Monday, 21 July 2008

Enfants Kidnappés 20/07/08: a paedophile friend?

This was posted on the Enfants Kidnappés site on Sunday 20th July. I thought it was worth posting, even in the light of today's announcement of the archiving of the Madeleine McCann case because of the details about the forensic analyses of DNA samples.

Un ami pédophile ?

20 juillet 2008

Ne pas lever l'entièreté du secret de justice.

Un magistrat et deux policiers, parmi lesquels Stuart Prior, officier de liaison avec la PJ, se sont rendu au Tribunal de Portimao afin de demander au Ministère Public de ne pas libérer le secret de justice sur la totalité du dossier "Maddie".


Les motivations de cette démarche seraient diverses, selon la presse portugaise. Il y aurait, d'une part, le fait que la police britannique souhaite maintenir secret le contenu de la liste des ressortissants britanniques classés "pédophiles" vivant en Algarve. Ces pédophiles connus ont été clairement identifiés sur une liste que les autorités britanniques ont remise à la PJ et qui fait partie du dossier "Maddie". La levée du secret de justice rendrait le contenu de la liste accessible au publique. L'autre raison, toujours selon la presse portugaise, serait la demande de ne pas levée le secret de justice sur les résultats des tests ADN.

Do not lift the whole of the secrecy of justice.

A magistrate and two police officers, one of them, Stuart Prior, liaison officer with the PJ, went to the Portimao appeal court to ask the Public Minister not to open the secrecy of justice on the whole of the, "Maddie," case. There would be various reasons for this approach, according to the Portuguese press. On the one hand there is the fact that the British police wish to keep secret the contents of the list of British citizens, classified as, "paedophiles," living in the Algarve. These known paedophiles are clearly identified in the list which the British authorities gave to the PJ and which form part of the, "Maddie," file. The lifting of the secrecy of justice would make the contents of the list accessible to the public. The other reason, still according to the Portuguese press, would be the request not to lift the secrecy of justice on the results of the DNA tests.

Il semblerait que les anglais ne souhaitent pas voir divulguer le rapport préliminaire du labo de Birmingham dans lequel est établi que 15 des 19 marqueurs génétiques coïncident parfaitement avec l'ADN de Madeleine McCann. Ce rapport a été contre dit par la suite. Les vestiges rassemblés derrière le sofa, selon le premier rapport, coïncident, également, avec le profil ADN de Madeleine McCann. C'est ce rapport qui a réconforté la PJ, ainsi que l'officier de liaison britannique, dans leurs soupçons quant au fait que Madeleine soit morte entre 17h30 et 22h00 à l'Ocean Club de Praia da Luz et que le corps fut transporté dans la voiture loué par les parents, 22 jours plus tard. Avec la levée du secret de justice, certains de ces documents seront rendu publique. Ce dit rapport, ajouté aux éléments rassemblés durant l'enquête ont conduit les inspecteurs à soupçonner les parents du décès de Madeleine. Un autre rapport, signé par Mark Harrisom, policier britannique désigné pour assister les autorités portugaises, affirmait péremptoirement que la fillette était décédée. Le policier évoquait même la possibilité que le corps de Madeleine ait été jeté à la mer.

It would appear that the English do not wish to see the preliminary report from the Birmingham lab divulged in which it was established that 15 out of 19 genetic markers coincide perfectly with Madeleine McCann's DNA. This report was contradicted by the one that followed. The samples gathered behind the sofa, according to the first report, also coincide with the DNA profile of Madeleine McCann. it was this report which reassured the PJ, as well as the British liaison officer, in their suspicions about the fact that Madeleine had died between 5.30 and 10pm at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz and that the body was transported in the car rented by the parents, 22 days later. With the lifting of the secrecy of justice, certain of these documents will be made public. the said report, added to the details gathered during the investigation led the inspectors to suspect the parents in Madeleine's death. Another report, signed by Mark Harrison, British police officer, assigned to help the Portuguese authorities, affirmed categorically that the young girl was dead. The police officer even suggested the possibility that Madeleine's body had been thrown into the sea.

Technique de pointe.

