Congratulations Robert Murat and Michaela Walczuch

What brilliant news! Robert Murat, who was made a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case and was subsequently awarded a substantial sum in damages against several UK newspapers, has married Michaela Walczuch. Congratulations Mr and Mrs Murat. True happiness be yours.

Sunday Express May 10th 2009

"ROBERT Murat has married the woman who stood by him when he wrongly became a suspect in the Madeleine case, writes James Murray.

His bride, German-born Jehovah’s Witness Michaela Walczuch, 34, never doubted Mr Murat for a second and remained loyal throughout the time he was under suspicion.

The civil ceremony, held on April 17 on a beach just a few miles from Praia da Luz, was witnessed by 50 close relatives and friends of the couple.

Among them was 35-year-old Mr Murat’s daughter Sofia from his first marriage. Mr Murat’s brother Richard was best man.

Also there was Mr Murat’s mother Jenny, 72, who still lives just 100 yards from the apartment where Madeleine vanished."

Robert Murat receives damages from BSkyB.

Today, at the High Court in London, Robert Murat, who was not present, accepted substantial damages from Sky over claims that there were strong grounds for believing he was involved in Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

From ITN news:

"His solicitor Louis Charalambous told Mr Justice Eady that an article and video on the Sky News website claimed that in the early days after Madeleine's disappearance from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, Mr Murat's behaviour was reminiscent of child murderer Ian Huntley."

"Outside court, Mr Charalambous said that the settlement represented the final stage of Mr Murat's claims against those sections of the British media "which defamed him so terribly".

"He has been entirely successful and vindicated," he said.

"It was particularly important to him to nail this particular lie - that he acted in some way reminiscent to the Soham murderer Ian Huntley when, in fact, he was working flat out to help try to find Madeleine."

Anything to say, today, Ms Campbell?

Enfants Kidnappés 7/10/08: Lori Campbell's statement to Leicester police May 2007

Enfants Kidnappés

Lori Campbell

Leicestershire Constabulary

On May 6th 2007, the PJ receives a document from their British counterparts in which it us stated that:

Lori Campell, Sunday Mirror journalist has contacted the Leicestershire police to inform them of the following facts:

Lori has spoken to an interpreter who is helping the Portuguese authorities in the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance. He introduced himself as, "ROB," and gave no substantive information about himself. He looked rather worried when he noticed that the Mirror photographer had taken his photo. "ROB," told Lori that he was going through a difficult divorce in the United Kingdom at the moment, that he had a three year-old daughter, just like Madeleine, from whom he is separated for the moment. He made a "show" for the reporters while he was on the telephone with his daughter, and Lori found that making such a show while speaking to his daughter on the telephone was somewhat forced. The things "ROB" said aroused Lori's suspicions.

The Portuguese authorities can make contact with Lori who is still in Portugal to obtain more details and to identify the said, "ROB". She is contactable on no. ...... ....

What we can assume.

The first question to be asked, faced with this document, is to find out why this journalist, present in Portugal, in contact with the country's PJ, refers to the police of a foreign country (in this case the UK) facts concerning an investigation the UK is not in charge of? Is the Mirror journalist so unaware of procedures on the subject?

The act of going through the UK police to speak of her suspicions creates red tape and considerable loss of time.

Indeed:

1. You have to go and talk about it - or send a fax, which has to be typed first - to the UK police (instead of the Portuguese police present on the spot).
2. The UK's administrative system has to get itself moving.
3. You then have to send back to Portugal (where the journalist is) a document to attach to the police statement.
4. This document has to be translated by a professional to be accepted in the case file.

Fortunately Robert Murat was not holding Madeleine captive because Lori was giving him ample time to disappear!!!

With hindsight, it could be said that we can see here an attempt at manipulating the investigation. An attempt to distract attention. An attempt to slow down the investigation. Certainly these theories make sense as it's not the first or last manipulation in this case. * Especially if we add the fact that, as it happens, it was on the advice of the British consulate that Robert Murat was chosen as interpreter by the Portuguese police!! Has he been the victim of a trap?

Other people will say that Lori was afraid to raise her suspicions of Robert Murat, who was too often with the Portuguese PJ, and that she would have preferred to go directly to the UK. That theory is difficult to defend. If Lori had contacted the Portuguese PJ directly, she would have been heard without the presence of Robert Murat and the PJ could have directly interviewed Murat or placed him under discreet surveillance. Instead of that, Robert Murat carried on with his translations for many interviews.

Enfants Kidnappés

7/10/08 * This sentence makes sense thanks to the translation by frencheuropean on the 3 Arguidos forum.

McCann case: Brian Kennedy and Metodo3 meet with the PJ

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

14/08/08

On October 19th 2007, Alberto Carbas, head of the Anti-Abduction Unit of the Spanish Department of Criminal Investigation, contacted the PJ and asked the inspectors in charge of the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance if they were willing to have a meeting with a representative of Metodo3 and an officer belonging to the Spanish unit.

The purpose of this meeting was to provide the PJ with information held by the detectives. The Spanish police officer stated that Metodo3 had no intention of interfering with the work of the Portuguese police, but only to pass on useful information. At the same meeting. Metodo3 stated that they were not working for the McCanns but for Brian Kennedy.

On November 13th 2007, the meeting took place, in Portimao. Taking part in the meeting were two PJ detectives - Ricardo Paiva and Paulo Ferreira - the director of Metodo3, Francisco Marco, a detective and advisor for the agency, Antonio Jiminez (former head of the Catalogne police Anti-Abduction unit who, later, was arrested in Spain accused of trafficking cocaine) and the millionaire Brian Kennedy.

The two PJ inspectors submitted an account of the meeting containing information exchanged and investigations concerning the leads given by Metodo3.

The report, which is amongst the documents contained on the DVD, indicates that right at the start of the meeting, Brian Kennedy was keen to stress that his intentions were purely charitable, because he felt concerned about cases of child neglect and child abduction. He stated that his concern, in this particular case, was only the truth and nothing but the truth, independently of knowing if the McCanns, their friends or any other person was involved or suspected.

