Madeleine McCann General Discussion Thread No. 23

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Thanks for the new thread Christine!!!!


Salem
 
6.18.08

EU Vice-President Jacques Barrot rejects McCann's project of a European Amber alert.
The strategy approved by the European Parliament, concerning an alert system for missing children, will go forward, the European Commission Vice-president Jacques Barrot said, Monday, in Strasbourg. The appointment of Mr. Barrot to be the Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, will be voted by the European Parliament next Wednesday.
Mr. Barrot mentioned the European Parliament project intended to set up a EU hotline in all 27 state member and a coordinated alarm system, in cooperation with NGO's and child protection associations and said that child protection was “among his priorities”, during a formal hearing on Monday. This hearing is one of the steps for the appointment of a new Commissioner or a change of portfolio. Mr. Barrot was the Commissioner in charge of Transports.

The remarks were considered by several Members of European Parliament a “diplomatic answer” to the McCann strong critics about the European Parliament project, published in Gerry's blog on 13 June. The parents of Madeleine McCann went to Strasbourg today, trying to get the support of more 182 MEPs, for a “written declaration” that appeals for a system similar to the American Amber alert to be set up in EU, but they only managed to get 15 more signatures and are far from the 393 needed.

During a Press Conference, Kate and Gerry McCann reacted with exasperation, when journalists questioned them about the fact that they left three children alone in an apartment, the night when Madeleine disappeared. “We didn't abandoned or neglected Madeleine. Somebody came in the apartment and took a child. Repeating that question is really annoying”, was the answer of Gerry McCann.

“The fundamental question is the fact that a child was kidnapped and there is a criminal on the run”, said Kate McCann. “We must concentrate in the fundamental question. It's not helpful to insist in raising the same subject. Nothing changed, in the last 14 months and I don't understand why we are talking about that, again.”

Duarte Levy and Paulo Reis
http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/2008/06/eu-vice-president-jacques-barrot.html
 
Keep avoiding the fact that you ,Gerry and Kate,left those babies alone in an strange country while you wined and dined ,giving the person(s) (as if that happened anyway) the chance to get in and take your child!

:banghead::banghead:
Those two just irk me and make me :sick:!
 
Forgive my ignorance, I have no law or LE experience, but is this fully legal? It smells of Jon-Benet to me and the way LE messed EVERYTHING up.

Which part seems like it is not fully legal? The laws in Portugal regarding evidence are completely different than our own.

Many people feel like this case has many similarities to JB's. Sad to say...
 
I guess the part about them letting the McCann's see the evidence against them. Obviously they aren't American and the crime happened in Portugal....so I guess a big DUH to me that other countries have different rules, but to me that opens up to exactly what happened with JBR....letting the suspects see EVERYTHING.
 
Well, basically, the statute of limitations has run out. In Portugal a "suspect" is given an "arguido" status that usually lasts for a specific period of time. That time can be extended (has been once already) and is now set to come to an end. The LE needs to bring charges or archive the case. If archived, the files are then opened to anyone, including the McCanns. Charges can still be brought at a later date if new evidence comes to light. That is a very basic (even crude) explanation.....

I agree that showing the files to the world will give the McCanns (and their high-priced lawyers) an advantage and a blueprint for any defense they may need to present. HOWEVER, the chance of charges being brought for neglect (at least), crimes of murder, exposure (to risk of serious harm) abandonment and concealment of Madeleine's corpse are all still possible. I do find the latest silence (and I mean SILENCE) from the Portuguese authorities to be troubling. I can't figure out what the hang-up is.

I can only hope that LE in Portugal does a better job of investigating this case than LE in Colorado did. Only time will tell.
 
Well, basically, the statute of limitations has run out. In Portugal a "suspect" is given an "arguido" status that usually lasts for a specific period of time. That time can be extended (has been once already) and is now set to come to an end. The LE needs to bring charges or archive the case. If archived, the files are then opened to anyone, including the McCanns. Charges can still be brought at a later date if new evidence comes to light. That is a very basic (even crude) explanation.....