La technique utilisée par les spécialistes britanniques, pour analyser les vestiges rassemblés dans l'appartement et dans la voiture des parents, est une des plus sophistiquée du Monde. Cette technique est utilisée aux États-Unis parce qu'elle permet d'extraire des profils ADN précis à partir de vestiges très ténus par l'augmentation des cycles d'amplification. Dans ces rapports, envoyés à la PJ avec quelques mois de différences l'un de l'autre, les autorités commencent à expliquer la technique utilisée et rendent compte comment ils ont utilisés un échantillon d'ADN de référence de Madeleine McCann. Cet échantillon a été obtenu via des taches de salives existantes sur le coussin de la petite.

Cutting-edge technique.

The technique used by the British specialists, to analyse the samples gathered in the apartment and in the parents' car, is one of the most sophisticated in the world. This technique is used in the United States because it allows the extraction of clear DNA profiles from very subtle samples by the augmentation of the amplification processes. In these reports, sent to the PJ a few months apart, the authorities began to explain the technique used and how they used a reference sample of Madeleine McCann's DNA. This reference sample was obtained from samples of saliva on the young girl's pillow.


L'ADN des autres membres de la famille a été vérifié afin d'extraire les marqueurs génétiques identiques pour qu'il n'y ait pas de confusion lors du résultat. Le rapport est de 22 pages et signé par un expert biochimiste et spécialiste en microbiologie. Il détermine que 15 marqueurs génétiques sur 19 coïncident parfaitement avec l'ADN de Madeleine McCann. Le second rapport, envoyé après que Kate et Gerry furent déclarés suspects, soulève des doutes théoriques quant aux conclusions du premier rapport. On parle, ici, de 15 marqueurs sur 19. Aux États-Unis pour condamner quelqu'un il ne faut que 12 marqueurs d'ADN concluant. Ainsi, aux États-Unis, sur base de ce rapport, les parents seraient accusés. Or au Portugal, La loi exigeant 19 marqueurs identiques, les parents pourraient bénéficier d'un non lieux voir même d'un classement du dossier.

The DNA of other members of the family was checked in order to extract the identical genetic markers so that there would be no confusion with the results. The report is 22 pages and is signed by an expert biochemist and specialist in microbiology. It determines that 15 genetic markers out of 19 coincide perfectly with Madeleine MCann's DNA. The second report, sent after Kate and Gerry were declared suspects, raised theoretical doubts about the conclusions of the first report. It speaks here of 15 markers out of 19. In the United States to convict someone only takes 12 conclusive DNA markers. Thus, in the United States, on the basis of this eport, the parents would be charged. But, in Portugal, the law demanding 19 identical markers, the parents could be discharged through lack of evidence or even see the archiving of the case.

Un ami pédophile ?

La presse portugaise par le truchement du Correio da Manha publie un article assez délicat. Selon ce dernier, un des amis du couple McCann qui se trouvait avec eux en vacances à Paria da Luz le 03 mai de l'année dernière a été suspecté de comportement à caractère pédophile. Ces accusations ont été lancées par un autre couple d'amis qui ont passés les vacances de 2005 avec les McCann. Le couple, amis d'enfance de Kate, connaît cette dernière depuis 20 ans et ils n'ont rencontré "l'ami suspect" qu'une seule fois, c'était en 2005. Le CM fait état d'une déposition enregistrée par les autorités le 16 mai mais versé au dossier qu'en janvier 2008 et qui ferait déjà partie du 13ième volume sur l'affaire. Nous sommes assez surpris que des policiers aient enregistrés ces dépositions. En effet, elles ne reposent sur rien.


A paedophile friend?

The Portuguese press via Correio da Manha, publishes a very delicate article. According to the latter, one of the friends of the mcCann couple who was with them on holiday in Praia da Luz on May 3rd last year was suspected of showing paedophile tendencies. These accusations were put forward by another couple of friends who had spent the 2005 holiday with the McCanns. The couple, childhood freinds of Kate's, had known her for 20 years and they had only met the, "suspicious friend," once, which was in 2005. The CM reports a statement recorded by the authorities on May 16th but only added to the file in January 2008 and which would already be part of the 13th volume on the case. We are very surprised that the police officers recorded these statements. In effect, they are not based on anything.