The man hidden in the shadows.

The director of Metodo3 presented a report to the PJ about three situations, connected with Madeleine's disappearance, allegedly received via their hotline. The first concerned an incident that the British media had already referred to, at the end of October 2007: a woman who was babysitting at the Ocean Club, in apartment 5A in August/September 2006, spotted a man, "hidden in the shadows," one Thursday - the same day of the week that Madeleine, aged 4, disappeared," as The Sun wrote on October 31.

According to the newspaper, "the nanny - identified only as M.H. - reported the frightening incident to the police in England after the hunt for Madeleine started in May, but did not speak to the police in Portugal." Clarence Mitchell added that: "This evidence supports what we have always said, that Maddie was taken from her bed by an abductor."

The PJ ruled out this report, because the detectives considered that there was no proof that it was related to Madeleine's disappearance.

The second piece of information was about the alleged existence of a paedophile image on a computer at the home of Sergei Malinka, witnessed by the fiancé of a British woman, four years ago, when he was at Malinka's house. According to this witness, he questioned Malinka on the subject and he explained that the computer belonged to a client and that he would report it later to the authorities.

All of the computers at Malinka's house were seized and examined, but nothing of any relevance or suspicion was found, the PJ report indicates.

Murat's friend seen with Madeleine.

The third piece of information referred to a detailed witness statement, according to the Metodo 3 report, about a woman handing what the witness was convinced was a child, wrapped in a blanket or a sheet, over a fence to a man, next to two parked vehicles, near a town 160 kilometres from the Algarve. The witness, a Portuguese lorry driver, M.G., looked at several photos and picked out Michaela Walczuch, saying that was the one that most resembled the woman he had seen.

The English media also published the story on November 19th 2007, but with different details. "A witness spotted Murat's German girlfriend, Michaela Walczuch, in a car with Maddie, on May 5th, in central Portugal," the Metro wrote. On the same day, the Daily Mail published a similar story: "According to a source, a new witness identified Michaela Walczuch as the woman seen with the missing child, in central Portugal, 160 kilometres from where she disappeared on May 3rd."

As usual, Clarence Mitchell had a few things to say to the media: "We are not going to comment on any line of the investigation except to say that we are encouraged by the fact that our investigators seem to be making progress. Kate and Gerry are not ruling out any possibility."

The Pj studied this incident and questioned the Portuguese lorry driver, but the facts that he described to the police were somewhat different: he saw a woman handing something to a man, over a fence, wrapped in what looked like a blanket. It wasn't heavy, because they did it easily and the fence was around a metre sixty high. Asked if it could have been the body of a child, he responded that nothing he had seen would indicate that.

Questioned also about the positive identification of Michaela Walczuch, according to Metodo 3's report, the witness told the PJ that he couldn't see the woman's face, because he was driving his lorry at 70/80 km/hour, and the couple were at some distance. He only chose Michaela's photo from amongst the others Metodo 3 had shown him because she had the same hair colour similar build.

Duarte Levy & Paulo Reis

14/08/08

SOS Madeleine McCann: Russell O'Brien was allowed to refer to Jane Tanner's statements before he was questioned.

SOS Madeleine McCann 4/08/08

The Maddie investigation: O'Brien was questioned after having referred to Tanner's statements.

At the time of his interview, in April 2008, Russell James O'Brien was able to refer to the report of his partner Jane Tanner's statements in order to respond to questions from Andrew Gierc, a Leicestershire police officer, about the events that surrounded Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

The access of one witness to the statements of another, even when it is the same couple, is worrying and outside the norm, above all in the course of an investigation of the importance of the Madeleine McCann case. It is also judged by experts from several European police forces, consulted by SMM, as more than a simple professional error: "this can direct the witness or even worse, allow him to answer questions in a way that protects his position in the investigation," states an officer of the French gendarmerie, stressing, "that it is an error capable of compromising an entire investigation and that no professional worthy of that name would make it....The only explanation that remains is the possibility that the investigator wanted to confuse the witness for a specific reason."

"I was given the opportunity to refresh my memory about the report made by Jane Tanner (my wife) and I was allowed to see these documents. That was done in the presence of DC 1578 Gierc," O'Brien admits.

O'Brien was interviewed twice, on April 8th and 10th 2008, but strangely, his his first interview would not have been recorded on video, because, according to the British police, there was a, "technical fault." However, it now looks like the video, which was never sent to Portugal, exists but would not be attached to the report of the April 8th interview.

Russell O'Brien's second interview by police officer Andrew Gierc, was indeed recorded on video, to which we have had access.

All the other, "Tapas 7," were also interviewed: Payne was questioned for 259 minutes by police officer I. Messiah, Diane Webster for 151 minutes by police officer Fergusson, Fiona Payne for 277 minutes by police officer Messiah, Matthew Oldfield for 157 minutes and Rachael Mariamma Jean Mampilly, by police officer Andrew Gierc for 236 minutes.

Jane Tanner was interviewed for 279 minutes by police officer Fergusson, an interview with seven interruptions, the first also very hectic after only 18 minutes when the fire alarm went off.

196 witnesses and 3 arguidos.

At the time when the Portuguese Public Minister decided to place the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance on hold pending further evidence, there was a total of 196 witnesses, including the McCanns' seven friends, and three arguidos, registered in the process.

Several witnesses, who made themselves known to the British authorities, have remained unknown to the Portuguese investigators, for a reason yet to be determined. Brian Kennedy, the millionaire who would be financing Clarence Mitchell and the McCanns' team of lawyers, has even visited several of the investigation's witnesses, in particular those who were less favourable to the couple.

Robert James Queriol Eveleigh Murat, Kate Marie Healy, (also addressed as Kate McCann) and Gerald Patrick McCann were the three arguidos.

