SOS Madeleine McCann: Gonçalo Amaral's wife addresses an open letter to Kate McCann

In an interview with a Portuguese daily newspaper, often pointed out as being close to Me Rogério Alves, Kate McCann accused Gonçalo Amaral, former coordinator of the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, of disgraceful behaviour, "as a person and professionally."

If the ex-inspector, in his usual calm way, did not react, it was without reckoning with the temperament and strength of character of typical Portuguese women. Sofia Amaral, wife of the PJ former coordinator, addressed an open letter to Kate McCann in which, with a good dose of irony and sarcasm, she thanked Madeleine's mother for, "a feeling," they had in common. Today, Gonçalo Amaral's wife has been invited onto a television programme on TVI at around 12pm. Here is the full text of the document: Open letter to Mrs Healy, Kate.

-- Dear Madam,

Excuse my audacity, but after learning about your comment in your interview with the newspaper, Expresso, on the subject of Gonçalo Amaral, my husband and father of my daughters, I have to send you these words of thanks. For many years I have been trying to make myself understood with this feeling that unites you and I "....and his behaviour is a disgrace professionally and as a person"...

Consider this:

a) Professionally

-- As coordinator of criminal investigation for the PJ, my husband has always refused to sit comfortably behind his desk, from 9 to 5, which is usual for his rank.

Instead of that, he spent the day (and sometimes the night) on the ground with the investigators, coordinating "on the spot" searches, surveillance, seizures and other duties. What a disgrace! But if this was just about being exposed to the elements, things wouldn't be serious, because as madam Kate knows, the weather here is not bad. The problem is his commitment to the cause which has cost him promotion in his career. I will explain, because this case is contemporary to the search for your daughter. My husband was involved as senior coordinator, and between seizures of drugs, kidnappings and murders, he succeeded in producing a theory about drug trafficking by sea, which he defended before a jury in Lisbon, who congratulated him.

Full of hope, Gonçalo Amaral returned to the Algarve to await the result. It was with astonishment that he learned that he had been passed over by other colleagues (coordinators as it happens, to tell the truth), because he had not managed to get himself into "professonal training" settings. And yes, madam Kate, my husband spent his life working, in the midst of complex investigations. He was the man in Portugal who seized most drugs, but as he didn't have the time to parade himself in the corridors of the PJ's institution, he was not promoted. A disgrace, madam, a disgrace!

As you must know, because you seem very well informed to me, my husband's salary was barely 1.5 times the minimum wage of your country. However, as a wife, mother and Portuguese, I cannot complain, given that Gonçalo Amaral's salary was the equivalent of 4.5 times the minimum wage in Portugal. Pay attention to this, which serves as an example of what I am going to explain: at one time, an individual shot an officer of the PSP and fled into neighbouring Spain. Between the comings and goings of a PJ team, of which my husband was a part, they were there for more than 15 days.

At that time, international expenses were 100€. As madam Kate can imagine, it is not possible on that amount to eat and to lodge in Spain, still less when it is Christmas Eve, and this money would only be available (with a bit of luck) by Easter. Even with that, Gonçalo Amaral never refused, not even for a day, to search for the evasive murderer, thus increasing our family budget. And this is only one example amongst many. I once suggested to him the creation of a fund, or something else for dealing with these extraordinary expenses, but he never listened to me. While we too had our mortgage to pay...A disgrace, Madam Kate, a disgrace!

b) Also as an individual, his behaviour is a disgrace, because it was never possible to distinguish or to have a private life with the way of working he chose. However, and if my dear friend Madam Kate will allow me, I can give some examples: Five years ago, a child called Joana "disappeared." The mother, just like Madam Kate, tried to project the case into the media, but this was as far as she got...After 8 days, came the confessions and the evidence: During an incestuous act between the mother and the uncle, the child was beaten, later cut into pieces and her body disposed of, no one knows where. The mother and the uncle were imprisoned, with the trial coordinated by Gonçalo Amaral, and bringing each of them nearly 20 years in prison. But going back a bit.

The child died on September 12th. On Christmas Eve, our family were together to begin our prayers, when my husband asked me to prepare a bag with food and warm clothes, because he had not yet carried out his Christmas act of contrition and penitence. Try to imagine, Madam Kate, where Gonçalo Amaral took himself that Christmas night when there was torrential rain and roaring thunder? To the Olhao prison establishment, where João Cipriano, Joana's uncle, was a prisoner; confessed murderer and clinically declared a psychopath. For my husband, giving alms to a beggar did not represent any sacrifice.

On the other hand, joining and sharing his Christmas meal with João Cipriano was the sacrifice he offered to God in memory of Joana. And isn't that a disgrace? Know this, Madam Kate, every year, on September 12th, my husband requests a mass for Joana Isabel Cipriano Guerreiro. He says that no one else will remember the poor child. But people remember to accuse him unjustly of acts and crimes which he has never committed. Isn't that a disgrace, Madam Kate?

I will relate one last story, which still costs me to talk about. This year, in May, we started the process of moving our family to Portimao. My husband's holiday was supposed to start the day after your daughter disappeared. "For obvious reasons," that didn't happen. I started a new job, I looked at houses, I made the move and I tried to settle our daughters into new schools with new routines.

All that alone, without any support from my husband, who, for obvious reasons, was looking for your daughter, Madam Kate. In October, on the day of his birthday, a week after our daughters had started the new school year, Gonçalo Amaral was dismissed and returned to Faro. It was supposed to be a time of the family getting together, but in fact it was even more of a separation. Isn't that a disgrace? Our daughters have never understood, and we have never succeeded in explaining to them what the obvious reasons were that justified a father leaving his daughters to look for a child he didn't know and whom the parents neglected. A disgrace that my dear friend Kate was not there at that time. Perhaps you could have helped us explain the "obvious reasons" to our children for their father's being sent back.

