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Maddie case – Press was manipulated in exchange for photo shoots

Kate managed the news and controlled the English

The McCann couple took four hours to outline their strategy, went out for walks on request from the British photographers and escaped the Portuguese

Kate and Gerry McCann controlled the British media in the news coverage of their daughter’s disappearance. In order to avoid criticism from the English press, Maddie’s parents offered photo shoots, some of them during their usual morning walks in the Algarve – which were apparently routine, but previously arranged, as Kate’s notes reveal.

“The British journalists were annoyed because they found out too late that I had been in the United Kingdom. It ended up with Justine receiving loads of phone calls and arranging for a photo shoot on the way to the church, to pacify them”, Kate writes on the 15th of July, revealing a tactic that was adopted in the first days after the 3-year-old girl disappeared.

“Dress up and go for a walk. It had been requested by photographers and agreed that for sentimental reasons it would be good”. This walk happened on the 7th of June, three days after Kate registered that she had been “annoyed” about the presence of Portuguese journalists outside the apartment. Before that, on the 19th of May, the photo shoot for the English newspaper ‘Sunday Mirror’ was previously arranged: “Us spending time with the twins for the Sunday papers”.

In the same notes, Kate expresses distress about the Portuguese and the German journalists. On the 11th of June, in Morocco, after Kate made a positive evaluation of the trip because there were so many photographers present, the doctor remembers “noticing” Portuguese journalists. “We didn’t want to give them a story”, decided the McCanns, who classify the questions from the Portuguese as “sleazy and unexpected”, even after preparation meetings that last “four hours”: “I was very angry at a journalist today. I told her not to do so much detective work.”

Concerning the editor of the ‘Sun’ newspaper, on the 11th of July Kate was assured that there would be no “adverse publicity”: “She was really nice. Perfect solution”, Maddie’s mother noted.

Clarence replaced Justine when the tension rose

Clarence Mitchell was the first one to offer his face for the McCanns. He met Gerry on an occasion when the latter was returning from England, at the end of May 2007, on a time when he was part of the Consular Assistance Group, representing the Foreign Department. He took over the couple’s defense on the 22nd of May, but returned to England in the mid-summer, when he was replaced by Justine McGuinness, who directed the campaign to search for Madeleine from the 22nd of June onwards.

The tensions between the McCanns and Justine were never evident. But the fact that she abandoned the couple’s defense immediately after they were made arguidos and returned to England, remains unexplained.

Now, it becomes clear that the tension came from before. Justine and Gerry had already discussed the honoraries. The advisor wanted to receive overtime and demanded a payment that was above was had initially been agreed.

On the 28th of July, the tension between the family and the spokeswoman was obvious. Kate wrote in her notes that she [Justine] did not have good “interpersonal aptitudes” and that she could even be very “unpleasant”. Kate remembered that there had been an argument between Justine and a relative and that Gerry had tried to calm them down. “It all ended well”, Kate McCann concluded, but still seriously doubted the advisor’s character.

Journalists far away from the house

The McCanns’ first days in England were subject to intense media attention. They allowed to be photographed with their children again, after they had agreed exclusives with televisions and newspapers to cover the return.

Days later, Clarence Mitchell opted for another strategy. He agreed with the English journalists that those would never persecute the McCanns again. In exchange, the couple’s spokesman would supply fortuitous meetings, and in case the journalists would fail their compromise, he would exclude them from his contact list.

Everyone accepted. When in March CM [Correio da Manhã] tried to speak to the McCanns without going through Clarence Mitchell, we were intercepted by the police. The couple demanded for the Portuguese journalists to be forbidden from getting close to their house, and their neighbours were advised not to speak.

Robert Murat sues the McCann couple’s friends

Robert Murat, the first arguido in the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, is going to sue some of the McCann couple’s English friends.

According to news in yesterday’s edition of ‘Sol’ newspaper, the Anglo-British citizen is going to advance with complaints over the crimes of perjury and slanderous denunciations, alleging that the English lied in the depositions that they gave to the Polícia Judiciária with the purpose to incriminate him.

Robert Murat, who is going to receive hundreds of thousands of euros in compensation from 11 British newspapers, was made an arguido only 11 days after the little girl disappeared, on the 14th of May 2007, after several friends of Kate and Gerry McCann referred his presence in the Ocean Club apartment on the fateful evening of the 3rd of May 2007, in Praia da Luz.

Notes

Newspapers | Gerry is brilliant – “Gerry was brilliant again”, Kate wrote in one of her usual accounts after the meetings with journalists, during which it was her husband who did the talking.

Maddie | 14 months ago – Madeleine McCann disappeared 14 months ago from the apartment where she was on holidays with her parents, in the Algarve, on the evening of the 3rd of May 2007.

Investigation | Case archived – The investigation started by focusing on the abduction theory and then on the possibility of an accidental death followed by the concealment of the cadaver. The process ended up archived.

Tomorrow: How Kate McCann lived the first day without Maddie

source: Correio da Manhã 27.07.2008, paper edition

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Moita Flores’ opinion article in Correio da Manhã (http://www.correiomanha.pt/noticia....ontentID=C3199A60-43BD-4B00-910D-7EE0266BCA6F) today:

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The truth of the lie

“Wasn’t there an incapable director around, one of those who climb at the cost of servilism?”

The book that had been promised by Gonçalo Amaral was sold out within hours. Those who have read it, or who are going to read it, will understand that there were all sorts of reasons not to accept the information that was circulated by the English televisions, that Maddie had been abducted, as the only one. If we go through the book in parallel with the PJ’s final report, we definitely realize that it was materially impossible for her to be abducted.

The intelligent abductor had entered through the door and then became stupid and left with the child through a half opened window, which had forced him to pass by the beds of the other sleeping children – that continued to sleep through the chaos of the search. As a matter of fact, if he left onto the street at the time when the witnesses say it happened, and taking into account the depositions that they gave concerning the checks on the children, he had to pass between the father, friends who chatted, who came and went. The book confirms a lot of what we have written here, along so many pages. The technical procedures do not differ from case to case.

They follow protocols that are informal, but so routinely that it is not necessary to be there in order to understand what is happening. Gonçalo Amaral’s team fulfilled them all, except one. He is generous when he assumes that mistakes, which was not his. Or at least, it was not only his. Gonçalo admits that he erred when, during a first phase, he handled the couple with extra caution. It is a mistake and a big one. But was it him who decided it to be that way? Wasn’t there an incapable director around, one of those who climb at the cost of servilism, giving that type of order? The fearsome are afraid of power first, and only then of death.

A case that was communicated by the English government, with the mediation of ambassadors, has forcefully to have a weak director in the middle, who mediated between the servilism before those who give the orders, and the despotism towards those who obey him. I foresee that in defending his honour, by exposing the truth that many wish was a lie, Gonçalo Amaral has not said everything. Even by assuming the mistake, he gave his body to the bullets, in order to defend his institution. I may be wrong, but one that knows the routines of investigation also presumes to know the mechanisms of subordination.

A final word for Mr Mitchell: the best that he found to say was that the book is a pretext to make money at the little girl’s expense. Coming from him of all people, his life has been nothing else, recently. People who cannot distinguish between a pound and the right to defend one’s honour. They sell themselves for any price. In Mr Mitchell’s case, for a good price, it is said.

Madeleine McCann: Reversed Investigation

Talking with Pinto da Costa – Forensic Medicine Expert

Reversed Investigation

In the book ‘The Truth of The Lie’ Gonçalo Amaral, the PJ coordinator who was removed from the ‘Maddie Case’ has no doubts about the death of the girl. Pinto da Costa follows his considerations.