Amongst the witnesses, there are a few names already known to the general public. The, "nannies," Amy Ellen Tierney, Catriona Treasa Sisile Baker, Charlotte Elizabeth alice Pennington, Emma Louise Wilding, Jacqueline Mary Williams, Kirsty Louise Maryen, Lyndsay Jayne Johnson, Lynne Rhiannon Fretter, Sarah Elizabeth Williamson, Sinead Maria Vine, Stacey Portz, Susan Bernadette Owen and Pauline Frances McCann.

The tennis coaches, Daniel James Stuk and Georgina Louise Jackson.

George Robin Crosland (Ocean Club manager) George William James, Jennifer Anne Murat, Jeremy Wilkins, John Elliot Hill, Michaela Walazuch, Pamela Isobel Fenn, Robert James Queriol Eveleigh Murat, Sergey Malinka (Murat's friend) José Manuel Conceição Pacheco, Susan Hubard and Svetlana Malinka.

The “Tapas 9”: David Anthony Payne, Dianne Webster, Fiona Elaine Payne, Gerald Patrick McCann, Jane Michelle Tanner, Kate Marie Healy, Rachael Mariamma Jean Mampilly, Russel James O´Brien and Matthew Oldfield.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

4/08/08

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

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

2/08/08

Eddie à l’origine de la découverte de cinq cadavres d’enfants

Au moins cinq corps d’enfants ont déjà été retrouvés dans l’ancien orphelinat anglais de l'île de Jersey, là où Eddie, le chien pisteurs utilisé précédemment dans l’affaire Madeleine, avait marqué la présence des cadavres.

L’ancien orphelinat, situé à Haut de la Garenne, est sous investigation depuis 2006, après plusieurs dénonciations d’abus sexuel.

The bodies of at least five children have been found at the former English children's home on the island of Jersey, where Eddie the sniffer dog, previously used in the Madeleine case, indicated the presence of the bodies.

The former children's home, situated at Haut da la Garenne, has been under investigation since 2006, after several disclosures of sexual abuse.

Selon Lenny Harper, responsable de la police de Jersey, les corps de cinq enfants, âgés de quatre à onze ans, ont été brulés et caché fin des années soixante et début des années septante. Jusqu’au moment la police britannique a également découvert 65 dents de lait et au moins une centaine de fragments d’os, certains coupés et brulés.

Eddie, capable de renifler la moindre odeur de cadavre, après avoir détecté des traces du passage du corps de Madeleine McCann à Praia da Luz, s’est illustré en détectant la présence de vestiges humains dans l’ancien orphelinat, où il a désigné au moins six endroits, à l'intérieur du bâtiment, ou la police britannique a maintenant effectué la découverte.

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

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

Malgré les découvertes, la police britannique considère qu’il n’y a pas assez de preuves pour avancer vers une enquête pour meurtre, ce que scandalise plusieurs témoins qui accusent les autorités de ne pas vouloir ouvrir la boite de pandore : "Je suis étonné que les preuves soient apparemment si peu concluantes," affirme un responsable en médecine légale soulignant qu’il semble étrange que nous ayons un bon nombre d’os, mais qu’on annonce qu'il n'y aurait pas d’enquête pour meurtre."

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

Eddie dans l’affaire McCann

Après avoir réussi dans plus de 200 enquêtes criminelles, Eddie arrive au Portugal le 30 juillet 2007 afin d’aider les autorités portugaises et britanniques sur l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine McCann.

Eddie, le Springer Spaniel de la police britannique, est habilité à détecter des victimes mortelles (EVRD), il recherche et localise des restes humains et fluides corporels. Il est capable de signaler le passage d’un cadavre par un endroit, même si le corps n’est plus sur place. Eddie signale également la contamination par l’odeur d’un cadavre.

Eddie in the McCann case.

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

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

Dans l’affaire de disparition de Madeleine McCann, Eddie, utilisée en conjugaison avec Keela, à signalé l’odeur à cadavre à plusieurs endroits, tous en rapport direct avec les parents de la jeune britannique :

• le sol de la chambre de Kate et Gerry McCann ;
• derrière le sofa bleu qui se trouve à côté de la fenêtre du 5A ;
• balcon de la chambre des McCann ;

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

• The floor of Kate and Gerry McCann's bedroom.
• Behind the blue sofa beside the window of 5A
• On the balcony of the McCanns' bedroom.

Selon le dossier d’enquête, avant la disparition de Madeleine, aucune mort n’a eu lieu à l’intérieur de l’appartement 5A, où sont restés installés les McCann pendant leurs vacances à Praia da Luz. Eddie a également été utilisé pour inspecter les appartements 5B, 5D et 5H de l’Océan Club, mais il n’a rien signalé.

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

Dans la villa occupée par Kate et Gerry McCann, louée après leur départ de l’Océan Club, Eddie à signalé l’odeur de cadavre sur cuddle cat (la peluche rose appartenant à Madeleine), et sur deux vêtements de Kate. Eddie a également signalé plusieurs endroits de la voiture louée par les McCann : sur la clé et dans le coffre de la Renault Scénic.

Des examens analogues ont été effectués, sans succès, à la maison de Robert Murat, ses vêtements et voitures. Eddie n’a identifié l’odeur à cadavre que dans des endroits ou sur des objets liés directement à Kate et Gerry McCann, les parents de Madeleine.

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

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

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

2/08/08

That Lori Campbell video: interviewed by Ian Woods of Sky News

This video was posted on YouTube by xklamation on December 13th 2007.

Ian Woods of Sky speaks to Lori Campbell about her suspicions concerning Robert Murat. Transcript follows.

LC: I was so suspicious by the Monday that I just felt I had a duty to pass those suspicions on. I spoke to my news desk back in London and then they said they thought that that was the right thing to do.

IW: Now, let's discuss why we were a little suspicious of him, because your suspicions were aroused first of all and you shared those suspicions with me. I then talked to him, investigated it, tried to find out whether his story was true and I have to say I came back and said his story checked out. What first of all made you suspicious of the fact that he was spending so much time around the scene?

