the outcome?

GA: It is very difficult that a paedophile pre-selected Madeleine. It had to be very well planned. But all known sexual predators were investigated.

TPN: Did you have any evidence that Robert Murat and the McCanns or their friends knew each other previous to Madeleine's disappearance?

GA: We tried to confirm this, but along with the assistance of the British police, we were unable to establish any connection. But we looked into all possibilities. Robert Murat purchased a last-minute ticket to come to Portugal a couple of days before Madeleine went missing, perhaps as it was cheaper to do so. But we had to investigate whether or not his visit coincided with Madeleine's disappearance a couple of days later and whether he had been contacted to come here.

TPN: How do you see the lawsuit that you might face over your book?

GA: My book is based on facts. It could be a good occasion to take all the case files to court and compare what I wrote with that which is contained in the files.

TPN: What next lies ahead for you?

GA: I have had a number of proposals, but in October I am intending on starting my practical training as a lawyer, as I already have a law degree, but never practised. Brendan de Beer Edition: 970

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Op donderdag 31 juli 2008 21:17 schreef kahaarin het volgende:

[..]

Die kleintjes waren ook pas 2 toen Maddy verdween, ik kan me voorstellen dat ze het niet meer zo goed weten, ze missen haar nu al hun halve leven, een jaar is veel voor kinderen in die leeftijd...
[..]

ik heb mijn hoop ook meer gezet op Amaral, wat hij allemaal zegt kan best eens een boel gevolgen gaan hebben, vergeet niet dat de man zelf advocaat is, hij zal niet iets gaan opschrijven wat niet juridisch afgebakend is, CM kan janken wat hij wil maar als de bevindingen van Amaral kloppen mag hij ze neerzetten.
Die secrecy die de McCanns zo desperately willen opheffen gaat natuurlijk 2 kanten op.

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Access to Madeleine's investigation files – Details and rules
Two layers from Mr. Pinto de Abreu office started to analyse the files, in the Court of Portimão, this morning. The McCann lawyers requested the Public Prosecutor Office (PPO) to reserve the access to the files (meaning the papers) only for lawyers and arguidos, during a certain period of time. I could not confirm exactly that period of time, some sources said it will be around one month. It makes sense, because you can't have 8 or 10 lawyers, more 30 or 40 journalists poring over the same paper files, at the same time.

Anyway, journalists can request copies of all the files, before that period of time ends. They just need to go to Portimão and file a written request, with a DVD enclosed, to the PPO. They will have a DVD copy in a few days. Requests from journalists will be processed from Monday, August 4, and it's expected that it takes between 2 to 3 days to get the copy. After the above referred period of time, journalists will also have access to the paper files.

No access will be given to what seems to be a small part of the files. Several lawyers I talked with, told me it's normal that personal data from people that has been investigated and ruled out of any relation with the case, is kept confidential.

quote:

Process available on Monday

The complete process concerning the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will be made available to anyone who manifests a legitimate interest, from Monday onwards. That group includes the parties (arguidos, witnesses and lawyers) and also journalists, due to the fact that this is a process of manifest public interest. Yesterday, the court invited everyone who had already made a requirement for the process to deliver a CD at the secretary’s office, so the digitalized process can be copied onto it.

From September onwards, the process will be available to the general public, and the investigation will be subject to the most rigorous scrutiny. Still, the judge’s decision ends up being surprising, due to the fact that this case involves a minor, and there would always be legal artifices that would allow for the investigation to be ‘barricaded’.

Lawyers want priority access to the documents

Carlos Pinto Abreu and Rogério Alves, the lawyers that represent the McCann family in Portugal, have requested the Portimão court for priority in the access to the process. The lawyers have ensured that the access for the general public was postponed, so they can access the original process and not a digital format. source: Correio da Manhã, 01.08.2008, paper edition by astro

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Discover the differences Correio da Manhã

Matter of fact

Gonçalo Amaral, Ex-coord. investigação Criminal
^{02 August 2008 - 00h30}

"A criminal investigation does not have to be politically correct."