To finish, on the intimate subject of Gonçalo Amaral, I can only tell you that he is exactly as the Latinos have a reputation for: a wild one, and my modesty does not allow me to say any more.

I ask my dear friend to forgive these thoughts of a wife and mother, but I am sure you will understand. I will finish this missive by asking you to pass on to your mother my sincere compliments. She seemed very sincere to me when, during an interview, she said she had the urge to slap those who had left her grandchildren alone. She spoke as openly as a true Portuguese grandmother would have done.

My dear friend Madam Kate, without wishing to bother you any further, I would like you to do me a last favour: now that you are starting to let the truth come out, don't stop, go on, and tell the truth the world is waiting to hear.


With my best regards,

Sofia Leal

(Wife and mother of Gonçalo Amaral's children.)

Enfants Kidnappés: disappearance of Antoine de Brugerolle from his mother's house in Issoire.

The theory of abduction has taken precedence over running away, with the announcement on Sunday of the opening of an investigation for, "abduction and sequestration of a minor," after the disappearance of Antoine, aged six and a half, from his mother's home in Issoire (Puy-de-Dome)

"The more time passes, the more the idea of running away is losing consistency and I am not very optimistic," stated Jean-Yves Coquillat, prosecutor of the Republic for Clermont-Ferrand, during a press conference at the Clermont-Ferrand courthouse.

"There are some things that I can tell you and others which I cannot tell you because this is a very difficult investigation, (and) I cannot take the risk of compromising it," the magistrate added in a serious voice.

Aged 23, Antoine's mother told the investigators that she went out for dinner at a restaurant with her new partner, on Thursday evening at around 8pm. On their return, at around 9.15pm, they discovered the child's disappearance.

No trace of tampering had been found in the apartment situated on the first floor of an old building in the centre of Issoire, giving credence to, in the first instance, the idea that the little boy, described as, "very resourceful," and "assertive," had run away.

Especially as, according to his mother, Antoine had allegedly taken a few biscuits in his sports bag.

Waitress in an Issoire bar-restaurant, the young woman was interviewed twice by the investigators and stuck to her statements, according to the prosecutor.

According to her, Antoine, who had returned to school on September 2nd, didn't go back from the following day, because he was suffering from gastro-enteritis.

But since that date, there is not, "one credible witness statement from anyone reportedly having seen the child," M. Coquillat stressed.

The child, "was not seen by doctors. There isn't a medical certificate," was further noted by the magistrate, for whom , "nothing corroborates," the mother's version, she herself being on sick leave for an unspecified reason.

In addition, the young woman never, "responded to calls from the school's head teacher who was worried by the child's absence," the prosecutor added, regretting that the latter had not informed the gendarmerie.

Like her new partner, aged 29, Antoine's mother is, "known to police services." In 2003, she was sentenced by the Clermont-Ferrand magistrates court to 18 months in prison, of which 12 months was suspended, for trafficking in narcotics, according to the prosecutor.

On Sunday morning, thirty police officers were still combing the area around the child's home with the "hope of finding him alive."

"We started checking places we had already been, especially the sheds," lieutenant-colonel Pascal Palayer, communications officer for the Auvergne regional Gendarmerie, explained to AFP.

Little Antoine's description.

Antoine is 1.10m tall, weighs 19kg, has chestnut hair and pierced ears. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing blue fatigue-type trousers, a white T-shirt, a light blue sweater, a brown jacket and red, black and silver Nike shoes.

http://www.kidnapping.be/antoine/index.html

Editor's note: the date given by Antoine's mother for his disappearance is Thursday September 11th.

Enfants Kidnappés 15/09/08: A suspect in the McCann case.

15 septembre 2008

A suspect

We are in the second day after Madeleine McCann's disappearance. While the investigation continues, someone brings details, considered interesting by the investigators. Thus, the following pages are found in the case file:

Under this procedure, I inform you that:

Today at 4.40pm, a person identified as DEREK F., appeared before us, the present signatory, in apartment 6, (close to the place where Madeleine Beth McCann disappeared) block 6, at the Ocean Club tourist complex in Praia da Luz, contactable via no. 912...(in Portugal) and via no. 0044873...(In the UK). This person is a British citizen on holiday in Praia da Luz, near the above mentioned complex, since last week and until May 12th 2007 inclusive.

Following Madeline's disappearance, he came to let us know about the presence of a suspicious person, whom he saw on several occasions, four times on May 2nd and 5 times on May 3rd during the day (the informant doesn't remember but the believes it possible to have been into late evening), when he was accompanied by his wife and going to the "Baptiste supermarket." He noticed an individual (around 1.7m in height, apparently dark-skinned of Portuguese nationality, with a day's growth of beard, short black hair, a necklace and dressed in a yellow T shirt) who was on foot, looking in the direction of the apartment from where, Madeleine later disappeared. The informant added that the individual was also looking in the direction of a white van type vehicle, stationed on the other side of the road, next to which there was another person he cannot give a description of.

He didn't at first attach any importance to it, but following the ensuing events (editor's note: Madeleine's disappearance), he thought it important to inform the authorities about it considering the attitude of the suspicious individual. At the request of the signatory, the witness created a sketch, identifying the stationary vehicle and its direction by the number "1" and the suspect by the number "2".

The witness agrees to collaborate fully with the authorities if required.




In the context of following up this lead, under the guise of this investigation, at 3pm, we made contact with various people living in the area surrounding the place where this lead starts, to check if the witness is mistaken or if the details come to agree with what he says in the context of Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

The object of this further action is the possible collection of new details which could help to clarify evidence gathered from the witness statement of a British citizen on holiday about 300 metres from the place from which the small child disappeared.


Accordingly, a photographic report was made in the avenue Francisco Gentil Martins situated in Praia da Luz alongside the Ocean Club apartments.

To see more photos click here.

It's not Denise! Non è Denise Pipitone!