Il n'y avait pas matière à acter! Si l'on reprend la publication du CM, Katherina, amie d'enfance de Kate, aurait vu, durant la nuit, le fameux "ami suspect" en conversation avec Gerry avoir des gestes obscènes à caractères sexuelles en parlant de Madeleine. Décrivant le geste avec détails faisant clairement allusion à un doigté vaginale préalablement mouillé par la bouche. Son époux, Arul, quant à lui, se souvient bien du geste, qu'il qualifie d'un extrême mauvais goût, mais ne peut être sûr que "l'ami suspect" et Gerry parlaient de Madeleine! Bref, rien de bien concret finalement. En tous cas pas de quoi enregistrer une déposition. Les deux compères pouvaient parfaitement parler de n'importe qui ou faire allusion à n'importe quoi. En outre, le fait de révéler l'identité de l'ami en question et en le qualifiant de "suspect d'acte pédophile", met une famille en danger. Une famille mais aussi une situation professionnelle, une vie sociale etc. etc. Il nous semble très imprudent de rendre public ce genre d'accusation. Nous attirons l'attention de nos lecteurs sur le fait qu'il ne faut pas tirer de conclusions hâtives. Ne pas accuser trop vite quelqu'un, ne pas mettre une étiquette sur une personne qui n'a peut-être rien à se reprocher. Soyez subtil, il est plus facile de détruire une réputation que de rétablir l'image de quelqu'un. Rien ne prouve que "l'ami suspect" soit coupable de ce dont on l'accuse.

There was no substance to record! If we take what CM publishes, Katherina, childhood friend of Kate's, would have seen during the night, the famous, "suspicious friend," in conversation with Gerry making obscene gestures of a sexual nature, while speaking about Madeleine. Describing the gesture with details making clear allusions to vaginal fingering previously moistened in the mouth. As for her husband, Arul, he remembers the gesture well, which he classes as being very bad taste, but cannot be sure that the, "suspicious friend," and Gerry were talking about Madeleine! In short, nothing tangible in the end. In any case, it's not about recording a statement. The two fathers could perfectly well have been talking about anything or making allusion to anything. In addition, the fact of revealing the identity of the friend in question and in classifying it as a, "suspicious paedophile act," places a family in danger. A family but also a professional standing, a social life etc. It seems to us very unwise to make this kind of accusation public. We draw our readers' attention to the fact that we must not jump to hasty conclusions. Do not accuse someone too quickly, do not apply a label to someone who perhaps has nothing to reproach himself with. Be discerning, it is easier to destroy a reputation than to rebuild someone's image. There is nothing to prove that the, "suspicious friend," is guilty of what he is being accused of.

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

20/07/08

Thursday, 17 July 2008

Please don't forget about Sammy Osborn.











You can read fairly full details of Sammy's story from earlier posts on this blog. (See Labels) So, I will just give a few details as a reminder.

Sammy Osborn disappeared from her home on April 3rd, 2007, after which Sammy's mum launched a campaign to find Sammy and bring her home. Gill Osborn, Sammy's mum, had a good idea where Sammy had gone, as she had previously run away to join a man she had met on the internet. The police found this man, but not Sammy: he denied having seen her. Sammy's mum and Sammy's friends launched into fund-raising for a missing person's charity and Gill did everything possible, including joining online message boards, to encourage people to think about Sammy and to look for her.

Sammy was 15 years old when she ran out of her family home. Around the time of her 16th birthday, which was September 22nd, Sammy made contact with the police and confirmed that she was safe and well. However, since her birthday fell after the start of the school year, Sammy should have been in full-time education and this should have been taken up by the local truancy officer, whom I believe actually found Sammy out shopping in Bristol. I don't know what the truancy officer did as follow-up. Social Services should have been involved as Sammy was under school-leaving age, but apparently they couldn't find her. So, they closed the case.