Those who knew me through social communication got an opinion based on my connection with the so-called Maddie Case. During the investigation and after being removed, I was a target of the most terrible accusations from the British press, some local commentators and a man named Clarence Mitchell, whose role is not very well understood. On the eve of the publication of the book you already know, this gentleman was sending me threats : "that I should take care" - I was stunned!

Let me make it clear that I consider this to be an unacceptable tone, coming from a citizen of the oldest democracy in the world. Take care, why? Because I might step on a banana peel while walking? Is Mr Mitchell concerned about my health? I do not think so. We all perceive his threatening tone.

In Portugal, we are not used to people speaking that way. Nor is this the view we have of the British people, but there are always some people that fall out of standards. A criminal investigation need not be politically correct, nor fear veiled threats. The book only contains facts and contains no indictment. So the differences stand out." (bron)

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The 48 questions that remained unanswered - Correio da Manhã

Investigation – What the PJ inspectors wanted to know

When she became an arguida, Kate stopped talking to the inspectors

September 7, 2007. Kate McCann entered the Polícia Judiciária in Portimão in the morning and the questioning extended into the evening. She was heard as a witness, but the tension in the air was evident. For the first time, people were concentrated at the PJ building’s door and murmured words of mistrust regarding the couple.

On that day, CM had reported that the dogs had detected cadaver odour on Maddie’s mother’s clothes. A piece of evidence that the authorities intended to use as a trump, during a questioning that only changed course on the next day, after the PJ failed to see their doubts clarified.

Kate began by replying all the questions, but when she was made an arguida, she stopped talking. She went silent, in the company of her lawyer, and accepted all the insinuations in a provocative manner. Less than 48 hours later, Kate and Gerry travel to England with the twins, leaving the investigation into the disappearance of their daughter, who meanwhile had become four, behind.

They later guaranteed that they would return if necessary – which they never did, although they were never formally requested to return – and they are no longer arguidos for the suspected involvement in concealing the child’s body. Today, CM reveals the 48 questions that Kate did not want to answer during the interrogation and which reflect the investigators’ doubts. More than a year after Maddie disappeared, many of these questions remain unanswered.

Jeers for the McCann couple

The day that Kate and Gerry went to the PJ’s offices in Portimão marked a turnaround in the relationship between the local people and the couple: the curious bystanders that spent the day on the street jeered at Maddie’s mother and father, mainly criticizing the “absence of visible suffering” from Kate. The foreign press also attended in great numbers.

The Judiciária’s 48 questions that Kate did not answer

1 On the 3rd of May 2007, at around 10 p.m., when you entered the apartment, what did you see, what did you do, where did you search, what did you handle?

2 Did you search in the couple’s bedroom’s closet? (said she would not reply)

3 (Two photographs of her bedroom’s closet are exhibited) Can you describe its contents?

4 Why are the curtains in front of the side window, behind the sofa (photograph is exhibited) ruffled? Did someone pass behind that sofa?

5 How long did the search that you made in the apartment after detecting the disappearance of your daughter Madeleine take?

6 Why did you say straight away that Madeleine had been abducted?

7 Presuming that Madeleine had been abducted, why did you leave the twins alone at home while you went to the Tapas to raise the alarm? Even because the supposed abductor could still be inside the apartment.

8 Why didn’t you ask the twins at that moment what had happened to their sister, or why didn’t you ask them at a later point in time?

9 When you raised the alarm at the Tapas, what exactly did you say and what were the words?

10 What happened after you raised the alarm at the Tapas?

11 Why did you do to warn your friends instead of calling out from the balcony?

12 Who contacted the authorities?

13 Who participated in the searches?

14 Did anyone outside of the group learn about Maddie’s disappearance during the following minutes?

15 Did any neighbour offer you help after the disappearance?

16 What does the expression “we let her down” mean?

17 Did Jane mention to you that she had see a man with a child that night?

18 How were the authorities contacted and which police force was called?

19 During the searches, and already with the police present, in what locations was Maddie searched for, how and in what manner?