The results of DNA tests show that the little girl, found on the Greek island of Kos, is not Denise Pipitone. In fact, they show that the Albanian woman she was with, who claimed to be her mother, actually is her mother. The child was reported to be speaking fluent Italian, but thanks to a poster on the 3 Arguidos site, we learn that an Italian lawyer in Palermo has said the child speaks only a few words of Italian, enough to sell her trinkets to the Italian tourists.

"A report is now set to be handed to a Greek prosecutor investigating the case who is expected to rule in favour of the Albanian mother, who had originally been arrested for kidnapping."

It's sad news all round, isn't it? Very sad for Piera, Denise's mother, but then she has apparently been through this many times since Denise disappeared on September 1st 2004 and wasn't getting her hopes up too much. It's also quite sad and worrying that the child's natural mother was arrested and charged with kidnapping, before DNA results were obtained.

It's sad too, that little Denise has been referred to as, "Italy's Madeleine McCann," and the McCann spokesperson has, of course, been asked to comment. He said that the McCanns were praying for Denise and her family and that this case proved that an abducted child could be found safe and well, years later. Well, there are too many differences between these cases for me to list them, but the most obvious is the circumstances under which the girls disappeared: Denise was playing outside her house; Madeleine was apparently asleep in an unlocked apartment in a foreign country, with no adult supervision. Denise is not, "Italy's Madeleine McCann." She is Denise Pipitone, but then, would we have heard of her at all from the British media without all the hoo haa about Madeleine? Probably not.

And speaking of the McCanns' spokesperson! No comment about little Rose, whose remains were found in a suitcase, which had been tossed into a river by the grandfather who murdered her. Well, Clarence, that case appears to be another example that bears out the sad statistics: most small children who disappear are actually harmed by a family member or someone close to the family. No comment?

SOS Madeleine McCann: the PJ were obliged to announce Madeleine's disappearance as an abduction.

John Buck, British ambassador in Lisbon, at the time of Madeleine McCann's disappearance, went to Portimao to demand that the PJ immediately announce to the media - above all the British - that Madeleine's disappearance was an abduction and that her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were two innocent victims.

"Immediately after Madeleine's disappearance, while we didn't yet know if it was an abduction or another type of crime, the PJ were obliged to issue a press release, on May 5th 2007, publicly announcing the theory of abduction." Inspector Gonçalo Amaral accused yesterday, stressing that the announcement was made in spite of his opposition and that of other inspectors involved in the investigation.

Gonçalo Amaral was speaking yesterday in the context of an exclusive interview with SOS Madeleine McCann and Gazeta Digital.

According to sources close to the British ambassador in Lisbon, before his intervention with the PJ in Faro and Portimao, John Buck had already discussed the case with the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs.

"In a situation like the one we were presented with, in the interests of the child, no possibility should have been ruled out, even that concerning the parents, the relatives and friends. Above all if there was not the slightest evidence of abduction," Gonçalo Amaral concluded, stressing that, "the continuing investigation proved it."

"They took advantage of the space we left for them. That was an error on our part."

It was also on May 5th 2007, two days after the announcement of Madeleine's disappearance, that the PJ, according to Gonçalo Amaral, were going to commit an important error: "we were busy checking leads that came from the ambassador. Leads that incidentally proved false."

New instructions from the regional and the national directorate of the PJ, given after the intervention of the two British diplomats - the ambassador John Buck and the consul Bill Henderson - diverted the attention of the investigators from the McCanns.

Kate and Gerry McCann, for the first and only time, then went to take clothes for washing at the complex's laundry, amongst them some of Madeleine's clothes, which the inspectors were not going to learn about until two days later. Too late, according to Gonçalo Amaral.

"At the time, we had no way of knowing exactly what clothes Gerry was wearing on the night of the disappearance or what clothes were given to be washed on May 5th," Gonçalo Amaral acknowledges.

It was through statements from several officials of the complex, linked to the laundry service, that the inspectors were to learn that the McCann had had some of the children's clothes washed, Madeleine's and also Sean's and Amelie's.

"That would never have happened without the intervention of Mark Warner and especially the ambassador. They took advantage of the space we left for them, which was an error on our part," Gonçalo Amaral admits.

"Last Saturday (5/05/2007) I received a bag of clothes brought by Mark Warner officials, which were expressly stated as belonging to Madeleine's family - there were adults' clothes (male and female) and children's (...)," one of the laundry supervisors stated.

If the laundry supervisor only admits to remembering about a pink skirt belonging to Madeleine, she is formally saying that there were indeed other of the little British girl's clothes, which a few work colleagues have elsewhere confirmed to the police.

To follow: "The dogs were prevented from following up their work in the United Kingdom."

Enfants Kidnappés 11/09/08: Is Denise Pipitone in Greece?

An 8 year-old child, with a great resemblance to Denise Pipitone, has been located on the Greek island of Kos. The Greek authorities have spoken to the child, who speaks perfect Italian and the police have also questioned the woman who was accompanying her. The woman, in her thirties, maintained that she was the child's mother. She was finally arrested because of the many contradictions during her questioning. Analyses of DNA samples taken from the woman show that she is not the child's mother and exclude any familial relationship. The woman, of Romany origin, finally confessed to not being the child's mother, but refused to say any more, according to the police.

A photo of the child has been sent to the Mazzara police. Denise's mother, Piera, has confirmed the resemblance between the child and her daughter. "The shape of the eyes is the same as Denise's." she said, but the mother wants to keep her feet on the ground for the moment.

Only complete DNA tests can dispel the doubt. A sample has, in fact, been taken from the child, who was found in Greece and has been sent to Italy in order to be compared with that of Piera Maggio to establish with certainty if this is or is not Denise.

The child was pointed out to the police by a tourist who bought a bracelet, and who was struck by the resemblance to Denise, especially as the little girl was speaking Italian.

Denise Pipitone may have been found!