LC: It was just very reminiscent of the Soham murders was my first instinct. There was a local guy. He was hanging around the scene an awful lot. He was asking us questions about what was going on in the investigation, maybe trying to find out what we knew and he just seemed to be giving an air that he was authoritative and he was working in an official capacity for the police. And I was just very suspicious about that, that they would take on board a man who was just a local guy. They have many people, I am sure, who speak Portuguese and English. Why would they ask him to, you know, go into the apartment, speak to the family and have that sort of contact with them?

IW: Now, how co-operative was Robert when you were talking to him, because first of all he wouldn't do any interviews with me. I have asked him to do interviews on camera. He declined and you approached him to do a proper interview and asked his identity and things like that?

LC: Well, he was very vague when I tried to ask about his background. He would chat to me quite openly, but he wouldn't give me his surname. He wouldn't tell me really where he was from, where he lives over here. He wouldn't give me a telephone number for him. And then I asked him what he did for a living. He was very vague. He said he worked for real estate. And I just had a really uneasy feeling about him from day one.

IW: You reported him to who and what was the response?

LC: My first call was to Leicestershire police back in the UK and they took all my details. A detective constable called me back and she suggested that I also speak to somebody out here. We didn't really have a police contact last week. So, I called the British Embassy and they said to speak to a policeman on the scene. So, I walked up to a GNR policeman and said, you know, "I've got suspicions about a gentleman who's been near the scene and I'd just like to pass those on." And one of my main suspicions was that he said he was translating witness statements and I asked them if that could be true and they said, "No, that's highly unlikely."

Transcript ends....................

I have tried to transcribe the video as accurately as possible, missing out the ..erms...and ....ums!
I guess this could have been the scoop of the century for Ms Campbell, but judging by the latest news from Mr Murat's side of things, probably not! And that reference to the Soham murders! Oh dear! That may just come back and bite your bum, Ms Campbell! I shall wait and see what happens when Robert Murat's legal team gets to work!

Well, we have seen what happened when Robert Murat's legal team got to work! This was originally posted on this blog on April 15th, but here it is again, just to remind everyone of what Ms Campbell said and how she arrived at her conclusions about Robert Murat.

SOS Madeleine McCann: Robert Murat, "categorically," manipulated in the McCann case.

SOS Madeleine McCann 13/07/08

Les enquêteurs portugais de la Police Judiciaire (PJ) ne sont pas arrivés à Robert Murat par hasard, ils y ont été conduits par une “machine” britannique bien huilée, où l’homme a été pointé du doigt par ses compatriotes avec un objectif que les inspecteurs ont tout de même fini par déjouer : il était l’appât vers qui la police et les médias étaient censés de regarder pendant que l’action, la vraie, était ailleurs.

The Portuguese investigators of the PJ did not happen upon Robert Murat by accident. They were led there by a well-oiled British, "machine," where the finger was pointed at the man by his compatriots with an objective which, the inspectors still ended up thwarting: he was the bait, in whose direction the police and the media were supposed to be looking while the real action was elsewhere.

Il est aujourd’hui certain que Robert Murat a plus de victime que de coupable, c’est du moins la conclusion à que la PJ est parvenue après les premiers interrogatoires au Britannique, pourtant avare en explications à propos de certains faits qui n’ont pas cessé d’intriguer les inspecteurs chargés des investigations.

It is now certain that Robert Murat is more victim than guilty party. That, at least is the conclusion arrived at by the PJ after the first interrogations of the British man, however lacking in explanations about certain facts which have not ceased to intrigue the inspectors in charge of the investigations.

Après 14 mois le Britannique garde encore le souvenir du jour où il a été amené par les inspecteurs vers les installations de la PJ a Portimão, où il a été interrogé pendant de longues heures en présence des agents de liaison de la police britannique, sans pourtant recevoir la moindre aide de son consul, Bill Henderson, ou des services du consulat, occupés avec Kate et Gerry McCann, les parents Madeleine, la petite fille de trois ans que les médias britanniques, en particulier le The Mirror, diront ressembler à sa propre fille. Même son ambassadeur, John Buck, très présent à Algarve pendant les jours qui ont suivi la disparition de Madeleine, ira l’ignorer pendant toute la durée de l’enquête, du moins en ce que concerne une éventuelle aide, que sa mère sera forcée de rechercher au pays natal et auprès d’un avocat portugais, maitre Francisco Pagarete.

A suivre...

After 14 months the British man retains the memory of the day he was taken by the inspectors to the PJ's offices in Portimao, where he was interrogated for many hours in the presence of liaison officers from the British police, without, however, receiving the least help from his consul, Bill Henderson, or the services of the consulate, who were busy with Kate and Gerry McCann, parents of Madeleine, the little three year-old girl whom the British media, in particular The Mirror, would say resembled his own daughter. Even his ambassador, John Buck, a strong presence in the Algarve in the days following Madeleine's disappearance, was going to ignore him for the duration of the investigation, at least concerning any possible help, which his mother would be forced to look for in her home country and from a Portuguese lawyer, Me Francisco Pagarete.

To be continued.

SOS Madeleine McCann 13/07/08

Knowing Maddie's fate depends on the McCanns' return (SOS Madeleine McCann)

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

Connaître le sort de Maddie dépend du retour des McCann

Absents de Praia da Luz pour le premier anniversaire de la disparition de leur fille Madeleine, Kate et Gerry McCann ont, une nouvelle fois, été invités par la Police Judiciaire à retourner au Portugal afin d’y participer à la reconstitution de leurs mouvements le jour et la nuit du 3 mai de l’année passé.

Absent from Praia da Luz for the first anniversary of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance, Kate and Gerry McCann, once again, are invited to return to Portugal by the PJ to participate in the reconstruction of their movements on the day and the night of May 3rd last year.

Le couple, qui n’est plus retourné au Portugal depuis qu’ils ont été constitués arguidos dans l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine et leur immédiat retour à Rothley, continue à refuser tout déplacement malgré l’importance accordé par la police portugaise et britannique à cette reconstitution que permettrait de faire évoluer les investigations.