20 Why didn’t the twins wake up during that search, or when they went to the upper floor?

21 Who did you call after the facts?

22 Did you call SKY News?

23 Did you know about the danger of calling the media, because that could influence the abductor?

24 Did you request the presence of a priest?

25 How was Madeleine’s face publicized, with a photograph, or other media?

26 Is it true that during the search you remained seated on Maddie’s bed without moving?

27 How did you behave that evening?

28 Did you manage to sleep?

29 Before the trip to Portugal, did you comment on a bad feeling or a bad premonition?

30 What was Madeleine’s behaviour?

31 Did Maddie suffer of any disease or did she take any kind of medication?

32 What was the relationship like between Madeleine and her siblings?

33 What was the relationship like between Madeleine and her siblings, her friends and her colleagues at school?

34 Concerning your professional life, in how many and in which hospitals have you worked?

35 What is your medical specialty?

36 Did you work by shifts, in emergency rooms or in other departments?

37 Did you work on a daily basis?

38 Did you stop working at a certain point in time? Why?

39 Do your twin children have difficulty in falling asleep, are they unruly and does that upset you?

40 Is it true that at certain times you were desperate over your children’s attitude and that left you were upset?

41 Is it true that in England you considered the possibility of handing over Madeleine’s guardianship to a relative?

42 In England, did you give your children medication? What type of medication?

43 Within the process, you were shown films of cynotechnical inspection of forensic character, where the dogs can be seen marking indications of human cadaver odour and equally human blood traces, and only of human origin, as well as all the comments that were made by the responsible expert. After the visualization, and after cadaver odour was signaled in your bedroom next to the wardrobe and behind the sofa that was pushed against the living room window, you said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said?

44 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of human blood behind the sofa by the detection dog

45 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of cadaver odour in the boot of the vehicle that you rented a month after the disappearance?

46 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of human blood in the boot of the vehicle?

47 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, upon being confronted with the result of the collection of Maddie’s DNA, which was analysed by a British lab, behind the sofa and inside the vehicle’s boot?

48 Did you have any responsibility or intervention in the disappearance of your daughter?

The question that she answered

Are you aware of the fact that by not answering these questions you may compromise the investigation, which is trying to find out what happened to your daughter? She said yes, if the investigation thinks so.

Process becomes public tomorrow

From tomorrow onwards, the entire investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine will be made available to the arguidos, to the witnesses, to the lawyers and also to the journalists, because it is a case of manifest public interest.

The process, which was archived on the 21st of July, will also be available to the general public, a situation that will allow for an authentic scrutiny of the work that was developed by the Polícia Judiciária. This decision, which came as a surprise due to the fact that the case involves a child, was only announced at this point in time, after the Portuguese lawyers for the McCann family, Carlos Pinto de Abreu and Rogério Alves, requested the Portimão Court for priority in the access to the process.

Last Wednesday, the Court had requested the interested parties that had already asked for the consultation of the process to leave a CD at the secretary’s office, given the fact that the process will be supplied in a digital format.

The archiving of the investigation into the little girl’s disappearance, which happened on the 3rd of May 2007, in the Algarve, precipitated the lifting of the judicial secrecy, which had been extended precisely until the month of August. source: Correio da Manhã, 03.08.2008, paper edition by astro, Joana Morais

quote:

Opinion piece News of the World (no online link, appears in paper edition only)
^{Carole Malone 03 August 2008}

GONCALO Amaral, the Portuguese detective whose bungling contributed much to messing up the hunt for Madeleine McCann, has written a book about her disappearance.

Suggestion.

Shouldn't he be doing a diet book instead?

quote:

SOS Madeleine McCann: Eddie is behind the discovery of the bodies of five children.



The bodies of at least five children have been found at the former English children's home on the island of Jersey, where Eddie the sniffer dog, previously used in the Madeleine case, indicated the presence of the bodies. The former children's home, situated at Haut da la Garenne, has been under investigation since 2006, after several disclosures of sexual abuse.

According to Lenny Harper, Jersey's police chief, the bodies of five children, aged from four ro eleven, were burned and hidden between the late sixties and early seventies. Until now, the British police have also discovered 65 milk teeth and at least a hundred bone fragments, some cut and burnt.

Eddie, capable of sniffing the slightest cadaver odour, after having detected signs in Praia da Luz that Madeleine McCann's body had been there, demonstrated his skills by detecting the presence of human remains at the former children's home, where he indicated at least six places, inside the building, where the British police then made the discovery.