Specialist in Forensic Medicine, Pinto da Costa supports the thesis followed by Gonçalo Amaral, which points to the death of Madeleine McCann. The professor does not understand the reason why the analyses done by the British laboratory are not conclusive and he manifests the conviction that, soon or later, the truth will be known. The biggest problem, according to the President of the Portuguese Section of International Transparency [sic], resided in the incorrect way the investigation was carried out. Pinto da Costa understands that the death hypothesis should have been pursued since the beginning.

Do you believe in the thesis defended by Gonçalo Amaral, according to which Madeleine McCann died accidentally in the night of her disappearance?

It does seem possible that that has taken place based on the circumstances of the cadaver dogs who signalled [death triggers] the existence of a cadaver and, also of blood with the genetic profile of the girl.

The English Laboratory said the analyses are not conclusive...

What the Laboratory concluded was that, in a total of 19 alleles [genetic markers], 15 are present in the sample examined. In Portugal, in order to guarantee the authenticity of progeny [descendants, children], that is, in the paternity tests we use 15 alleles. Therefore, the results obtained by the British Laboratory are extremely significant. Thus, they seem, pertinent in the consideration that the child could have died in the apartment. Another hypothesis is that she could have died outside and then the body was moved inside [the apartment].

Isn’t there, in Portugal, technical capacity to do this kind of analyses?

Yes, they could have been done in Portugal. I believe that either the Scientific Police Laboratory of the Judiciary Police or the various Forensic Medicine Institutes have the conditions to perform them. That did not happen possibly for the reason that the persons at issue were of English nationality.

The explanation given by Gonçalo Amaral, that the corpse was frozen or preserved in cold, for more than 20 days, also seems plausible?

What I believe is that the body was not totally decomposed. There are situations when the cadaver is preserved more or less without adding any substance, like ice, for example. Besides, we should not forget that this is the body of a child and not of an adult, who decays more rapidly.

Do you believe the Truth will be discovered?

Yes, when all entities involved are at a distance. The midwives fight, the truths are discovered. [Portuguese Proverb: "Zangam-se as comadres, sabem-se as verdades."]. The process has so many contradictions that, it is impossible to have one truth.

And what exactly is at the origin of so many contradictions?

The fact that the investigation started incorrectly. It should have started with the exaggeration of the positive and with the assumption that the child was killed. Even because the existence of maltreatment is a reality and in these cases, the number one suspect is the father, not the stepfather, the uncle or any other person. At another side, the scene should have been put immediately in custody to avoid its violation, because the examination of the scene is fundamental. The parents presented the abduction hypothesis, but those who do a criminal investigation have to have their ‘heads cold’ [‘cuca fria’- meaning open and objective mind], as they say in Brazil, and cannot deviate from the essential. The investigation was done in reverse.

Source: Jornal de Notícias, paper edition - 26 July 2008

Copied from: http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/

In Diário de Notícias (http://dn.sapo.pt/2008/07/28/sociedade/gnr_refuta_criticas_caso_maddie.html):

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"GNR refutes criticism in the Maddie case", the GNR responds to criticism from Gonçalo Amaral in the book 'Truth of the Lie', stating that isolating the crime scene is the PJ's job, while it is the GNR's job to comply with anything that is requested by the PJ.

The head of the GNR Union, José Alho, mentioned that when the GNR arrived on location, the crime scene had been invaded by tens of persons and there was nothing to be done, anyway.

Mr Alho added that the GNR is not responsible for the failure of this investigation, and that the PJ's image was damaged because they failed to solve the case.

DN tried to obtain an official reaction from the GNR, but the senior officer denied to comment because he had not read the book yet.

Carlos Anjos, head of the PJ's union, stated that nobody criticised the GNR, and that it makes no sense to look for who is to blame, because the investigation is the PJ's responsibility.

Kate’s notebooks – Madeleine’s mother did not like to be questioned

Policeman irritates Kate for not offering coffee

Reports of the first day without Maddie tell of discomfort when faced with the investigators who searched for her daughter

Kate McCann did not like the Polícia Judiciária. On the first day without Maddie, a few hours after she had seen her daughter for the last time, in the apartment that they all occupied in Praia da Luz, the child’s mother didn’t hide the discomfort in face of the investigators.

In her writings, which were apprehended months later by the same PJ, Kate complained about the treatment that she had been given during her first questioning: “Nobody offered us a drink or food. All the policemen were informally dressed and smoking. No sympathy was shown. […] The police officer who drove us to the PJ was asking me questions and then he typed them down. Slow”, says Kate, who also didn’t like the fact that she had to return to the Judiciária a short while later.

“We got a phone call from the PJ saying that we had to return. We turned around and returned at 200 kilometres per hour. Scary once again”, Kate continues, sparing the rest of the police forces no criticism. “The GNR appeared without being certain of their role – they seemed to be doing nothing”, she underlined.

Kate equally didn’t like to speak to Yvone, the English social security employee who worked at the department of child protection and who later told the Leicester police that she had found the behaviour of the parents and of one of the friends to be strange. “Also Yvone. A bit boring, worrying, because I didn’t know who it was”, Kate reported.

In the same writings, and still remembering the 4th of May (the notes started to be written at a later date, allegedly upon medical advice), Kate McCann recollects that the British ambassador offered her help. And that there were also technicians from the consulate on location, and Madeleine’s mother remembered a conversation with Robert Murat, during which he told her about his daughter and her similarities with Maddie.

British woman wanted to help the couple

Yvone was on holidays in the Algarve when she heard that Maddie had disappeared. The technician, who is an expert in cases of endangered children, rushed to offer her help, but later guaranteed to the police that she had not been well accepted. Yvone also said that David Payne, one of the friends, had advised the McCanns not to speak to her. She found the parents’ behaviour strange.

Kate admits her daughter’s death

Despite having only admitted it publicly in August, Kate assumed the possibility that her daughter was dead on the day after the disappearance. “Is she dead?” she questions herself in her notebooks, in a register of the 4th of May, after she was heard at the PJ in Portimão. The hypothesis that her daughter’s disappearance is connected with paedophilia also haunted her: “Thinking about paedophiles makes me want to pull the skin off.”

Police in force in the Algarve

During the first days after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the Polícia Judiciária only admitted the theory of abduction of the little girl in public, and mobilized extraordinary means into the Algarve. The directory of Faro, which is directed by Guilhermino Encarnação, was joined by brigades from Lisbon and elements of the Central Directory of Banditism Combat (DCCB), including its director, Luís Neves.

With the investigations centered on the abduction theory and with extraordinary means mobilized, alerts were sent to the borders, to the airports and to the Spanish authorities.

The PJ even asked for the population’s cooperation to find Maddie, and one day later, Guilhermino Encarnação guaranteed that he already had a photofit of the child’s [abductor], which would not be publicized.

Praia da Luz and its surroundings were patrolled by GNR men, car stop operations were set up on the roads that exit the Algarve, and the garbage collection was also followed.

A total of approximately one hundred men from the Polícia Judiciária were moved into the Algarve as early as in the first few hours after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, which happened on the evening of the 3rd of May.

Tomorrow: The McCanns’ relationship with the suspects

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Opinion article by Henrique Monteiro, chief editor of Expresso (http://aeiou.expresso.pt/gen.pl?p=stories&op=view&fokey=ex.stories/376928):

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The ‘judicial secrecy’ and the press’ ‘lies’

Who lied in the Maddie case? The answer lies in what is told by former inspector Gonçalo Amaral. All the fantastic and never proved theories that a certain press has spread are in his book. And they remain without any evidence to sustain them.