The couple, who have not been back to Portugal since they were made arguidos in the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance and their immediate return to Rothley, continue to refuse to go in spite of the importance placed on this reconstruction by Portuguese and British police, which would allow them to make progress with the investigations.

Hier, Alipio Ribeiro, directeur nationale de la Police Judiciaire (PJ) à réaffirmé l’importance du retour des McCann à Praia da Luz dans le cadre de l’enquête, soulignant que Kate et Gerry doivent se plier aux exigences de la loi portugaise.

Yesterday, Alipio Ribeiro, national director of the PJ reaffirmed the importance of the McCanns' return to Praia da Luz within the framework of the enquiry, stressing that Kate and Gerry must comply with the requirements of Portuguese law.

Une opinion partagé à Enderby (Leicestershire – RU) où plusieurs officiers britanniques ont confirmé l’importance du retour de Kate et Gerry McCann, accompagnés des sept amis du couple, à Praia da Luz : "Connaître le sort de Madeleine peux dépendre de leur retour et de leur participation aux diverses diligences demandées par la police," à dit un des officiers.

An opinion shared in Enderby (Leicestershire - UK) where several British police officers confirmed the importance of Kate and Gerry McCann's return, accompanied by the couple's seven friends, to Praia da Luz: "Knowing Madeleine's fate may depend on their return and their participation in the various activities requested by the police," said one of the police officers.

Jusqu’ici, malgré les affirmations contradictoires de leur avocat au Portugal et de leur chargé en communication au Royaume-Uni, Kate et Gerry McCann ont toujours refusé d’effectuer le voyage, imposant comme condition à leur retour que leur statut d’arguidos soit levé.

Until now, in spite of contradictory statements by their lawyer in Portugal and their Media spokesman in the UK, Kate and Gerry McCann have always refused to undertake the journey, imposing the condition on their return that their arguido status is lifted.

Contrairement aux McCann, Robert Murat, l’autre arguido dans l’enquête, à manifesté sa totale disponibilité pour participer aux nouvelles diligences demandées par les enquêteurs, comme le confirme son avocat, Maître Francisco Pagarete.

Unlike the mcCanns, Robert Murat, the other arguido in the enquiry, has shown his total willingness to participate in the new activities requested by the investigators, as his lawyer, Me Francisco Pagarete confirms.

Murat, voisin du complexe touristique de la Mark Warner, était devenue arguido dans l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine après avoir été dénoncé par deux autres britanniques, parmi elles la journaliste Lori Campbell, qui continue à accompagner l’affaire McCann pour le tabloïde The Mirror.

Murat, a neighbour of the Mark Warner tourist complex, became an arguido in the enquiry into Madeleine's disappearance after being denounced by two other British people, one of them being the journalist Lori Campbell, who continues to follow the McCann case for the tabloid The Mirror.

"J’ai trouvé très étrange qu’il parle beaucoup de la fillette, surtout du travail de la police et de l’état de l’enquête. Par ailleurs, il était très flou sur son passé", avait raconté Lori Campbell aux autres journalistes après avoir fait part de ses soupçons à la police britannique et à l’ambassade du Royaume-Uni au Portugal, qui ne s’est pas privé d’intervenir dans l’enquête de la PJ.

"I found it strange that he talked a lot about the little girl, especially about the work of the police and the status of the investigation. Also, he was very vague about his past," Lori Campbell had told other journalists after having shared her suspicions with the British police and the UK ambassador to Portugal, who did not hesitate to intervene in the PJ enquiry.

Brian Kennedy avait rencontré Murat

Les enquêteurs de la Police Judiciaire et leurs collègues britanniques s’interrogent toujours à propos des réelles intentions du multimillionnaire Brian Kennedy après la récente révélation de que celui-ci est retournée au Portugal, à la fin de l’année passé, pour y rencontrer Robert Murat, un des arguidos de l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine McCann.

Brian Kennedy had met Murat.

The PJ investigators and their British colleagues still question the actual intentions of the multi-millionaire Brian Kennedy after the recent revelation that he returned to Portugal at the end of last year, to meet Robert Murat, one of the arguidos in the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

Le multimillionnaire soutient financièrement Kate et Gerry McCann depuis plusieurs mois, c’est lui qui prends en charge une partie des honoraires et frais de l’agence de détectives espagnole Metodo 3 et la totalité des salaires de Clarence Mitchell, le responsable en communication du couple.

The multi-millionaire has been supporting Kate and Gerry McCann financially for several months. It is he who pays a portion of the fees of the Spanish detective agency, Metodo 3 and the whole salary of Clarence Mitchell, the couple's media spokesman.

Avec nouveau contrat Metodo 3 "se doit de penser que Maddie est en vie

L’agence de détectives Metodo 3, basé à Barcelone, à vu le contrat avec Kate et Gerry McCann prolongée pour six mois de plus, comme l’a confirmée son directeur, Francisco Marco, dans une entrevue à la télévision espagnole.

With a new contract Metodo 3 must think that Maddie is alive.

The detective agency Metodo 3, based in Barcelona, has had its contract with Kate and Gerry McCann extended for six more months, as confirmed by their director, Francisco Marco, in an interview for Spanish television.

Plus prudent que par le passé, le controversé directeur de Metodo 3 n’a pas affirmé catégoriquement que Madeleine soit toujours en vie, comme il l’avait fait à plusieurs reprises par le passé. Selon Francisco Marco, quand il parle à la famille de Madeleine il se doit de penser que l’enfant est encore en vie sinon "il est très difficile de faire son travail."

More circumspect than in the past, the controversial director of Metodo 3 did not state categorically that Madeleine was alive, as he had done several times in the past. According to Francisco Marco, when he talks to Madeleine's family he must believe that the child is still alive otherwise, "it is very difficult to work for them."

Francisco Marco à encore affirmé que son équipe aurait suivi des signalements de Maddie dans 25 à 30 pays, sans toutefois préciser comment son agence, très limité en personnel, aurait pu le faire.

Francisco Marco further stated that his team had followed up sightings of Maddie in 25 to 30 countries, without being precise about how his agency, of very limited staff, could have done this.