In spite of the discoveries, the British police consider that there is not enough evidence to proceed with a murder investigation, which shocks several witnesses who are accusing the authorities of not wanting to open Pandora's box: "I am astonished that the evidence is apparently so inconclusive," states a specialist in forensics, stressing that, "it seems strange that we have a large number of bones, but it is announced that there will not be a murder investigation."

Eddie in the McCann case.

After being successful in more than 200 criminal investigations, Eddie arrived in Portugal on July 30th 2007 to help the Portuguese and British authroities with the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

Eddie, the Springer Spaniel of the British police, is skilled at detecting murder victims. (EVRD) He looks for and locates human remains and bodily fluids. He is capable of indicating the presence of a body in a place, even if the body is no longer there. Eddie also indicates contamination by the odour of a body.

In the case of Madeleine McCann's disappearance, Eddie, used in conjunction with Keela, indicated the cadaver odour in several places, all directly connected to the parents of the young British girl.

The floor of Kate and Gerry McCann's bedroom.

Behind the blue sofa beside the window of 5A

On the balcony of the McCanns' bedroom.

According to the investigation file, before Madeleine's disappearance, no death had taken place inside apartment 5A, where the McCanns stayed during their holiday in Praia da Luz. Eddie was also used to inspect apartments 5B,5D and 5H at the Ocean Club, but he did not alert on anything there.

In the rented villa which Kate and Gerry McCann occupied after their departure from the Ocean Club, Eddie indicated the cadaver odour on Cuddle Cat (the pink soft toy belonging to Madeleine), and on two items of Kate's clothing. Eddie also indicated several places in the car rented by the mcCanns: on the key and in the boot of the Renault Scenic.

Similar examinations were carried out, without success, at Robert Murat's house, on his clothes and on his cars. Eddie only found the cadaver odour in places and on objects directly linked to Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents. http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

quote:

Kate 'fell silent' in police quiz
^{By VERONICA LORRAINE in Praia da Luz Published: Today}
KATE McCann refused to answer 48 questions when probed by Portuguese cops over her missing daughter Madeleine, it was revealed yesterday. The devastated mum replied to some at the start of the interview on September 7 last year. But she exercised her rights and fell silent once she was made an “arguido” in the case, leaked police files show.

Two weeks ago Kate and her husband Gerry, both 40, of Rothley, Leics, were officially cleared of any involvement in Maddie’s disappearance. Details of the Portuguese police probe are due to be opened to the public today.

The police files from the exhaustive inquiry, which lasted over 14 months, are being made available to journalists after the shelving of the case a fortnight ago. Included in the mammoth dossier - said to run to 20,000 pages - are witness statements, transcripts of interviews with the McCanns and details of the lines of inquiry detectives pursued.

Holiday

Maddie vanished in May 2007, days before her fourth birthday. She had been left alone with her twin siblings at a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz. Yesterday Portuguese newspaper Correio de Manhas said Kate was quizzed over why she said from the start Maddie had been abducted.

Cops also asked whether she gave the children medication and if it was true that she sometimes despaired of their behaviour and had considered handing custody of Maddie to a relative. McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said last night: “Kate was well within her rights not to answer if she didn’t want to.”

quote:

The Judiciária’s 48 questions that Kate did not answer

1 On the 3rd of May 2007, at around 10 p.m., when you entered the apartment, what did you see, what did you do, where did you search, what did you handle?

2 Did you search in the couple’s bedroom’s closet? (said she would not reply)

3 (Two photographs of her bedroom’s closet are exhibited) Can you describe its contents?

4 Why are the curtains in front of the side window, behind the sofa (photograph is exhibited) ruffled? Did someone pass behind that sofa?

5 How long did the search that you made in the apartment after detecting the disappearance of your daughter Madeleine take?

6 Why did you say straight away that Madeleine had been abducted?

7 Presuming that Madeleine had been abducted, why did you leave the twins alone at home while you went to the Tapas to raise the alarm? Even because the supposed abductor could still be inside the apartment.