I agree that showing the files to the world will give the McCanns (and their high-priced lawyers) an advantage and a blueprint for any defense they may need to present. HOWEVER, the chance of charges being brought for neglect (at least), crimes of murder, exposure (to risk of serious harm) abandonment and concealment of Madeleine's corpse are all still possible. I do find the latest silence (and I mean SILENCE) from the Portuguese authorities to be troubling. I can't figure out what the hang-up is.

I can only hope that LE in Portugal does a better job of investigating this case than LE in Colorado did. Only time will tell.

So do you think this means the case is going to be archived Colomon? How disappointing if this is the case, I hope not!
 
Snagged from 3A's.....
(http://www.the3arguidos.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15363)

How's this for story placement???

placement.jpg


From the article: "Detectives also found a note that appeared to list ways of disposing a body. It read:"1) By sea 2) Acid 3) Landfill 4) Burning."

:eek::eek::eek:
 
So do you think this means the case is going to be archived Colomon? How disappointing if this is the case, I hope not!

I don't know B....I can't understand why no action yet. I go back and forth about the final outcome. I still pray that evil does not win. Maddie deserves so much better than this circus. All my digits are crossed.
 
Copied from: http://helpmadeleine.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1082&page=11 Post #150 (with permission....Thanks Rainbow!!)

I have made a transcript of the press conference held in Strasbourg yesterday:

Clarence M: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am Clarence Mitchell, Kate and Gerry McCann’s spokesman. With me, of course, is Edward McMillan Scott, Vice President of the European Parliament, one of the key sponsors of the written declaration that Kate and Gerry launched in Brussels back in April and are encouraging MEP’s to sign at this session and the next one.

Kate will be making a short statement, following which Kate and Gerry will be happy to take a few questions. If, as before, you indicate to me you want to ask a question. We would be grateful if you say who you are and which organization you represent. With that I will hand it over to Kate McCann.

Kate: Good evening.

When we last came to European Parliament in Brussels this past April, we launched a written declaration seeking to gain support of a majority of MEP’s to facilitate an introduction of a Europe wide missing child alert system.

A structure we feel is absolutely vital if no other families are to go through the pain we have suffered and continue to suffer since Madeleine’s abduction nearly 14 months ago.

Our visit today at the plenary session here in Strasbourg has been extremely useful and very encouraging. Both in terms of being updated on the good progress of the declaration, and having the chance to lobby directly many of those MEP’s who have yet to sign it.

Whilst we remain confident that the declaration will have been signed by the deadline at the end of next month we have also learned that we still have much to do to increase awareness among MEP’s before then.

We wish to thank the 226 MEP's who have already put their names to the proposal. Each and every one of them is directly helping to protect children throughout Europe.

We also wish to thank the leaders of those key political groups within the Parliament with whom we were fortunate enough to be able to meet today.

Many MEP’s have told us directly that they will be signing the declaration by the end of the next session and that crucially they will also be urging many of their political and national colleagues to do the same.

This gives us great confidence that the target of 393 signatures is achievable.

We were however, also surprised to learn that some MEP’s remain unaware of the declaration and its aim of improving child welfare, despite the international publicity that surrounded it.

Here in France there is a missing child alert system but in the handful of cases it has been used over the last 2 years it has been completely successful.

We also understand that the French government may encourage the adoption of this system across Europe during their forthcoming Presidency.

In closing we would like to place on record our continued thanks to those MEP’s who are driving the declaration forward by sponsoring it:

Edward McMillan Scott, Glenys Kinnock, Diana Wallace, Roberta Angelilli and Evelyne Gebhardt.

We urge every MEP to examine the need for such improved coordination and cooperation when a child goes missing in an increasingly border-less Europe.

The AMBER alert system has recovered hundreds of children in the USA. A system based on the same principles must surely do the same here in Europe.