Pour le directeur de Metodo 3, "les parents de Madeleine sont absolument innocents" même si le détective reconnaît baser base son opinion sur ses convictions personnelles prises après avoir vu le comportement des parents avec les deux autres enfants du couple (Sean et Amélie) et un entretien de cinq minutes avec Kate McCann.

For the director of Metodo 3, "Madeleine's parents are completely innocent," even if the detective admits basing his opinion on his personal convictions after having seen the parents' behaviour towards the couple's two other children (Sean and Amelie) and a five minute interview with Kate McCann.

"Ils étaient dans un pays étranger, ne parlaient pas la langue, alors quand leur enfant a disparu leur première réaction a été de prendre contact avec des personnes et les médias au Royaume-Uni," à conclu Francisco Marco.

"They were in a strange country, did not speak the language, so when their child disappeared their first reaction was to make contact with people and the media in the UK," concluded Francisco Marco.

Nouveau cas de négligence par des parents britanniques à Algarve

Un nouveau cas de négligence, mettant en cause un couple de nationalité irlandaise et ses trois enfants, devra être examiné aujourd’hui par le Tribunal de Faro (Algarve). Selon le magistrat de permanence, la GNR - l’équivalent de l’ancienne gendarmerie belge - à été alerté ce week-end par le personnel d’un hôtel de Loulé signalant la présence d’un couple complètement ivre, dans un état proche du coma éthylique, en compagnie de trois enfants.

A new case of negligence by British parents in the Algarve.

A new case of negligence, involving a couple of Irish nationality and their three children, will be examined today by the court in Faro (Algarve) According to the residing magistrate, the GNR - the equivalent of the former Belgian gendarmerie - were alerted this weekend by staff at a Loulé hotel, reporting the presence of a totally drunk couple, close to a state of alcoholic coma, accompanied by three children.

Constatant l’état des parents, les agents de la police ont pris en charge les trois enfants, un bébé d’un an et ses frères de trois et six ans, jusqu’à l’arrivée d’une assistante sociale.

Noting the state of the parents, the police officers took charge of the three children, a one year-old baby and his two brothere aged three and six, until a social worker arrived.

Pendant que le couple, de 32 et 35 ans, a été conduit sans connaissance par une ambulance vers l’hôpital de Loulé (Algarve), les enfants, après avoir été examinés par un médecin, ont été confiées au Refúgio Aboim Ascensão, un centre d’accueil et d’aide à l’enfance, où ils sont arrivés vers cinq heures du matin.

While the couple, aged 32 and 35, were taken unconscious by ambulance to the Loulé hospital (Algarve), the children, after having been examined by a doctor, were admitted to the Refúgio Aboim Ascensão, a reception centre for helping children, where they arrived around five o'clock in the morning.

Le même jour ou, à Praia da Luz, ont signalait le premier anniversaire de la disparition de Madeleine McCann, que ses parents avaient laissé sans surveillance dans leur appartement de vacances, ce nouveau cas de négligence renforce la conviction des autorités portugaises de qu’il est nécessaire sensibiliser les milliers de touristes, à majorité des britanniques que chaque année choisissent le sud du Portugal pour ces vacances, à propos des consignes de sécurité à prendre avec des enfants.

On the same day when, in Praia da Luz, the first anniversary was marked of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, whose parents had left her without supervision in their holiday apartment, this new case of negligence reinforced the conviction of the Portuguese authorities that it is necessary to make the thousands of tourists, the majority British who each year choose the south of Portugal for their holidays, aware of the security measures to take with their children.

Malgré la mise en danger des enfants, le magistrat du Ministère Public (MP), contre l’avis du responsable du centre d’aide à l’enfance, a accordé que les parents puissent récupérez les enfants après leur sortie de l’hôpital. Le couple risque une peine de prison allant de 2 à 5 ans pour mise en danger, voire abandon d’enfants.

In spite of the children being put in danger, the magistrate of the Public Ministry (MP), against the opinion of the head of the centre for helping children, decided that the parents could recover their children after they left the hospital. The couple risk a prison sentence of 2 to 5 years for placing children in danger by abandoning them.

Selon Luis Villas-Boas, responsable du centre d’accueil et d’aide à l’enfance, "il s’agit d’un cas grave de négligence" ou, heureusement, un drame à été évité grâce à la réaction du personnel de l’hôtel qui avait fait appel aux pompiers et à la police.

According to Luis Villas-Boas, head of the centre for helping children, "it is a serious case of negligence," where happily, a tragedy has been averted thanks to the reaction of the hotel staff who had called the fire service and the police.

Selon les agents de la police locale, dans le frigo de l’appartement de vacances occupé par cette famille il n’y avait rien de prévu pour les enfants, uniquement de l’alcool pour les parents.

According to the local police officers, in the fridge of the holiday apartment occupied by this family there was nothing planned for the children, only alcohol for the parents.

L’information est reprise aujourd’hui par la presse britannique et portugaise ou, une fois encore, ont constate la différence de traitement donné par les journalistes des deux pays : si les portugais ont gardé l’habituel anonymat du couple, la presse britannique n’a pas hésité à divulguer l’identité des parents et, par conséquence, des enfants.

The information was taken up today by the British and Portuguese press where, once again, the difference in treatment by journalists of the two countries, was noted: if the Portuguese maintained the usual anonymity of the couple, the British press did not hesitate to divulge the identity of the parents and, as a consequence, of the children.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

5/05/08

SOS Maddie 2/05/08: the McCanns call on witnesses to violate the secrecy of justice

I just could not believe what I was reading on the BBC's web site this morning. Kate and Gerry McCann, suspects in the disappearance of their daughter, are calling on anyone who gave information to the PJ, Crimestoppers, or the British police, to get in touch and give them the same information. The McCanns are saying that the police are not giving them any information. Well! That may be because you are, what's the word? Suspects! The police do not usually share such information with suspects unless the case goes to trial and then the defence lawyers apply for their right of disclosure. Until then, witness statements, as far as I know, are not usually shared with the suspects! Good God! Who do those two think they are and how come they're getting away with potentially interfering with witnesses?