With thanks to Kizzy at the 3 Arguidos forum for this news.

It would be so wonderful if this were to be Denise and she could be returned to her mother.

Europe News

Sep 11, 2008, 12:23 GMT

Greek police believe they have found missing Italian girl 'Denise'

Athens - Greek police on Thursday believe to have found missing 8-year-old 'Denise' who was abducted outside of her home in Sicily more than four years ago on an island in the Aegean.

Authorities were led to the little girl after an Italian tourist visiting the Dodecannese island of Kos was sold a bracelet by the little girl, who spoke fluent Italian.

Police on the island informed Interpol who immediately arrested the 30-year-old female companion of the little girl. The woman claimed she was the mother of the 8-year-old girl but she herself could not speak a word of Italian.

DNA tests which have been conducted in Greece have shown no blood relation between the little girl and her adult companion. Officials in Greece have shipped a DNA sample of the little girl by plane to Italy determine if she is indeed the missing 'Denise'.

Denise Pipitone was abducted from the garden of her home on September 1, 2000 at noon in Sicily, Italy and her abduction had shocked the country.

Source: Europe News

Note: I think that date should be September 1st, 2004, because Denise has been missing for four years.

Enfants Kidnappés 11/09/08: Madeleine McCann - Statements of Tapas employees

http://www.kidnapping.be/maddie/maddie.html

11 septembre 2008

We are still on the day after Madeleine's disappearance, May 4th 2007. The next folder in the case file contains the statements of members of the "TAPAS" restaurant staff and statements volunteered by....

JEREMY MICHAEL WILKINS.

Following various informal conversations related to the area of research, we were contacted by a British citizen named Jeremy Michael Wilkins, holder of passport no. 205...., owner of mobile phone no. +44788...., living in ....London...He spends his holidays at, "WATERSIDE GARDENS," block G4, about 50 metres from the apartment where the small child was. He told us that yesterday, between 8.30 and 9pm, while he was in the "TAPAS" restaurant, he noted that a person of around 1.70m, with long blond hair, apparently of the "Rasta," style and dressed in green military-style clothes, entered the restaurant. This person did not stay very long. Their behaviour was somewhat strange and they seemed to be rather nervous. He was alone, he did not speak to anyone and left soon afterwards. The informant maintains that he has never seen this person in the village.

Note: The "TAPAS" bar is annexed to the restaurant where Madeleine's parents were dining during her alleged disappearance.

TAPAS

Today we went to the "TAPAS" restaurant, owned by the OCEAN CLUB in Praia da Luz, where we collected statements from several employees. The subject of the statements was focused on little Madeleine McCann's disappearance as well as the behaviour of people in the group who dined in the same restaurant and who come from the same country as the missing child and on a suspicious person with blond, "Rasta," locks.

JERONIMO TOMAS RODRIGUES S.

Bar employee:

He saw the missing child, Madeleine McCann, for the last time, yesterday at around 4.45pm at the restaurant. He didn't notice whether anyone from the group of British citizens - 8 or 9 in number - who dined at the restaurant yesterday (of which the child's parents were members) was absent during dinner.
He saw a, "walkie-talkie," placed on the group's table, which was being used to monitor children at a distance. He did not see anyone at all with blond "Rasta," locks on the night he was working.

SVETLANA S. V.

Russian citizen - kitchen assistant:

He reports that yesterday, someone whom he believes to be the father of the missing child, left the table where he was dining with a group of friends (8 0r 9 in number) fro around 30 minutes. On his return, a woman, whom he believes to be the wife of the latter, left, in the table in her turn, and after a very short time, all the guests left the table with the exception of an older lady who told the informant's colleagues that the child had disappeared. During the whole time he was working, between 2.30 and 11pm, he didn't see anyone with blond, "Rasta," locks.

MIGUEL S. C.

Cook:

He does not know the small child or her parents. All he knows is that they are part of a group of British citizens who usually dine at the "TAPAS". As he works in the kitchen, he rarely goes into the dining room. He saw nothing in particular. He didn't see anyone with blond "Rasta," locks while he was working (2.30 - 11pm)

JOAQUIM JOSE M.B.

Dining room waiter:

Of the group of 8/9 British citizen who, dined in the restaurant yesterday, as they usually do, a group which the missing child's parents are part of, he noticed that only two people, men, left the table.
The first to be away was around 40 to 45 years old (tall, slim, white, hair graying) and he left the table for around 15 minutes. He remembers this because he had to reheat his meal, which had gone cold. The second (around 40 to 45 years old, with similar characteristics to the first, but with less hair and thinner hair) was away for around 30 minutes.
Shortly after he returned, the whole group left the table, with the exception of an older person who who told him that a child had disappeared. It was a daughter of a member of the group, and that's why he thought that the second person to be absent would have been the child's father. Sometimes when the group came to eat at the restaurant, someone from the group left to go to the apartments to check on the sleeping children. He didn't see anyone with blond, "Rasta," locks during his hours of work. (4pm - midnight)

JOELSON FABIO S. S. L.
Was contacted at another of the group's restaurants in the same area.

As he works in the office, he did not have a view of the dining room where the tables are, which is why he saw nothing.
He does not know the missing child or her parents.
He saw no one with blond "Rasta" locks during his hours of work. (3.30 - 11.30pm)

RICARDO ALEXANDRE D. L. O.
On his day off today, he was contacted by telephone. Dining room staff: Of the group of 8/9 British citizens who dined yesterday, as they regularly do, which the parents of the missing child are part of, he noticed that one man was absent for around 15 minutes (Tall, average build, white, light brown hair) The informant states that it was usual for someone in the group to leave to go to check the apartments where the children were sleeping. At the table, he noted the presence of an intercom. He saw no one with blond "Rasta" locks during his working hours. (4pm -12.30am)

MARIA MANUELA A. J.

Kitchen staff:

Seen as the latter was not at work during dinner yesterday, as well as at the of the child's disappearance, we have not recorded her statement.