8 Why didn’t you ask the twins at that moment what had happened to their sister, or why didn’t you ask them at a later point in time?

9 When you raised the alarm at the Tapas, what exactly did you say and what were the words?

10 What happened after you raised the alarm at the Tapas?

11 Why did you do to warn your friends instead of calling out from the balcony?

12 Who contacted the authorities?

13 Who participated in the searches?

14 Did anyone outside of the group learn about Maddie’s disappearance during the following minutes?

15 Did any neighbour offer you help after the disappearance?

16 What does the expression “we let her down” mean?

17 Did Jane mention to you that she had see a man with a child that night?

18 How were the authorities contacted and which police force was called?

19 During the searches, and already with the police present, in what locations was Maddie searched for, how and in what manner?

20 Why didn’t the twins wake up during that search, or when they went to the upper floor?

21 Who did you call after the facts?

22 Did you call SKY News?

23 Did you know about the danger of calling the media, because that could influence the abductor?

24 Did you request the presence of a priest?

25 How was Madeleine’s face publicized, with a photograph, or other media?

26 Is it true that during the search you remained seated on Maddie’s bed without moving?

27 How did you behave that evening?

28 Did you manage to sleep?

29 Before the trip to Portugal, did you comment on a bad feeling or a bad premonition?

30 What was Madeleine’s behaviour?

31 Did Maddie suffer of any disease or did she take any kind of medication?

32 What was the relationship like between Madeleine and her siblings?

33 What was the relationship like between Madeleine and her siblings, her friends and her colleagues at school?

34 Concerning your professional life, in how many and in which hospitals have you worked?

35 What is your medical specialty?

36 Did you work by shifts, in emergency rooms or in other departments?

37 Did you work on a daily basis?

38 Did you stop working at a certain point in time? Why?

39 Do your twin children have difficulty in falling asleep, are they unruly and does that upset you?

40 Is it true that at certain times you were desperate over your children’s attitude and that left you were upset?

41 Is it true that in England you considered the possibility of handing over Madeleine’s guardianship to a relative?

42 In England, did you give your children medication? What type of medication?

43 Within the process, you were shown films of cynotechnical inspection of forensic character, where the dogs can be seen marking indications of human cadaver odour and equally human blood traces, and only of human origin, as well as all the comments that were made by the responsible expert. After the visualization, and after cadaver odour was signaled in your bedroom next to the wardrobe and behind the sofa that was pushed against the living room window, you said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said?

44 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of human blood behind the sofa by the detection dog

45 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of cadaver odour in the boot of the vehicle that you rented a month after the disappearance?

46 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of human blood in the boot of the vehicle?

47 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, upon being confronted with the result of the collection of Maddie’s DNA, which was analysed by a British lab, behind the sofa and inside the vehicle’s boot?

48 Did you have any responsibility or intervention in the disappearance of your daughter?

The question that she answered

Are you aware of the fact that by not answering these questions you may compromise the investigation, which is trying to find out what happened to your daughter? She said yes, if the investigation thinks so.

quote:

I want to know why Mrs McCann failed to answer 48 important questions asked by the police.
- paul, DERBY uk, 3/8/2008 20:37

i think your find the smears and inuendos come from the mccanns.
- chriss, london, 3/8/2008 20:43

Who said the Portuguese Police have not worked hard on the case, 11,000 page files of recorded work!
- Chris, England, 3/8/2008 20:45

The lawyers are "discovering what was done, and more importantly, what was not done"
I think we all know the most important thing that was not done. Madeleine was not put safely in the available evening creche.
- diddy, germany, 3/8/2008 21:00

Brilliant. Now the McCanns are no longer bound by secrecy they can answer all the questions they wouldn't answer previously. I have no doubt they are keen to talk.
- Bazza, Leicestershire, UK, 3/8/2008 21:07