Later, at lunchtime, I was in a shop in Nuneaton, when I noticed a banner headline on one of the, "red tops." Beneath a photo of a very doleful-looking Kate McCann was a quote about their having to find Madeleine themselves. Excuse me, but what have they been paying Metodo 3 to do? I thought they had been looking for Madeleine. Then there was the quote from Kate the other day, that sometimes she feels like giving up the search for Madeleine. Now, according to that newspaper, they're about to start!

And what about that information given out this week? Why weren't Kate and Gerry out searching on the night Madeleine disappeared, along with the locals and the police? They were praying all through the night! Right! Well, I have found it's actually possible to pray on the move, wherever you happen to be. You really don't need to be on your knees in your room or in a church.

Anyway! SOS Maddie article from Duarte Levy today makes some very good points....as usual!

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

McCann appellent les témoins à violer le secret de justice

Kate et Gerry McCann, arguidos dans l’enquête à la disparition de leur fille Madeleine, ont lancé un appel à tous les témoins qui ont fourni des informations à la Police Judiciaire dans le cadre des investigations, leur demandant de prendre contact avec le nouveau numéro de téléphone mis en service aujourd’hui au Royaume-Uni.

The McCanns call on witnesses to violate the secrecy of justice.

Kate and Gerry McCann, arguidos in the investigation into their daughter Madeleine's disappearance, have launched an appeal to all the witnesses who gave information to the PJ in the framework of the investigations, asking them to make contact with the new telephone number set up today in the UK.

Faute d’avoir réussi à avoir accès au dossier de la Police Judiciaire, encore sous secret de justice, le couple cherche à prendre connaissance de ce que les témoins ont pu dire à la Police Judiciaire.
"Ce que nous vous demandons de faire c’est, si vous avez fourni des informations à la police (britannique), à Crimestoppers, ou à la police portugaise, nous vous demandons de nous les communiquer également," à demandé Gerry McCann.

Not having succeeded in gaining access to the PJ's file, still under the secrecy of justice, the couple are looking to find out what the witnesses could have said to the PJ.
"This is what we are asking you to do, if you have given information to the police (British) to Crimestoppers, or to the Portuguese police, we are asking you to communicate that to us too," Gerry McCann asked.

Selon une source du Ministère Public à Lisbonne, "l’appel lancé par le couple McCann équivaux à une incitation au crime, car tous les témoins doivent respecter le secret de justice et ne doivent pas révéler des informations du dossier, excepte dans les cas prévues par la loi."

According to a source at the Public Ministry in Lisbonne, "the appeal launched by the McCann couple is equivalent to inciting a crime, because all the witnesses should respect the secrecy of justice and should not reveal information from the case, except in cases allowed by the law.

Le nouveau numéro (00 44 845 8384699), formellement présenté ce vendredi par des entrevues de Kate et Gerry McCann préenregistrées dans un hôtel de Londres, remplace la ligne mise en service par Metodo 3 à Barcelone (Espagne) et qui n’a jamais apporté la moindre information crédible à propos de la disparition de Madeleine.

The new number (00 44 845 8384699), formally presented this Friday in interviews with Kate and Gerry McCann, pre-recorded in a London hotel, replaces the number set up by Metodo 3 in Barcelona (Spain) and which never provided any credible information about Madeleine's disappearance.

Madeleine a disparu le 3 mai 2007, quelques jours avant son quatrième anniversaire, de l’intérieur de l’appartement de vacances choisie par ses parents à l’Océan Club, un complexe touristique à Praia da Luz, au sud du Portugal, sous gestion de la société britannique Mark Warner.

Madeleine disappeared on May 3rd 2007, a few days before her fourth birthday, from inside the holiday apartment chosen by her parents at the Ocean Club, a tourist complex at Praia da Luz, in the south of Portugal, which is under the management of the British company, Mark Warner.

Kate et Gerry McCann, après avoir échoué à obtenir l’abandon, par les autorités portugaises, de leur statut d’arguidos, se plaignent de ne pas avoir eu accès aux informations sous secret de justice.

Kate and Gerry, after having failed to obtain the lifting of their arguido status by the Portuguese authorities, are complaining about not having had access to information under the secrecy of justice.

Malgré l’intervention du responsable en communication, Clarence Mitchell, ancien responsable de l’Unité de Surveillance des Médias du gouvernement de Tony Blair et Gordon Brown, et la pression exercé par la diplomatie britannique auprès des autorités portugaises, les avocats du couple au Royaume-Uni et au Portugal n’ont pas réussi à prendre connaissance de la nature exacte des éléments réunis par la Police Judiciaire et ses collègues du Leicestershire.

In spite of the intervention of their media spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, former head of the government's Media Monitoring Unit, of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and the pressure exerted by British dipolmats on the Portuguese authorities, the couple's lawyers in the UK and in Portugal have not succeeded in finding out the exact nature of the evidence gathered by the PJ and their Leicestershire colleagues.

Toujours sans aucune aide des autorités britanniques, Robert Murat demande des comptes aux médias

Le Correio da Manhã et le Journal de Noticias sont les premiers médias portugais à devenir la cible des procès en justice du britannique Robert Murat, premier arguido dans l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine McCann, qui les accuse de diffamation. Selon son avocat, Francisco Pagarete, le 24 Horas et les chaines de télévision TVI et RTP seront les prochains à se joindre à une énorme liste ou figurent déjà tous les grands médias britanniques.

Still without any help from the British authorities, Robert Murat asks for compensation from the media.

Correio da Manha and the Journal de Noticias are the first Portuguese media to become the target for legal action by the British man Robert Murat, first arguido in the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance, accusing them of defamation. According to his lawyer, Francisco Pagarete, 24 Horas and the television channels TVI and RTP will be next to join an enormous list, on which all the major British media already figure.