Thank you.


Clarence: Any questions?

Portuguese television reporter: During this stay in the European Parliament, who has received you, who have you visited, have you been to political groups for example?

Clarence Mitchell: I think Edward McMillan Scott will answer that.

Edward McMillan Scott: The purpose of today’s visit was primarily to thank those Members of the European Parliament who have already signed the declaration and to ask them to encourage others to sign so that we reach the figure of beyond 393 by the end of the period on 24 July.

Today Kate and Gerry met a number of individual MEP's, about 40 or 50 altogether, including the leaders of some of the larger groups of the European Parliament and some of the larger delegations. So we hope that personal contact will encourage them and their groups to support the declaration. I think part of the problem, as Kate said, is the lack of awareness of first of all, the importance of the missing child alert system as in America and here in France, and its value in saving lives, and the fact that it costs nothing.

But there is also a declaration fatigue there are now 41 declarations in the European Parliament open for signature last year out of 116 only 41 succeeded in being adopted as a resolution of the European Parliament so it is a challenge and I'm incredibly grateful to Kate and Gerry for taking the time to come here today so that out of the their personal tragedy some good may come. And to pass on that message to the number of colleagues we have seen.

German Press Agency: Mrs. McCann, if such a missing child alert system had been in place when your daughter disappeared, in what way do you feel it could have helped?

Kate: I mean, it’s very difficult to answer that question, to say whether it would have helped to recover Madeleine definitely or not. I believe it would have given us a greater chance. I think the awareness early on in the critical hours would have been greater and hence I think there would have been more help from the public at that crucial time and potentially Madeleine may have been retrieved. We will never know. But it is a possibility. Yes.

Another Portuguese reporter: Mrs. McCann, you said that if the system had existed it would have been easier to have found Madeleine within the first few hours.

It was difficult in the first few hours because Madeleine was alone in the house. Don’t you think that this was perhaps abandonment?

Kate: I think perhaps you are avoiding the issue to be honest. Madeleine was not alone for a few hours and I didn’t say it would have been easier I just think our chances would have been greater of Madeleine being recovered.

I think the issue here is that a child has been abducted and there is a criminal out there, who is still out there.

I think we need to concentrate on the real issue here. It doesn’t help by going over issues that you have just raised.

Portuguese Reporter again: You didn’t answer the first question, which was, it could be that the Portuguese police will take you up for abandonment or negligence which is something that comes that under the Portuguese criminal code.

Gerry: You know, we didn’t abandon or neglect Madeleine. As Kate has already said, somebody went into an apartment and stole a child. That’s where the focus is.

You are going over old ground. It’s really quite boring and we want people to focus on issues which we think will make a difference. The amber alert would make a difference. It can be a deterrent. It can help to find a missing child.

We need cross-border cooperation.

Kate: Also, nothing has changed in the last 14 months. I am not really, you know, sure why we are talking about this now because nothing has changed on that issue in the last 14 months.

Clarence: Kate and Gerry are not accused of any crime whatsoever. Neither is there any suggestion that any charges are being considered.
 
Wow - who was that Portugese reporter? She/he deserves a big fat raise! Talk about asking the tough questions - even Barbara Walters would have passed on this. I'm laughing out loud. And I bet from here on, the McCanns will always double check to see if a Portugese reporter is in the audience before they go to an event :)

Salem
 
Snagged from 3A's.....
(http://www.the3arguidos.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15363)

How's this for story placement???

placement.jpg


From the article: "Detectives also found a note that appeared to list ways of disposing a body. It read:"1) By sea 2) Acid 3) Landfill 4) Burning."

:eek::eek::eek:

Yes I saw that thread & noted the people who said they have experience in journalism & the placing of articles is always well thought out! Not an accident! This has reopened a lot of talk about the Pet crematorium in Portugal!