SUSPECT WITH RASTA LOCKS

At the OCEAN CLUB reception, which is open 24 hours a day, the signatory to the present deed, may have observed a person with long, curly, blond Rasta locks, in a green sweat shirt, corresponding to the description of the man with Rasta locks. The receptionist states that this person and his wife were guests of the hotel group and that he was untiring, since yesterday, in the search for the missing child. The signatory attaches, to the appendix of the present deed, a photocopy of their passports as well as the registration records of the complex.

Editor's note: the suspect with the "Rasta" locks and his wife are of British nationality. They are respectively 37 and 40 years old.

http://www.kidnapping.be/maddie/maddie.html


11/09/08

Stéphane Moitoiret suspected of attempted abduction in 2006

BOURG-EN-BRESSE, 10th September 2008 (AFP) - We have learned from a judicial source that on Wednesday an investigation for attempted abduction of a child in 2006, in the Vienne département, was referred to the Bourg-en-Bresse prosecutor, regarding Stéphane Moitoiret, the prime suspect in the murder of little Valentin in Ain, at the end of July.

The Bourg-en-Bresse Prosecutor, Jean-Paul Gandolière, told AFP that the Poitiers Prosecutor had handed over an investigation which he had opened following the attempted abduction of a child in the summer of 2006, in the Vienne département, which might be the work of Moitoiret. He did not wish to give any further details of that case, which will now be the responsibility of the research section of the Lyon gendarmerie, which is already investigating little Valentin's murder.

According to sources close to the investigation, in August 2006, Stéphane Moitoiret allegedly attempted to abduct a 5 year-old boy, also called Valentin, in a Vienne village, just outside a room where there had been a wedding the previous day. A woman, who was supervising the children in the room where the festivities had taken place, had noticed Moitoiret trying to take him away.

The dropout allegedly stated that the child was a, "chosen one," and that was the reason he was taking him away. A few days later, Moitoiret allegedly even returned with his partner to offer money in exchange for the child.

Someone from the same source added that in addition to the witness statement of the woman who prevented the abduction, and who had recognised the couple of dropouts thanks to e-fit sketches published in the press, their presence in the region at that time was confirmed by local officials who had recorded their names. This is the first link between Valentin's murder and other potentially criminal acts, but the wandering of the dropout couple is leading the investigators to look at all similar unresolved acts in recent years. (AFP)

France-info 10/09/08

SOS Madeleine McCann: Brian Kennedy is looking to recruit British ex-police officers.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

Brian Kennedy is looking for ex-police officers.

After the information from the British media, that the millionaire Brian Kennedy had just dismissed a team of private investigators, after having paid them £500,000 from the fund created from public donations, comes the announcement that the benefactor has been busy recruiting amongst former Greater Manchester police officers.

According to the Manchester Evening News, a member of the Guardian Media Group, the millionaire has allegedly received from Chief Steve Heywood, head of crime prevention, a list of Manchester police officers who are no longer in post or are close to leaving their posts.

It was from Manchester that another ex-police officer originated, Henry Exton, who, according to the Manchester Evening News, was a shareholder in Oakley International, the American agency which Brian Kennedy had dismissed, according to certain British media, and with which he was still satisfied, according to others.

Recently, Brian Kennedy admitted that he was ready to finance Kate and Gerry McCann for the rest of his life, putting at the couple's disposal the entirety of his personal fortune, estimated at more than £450 million.

9/09/08

SOS Madeleine McCann.

Moitoiret's astonishing writing on a Sunday school white board.

08-09-2008

These photos date from February 2007. At the time, Stéphane Moitoiret and Noëlla Hégo were hanging around, once again in the Lyon region. Favouring the secondary roads and little villages, they went through Savigny before landing up at Bessenay, in the Lyon mountains. There, Father Gilles agreed to put them up in the Sunday school classroom. But when he went to ask them to leave the premises as planned, he discovered the windows covered up with black paper and the white board covered with writing.

"We thought we were being attacked during the night," Moitoiret told Father Gilles, who wondered if it was anything to do with, "a sect." A reflection of Moitoiret's delusions as an astonishing expression was discovered: "back on the road to destiny." But after their arrest, his partner told the investigators that he would have been talking about, "going back," to refer to little Valentin's murder.

Another astonishing inscription: "99 sons" with a series of Christian names: Kevin, Geoffrey, Alcore, Christophe....And a diagram referring to a, "council of wise men." Also on this board was his story about clones because he gives responsibility for the murder to one of his clones. But amidst the delusion, there were also a few characters from Star Wars...Signed: "her majesty," the name Moitoiret gave to Hégo.

True delusion or simulation? Writings of this nature are at the heart of the psychiatric debate about his responsibility.

LyonMag 8/09/08

Stéphane is currently on remand, charged with the murder of Valentin Cremault, a boy of 11, in Lagnieu, on July 28th 2008. The French police are looking at a large number of unsolved crimes, in which Moitoiret may be implicated because of their similarities and correspondence with some of the places that Moitoiret and his partner are believed to have passed through. Moitoiret is being assessed at a secure psychiatric hospital to determine his fitness to stand trial.

Enfants Kidnappés 8/09/08 - Madeleine McCann - Kids Club staff interviews

At this point in the case files, the first interviews of the group are brought to a close for the time being. At the same time as these interviews, the Portuguese police were active in other directions. The case file, for the day after Madeleine's disappearance includes many documents:

• Copies of airline tickets.
• Copies of identity cards.
• Copies of passports.
• A photographic record (with measurements) of the apartments and its immediate surroundings.
• A plan of the apartment.
• Copies of faxes concerning the reporting of Madeleine's disappearance.
• A notice of alert in the Schengen area.
• A photo attached to the notice.
• A plan of the tourist complex.
• A photographic record of the neighbouring streets.
• The list of calls received and made by Kate Healy between April 27th and May 4th on her mobile phone.
• The list of calls received and made by Gerry McCann dated May 4th on his mobile phone. (previous calls having been erased)
• Copies of all identity cards for employees of the Kids Club (whose interviews are published below)
• Copies of passports for the same employees.
• Copies of the Kids Club registers from April 29th to May 4th inclusive. (We will come back to that)

The list of documents in the case files dated May 4th is not finished. It continues after the documents concerning the interviews with Kids Club staff and the seizure documents for Madeleine's book, which we will talk about now.