Gonçalo Amaral must be a man who is full of himself. He was responsible for a calamitous investigation in the ‘Maddie case’, but according to the balance that he does, everyone is to blame except for him.

According to Gonçalo, the blame lies with the fact that the McCanns’ apartment was not preserved, with the British police that did not fully cooperate, with the journalists that stood in the way, with Her Majesty’s government that pressured, with the Portuguese government that let itself be pressured, with the prosecutors, with the PJ’s directors, with the conspiracy of the powerful and – if he is allowed to continue unloading – it will hit the CIA, the Masonry, Opus Dei, the Trilateral, Bildberg and the Pope, the usual suspects of the conspiracy theories that circulate on the internet.

The same inspector must not be inhibited (not to mention being ashamed), because after the suspicions that befall him due to the conduction of the ‘Joana case’ (another missing girl, whose mother, who was condemned over her death, accuses the PJ of torturing her) and the disaster of the ‘Maddie case’, he pretends to be a national hero and the holder of the truth, against everything and against everyone, and he maintains an absurd theory that does not resist a minimally structured analysis.

Amaral probably didn’t think about the fact that it does not become him to talk and to write in detail about a process which – despite having been widely abused – is still under judicial secrecy, either. Or that it does not become him to be a judge in his own cause.

But the most interesting about the former inspector’s book is that we get to know where the famous ‘lies’ from the media that everyone talked about, came from. Finally, we can verify that the most unbelievable theories came out of that illuminated brain. And that certain newspapers, lacking a better option, published them without contradicting, without investigating, without logics and without evidence.

But Gonçalo continues to state his ‘conviction’ that Maddie died in the apartment. He must have inherited from medieval justice, this notion of ‘conviction’ without evidence; or from Alice, by Carrol, the idea that first the criminal’s head is cut off and then the trial is done; or from ‘The Foreigner’, by Camus, the fixation in the importance of the criminal’s “facies” or the fact whether one does or does not cry in front of death.

The lawful state bases itself on evidence, beyond doubt. The notion that innocence prevails over guilt – when there is no evidence to the contrary – is what separates civilization from barbarism.

Unfortunately, there are remains of barbarism among us. Until very recently, it headed the PJ in Portimão. I hope he was the last one.

Rebuttal (in red) from summer of Proboards79 (http://helpmadeleine.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1237&page=15 #219)

Opinion article by Henrique Monteiro, chief editor of Expresso:

The ‘judicial secrecy’ and the press’ ‘lies’

Who lied in the Maddie case? The answer lies in what is told by former inspector Gonçalo Amaral. All the fantastic and never proved theories that a certain press has spread are in his book. And they remain without any evidence to sustain them.

Gonçalo Amaral must be a man who is full of himself. He was responsible for a calamitous investigation in the ‘Maddie case’, but according to the balance that he does, everyone is to blame except for him.

According to Gonçalo, the blame lies with the fact that the McCanns’ apartment was not preserved, with the British police that did not fully cooperate, with the journalists that stood in the way, with Her Majesty’s government that pressured, with the Portuguese government that let itself be pressured, with the prosecutors, with the PJ’s directors, with the conspiracy of the powerful and – if he is allowed to continue unloading – it will hit the CIA, the Masonry, Opus Dei, the Trilateral, Bildberg and the Pope, the usual suspects of the conspiracy theories that circulate on the internet.

I have read the book and I have read many of the interviews that Mr Amaral – not ‘Gonçalo’, because I am not an intimate friend of Mr Amaral, unlike Mr Monteiro who presumably is an old acquaintance, if he treats him with such familiarity – and I have not perceived that he pushes the blame towards anyone. In fact, the bottom line is that he blames himself, for not having suspected the McCanns openly from the beginning, which led him to fail some important diligences, at the outset of the investigation. (And to be even more pedantic than Mr Monteiro, I would expect a man of such extensive culture to know that it is ‘Bilderberg’, not ‘Bildberg’. Mais enfin…

The same inspector must not be inhibited (not to mention being ashamed), because after the suspicions that befall him due to the conduction of the ‘Joana case’ (another missing girl, whose mother, who was condemned over her death, accuses the PJ of torturing her) and the disaster of the ‘Maddie case’, he pretends to be a national hero and the holder of the truth, against everything and against everyone, and he maintains an absurd theory that does not resist a minimally structured analysis.

Always the Joana case – a leitmotif for all ‘pros’, the only way to supposedly discredit Mr Amaral’s character. Accusations from a convicted child murderer seem to prevail over the presumption of innocence of a policeman. A biased argument? Certainly not. Just the fact that Expresso was the newspaper who broke the news about Mrs Cipriano’s ‘torture’ – a torture so sophisticated, so extraordinary that it created dark rings around a woman’s eyes but left her nose and lips completely intact.

Amaral probably didn’t think about the fact that it does not become him to talk and to write in detail about a process which – despite having been widely abused – is still under judicial secrecy, either. Or that it does not become him to be a judge in his own cause.

Taking into account that after realizing that nobody in the PJ’s upper levels was going to lift a finger to defend his honour which was viciously attacked by the British press, and after formally asking for permission to do so himself, without any result – let’s just say that this man exhausted the mechanisms that were supposed to protect him, and he took the matter into his own hands. Let’s say it is a question of opinion, and of character.

But the most interesting about the former inspector’s book is that we get to know where the famous ‘lies’ from the media that everyone talked about, came from. Finally, we can verify that the most unbelievable theories came out of that illuminated brain. And that certain newspapers, lacking a better option, published them without contradicting, without investigating, without logics and without evidence.

One does have to ask what investigative journalism Expresso did on this case. I read Expresso every week, and I have done so for many years. Apart from visiting the McCann family in Rothley and reporting on their media operation, I fail to remember any investigative journalism from Expresso,in this case. Enter Felícia Cabrita, Margarida Davim, and Expresso’s main rival, Sol…

But Gonçalo continues to state his ‘conviction’ that Maddie died in the apartment. He must have inherited from medieval justice, this notion of ‘conviction’ without evidence; or from Alice, by Carrol, the idea that first the criminal’s head is cut off and then the trial is done; or from ‘The Foreigner’, by Camus, the fixation in the importance of the criminal’s “facies” or the fact whether one does or does not cry in front of death.

Mr Monteiro has obviously read many books, and he is not inhibited from showing off a bit – but maybe he should dedicate a bit of time to reading about Eddie and Keela, and their work in criminal investigation cases. Or is this maybe a bit too mundane for Mr Monteiro…?

The lawful state bases itself on evidence, beyond doubt. The notion that innocence prevails over guilt – when there is no evidence to the contrary – is what separates civilization from barbarism.

Certainly. I would describe as ‘barbarism’ the manner in which Mr Amaral was persecuted by the British press. I would describe as ‘barbarism’ the manner in which torture accusations are wheeled in by certain personalities, every time that Mr Amaral’s name is mentioned. And to my refined taste, it is definitely ‘barbarism’ to put a photo of a McCann relative on every second front page of Expresso during a whole summer, as if there was nothing more important going on in this country.

Unfortunately, there are remains of barbarism among us. Until very recently, it headed the PJ in Portimão. I hope he was the last one.

Thankfully, Mr Amaral was part of a team. The conclusions that he reached on the case, were the conclusions of a team. There are many elements of that team still working at the PJ in Portimão. God bless every single one of them.