Do our own UK police 'alert borders' as soon as a child is reported 'missing?? Children go 'missing' every day of every week in every country. Thankfully the vast majority turn up safe and well (got lost, was with another family member while one parent was unaware of this, have 'run away', are with an estranged parent, etc.etc.) Iwould like to know if 'borders' are alerted in every case of a missing child in the UK? Because if they are it would mean that we would be in a PERMANENT state of 'lock-down'. The PJ had NO evidence that the child had been 'abducted' either.....which would be a REQUIREMENT before any 'border alert in any country...and in the mobilisation of the much publicised 'Amber Alert'. Were borders alerted in the Holly and Jessica case? Within 12 hours? I would like to see evidence of this!
- linda, Birmingham, 3/8/2008 21:55

So the case file is being released to journalists. Will the UK public be allowed to read it??
- linda, Birmingham, 3/8/2008 21:56

You can bet there will be a lot of reports missing, they aren't about to let the world know how badly they screwed up.
- Katie, Penticton, BC Canada, 3/8/2008 22:37

The dossier may have just been made public, but the Correio da Manha has been printing extracts from Kate's diary for a week, with comments intended to turn public opinion against the McCanns and, more important still, support Goncalo Amaral's book and defend him against any possible legal proceedings. And Mr. Amaral has been given his own column in said newspaper. Coincidences?
- John, Coimbra, Portugal, 3/8/2008 22:40

What "police search"? As far as I can make out from radio and TV reports, the Portuguese Police spent almost all of their time trying unsuccessfully to find or invent "evidence" that would help convict Madeline's parents of being in some way responsible for her death.
- Fred James, Worcester, 3/8/2008 23:07

"alert border patrols"?! There are no borders!
- Sara, Spain, 3/8/2008 23:17

Erm...border patrols....Vanessa Allen obviously hasn't been to Europe for quite a while.
- Jean, Blackburn, Lancs, 3/8/2008 23:56

How is this going to help to find out what has happened to that little girl, we all know where the fault lies those children should not have been left alone , looking back over all the information will it do any good , it hasn't up til now, still no one knows what happend to Maddie
- Anon, Bucks, 4/8/2008 0:45

So what if the 'vile smears' turn out to be nothing of the kind? The McCanns and their friends have behaved in the most bizarre manner from the very first day. Each time I've seen them on TV my jaw has dropped still further. I for one am VERY interested to know what the portuguese police files contain, and also what Goncalo Amaral has to say about the McCanns in his book. I might even be persuaded to actually BUY the Daily Mail if it offered straightforward, objective reporting on either.
- Ruth, Wales, 4/8/2008 2:29

Ref. question 41. Is this in regard to 2006?
- BJ, UK, 4/8/2008 3:20

Since when has it ever been proved that there was an abduction?
- TW, London, 4/8/2008 3:40

I wonder if the UK press will ever report on this investigation without such blatant distortion and bias. Somehow I doubt it. The majority of the public will have to rely on the Portuguese press and media to find out the truth about the case and about the McCanns. I hope that they will take the time to do so.
- Jolie, US, 4/8/2008 6:27

The release of these documents are due process of the Portuguese Law now that the case is shelved. It was that same law, that is making the McCanns arguidos that protected Mrs McCann from answering a list of some 40+ questions. Why would you refuse to co-operate in an investigation to find your missing child.
- uneekie, Stroud, UK, 4/8/2008 8:01

Why are Amaral's statements "vile smears" and the McCanns' abduction theory the only thing we must believe in even if there is no evidence of an abduction.
- Jayne, England, 4/8/2008 8:53

So the public will now know the nitty gritties of the entire saga, if the newspapers publish it!. I must say i will like to know more about the questions that Kate refused to answer, viz: question no 41. Also what the Leicester police did about the crucial witness statement made by 2 doctor friends of the Mccanns about a member of the tourist party.
- Matt67, Bath, 4/8/2008 9:12

Kate was happy to leave 48 stones to unturned.
- Polly, Ilkley, 4/8/2008 9:37

Too many unanswered questions, can't just forget about this little girl.
- John Smith, London, England, 4/8/2008 9:37

There were no "border patrols" to alert, so why keep on about something that didn't exist?
- Verity, Blighty, 4/8/2008 9:47

Why putting so much effort on the "border patrol", everybody knows that border control hardly exists, try to cross Dover to Calais and you will find out how it (does not) works.
- RA, London, England, 4/8/2008 9:57