Madeleine's book.

Madeleine's parents ripped off both covers, the front and the back, from a book belonging to Madeleine, in order to write on the inside the timing for each person. Russell O'Brien was involved with the drawing up of the timing. The book was seized by theGNR on the night of the disappearance. It is to be noted that the writing down of the timing on the inside of the book covers was done before the police arrived on the spot. These covers would be attached to the case file, as elements of the investigation, on September 7th 2007, although seized during the night of 3rd to 4th May. Here are the terms on which the seizure document was based.

Terms of seizure:

At this time, it is considered of interest to the investigation to attach to the present deed, two covers of a child's book, on the inside covers of which is a schedule for supervision, hand-written by one of theMcCann couple's group of friends and participant in this deed by name of Russell O'Brien.

Description and result.

Today we spoke by telephone via mobile number 964...., with Madame Silvia Maria Correia Ramos B., director of handling and services for the company "GREENTROUST", which manages the "OCEAN CLUB" company.

Through her, we contacted Donna Louise R.H. (contacted by mobile phone number 964...) manager of the crèche staff for the "MARK WARNER" company, responsible for Madeleine and the twins for several days after the McCann family arrived in Portugal.

The latter advises us that all these employees are trustworthy. That they are of British nationality and that they work in Portugal from March/April until November. Donna Louise R.H. gives us the names and telephone numbers of thirteen people who work in the crèche.

• Pauline Francis M.
• Emma Louise W.
• Sarah Elizabeth W.
• Susan bernadette O.
• Leanne Danielle W.
• Shinead Maria V.
• Jacqueline Mary W.
• Kirsty Louise M.
• Lynne R.F.
• Catriona Treasa Sisile B.
• Stacey P.
• Lindsay Jayne J.
• Amy Ellen T.

We note that none of these young girls lives at the complex, but quite near and that Catriona B. was responsible for Madeleine during the day yesterday. Stacey P. was the staff member for the McCann twins. It appears that it is always the same young woman who works with the same child. The latest arrivals in Portugal are Sarah W. and Charlotte Pennington who arrived last Saturday, April 28th 2007. The informant, responsible for coordination, split the children up between several young girls, taking care that each child was unknown to each young girl. The informant noticed nothing abnormal up to yesterday and that no one was absent from work except those who were on their day off.

CATRIONA B.

In our informal conversation with Catriona Trease Sisile B., also known as CAT, the latter reports:

1. That she arrived on March 21st 2007 and that she plans to return to the UK on November 7th 2007.
2. That she has worked with Madeleine since Sunday April 29th 2007, daily until yesterday and that she always works the same hours.
3. That yesterday Madeleine arrived at 9.10am. It was her father, Gerry, who brought her.
4. That is was her mother, Kate, who picked her up at 12.45pm.
5. That her mother, Kate, dropped her off at 2.50pm and picked her up at 5.30pm.
6. That in the same room as Madeleine, there were 6 other children in the morning and 4 in the afternoon (including Madeleine)
7. That she did not see any strangers in the complex during that time.
8. That on the first day, Madeleine was shy. On the following days she was more self-possessed and uninhibited. Yesterday she was joyful. (Editor's note: verbatim from the case file)
9. That she never left Madeleine, keeping her under visual supervision at all times when she was her responsibility.
10. That, over the days, she noticed no change in the behaviour of the child's parents.
11. That she has noticed no abnormal behaviour towards this family.
12. That Madeleine has not reported to her having had contact or conversations with anyone in recent days, which would possibly be suspicious.

STACEY P.

During our informal interview with Stacey P., the latter reports:

1. That it is she and her colleague, Shinead, who usually work with the twins.
2. That yesterday, it was the informant, Stacey, who worked with the twins, her colleague was on her day off.
3. That the children were dropped off by their parents at 9.30am and that the mother picked them up at 12.30pm.
4. That it was the father, Gerald, who dropped them off at 2.30pm and that it was the mother, Kate, who came to fetch them at 5.30pm.
5. That she did not see any strangers in the surrounding area.
6. That the behaviour of the parents was always perfectly normal.
7. That she arrived in Portugal on March 18th and that she returns to the UK on November 7th next.

It is understood that it was not possible to hear the rest of the young girls, and notably the one called Shinead, because most of them were absent and we will set up other priority work to that purpose.

Our Conclusion:

Purely from a police officer's point of view, at this stage of the investigation, ignoring everything we already know, keeping in mind only the elements of the case file, dated May 4th, which we have published, we can already start to draw conclusions or at least to pose a few questions.

In addition to certain inconsistencies in the interviews with the group, serious anomalies are noted in that of Matthew Oldfield. Thus, in referring to the attached plan and publishing it here, you may notice that the children's bedroom door opens inwards to the right. Thus, if the door was open, it is impossible to see the twins WITHOUT seeing Madeleine in her bed. The question that should come to mind of any good investigator: is this a mistake or a lie? Is Matthew Oldfield complicit in abduction? Or simply upset? Logically, the head of the investigation should ask for new interviews to be undertaken to clear up these shady areas. Which thePJ did 6 days later. These new interviews were more comprehensive and more forthright. We will publish them here in their entirety.

Another question about the child's book. Why set out a timing for the checks before the police arrived?
While at that moment there were clearly three other hypotheses.