And God bless Madeleine.

Kate’s notebooks – McCanns and friends against Anglo-Portuguese

Kate tried everything to accuse Robert Murat

Madeleine McCann’s mother engaged in collecting indicia that would lead to the accusation of the Anglo-Portuguese [man] over the little girl’s disappearance

Kate McCann bet everything into blaming Robert Murat over the disappearance of her daughter, and it was with that purpose in mind and with the help of friends that she engaged in collecting evidence and in convincing the Polícia Judiciária of the Anglo-Portuguese [man’s] involvement.

On the day that Murat is made an arguido, already after friends of the McCanns referred his presence in the surroundings of the apartment on the evening of the disappearance of Madeleine to the authorities, Kate registered in her notes that she had become “very hopeful, excited about this”.

Three weeks later, Kate, who met frequently with the PJ during the investigation, writes that “Robert Murat continues to be the main suspect”. “For good reason”, she adds, lamenting that there is not “strong evidence”.

When three of the friends are called to the PJ to repeat their statements following contradictions about the presence of Murat at the Ocean Club, on the 11th of July, Kate tries to excuse her friends with the fact that they were questioned in the presence of the Abglo-Portuguese [man]: “What happened was that they were questioned in the room, sitting beside Murat and his lawyer. He apparently said that they were lying, which made them quite angry. They started thinking that he was certainly involved. What his he hiding???”

In her notes dated July 18, almost two months after Maddie’s disappearance and at a time when there are starting to appear indicia against the McCanns, Kate sounds disheartened and reinforces the accusations against Murat: “I had lots of hope that there would be progress in Murat’s situation. I’m sure that he is involved and I feel like killing him, but I can’t”. Nine days later, Madeleine’s mother receives a message from a woman that tells her that Murat tried to photograph the granddaughter of a friend, also three years old and blond, and Kate sends “the whole” information to the PJ. “I’m certain that he is guilty and I just want to scream”, she writes on the 27th of July.

Premonition with Malinka

Sergey Malinka, aged 23, had been living in Praia da Luz for eight years. He was a friend of Robert Murat – one of the first suspects of the disappearance of Madeleine – and he ended up becoming involved in the turmoil of suspects because he was the last person to contact the Anglo-Portuguese [man] after the child disappeared. He was also close to Murat because he set up the online page for Romigen – the company that belonged to the Anglo-Portuguese and to Michaela Walczuch.

Although Malinka was only heard as a witness, he ended up becoming involved in the abduction. The questioning was hard and outside the PJ, the agents’ irritation could be heard because the questions remained unanswered. His phone was tapped, just like Murat’s, but nothing relevant was detected.

In her notes, Kate refers to Malinka as one of the persons involved in the little girl’s abduction. The first indication is dated June 5 and also concerns Murat. “Robert Murat continues to be the main suspect and for good reason, but unfortunately there isn’t strong evidence. Malinka and Michaela are also very much in the scene. I always had a bad premonition, uncomfortable, about Malinka. He is cold”, wrote Kate, who later on supplied information to Método 3, a Spanish detective agency, telling them that a witness had seen Michaela transporting a child.

It is recalled that Malinka, of Russian nationality, was heard by the PJ on the 16th of May, two days after Murat was made an arguido and the PJ searched his house.

The Russian was damaged because there were equally suspicions in his past. Malinka reportedly engaged in sexual relationships with minors, which turned him into a potential predator. The fact that he is a computer expert led the Polícia Judiciária to admit that he might have abducted Maddie.

Jane Tanner guaranteed that Murat carried Maddie

Jane Tanner, one of the Englishwomen that accompanied the McCanns on their holidays in Praia da Luz, guaranteed after the first few hours upon the disappearance that she saw a man carrying a child walking towards Casa Liliana (where Murat lived). Later on – and also facing the suspicions that befell the Anglo-Portuguese [man] - Jane said she was almost certain that the man she had visualized for a few seconds only was in fact Robert Murat.

The witness’ statement was considered to be credible during the first hours and strengthened the suspicions that befell the Anglo-Portuguese [man]. Robert Murat ended up being the target of a search on the 14th of May and was heard at the PJ on that same morning, denying any involvement in the child’s disappearance. The lack of indicia ended up determining his release.

Suspicions

Profile accused him – The English experts that elaborated the profile of the abductor guaranteed that in Murat’s case it fitted to 90 percent.

Accusations from friends - A former friend of Murat gave the PJ a deposition telling that the Anglo-Portuguese [man] had strange behaviours when he was a child. It was one more fact against him.

Touched documents – Called during the initial phase of the process to work as a translator, Murat was caught by the PJ touching the inquiry’s documents.

Tomorrow: Kate reacts to the police’s first suspicions

source: Correio da Manhã 29.07.08, paper edition

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From Portugal Diário (http://diario.iol.pt) online edition, a comparison between the PJ's report and Gonçalo Amaral's book, in three parts:

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Part I

Maddie: find the differences between the PJ’s report and the book

The text by Gonçalo Amaral reports on various details from the investigation which are not contained in the report from the Polícia Judiciária. But the latter is only a summary of the process.

The report from the Polícia Judiciária that led to the archiving of the process on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and the book by Gonçalo Amaral: “Maddie: The truth of the lie” have differences, but they also coincide. ‘PortugalDiário’ offers you information about some of the items in both documents.

Time of the facts:

PJ’s report: The alert about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the moment when Kate McCann announces that Maddie was abducted, occurred, according to the data that was collected by the PJ, between 10.00 and 10.10 p.m. on the evening of the 3rd of May. But the same report refers that “the facts”, according to witness statements, took place between 9.05 and 10.00 p.m.

Book: In the book from the former inspector of the Polícia Judiciária, who coordinated the investigation during six months, it is referred that: “The discussion within the investigation team, including the English colleagues, was objective and allowed for an important conclusion: the alarm about the disappearance could not have been given at 10 p.m. It happened before that time”. According to Amaral, for the investigation, the time of the facts is located “between 9.30 and 10.00 p.m., based on the testimonies given by employees of the “Tapas” restaurant.

The window

PJ’s report: The report from the Polícia Judiciária refers that “only” fingerprints from Madeleine’s mother were detected on the bedroom window through which, allegedly, the minor disappeared. The document indicates that “dactylar residues” were detected on the window frame.

Book: In the book by the former PJ [agent], the issue of the window and the depositions concerning it, appears as central. According to the book, “on the window, there were no signs of forcing or of gloves, and it had been cleaned the day before, by the employee that had cleaned the apartment. The only fingerprints that were found on it belong to Kate Healy. The sense and the position of the fingers that were imprinted on the window indicate a movement of opening it to the left”.

Book: For Gonçalo Amaral, the contradictions within the group of friends, concerning this point, always reveal that someone is lying: “As someone would end up saying, one part of the solution of this investigation resides on that window. The truth about the window will always deny someone from the group”.

PJ’s report: It should be noted that the doubts about the window are shared with the Polícia Judiciária. The report mentions that the reconstitution of the facts would allow to “clarify extremely important details, among other things”: “The situation concerning the window of the bedroom where Madeleine slept, with the twins, which was open, according to Kate. It became necessary to clarify whether there was a draft, because the movement of curtains and pressure under the bedroom door are mentioned, which would eventually be visible through a reconstitution”.