Sammy is known to be with a man called David Manning in Bristol. Sammy met him on the internet and this meeting led to changes in Sammy's personality, which worried her family and friends and led to her disappearance.
(See http://www.crop1.org.uk for information on sexual grooming on the internet.)

I have been informed that Sammy has not been seen officially since mid-November 2007 and that the police in Bristol are worried for her safety.

Please visit the, "CROP," web site, and if you live in or near or travel through the Fishponds Road area of Bristol, please report any sightings to the Bristol police.

Finally, the message from Sammy's mum that has not changed since Sammy disappeared.

"Sammy.......
I hope that one day you will be free to think for yourself again,
Until that day I pray that you are safe,
When that day comes we will be here for you,
Your family and friends still care for you,
And most of all,despite everything,your mum still loves you,
Take care sweetheart,
You know where we are if you need us."

Please don't forget about Sammy Osborn.

Wednesday, 16 July 2008

SOS Madeleine McCann: Attorney General promises a response for Monday

Madeleine : Procureur promet réponse pour lundi

51c4fafcf2c72d7bdeb4941de5a225fc.jpgLe Procureur général de la République (PGR), Pinto Monteiro, a annoncé qu’il y aurait, lundi prochain, un communiqué à propos de l’affaire Madeleine McCann, donnant ainsi suite au rapport de la Police Judiciaire.

“L’affaire Maddie, lundi, il y aura une solution qui vous sera communiquée,” à dit Pinto Monteiro en déclarations aux journalistes à la sortie de la cérémonie d’entrée en fonctions du président du Tribunal de la Relation de Lisbonne, Vaz das Neves.

Interrogé par les journalistes sur le contenu du communiqué, le PGR s’est refusé à plus de commentaires, mais une source proche de l’enquête assure que “l’investigation n’est pas terminée, mais qu’il resterait à savoir s’il y a la volonté politique d’aller plus loin.”

Pinto Monteiro, Attorney General of the Republic, has announced that on Monday next there will be a press release about the Madeleine McCann case, giving the follow-up to the PJ's report.

"The Maddie case, on Monday, there will be a solution which will be communicated to you," said Pinto Monteiro in statements to journalists at the end of the inaugural ceremony for the president of the Lisbon Court of Appeal, Vaz das Neves.

Questioned by journalists about the contents of the press release, the PGR refused to comment further, but a source close to the enquiry assures that, "the investigation is not finished, but it remains to be seen if there is the political will to go any further.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

16/07/08

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.

Tuesday, 15 July 2008

Robert Murat: more than half a million in damages for defamation.

Robert Murat : plus d'un demi-million d’euros en dommages pour diffamation

3aa73cac2aafb7f99746332a5536230d.jpgRobert Murat, le suspect britannique dans la disparition de Madeleine McCann, est parvenu à un accord financier avec une partie des médias britanniques accusés de diffamation, pour des informations publiées à son sujet après la disparition de Madeleine McCann. L’accord, qui englobe 11 titres de la presse écrite ( Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Metro, Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, News of the World, The Sun et The Scotsman) prevoit le versement d’une somme avoisinant les 800.000 € et la publication d’excuses.

Robert Murat, the British suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance, has reached a financial agreement with a portion of the British media, accused of defamation, for information published about him after Madeleine McCann's disappearance. The agreement, which includes 11 newspaper titles (Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Metro, Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, News of the World, The Sun and The Scotsman) provides for the payment of a sum of around 800,000€ and the publication of apologies.

Simons Muirhead and Burton, le cabinet d’avocats qui représente l’intérêt du Britannique dans cette affaire, spécialiste des procès en justice contre les médias, ont décidé de continuer les poursuites à l’encontre de la chaine de télévision Sky News.

Après 14 mois sans que Madeleine McCann, la victime, soit retrouvée, c’est le deuxième accord financier célèbre entre les médias et les arguidos de l’affaire McCann : Kate et Gerry McCann ont reçu, officiellement, 500.000 £ du groupe Express, une somme identique à celle que Robert Murat doit maintenant recevoir des 11 titres concernés.

Simons Muirhead and Burton, the law firm that represents the British man's interests in this case, specialists in legal proceedings against the media, have decided to pursue a case against the television chain Sky News.