1 - Madeleine has gone out and wandered off.
2 - Madeleine has gone out and hurt herself and is stuck somewhere.
3 - Madeleine is hiding to play a joke on her parents.

Why fill out this timing instead of looking for Madeleine?
Why does Russell take it upon himself to write Gerald's name at the bottom of one of the inside covers?
Why the heavy insistence, stressing with double underlining, on the fact that at, "9pm ALL shutters down."?
Fear of being charged with negligence in putting together a timetable instead of looking for Madeleine? Hard to believe, especially as each member of the group admitted, during their interview, to having left the children alone every evening since the start of the holiday. At this stage, this timing is a disturbing detail, but nothing more.

Later on, you will learn from the case file, that it was Madeleine's favourite book that she loved to look at in the evening before going to sleep, which reinforces the police suspicions, suggesting that this book was an attempt at manipulation of the investigation.

Addenda: I am copying images here, which I found difficult to include above.

1. One of the hand-written inside covers.



2. The second hand-written inside cover.



3. Plan of the apartment.



4. Back cover of Madeleine's book.


All of the above images can be seen more clearly, particularly for reading what is written by hand on the inside covers of the book, on the web site:

Enfants Kidnappés

8/09/08

McCann case: Brian Kennedy ready to finance the McCanns for the rest of his life!

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

7/09/08

According to the British media, the multimillionaire Brian Kennedy is ready to finance Kate and Gerry McCann for the rest of his life, putting at the couple's disposal the entirety of his personal fortune, estimated at more than £450 million.

The information appeared after statements from the couple that they had spent more than a million pounds from the "Find Madeleine" fund, created after Madeleine's disappearance for the purpose of financing the search for the little British girl.

"A substantial sum has also been spent on our defence, but two benefactors covered those expenses, which means that the money from the fund was only used in the search for our daughter," Gerry McCann stated this weekend, without any mention of the money used by the couple to pay the mortgage on their house in Rothley.

According to the British media, Brian Kennedy had never met the McCanns before their daughter Madeleine's disappearance but he now maintains daily contact with the couple.

In the Maddie case, the millionaire is renowned for his hard-working presence on the ground: he personally met with Robert Murat, to whom he allegedly made several proposals concerning the case, and he contacted several witnesses, notably the Irish man Martin Smith, the witness who states that he saw Gerry McCann carrying Maddie in his arms on the night of May 3rd 2007. It was also Brian Kennedy who, in November 2007, went to the PJ, accompanied by Antonio Jiménez, the Metodo 3 detective, who later was to be arrested for involvement in the theft of 400 kg of cocaine in the port of Barcelona.

Fifth detective agency

Having taken the decision not to cooperate in the official investigation into their daughter's disappearance, already in May 2007, the McCanns had called on several companies associated with private investigation, communication and public relations, without any of them, however, being specialised in cases of disappearance or abduction.

After Control Risks, Metodo 3, Oakley International, and a still anonymous fourth agency, now there is the question of hiring a fifth private detective agency.

"Failing to find the little girl, they will still be able to claim and to prove in court that they did indeed search," a specialist in criminal law stated about the case.

SOS Madeleine McCann 6/09/08 - psychic who worked with Metodo 3 accuses Madeleine's parents of hiding her accidental death.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

6/09/08

A psychic in Spain maintains that Madeleine's body was thrown into the sea by her own parents after an accidental death caused by an overdose of medication: "her mother tried to get her to respond, she shakes her, hits her, which is when the blood spurts out."

According to Emilce Oliva, "that night a man carries the child in his arms. What I was not about to imagine was that it was her father."

The psychic, who deserves as much credibility as all the others - and there have been hundreds around the case - also maintains having collaborated with the Catalan detective agency, Metodo 3, which the officials of the agency refuse to confirm, stating that the information is confidential.

According to the psychic, who originates from Argentina, but is living in Spain, on the night of Maddie's disappearance, only the parents and a friend of the couple were present.

"What happened that night was an accident. The child received an overdose of sedative. That is why I see the mother trying to get her to respond, she shakes her, moves her, she hits her, and it is then that she (Maddie) sprays blood from her nose," the psychic maintains.

The psychic's witness statement - revealed by an Argentine newspaper - goes further and maintains that, in spite of the apparent coldness of Maddie's parents, it was an accident and that they reacted as they did because they were in a foreign country. They did not want to lose their, "good jobs," and above all be arrested by the police: "there was no other solution for them but to simulate an abduction."

Enfants Kidnappés 6/09/08: Russell O'Brien's statement 04/05/07

Enfants Kidnappés 6/09/08

The interview begins at 9.45pm on May 4th 2007. Being a British citizen and not understanding Portuguese, in written or spoken form, the informant is accompanied during his statements by a sworn translator: Filipa M.

The informant completely corroborates the statements by his partner Jane Tanner and Rachael Mampilly. Interview taken by the signatory to the present deed, J.C., police inspector. Concerning the journey, the make-up of the group and the usual routines of the adults and children of the group, of which the informant is part, at the Ocean Cub, he states that:

Apart from his partner, he is on holiday with their children **** O'Brien, aged three years and **** O'Brien aged one year. He works as a doctor. He is a colleague of (Gerry) McCann, having worked together for six months. His partner became pregnant around the same time as Gerry's wife. The informant's daughter, ****, and Madeleine Beth McCann are more or less a month apart in ages. **** and Madeleine go to the same room at the Kids Cub, near the reception. The staff are Cat and another person named Emma.

Until yesterday, May 3rd 2007, he has no knowledge of anything suspicious or strange happening around the group of friends or their children. Everybody seemed normal to him from the cleaning staff, to the gardeners, to the rest of the employees of the complex. In Praia, he never noticed anything strange or people who could have been thought of as strange enough to attract his suspicions.

Yesterday, as his daughter **** was feeling ill, the informant dropped **** (his other daughter!) at the Kids Club at around 10am after breakfast. He completely corroborates his partner Jane Tanner's statements for the rest of the day.