Part II

Maddie and the Smith family

During the investigation into the Maddie case, thousands of information about sightings of the child on diverse points of the world appeared. Several leads concerning suspicious individuals that were seen in the resort’s surroundings before and on the day of the disappearance were also followed. But only two reports about the evening of the facts reached the police: they both state that a man carrying a child was seen on that evening.

PJ’s report: One of those reports is by Jane Tanner and has been widely reported. The other one, less media-exposed, comes from the Smith family. In the PJ’s report it is said: “The testimony from Mr Smith reporting the sighting of an individual carrying a child, on one of the streets that access the beach, appeared. It was said that the child could be Madeleine McCann, although it was never peremptorily stated. Some time later, this witness alleged that by the way [the manner in which he held one of the twins], the individual that carried the child could be Gerald McCann, and this was concluded when he saw him walk down the stairs from an airplane. But it was established that at the time that was mentioned, Gerald was sitting at the table, in the Tapas restaurant”. The document does not refer the source of that information, whether it came from the group of friends, or from the employees at the “Tapas”.

Book: According to Gonçalo Amaral, this family came to Portugal, on the 26th of May, in a secret operation, that brought the patriarch and two of his adult children into the PJ in Portimão. They all confirmed that they saw a man carrying a child and the exact spot where they met, at around 10 p.m. The patriarch said it was not Murat, because he knew him, and failed to identify anyone in particular. A situation that changes once the McCanns arrive in England.

Book: “In late September, we find out about that recognition from the Smith family” (&#8230 “We made a decision, to start a logistics operation in order to bring the family witnesses to Portugal again”. (&#8230 “But the Smiths did not come. The Portuguese police, after I leave, changes its mind and opts to request their inquiry through the use of an international cooperation mechanism”. It should be noted that Amaral makes no reference to what had been established by the PJ, that is, that at that time, Maddie’s father was at the “Tapas” restaurant.

Forensics reports

PJ’s report: Concerning the analyses that were sent to England, with residues that were detected by the dogs, in the apartment and in the rented vehicle, the PJ’s report states that the “final results did not corroborate the canine markings, that is, cellular material was collected that failed to be identified as belonging to someone specific, and it was not even possible to establish the quality of that material”, namely “whether it could be blood or any other type of bodily fluid”.

PJ’s report: Nevertheless, the report recognizes that “in a first scientific approach, the possibility of a compatibility between Madeleine’s DNA profile and some of the residues that were collected (among which those that existed in the Renault Scenic vehicle that was rented by the McCanns, were in great quantity), was apparent”.

Book: The PJ’s report does not say anything else about the tests. Gonçalo Amaral questions the results from the analyses, but in the end recognizes that they are not evidence, but merely indicia: “The [female] dog signaled the presence of human blood in places where the [male] dog marked cadaver odour (&#8230 Those bodily fluids, according to the FSS [English lab], contained components from Madeleine’s DNA profile”. “At that moment, those results do not constitute material evidence, but mere indicia, which should be added to the indicia that had already been established”.

Book: Less clear would be the analyses on the hair that was found in the car boot. The tests that were performed on those did not arrive at the same time as the rest. Until the date when Amaral left, there were no results. The hair samples were requested from the lab, but it “didn’t want to let go” of the samples.

Part III

What is not in the PJ’s report

The book by Gonçalo Amaral reports on several details from the investigation which are not included in the final report from the Polícia Judiciária. This fact indicates that they were not deemed relevant for the decision on whether or not to archive the process. But the PJ’s report is only a summary of the whole process, where presumably the facts that are reported by the former coordinator of the investigation can be found, and probably others.

The facts that are described by Gonçalo Amaral that are not present in the report are:

Phone records, calls made and received, from the mobile phones that belong to Kate and Gerry on the evening of the disappearance were reportedly erased.

The information concerning the McCanns that was requested from the English authorities on the day of the disappearance, never arrived.

According to the PJ, the information concerning the debit and credit cards belonging to the couple was never supplied, either.

PJ’s report: loose ends

The PJ’s report concludes that the reconstitution of the facts would be “important”, but could not be carried out due to the refusal from some of the elements of the group. Therefore, the following remains to be clarified:

“The physical, real and effective, proximity between Jane Tanner, Gerald McCann and Jeremy Wilkins, at the moment when the former passed them, and which coincided with the sighting of the supposed suspect, carrying a child. It results, from our understanding, as unusual that neither Gerald McCann nor Jeremy Wilkins saw her, or the alleged abductor, despite the small dimensions of the space”.

“The establishing of a timeline and of the effective checking of the minors that were left alone inside the apartments, given the fact that, believing that said checking was as tight as the witnesses and the arguidos describe it, it would be, to say the least, very difficult that the conditions were reunited for the introduction of an abductor in the residence and the posterior exit of said individual, with the child, namely through a window with little space. It is added that the supposed abductor could only pass that window holding the minor in a different position (vertical) from the one that was visualized by witness Jane Tanner (horizontal)”.

“What happened during the time lapse between 5.30 p.m. and the time at which the disappearance is reported by Kate Healy (at around 10 p.m.)”.

‘PortugalDiário’ reminds you that the process concerning the disappearance of Maddie was archived and that Robert Murat Kate and Gerry McCann stopped being arguidos from the 21st of July onwards. Maddie’s parents have also made it known that they will sue the former PJ employee Gonçalo Amaral following the publication of the book “Maddie: Truth of the Lie”.

Kate’s notebooks – English diplomacy in defense of Maddie’s parents

McCanns pressure PJ

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 is 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’s 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 criticizes.

Bed remained intact

One of the criticisms that are 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 holidays.

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 ‘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


source: Correio da Manhã, 30.07.2008, paper edition

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Kate’s notebooks – Sean and Amelie were only 18 months old

Kate tried to hide twins’ tantrums

The concern with the image was such that Madeleine’s mother became anxious when Amelie cried in front of the Portuguese journalists. Notes reveal some moments of tension

Kate McCann’s notes are filled with details about the twin children and the manner in which they dealt with the rest of the family. Maddie’s mother tells about the children’s everyday life and often reveals some tiredness over the energy of the smaller ones. Sean and Amelie were born from ‘in vitro’ fertilization, just like Maddie, but apparently they failed to notice their sister’s absence. Kate often tells that her two smaller children kept their own routines and she even reveals some guilty feelings over trying to get on with life with some normalcy.

It can also be perceived in some of the writings that Kate wanted to avoid the tensions with her smaller children to become known by the media. Just like she describes it about a tantrum from Amelie dated June 4, when the little girl started yelling in the car. “They fell asleep. Sean instantly, Amelie only after throwing a big tantrum while we tried to sit her into the baby seat – all in front of the Portuguese media !!! – and then we stopped on the way so we could cuddle them outside of the car trunk. I sometimes worry that Amelie may be missing Maddie more than we thought. Maybe I’m being paranoid?”, writes Kate, who on the next day left her children in the crèche again. “After a shower and breakfast, take Sean and Amelie to the Kids Club”.

On the 14th of June, Kate shows her tiredness again, not only over Maddie’s disappearance but also over the care that the smaller ones demanded. “Sean slept with me most of the night after half an hour of hysterics at half past midnight”, she reveals, while three days later she complains again that her children now fall asleep at a later time. “I tried to take Sean and Amelie to bed at around 7.30 p.m. but it took rather long again – especially AMELIE”, Kate recognizes.

On the 21st of June, Kate is ironical about the children’s behaviour: “Sean and Amelie’s biological clocks seem to have changed now. They go to bed later and they get up later!!! I think they are becoming Portuguese”, says Kate, who on the 4th of May, during the first questioning, guaranteed that her children always went to bed at 7.30 p.m.