After 14 months without the victim, Madeleine McCann, being found, this is the second famous financial agreement between the media and arguidos in the McCann case: Kate and Gerry McCann received, officially, £500,000 from the Express group, a sum identical to that which Robert Murat will now receive from the 11 titles involved.

Redevenu britannique dans les médias de son pays depuis que les autorités portugaises ont laissé filtrer qu’il n’était pas le suspect principal de l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine, Murat est resté à Praia da Luz pendant toute la durée des investigations.

Depuis le jour où il à été amené par les inspecteurs de la Police Judiciaire, il y a exactement 14 mois, Murat à du faire appel à la famille et aux rares amis qui ne l’ont pas abandonnée, les autorités consulaires du Royaume-Uni au Portugal ayant choisie de l’ignorer.

British again in the media of his country once the Portuguese authorities let slip that he was not the principal suspect in the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, Murat stayed in Praia da Luz throughout the investigations.

Since the day when he was led away by the PJ inspectors, exactly 14 months ago, Murat has had to depend on his family and the few friends who have not abandoned him, the consular authorities of the United Kingdom having chosen to ignore him.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

15/07/08

See Lori Campbell posts on this blog, particularly video of interview with Sky TV's Ian Woods. Suspicion seems to have fallen in Robert Murat when Ms Campbell decided that there was some similarity between Robert Murat and Ian Huntley.



Monday, 14 July 2008

SOS Madeleine McCann: helping parents of missing children becomes a matter of money.


http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

14/07/08

Clarence Mitchell, l’ancien directeur de l’unité de surveillance des médias du cabinet du premier ministre britannique (Tony Blair et plus tard Gordon Brown), devenu responsable de l’image et de la communication des McCann, serait en pourparlers avec une agence de Relations publiques où, selon The Telegraph, il projette d’aider d’autres parents qui ont perdu leurs enfants.

L’information serait toutefois à prendre au conditionnel, car une source au sein du Foreign Office continue à affirmer que l’ancien poste de Clarence Mitchell lui reviendrait naturellement à la fin de l’affaire McCann.

Clarence Mitchell, former director of the Media Monitoring Unit for the Prime Minister's cabinet, (Tony Blair and later Gordon Brown) now PR spokesman for the McCanns, is in talks with a public relations agency where, according to The Telegraph, he plans to help other parents who have lost their children.

The information, however, is to be taken as conditional, because a source at the Foreign Office continues to affirm that Clarence's former post will naturally go back to him when the McCann case ends.

Je dois cependant souligner que pour moi il n'est aucunement question d’abandonner Kate et Gerry McCann,” affirme Clarence

Récemment, Clarence Mitchell avait promis aux parents d’Amy Fitzpatrick de promouvoir la disparition de la jeune Irlandaise auprès des médias britanniques, notamment sur les écrans des grandes chaines de télévision. Un mois après, l’affaire continue absent des médias à l’exception de quelques informations reprises en Irlande - d’où est originaire Amy – et en Espagne, pays d’où la jeune fille est disparu.

L’ancien journaliste est supposé avoir aidé d’autres parents en dehors du couple McCann sur base du bénévolat, mais aujourd’hui, malgré un important salaire, il recherche d’autres options : “Je suis heureux d'aider n'importe qui à faire face aux médias, mais je dois me placer dans une situation financière ferme,” affirme Clarence Mitchell.

"I must stress, however, that there is no question of abandoning Kate and Gerry McCann," Clarence stated.

Recently, Clarence Mitchell had promised Amy Fitzpatrick's parents that he would promote the disappearance of the young Irish girl using the British media, notably on the screens of the major television channels. One month later, the case continues to be absent from the media, with the exception of a few details given out in Ireland - from where Amy originates - and in Spain, the country from which the young girl disappeared.

The former journalist is supposed to have helped other couples besides the McCann couple on a pro bono basis, but today, in spite of a significant salary, he is looking at other options: "I am happy to help whoever has to face the media, but I have to place myself on a secure financial footing," Clarence Mitchell stated.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

14/07/08