I don't know B....I can't understand why no action yet. I go back and forth about the final outcome. I still pray that evil does not win. Maddie deserves so much better than this circus. All my digits are crossed.

Mine also!

Copied from: http://helpmadeleine.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1082&page=11 Post #150 (with permission....Thanks Rainbow!!)

.......................................

German Press Agency: Mrs. McCann, if such a missing child alert system had been in place when your daughter disappeared, in what way do you feel it could have helped?

Kate: I mean, it’s very difficult to answer that question, to say whether it would have helped to recover Madeleine definitely or not. I believe it would have given us a greater chance. I think the awareness early on in the critical hours would have been greater and hence I think there would have been more help from the public at that crucial time and potentially Madeleine may have been retrieved. We will never know. But it is a possibility. Yes.

Another Portuguese reporter: Mrs. McCann, you said that if the system had existed it would have been easier to have found Madeleine within the first few hours.

It was difficult in the first few hours because Madeleine was alone in the house. Don’t you think that this was perhaps abandonment?

Kate: I think perhaps you are avoiding the issue to be honest. Madeleine was not alone for a few hours and I didn’t say it would have been easier I just think our chances would have been greater of Madeleine being recovered.

I think the issue here is that a child has been abducted and there is a criminal out there, who is still out there.

I think we need to concentrate on the real issue here. It doesn’t help by going over issues that you have just raised.

Portuguese Reporter again: You didn’t answer the first question, which was, it could be that the Portuguese police will take you up for abandonment or negligence which is something that comes that under the Portuguese criminal code.

Gerry: You know, we didn’t abandon or neglect Madeleine. As Kate has already said, somebody went into an apartment and stole a child. That’s where the focus is.

You are going over old ground. It’s really quite boring and we want people to focus on issues which we think will make a difference. The amber alert would make a difference. It can be a deterrent. It can help to find a missing child.

We need cross-border cooperation.

Kate: Also, nothing has changed in the last 14 months. I am not really, you know, sure why we are talking about this now because nothing has changed on that issue in the last 14 months.

Clarence: Kate and Gerry are not accused of any crime whatsoever. Neither is there any suggestion that any charges are being considered.

More help from the public, well that's a laugh! I think I said it on the last thread, the public were looking when they were jogging, having hair done, at the pool , at the beach, playing with the twins. Ok the twins needed a life but I think their missing child could have taken priority for a week or two at least!

My God, how can they have the bareface to actually lie when we all know that they left the children alone for a few hours & if they are trying to say that it wasn't a few hours until she disappeared on May 3rd what about the night before when she cried?

"You know, we didn't abandon or neglect Madeleine" Does this idiot expect anyone to believe this?

"Someone broke into an apartment & stole a child" How detached is that? Not someone broke into OUR apartment & stole OUR child!

What is really quite boring is listening to this pathetic pair peddling their lies & being so arrogant to think that they are fooling anyone!

At the very least they are child abusers (neglect is abuse) & pathological liars, we all know what they are at worst!
 
Thank you Colomom for your perspective and explanation.....I agree it's troubling that the authorities are stone cold silent....and that they must open the files. Worries me very much.
 
Thanks so much for the transcript and article, colomom! :clap:

That video was the best thing of all. :)

I think the Portuguese Press must be more frustrated than we are about Madeleine's disappearance. It's great that the reporter cut to the chase with no formalities.

Colomom's transcript said:
The remarks were considered by several Members of European Parliament a “diplomatic answer” to the McCann strong critics about the European Parliament project, published in Gerry's blog on 13 June. The parents of Madeleine McCann went to Strasbourg today, trying to get the support of more 182 MEPs, for a “written declaration” that appeals for a system similar to the American Amber alert to be set up in EU, but they only managed to get 15 more signatures and are far from the 393 needed.

I like the fact that the EU gave a "diplomatic answer" to the McCanns to shove off with their plan. In other words the McCanns are not the spokepeople they want in charge of an Amber Alert system.
 
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