Photographed during walks

In her notebooks, Kate tells that the walks with the twins were agreed with the English press. They were often photographed entering and exiting the apartment at the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz.

Tension with her mother and support from her father

The disappearance of Madeleine McCann generated several tensions within the McCann family, namely between the McCann couple, but Kate’s notes clearly reveal that the most difficult was the relationship with her own mother.

Despite the fact that her parents immediately travelled to the Algarve, just like several aunts that helped to take care of the twins during the times that followed the disappearance of Madeleine, Kate only found support with her father.

In her notes dated June 8, 2007, Kate reports that she was “upset and angry with her mother”. “At this moment, I could do without this kind of thing – I have enough to think about and emotionally exhausted”, the doctor wrote, recalling an argument during a walk with the twins in the Algarve.

Five days later, at a time when Kate’s parents return to the United Kingdom, Madeleine’s mother shows her indignation with her daughter’s attitude, at the same time when she ends up being appeased by her father. In her notes dated June 13, Kate writes that her mother calls her complaining about not hearing from her since the previous day, and saying she had “an awful day”.

“I explained to her that I had been told that someone had given us the localization of my daughter’s body. Did she know that? No!!! “ Kate remembers, referring to a letter from a supposed abductor that had been received at a Dutch newspaper. After the argument with her mother, Kate talks with her father, a conversation that calmed her down: “Deep down, he was very strong and he said some very sweet things”.

PJ went to London to fetch diary

Kate McCann’s diary, which is considered to be fundamental by the investigators due to the fact that it reveals the profile of Madeleine’s mother, led the Polícia Judiciária to England to try to apprehend it but it was never validated as evidence and the process ended up being archived.

The document, which started to be written by Kate upon advice from a psychiatrist after her daughter’s disappearance, was discovered by the police in the Ocean Club apartment, in the Algarve, and was initially photocopied and analysed. But it was only in April, during their last trip to England, that the Polícia Judiciária was granted permission to formally apprehend the original document, a fundamental diligence that had been requested in September so it could be valued as evidence.

But the judge that held the process decided to postpone the validation of the diary, which therefore could not be taken into account within the Polícia Judiciária’s investigation – and in the meantime, the Public Ministry ended up archiving the case.

The authorities believed that Kate’s notes revealed her personality, and therefore were determinant for the investigation, but they ended up never being able to use them as evidence.

Initially, the police only appended the copies of the document to the process, and the original was not apprehended because it juridically fit within the concept of private correspondence, which is subject to a stricter regime. Meanwhile, the McCanns returned to the United Kingdom, which forced the Polícia Judiciária to request the apprehension of the diary through rogatory letters, which took months to receive a reply.

Tomorrow: How they dealt with extortion cases

source: Correio da Manhã, 31.07.2008, paper edition

From Lusa (http://noticias.sapo.pt/lusa/artigo/1975147b8e35386a30787e.html) just now:

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Madeleine: Public Ministry makes process available from Monday onwards

Faro, 31 Jul (Lusa) – The Public Ministry makes the Madeleine McCann process, whose inquiry was archived on the 21st of this month and which prompted the lifting of arguido status from the child’s parents and from Robert Murat, available to the media on Monday.

The document starts being made available to the journalists that requested access to the process, starting on Monday at the Public Ministry’s Office that operates with the Portimão Court, an official source informed today.

Kate’s notebooks – McCanns ignored contacts

Kate devalued ‘leads’ of Maddie

The disappearance of Madeleine originated dozens of contacts to the authorities but the parents took none seriously

Kate and Gerry McCann were always suspicious about the indications from strangers that guaranteed to know the whereabouts of Madeleine. In the cases when money was demanded, Maddie’s parents seemed to know that the leads were false, just like Gonçalo Amaral describes in the book.

In her notes, Kate always shows her disbelief concerning the reliability of the information, while Gerry (the situation is described in the former investigator’s book) arose attention from the inspectors when, in the middle of a negotiation with a possible abductor, “he sucked on a lollipop in a relaxed manner, while reading banalities on internet sites and discussing rugby and football with one of the English policemen”.

One of the cases happened on the 14th of June, long before the three detentions over extortion attempts were made, when the Polícia Judiciária receives an email from an anonymous person who says he knows where Madeleine is. “Why is there so many crazy and evil people?”, Kate writes in her notes that same day, in a comment about the situation, which she classified as something that could only be a “joke”.

On the 28th of June, the process of the disappearance of Maddie makes the first detentions in Spain, an Italian and a Portuguese, due to attempted extortion. “It’s all a bit weird”, Kate comments. Five days later, Madeleine’s parents receive a new email from the anonymous person who had established contact two weeks earlier. In her notes, Kate reveals that she has no doubts that it can only be someone looking for money and she congratulates herself over knowing that the man is going to be arrested: “I’ve had news about the Dutch extortionist – someone motivated by money. Anyway, he is going to be arrested tomorrow!!”

The couple’s behaviour when faced with possible leads concerning their daughter’s whereabouts, after a publicity campaign that went around the world and was built by the parents themselves, arose the investigators’ attention, namely during one of the first days when Kate, faced with the possibility of finding her daughter, is upset about the speed that is attained by the police car.

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

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Investigation – What the PJ inspectors wanted to know

The 48 questions that remained unanswered

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

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

Evidence was manipulated

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

“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

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From IOL PortugalDiário, an interview in three parts with Gonçalo Amaral:

Maddie: the questions that were missing

IOL PortugalDiário spoke with the former PJ inspector, Gonçalo Amaral and asked some questions

This Monday, the Maddie process will no longer be subject to the judicial secrecy, and can be consulted by who requested to do so. IOL PortugalDiário asks the former inspector Gonçalo Amaral some questions. The goal is to try to shed some light on aspects of the investigation, which was questioned early on.

In your book, you write that you believe that Maddie died in the apartment, on the 3rd of May. When did you form the conviction that the child was dead?

It was with the dogs’ work. That was when we were most convinced.

But when did you sum “two plus two”?

That is part of the investigation work and the logics of the investigator. He joins things throughout time. There was atypical behaviour from the witnesses right away, which then transforms into indicia.

Then one realizes that people are lying. How can anyone who has the obligation to cooperate with the police, not do so?! All the person wants is to receive information and all that the person says is a lie?!

Then it was necessary to understand why they lied. Were they afraid of the police? Of its reaction? Of the exposure and abandonment of the children? But when we asked, they said no, and insisted that the little girl had been abducted. This immediately caused strangeness and suspicion.

According to your book, the body was preserved and you have already stated that you suspect it was frozen. If it were so, were could it have been hidden?

Any investigator knows that when there is a group of people that is on holidays, foreigners or not, it is necessary to discover what means they had available to, for example, move the body. But the McCanns and their friends, at that point in time, only knew the route between the beach and the resort. To us, taking into account how little they knew the area, it would be normal that if they did anything, they would move towards the beach. Later on there is the Irish family, which guarantees that they saw a man walking towards the beach, carrying a child. It was something that matched our suspicions.

Does that mean that from your point of view, the body may have remained on the beach?

Yes. But how long was it there for? It is unknown. It is true that the area was searched by the dogs. But some people say that the smell of salted water may lead the dogs not to indicate where the body was. There is also the possibility that the body was taken to another location on that very same night. It is materially possible. The body may have been moved three or more times.

In your book, you also mention political and diplomatic pressures. Was the PJ ever contacted by the British government?