Le montant des indemnisations prétendues n’a pas encore été révélé car le britannique donne préférence aux négociations en privé avant d’avancer vers les salles des tribunaux.

Au Royaume-Uni, Robert Murat a déjà accusé de diffamation 13 journaux et une chaine de télévision. Le britannique, qui n’a jamais reçu au Portugal la moindre aide de son ambassade ou consulat, demande aux médias de son pays la somme record de 2 millions de livres, plus de 2,5 millions d’euros, une des plus grandes indemnisations dans l'histoire du Royaume-Uni.

The amount of compensation claimed has not yet been revealed because the British man is giving preference to private negotiations before going to the courts.

In the UK, Robert Murat has already accused 13 newspapers and a television channel of defamation. The British man, who has never received the slightest assistance from his ambassador or consul in Portugal, is demanding from his country's media the record sum of 2 million pounds, more than 2.5 million Euros, one of the largest claims in UK history.

Enfants Kidnappés 28/04/08: one year on, everything is normal in Praia da Luz.

Enfants Kidnappés 28/04/08

Nearly one year on since Madeleine McCann disappeared from apartment 5a in Praia da Luz, it seems that the small resort has returned to normal...or maybe not quite! Apartment 5a is unoccupied and, by the sound of it, well locked up, the windows firmly closed from prying eyes. I guess this may be for the purposes of the planned reconstruction of the events of May 3rd, 2007.

"Tout est normal à Praia da Luz Près d'un an après la disparition de Madeleine McCann, règne à Praia da Luz une évidente normalité dans les activités du village. L'attitude de réserve des habitants se mélange avec l'envie d'oublier le cas "Maddie". "Tout est normal, il n'y a pas de différence dans le nombre de touristes par rapport à l'année passée" déclare un employé de l'Ocean Club."

Everything is normal in Praia da Luz. Nearly a year after Madeleine McCann's disappearance, an apparent normality reigns in the activities of the village. The reserved attitude of the residents mixes with the wish to forget the , "Maddie," case. "Everything is normal. There is no difference in the number of tourists compared to last year," stated an Ocean Club employee.

"A 10h30 du matin il fait déjà 25 degrés au soleil. L'appartement du rez-de-chaussée d'où Madeleine a disparu contraste avec les autres. Les fenêtres sont totalement fermées sans laisser y pénétrer la lumière contrairement aux autres appartements du complexe. Cette indication ne trompe pas, personne n'occupe l'appartement 5a. Une des piscines de l'Ocean Club où les McCann et leurs amis avaient l'habitude de se baigner est, aujourd'hui, presque vide. Les estivants de l'Ocean Club se baignent dans une piscine plus en retrait et réservée... Nouvelles directives du club. Les deux court de tennis où le papa de Madeleine, Gerry, avait l'habitude de jouer sont vides également. A la réception du club on peu lire: "Veuillez montrer votre carte de membre". Une indication claire que le club est réservé à ces seules membres et, où les journalistes ne peuvent pas entrer."

At 10.30am it is almost 25 degrees in the sun. The ground-floor apartment from which Madeleine disappeared is different from the others. The windows are are totally shut, not letting in any light, in contrast to the other apartments in the complex. This is not deceptive, for there is no one occupying apartment 5a. One of the Ocean Club's swimming pools where the McCanns and their friends regularly went to bathe is, today, nearly empty. The Ocean Club's holiday-makers are using a more secluded and private swimming pool...The club's new guidelines. The two tennis courts, where Madeleine's father Gerry played regularly, are also empty. At the club's reception, can be read: "Please show your membership card." A clear sign that the club is private, for members only, where journalists cannot enter.

"Samedi 03 mai à 18h30 célébration oecuménique en l'honneur de Madeleine. A quelques mètres de là se trouve la maison "Liliana" de Robert Murat, premier suspect dans l'enquête. Ici aussi, on ne devine aucun mouvement dans la maison. Seul un véhicule gris métallisé garé à l'intérieur permet de dire que la maison est habitée. Près de l'Église Notre Dame de Lumière, fréquentée par les parents McCann après la disparition de Madeleine, on peu lire une invitation à la population: "Rejoignez nous, Samedi 03 mai à 18h30, en une célébration oecuménique pour Madeleine McCann disparue de Praia da Luz il y a exactement un an". Le message est inscrit en portugais et en anglais."

An ecumenical celebration in honour of Madeleine on Saturday May 3rd at 6.30pm. A few metres from there is, "Liliana," the home of Robert Murat, the first suspect in the investigation. Here too, there is no sign of movement in the house. The only sign that the house is inhabited is a silver gray vehicle parked inside. Near the Church of Our Lady of the Light, which the McCann parents visited after Madeleine's disappearance, an invitation to the public can be seen: "Join us on Saturday May 3rd at 6.30pm, for an ecumenical celebration for Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Praia da Luz exactly a year ago." The message is written in Portuguese and English.

"Le secrétaire de l'office du tourisme nous rappel que le prêtre portugais a décidé de ne plus donner d'interview aux journalistes. Certaines connexions faîtes entre l'église et la disparition de Madeleine lui ont laissé un goût amer dans la bouche. Le secrétaire s'empresse d'ajouter: " Beaucoup de villageois sont encore choqués de la façon dont tout ceci s'est passé néanmoins l'affaire Maddie n'éloignera pas les touristes. Praia da Luz est maintenant connue du monde entier. Je prévois plus de touristes cet été que l'année passée. Une maison en bord de mer coûte maintenant un million d'euros". La plupart des gens ne souhaitent pas commenter l'affaire et tourner la page."

The secretary of the tourism office reminds us that the Portuguese priest has decided not to give any more interviews to journalists. Certain connections which have been made between the church and Madeleine's disappearance have left a bitter taste in his mouth. The secretary hastens to add: "Many villagers are still shocked by the way all this happened. Nevertheless, the Maddie case has not kept the tourists away. Praia da Luz is now known all over the world. I predict more tourists this summer than last year. A house near the sea now costs a million Euros." Most people have no wish to comment on the case and have turned the page.