Comment: Why on earth was a witness to such a serious incident allowed to get away with the above? He corroborates his partner's statements!!! Surely, he should have been obliged to give his own account in his own words!!

At around 7.15/7.30pm, the informant went back to his apartment. He read stories to his daughters, including **** who was feeling better. His partner, Jane, went to have dinner at the "TAPAS" restaurant at around 8.30pm and he went there at around 8.45pm. When he arrived at the restaurant, nearly all the adults were present, without children, with the exception of David, Fiona and Diane. They arrived more or less 5 minutes later.

At around 9pm, they had all ordered their meals. While they were eating, it was normal that every 15 minutes, one person from each apartment went to make sure the children were ok. Yesterday, as **** was not well, the interval between checks was reduced. He recalls that Matthew Oldfield left the restaurant at shortly after 9pm to check the children. He is no longer sure who went out first, but five minutes later, Gerry McCann and his own partner, Jane, went out, almost at the same time, to check the children. He thinks that Gerry must have gone out first because Jane saw him chatting with a person on holiday at the complex, a certain Jez. He thinks that Jane only checked their apartment, being worried about ****. Then Gerry came back at around 9.25/9.30 and they started to eat the main course.

At around 9.35/9.40, taking advantage of the lull between two courses, the informant left the restaurant with Matthew to check the children. When he got there, his daughter **** was crying. He stayed in her bedroom with her. He supposes that Matthew checked his apartment. Matthew returned to the restaurant five minutes after leaving it. His partner came to take his place in ****'s bedroom around 15 minutes later after finishing dinner.

At around 9.55, he went back to the restaurant where his food had been waiting for 5 or 10 minutes. All the other adults had finished.

At a round 10pm, Kate Healy went out to check her children in her apartment. When she came back, she came towards our table, shouting that Madeleine had disappeared. We all went out, running, and with the help of a few people we decided to search in the area around the apartment blocks. The search proved fruitless.

Comment: And what did you do then, Russell? You went to bed? You ran round shouting? You joined the local people frantically searching more widely?

After reading with the translator, who explains to him, he goes on and signs.

Comment: Times! They started to eat the main course at around 9.25/9.30 and at 9.35/9.40, taking advantage of a break between courses...? Russell must have eaten his main course really quickly!

Enfants Kidnappés 6/09/08

Addendum: I know that the names of the other Tapas children are fictitious in these articles, but I have got used to just using asterisks!!!

Georges Moréas - Maddie: postscript.

This is a translation of the most recent post on his blog by Georges Moréas, following his excellent article on the, "Mysterious disappearance of Madeleine McCann."

Georges Moréas blog

Young Maddie's disappearance fascinates the blogosphere. Thousands of surfers have visited this blog, sometimes leaving comments or sending me an email. Many are very hard on the McCanns. It is true that their awful attitude reflects a poor image of them. They are nasty. But while looking nasty, maybe they are miserable!

But that's not the question!

A four year-old child has disappeared. She has been taken from her family and no one knows what has become of her.

And whether they accept it or not, the McCann couple are responsible, as we all are for our children.

And instead of accepting it, they prevaricate, they lie to the investigators, they look for protection. In a word, they behave like guilty people.

And then, they are astonished at having been suspected. And then, they are astonished at having been questioned. And they are indignant that their honour should be attacked. But I don't give a damn about their honour!

A four year-old child has disappeared. And we are all concerned because that child is now ours, as within an instant becomes the toddler we are helping to cross the road, or as we comfort a child for a bump.

The investigation must not stop. On the contrary, Interpol, Europol, and all European police should mobilise themselves to find Maddie. We have not built Europe solely for big money stories.

And if, unfortunately, it is too late! If she is dead. We want to know how. We want to know who killed her. And we want them to be punished.

3/09/08: Translator's comment:

Another brilliant article from M. Georges Moréas.

When I read words like, "And we are all concerned because that child is now ours, as within an instant becomes the toddler we are helping to cross the road, or as we comfort a child for a bump," for some reason a few words from the children's book, "Le Petit Prince," by Anotoine de Saint-Exupéry come to mind. "Dessine-moi un mouton." (Draw me a sheep.) I think it's because that phrase conjures up a picture of a small child, trusting, innocent and curious, looking to adults whom they imagine to be the font of all knowledge and experience....and security.

Such wise words from M. Moréas. Yes, Madeleine is our child now, in the same way as a small child, wandering along my road alone becomes, just for a while, my child, my responsibility. Or a small child, frantically searching for a misplaced parent in a supermarket becomes my responsibility. Madeleine's parents did not accept their responsibility towards her as they should have done. Now, we who continue to be concerned are in loco parentis and we take up the mantle of caring parents.

SOS Madeleine McCann: Photos that never reached the Portuguese investigators.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

Your photos never reached the Portuguese investigators.

To this day, the PJ have not received any photos at all resulting from the campaign launched by the Leicestershire police, asking tourists who were on holiday in Praia da Luz to send copies of photos taken during the two weeks preceding Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

The appeal had been launched by Leicestershire police, in coordination with CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) and the Association of Chief Police Officers. (ACPO)

According to a source close to the investigation in the United Kingdom, several hundred photos were sent to the British authorities, most of them downloaded via internet pages specially created for the occasion.

"We will then evaluate these images - at a rate of 1000 images an hour - so that before long we are sending the significant information to the Portuguese authorities. " Jim Gamble, head of CEOP had promised.

According to Jim Gamble, the official objective of this campaign was to make progress with the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, using, notably, a programme of facial recognition for all the people "who might seem out of place or to be behaving strangely."

"Wondering what the real purpose was of launching the public appeal....We have not had access to those photos," one of the investigators confirms, stressing that the only photos the PJ were able to receive came to them directly from witnesses.

Duarte Levy & Paulo Reis

04/09/08