There is an intervention from the British government, even though it was somewhat clumsy. Mainly from the present prime minister, Gordon Brown. He spoke with Kate and with the English authorities that were involved in the investigation. And he also spoke with José Sócrates [Portuguese prime minister]. As far as I know, he never spoke directly with the PJ.

But where did the alleged power of the couple, which you have been suggesting, come from?

On the first night, a dossier about the family was requested, which the English authorities never sent. It was said that they were connected to commissions that emitted opinion reports on nuclear issues, but none of that was ever confirmed officially. Connections to political parties were also mentioned.

Did the British police send information about the McCanns and their friends?

No. They never sent the information that we requested. In fact, they did send only once, financial information. They stated that the couple had a mortgage and that there was no knowledge of any credit or debit cards. How didn’t they have any? The registration of the rental car mentions the card numbers. Concerning the other members of the group, the information was also only that.


Maddie: the leads that remained unexplored

The former inspector speaks about what could have been done in the investigation and says that making Murat an arguido was not a mistake

The PJ’s report dismisses the Smiths’ testimony, due to the hour at which they say they saw the person with the child…

It cannot be that way, because nobody knows for sure at what time the things happened. The reconstitution was not made, therefore it is impossible to know for certain. The employees do not state that Gerry McCann was in the restaurant. They only say that people were seating down and getting up from the table. Their testimony [Smith] is very credible. The way how the person walked, the clumsy manner in which the child was held. It is nothing that sounds invented. Is it evidence? Certainly not. It is information that has to be worked further.

When you were removed from the case, they were planning to return to Portugal. But they desisted from the diligence…

The family should have come to Portugal and they didn’t. It was not done on purpose, but a person cannot be left waiting to be heard over five months. That allowed for, according to what I have heard, the Irish family to be contacted and the target of coercion. Several people went there and they were not from the police. He even had to get himself a lawyer to try to get things into order. Before the police arrived to hear them, several persons had tried to speak to them. And they were not the only ones.

In the book “Maddie Truth of the Lie” you mention a polish lead and you say that it is a loose end…

Nobody cares about that. We should have gone there or made a rogatory letter. They (Polish police) misunderstood the goal. They went looking for the child and we asked for an intervention to control them first. The issue was the photographs. The man never let go of the camera. We wanted to know what photographs were on the camera and if maybe there was one of Maddie.

Despite your theory that the girl died on that evening, wouldn’t there be a possibility that this couple “dispatched” the child within a few hours?

That is already speculation. We inspected the apartment where they were staying. Blood was even found inside the apartment and it was not Maddie’s. We cannot forget that when we intervene, they are not in Portugal anymore.

Could you have gone further with this couple?

We could. And if they were here in Portugal we could have done even more. But then the route of the investigation takes us elsewhere.

Was it a mistake to make Murat an arguido?

No, it was not. A mistake would have been if we had not acted in the manner that we did and he would always remain a suspect without being able to defend himself. Now he has even received a compensation. Have you noticed that nobody has requested the instruction of the process? He could have done that.

Did the Joana case contribute to your removal?

It cannot have contributed. The national director knows that the issue are two social psychopaths – considered by the IML [national institute for forensic medicine] – that lie. The issue is my word and the word of a psychopath.

May the noise of the case have had some influence?

When the first news came out I called for the attention of the director in Faro. What I said at that time was: maybe it’s best for the process to leave Portimão, or for me to step aside from the investigation.

Did you consider the possibility of leaving the Maddie case?

I did. And the feedback that I got was that I had full support.

Don’t you repent that you did not go to the location [on the night of the events]?

There are several ways to coordinate. And one of them is over the phone. No, I have no regrets.

Don’t you think that the result might have been different?

It is possible. At least there would have been someone, and I have a good memory, who would remember how they were dressed that evening.


Maddie: the questions from the readers

IOL PortugalDiário allowed for its readers to ask questions from the former PJ inspector Gonçalo Amaral. Among several that were received, here are the ones that were chosen by the redaction

Could the tests have been made at another laboratory, like for example the FBI’s? (question from Michael Williams)

That is another group decision. And it is decided in order to somehow compromise the other side. There was already that “bad posture”, let’s put it that way, from the English tabloids. The idea was for them to be compromised with the results. But yes, it could have been done at another lab, it didn’t even need to go to the United States, there are some very good ones in Europe.

Were the diligences the same in the cases of Joana and Maddie? (question from Luís Nogueiro)

The first diligences were the same.

How do you comment on the statements from the former President Jorge Sampaio? (question from Fernando Moura das Neves)

I think it is a concern. Deep down, he is not against the publication of the book. Maybe what he meant is that it was not necessary to go this far.

Was anything done about the church where the McCanns spent so much time and to which they had the key? (identified reader)

There were never any motives to question the catholic church. There is no indice that points towards the child being there, at least up to the moment when she was transported in the car. Even because there are no freezers there, or cold spots that would allow for the body to be kept at that location.

Was no cadaver odour or other indicia ever found on the father’s clothes? (identified reader)

No. We don’t know what he was wearing on the night of the disappearance. If it was him who was seen carrying the child, those clothes may even not exist anymore. He went to London and he might have washed it. As a matter of fact, we never knew what anyone of the group was wearing on the evening of the facts.

IOL PortugalDiário remembers that the process of the disappearance of Maddie was archived and that Kate and Gerry McCann and Robert Murat, stopped being arguidos on the 21st of July. Maddie’s parents have made it known that they intend to sue Gonçalo Amaral, following the publication of the book “Maddie: Truth of the Lie”.


source: IOL PortugalDiário, 03/04.08.2008

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It is with a very heavy heart that I post this translation my friends...

From Sol online edition:

Madeleine case

Public Ministry archived the process because no indicium of guilt of the McCanns was proved

The Public Ministry (PM) sustained that the McCann couple had no responsibilities in the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine, due to a lack of confirmation of the indicia of guilt

In the archiving dispatch that is part of the process that was made public today, the PM refers that none of the indicia over which the parents of the girl that went missing on the 3rd of May 2007, from a bedroom in the Ocean Club resort, in Praia da Luz, were made arguidos, was confirmed.

The process, which was archived on the 21st of July, was made available during the afternoon today, and is composed of approximately 30 thousand pages, distributed over more than fifty volumes, appendixes, rogatory letters and reports, among other documents.

Among the motives to consider that the couple had no responsibilities in their daughter’s disappearance, the PM points out, in the archiving dispatch, that none of them was in the apartment when the child disappeared.

Underlining that one of the indicia that led to the McCanns being made arguidos were some markings done by the English police dogs that were in Praia da Luz in August, the PM stresses that those markings were not ratified in posterior analyses.

The other element that led the McCanns to being made arguidos, an email that was considered as compromising, would also end up being discarded as an element of evidence.

According to the document, even if the couple was responsible for their daughter’s death, it would have to be explained under which circumstances that happened, namely, how, when, what for and with what help.

In order to justify the lack of support for the couple to hide the body, in a scenario within which they eventually would be involved in the disappearance of their daughter, the PM points out that Kate and Gerry did not know the terrain that surrounded the resort.

On the other hand, it refers that the McCanns had no contacts in Portugal whatsoever, and as proof of that it points out the fact that on the days before, they limited their contacts to the group of friends with whom they spent the holidays.

In defense of the theory of non-involvement, the dispatch also points out that, contrary to what was said during the days following the abduction, the couple did not contact any media before they contacted the police.