Remember all the other children who have vanished, including Ben Needham, who haven't had this much public interest and sympathy.
- Doris, Yorkshire, 4/8/2008 10:00

Let them sink into anonymity, the sooner the better.
- Gerry, Derby, England, 4/8/2008 10:13

God Bless Madde
- John, Askim, Sweden, 4/8/2008 10:23

quote:

Evidence was manipulated - Correio da Manhã

Investigation – PJ believes that the McCann couple altered the crime scene in order to simulate the abduction

Maddie’s parents accused of changing the disposition of the furniture and of washing the sofa

The Polícia Judiciária has no doubts that Maddie’s parents changed the disposition of furniture and objects in the apartment where Maddie disappeared from on the evening of May 3, 2007, in the Algarve, thus manipulating the crime scene in order to better justify the abduction theory that they always defended.

According to the Polícia Judiciária’s investigation, which from today onwards is public, the coincidence between the marking of cadaver odour and blood which was given by the sniffer dogs behind the sofa “indubitably” proves that the sofa was pushed against the wall after the little girl’s death. On the other hand, given the few indicia that was collected from this piece of furniture, which was located on the same spot where the dogs gave a signal, the Judiciária admits the possibility that it was “subject to washing” in order to eliminate eventual traces.

Soft toy placed on the bed (afbeelfing, gevonden sporen)

“There are strong indicia that they altered the crime scene, moving some of the furniture. The changes are indicators of simulation”, one of the PJ’s reports reads, also revealing that Maddie’s soft toy, which was found at the top of the bed where Maddie slept, was placed there at a posterior moment, given the fact that contrary to the soft toy, the bed failed to reveal cadaver odour.

“There was an intentional modification, in an attempt to take advantage for the simulation of the picture of abduction”, one can read in the process, where the investigators recall that the procedures from the family were in such manner as to conduct the investigation into the direction of the abduction thesis. The Polícia Judiciária believes that the false abduction was “worked by the group”, which made the investigators “waste time”.

McCanns mentioned death to the PJ

The possibility that Madeleine is dead was raised to the PJ by the McCanns themselves, who suggested contacting a person to indicate the spot where the cadaver could be found. “This fact became unexplainable for the elements of the investigation”, the PJ writes, remembering that in front of the journalists, the parents continued to manifest the hope that they would find their daughter alive.

The dogs never failed in 200 searches

In over two hundred searches, ‘Eddie’ and ‘Keela’, the sniffer dogs of the springel spaniel breed that were used in the investigation into the disappearance of Maddie, did not give a single “false positive result”.

The guarantee is given by English expert Martin Grime, who in the report about the search guarantees that the behaviour of the dog that is trained to detect cadaver odour “changed immediately after opening the front door of the apartment” where Madeleine McCann disappeared from.

“He went into the apartment with above average interest”, the document reads, explaining that the dog signaled inside the couple’s bedroom, in the living room, behind the sofa and next to the side window. The same signs were given by the dog that is trained to detect blood residues. The dogs signaled the same spots and objects that are related to the McCanns – house, car and clothes – which was decisive for being made arguidos.

Notes

No credibility

The deposition by Jane Tanner, who said she saw someone crossing the street carrying a child, was not considered credible by the PJ, which does not understand how the McCanns’ friend, upon seeing someone walking away from Madeleine’s apartment “did not act or speak out immediately”.

Everyone lies

The PJ says that the information that was collected from the McCanns and their friends was “worked upon” in order to strengthen the abduction theory. But it rapidly perceived that “everyone lies” in the issue of checking the children, further explaining that the family information, which in these cases is “fundamental”, was always “distorted”.

Files Process is public – From today onwards, the files of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine can be consulted at the Court of Portimão by lawyers, witnesses and journalists.

Brown Political pressures – Kate’s notebooks reveal that Maddie’s parents called the English prime minister, Gordon Brown, requesting for political pressure to be placed on Portugal.

Book Amaral recounts death – The former coordinator of the Maddie case recounts in his book ‘Truth of the Lie’, his thesis about the case and defends that the little girl was killed in the apartment and her body frozen. source: Correio da Manhã, 04.08.2008, paper edition