Despite discarding the involvement of the couple, the PM laments that it has not been possible to carry out the reconstitution of what happened on the evening of May 3, stating that the surveillance system from the group concerning the children that slept in the apartment block needed to be tested.

The PM also recognizes that there are doubts concerning the contents of the depositions that were given by the group – including the McCann couple – that dined at the Tapas restaurant, and points out the existence of details that were not justified.

Concerning the homicide theory in abstract, the PM defends that the possibility cannot be discarded, but notes that it cannot be more than a mere supposition due to the lack of elements to sustain it in the police files.

Furthermore, the dispatch observes that the process is not definitely closed and that, in theory, all the crime scenarios – abduction, homicide, accidental death with concealment of the cadaver – are maintained, albeit with no credible factual support.

Among several considerations, the PM guarantees that the behaviour of the media during the days that followed the disappearance of the British child disturbed the investigations, and criticizes the anticipated judgment of the arguidos, which, in its understanding, denote little respect for the human person.

The process was delivered today, at around 4.30 p.m., to the dozens of Portuguese and British journalists who required it, in DVD format.

source: Lusa/Sol (http://sol.sapo.pt/PaginaInicial/Sociedade/Interior.aspx?content_id=104350)

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From Diário de Notícias this morning 8-4-08 (http://dn.sapo.pt/2008/08/05/sociedade/gerry_ligou_a_para_tentar_provar_ino.html):

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Gerry called the PJ to try to prove innocence

Maddie case. In the process, which was made available to the journalists yesterday, it is written that Madeleine’s parents had a strange behaviour before they were made arguidos. Gerry called the police to reaffirm that they were not suspects and Kate questioned whether or not the police was being pressured to end the investigation

Days before the McCann couple was called for interrogation for the second time and made arguidos, Gerry McCann called the PJ inspector, Ricardo Paiva, who was responsible for the couple’s communication with the police, by phone, underlining their innocence. “I am certain that the police has no evidence against us”, Gerry said to inspector Ricardo Paiva, one can read in the Maddie case process, which was released yesterday.

The father of the British child, that disappeared in May 2007, guaranteed that the PJ had no evidence to incriminate the couple over their daughter’s death. But only a few days later, on the 7th of September, the couple was made arguidos.

On the day after this phone call from Madeleine’s father, inspector Ricardo Paiva went to the temporary home of Kate and Gerry McCann, in Praia da Luz, to notify them of the second judicial interrogation that would result in both being made arguidos.

On that day, the 3rd of September 2007, after knowing that she would have to testify to the PJ in Portimão for the second time, Kate reacted in a hostile and aggressive manner. Sentences like “what will my parents think?”, “what will the press say when they find out” and “but the Portuguese police is being pressured by the Government to end the investigation!” demonstrate just that.

These and other reactions from the British couple are included in a revealing letter that the same inspector, Ricardo Paiva, sent to Gonçalo Amaral, who was then still the coordinator of the Maddie case, on the 3rd of September, two days before the interrogation.

That letter, which goes unnoticed among the 17 volumes of the process, is included in a process that reunited almost five thousand pages, nine appendixes and rogatory letters and which was made public and available to the press yesterday. In late July, the Attorney General, Pinto Monteiro, archived the process.

A letter that reveals the reasons that had never been made public before, about why Madeleine’s parents were made arguidos, according to the PJ. This time, Ricardo Paiva explains that the McCanns’ behaviour started to reveal itself as “strange”, with a clear tendency of “convincing” the PJ to follow, in the investigation, the abduction theory.

“I have watched several strange behaviours from the couple, who gradually reacted in a very negative manner to the investigative activity of the PJ, especially when, due to the use of the English cynotechnical means of detection of cadaver odour, the hypothesis of the death of Maddie McCann appeared.”

According to the inspector, the McCann couple said several times that the PJ should be focused only on the abduction theory.

And more: “That the police should not forget to continue investigating the suspect Robert Murat.” The Anglo-British man who, according to the PJ’s report that was sent to the Public Ministry, was made an arguido over mere suspicions from a British journalist that were shared to the PJ in Portimão. During that house visit that Ricardo Paiva paid to Kate and Gerry, the latter insisted with the inspector to show him some letters and emails from mediums, that he possessed and which had been selected by him, mostly containing information “without great credibility”, according to the inspector, concerning the possible whereabouts of Madeleine’s abductor.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1041685/Revealed-The-map-drawn-Tapas-Nine-witness-saw-Madeleine-carried-night.html


Revealed: The map drawn by Tapas Nine witness who 'saw Madeleine carried off into the night'

Investigation – Photograph taken by the PJ raises doubts

Bed without traces of Maddie

First photo of the bedroom after the disappearance shows the bed where the child reportedly slept, almost untouched

Without traces of a four-year-old child that reportedly slept there. That is how the inspectors from the Polícia Judiciária found Madeleine McCann’s bed a few hours after the disappearance and which can be seen in the image that CM publishes today. The photograph still raises questions from the investigators and scientific police experts, to which the child’s parents had no answer.

Maddie, according to Kate and Gerry, had gone to bed at 7.30 p.m., at the same time as the twins, who shared the cots beside it. But the bed is partially made, with the sheets and the cover unopened and the soft toy – on which the English dogs detected cadaver odour – lined up with the pillow. In the bed, no signal of the presence of the child on that evening of the 3rd of May was found – not even the odour of the dead child.

At its side, the cots of twins Sean and Amelie, strangely without sheets or any sign of their presence in that bedroom. This while it was described to the authorities that the twins were asleep beside Maddie when she went missing.

It is also strange to note the absence of any person in the photograph, despite the fact that the investigators found several people inside the Ocean Club apartment, including friends of the couple and military from the GNR.

The differences between the witness reports and what was registered by the authorities will remain shrouded in mystery.

Details

Spot - In the news report that was elaborated by the GNR, it is pointed out that the distinguishing mark of the missing child is a spot on her left leg, and not the brown spot in one of her eyes.

Messages – On the 24th of September of 2007, the instruction judge denied the prosecutor access to SMS and MMS messages, in defense of privacy, but authorized access to the traffic flux.

Laptop – In the same dispatch, the judge permitted access to the hard drive of the laptop computer that was rented by Gerry McCann after the disappearance of his daughter.

Journalists receive process

The Public Ministry in Portimão distributed 44 copies of the judicial process concerning the disappearance of Madeleine to Portuguese and English journalists yesterday. One year and three months after the investigation started – and after it was archived, pending better evidence – the mystery still stands but the police work is now open to public scrutiny.

Twelve English newspapers, three English television stations and one English information agency now hold the process, as well as the national media in general.

The process was delivered, recorded on a DVD. The 47 volumes of the investigation, including appendixes, are inscribed in more than 30 thousand pages. The DVD weighs in at 1,10 GB, distributed over 60 files in PDF format. They include everything, except for some rogatory letters (due to logistics reasons) and the images of the cynotechnical inspections, which can be seen at the Court in Portimão from September onwards.

“This never happens in the United Kingdom”

“We heard so much about the judicial secrecy in Portugal and now we are going to see all the facts. After so much speculation, we are going to find out what the police has been doing. This never happens in the United Kingdom. Police and Prosecutor do not reveal the processes” – Greg Milam, Sky News

“Weak and failed investigation”

“A lot of people in the United Kingdom, including myself, strongly criticizes the Portuguese investigation. I’m expectant to see whether I am right or stand corrected. But I suspect that I’m going to find a weak and failed investigation” – Robert Moore, ITV

source: Correio da Manhã, 05.08.2008, paper edition

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