Enfants Kidnappés: Madeleine McCann - the investigation goes on.

L'enquête se poursuit.

La PJ l'avait annoncé lors de l'archivage du dossier: L'enquête n'est ni clôturée ni abandonnée. Et heureusement que l'enquête n'est pas terminée car Madeleine en vie ou non, n'a pas été retrouvée. La PJ avait déclaré qu'il poursuivait l'enquête loin de l'agitation des médias, dans le calme et la sérénité. Aujourd'hui, alors que le dossier dit "affaire Maddie" est rendu public et que tous les journalistes ont réservé l'accès, il est clairement établi qu'une partie du dossier restera frappé du secret de justice. Il y aurait plusieurs parties concernées. Ce serait les autorités britanniques qui auraient demandé que certaines pièces ne soient pas divulguées au public. Une autre partie l'aurait été à la demande de la PJ pour des documents jugés d'une importance extrême. On peu e déduire que la PJ continue son enquête et ceci expliquerait, comme je l'ai déjà souligné, une certaine agitation au sein de la PJ. Une troisième partie restée sous le secret de justice, le serait suite à une demande privée. Nous y reviendrons plus tard.

The investigation goes on.

The PJ had announced during the archiving of the case file: The investigation is neither closed nor abandoned and fortunately the investigation is not over with because alive or dead, Madeleine has not been found. The PJ had stated that they were continuing the investigation away from the media buzz, in calm and serenity. Today, while the file called the, "Maddie case," is being made public and all the journalists have reserved access, it is clearly established that part of the file will remain stamped secrecy of justice. There would be several parts involved. It would be the British authorities who would have requested that specific documents were not disclosed to the public. Another part would have been at the request of the PJ for documents judged to be extremely important. We can deduce here that the PJ are continuing their investigation and this would explain, as I have already stressed, a certain excitement on the part of the PJ. A third part remains under the secrecy of justice, this being the result of a private request. We will come back to that later.

Stratégie calculée ?

Le fait d'avoir rendu le dossier public sans tirer de conclusions à l'encontre des suspects tout en continuant les investigations est-ce une stratégie voulue ? On peut, évidemment, penser que oui. La PJ, rendant public tous les éléments ou presque mais sans accuser qui que ce soit, occupe tout le monde, les avocats des parents, les parents eux-mêmes, la presse, l'ensemble des médias etc. Pendant que tout le monde se focalise sur le rapport puis sur le dossier, le temps que tout le monde visionne le contenu des DVD (le dossier étant sur DVD), la PJ, quant à elle, peut continuer son enquête dans la sérénité.

A calculated strategy?

Is the fact of having made the case file public without drawing conclusions concerning the suspects while carrying on with the investigation, an intentional strategy? It can obviously be thought, yes. The PJ making all the elements or nearly all, public, but without accusing anyone, occupies everyone, the parents' lawyers, the parents themselves, the press, the whole of the media etc. While everyone is focussed on the report then on the case file, while everyone is watching the contents of the DVDs (the case file is on DVD) as for the PJ, they can get on with their investigation in peace.

Interférence dans l'enquête ?

SOS Maddie révèle que lors de l'audition d'O'Brian comme témoin, il aurait pu d'abord lire les déclarations de sa compagne, Jane Tanner avant de répondre aux questions de l'officier de police en charge. C'est, évidemment, scandaleux! Il est tout à fait inadmissible qu'un policier, qui de surcroît n'est pas un débutant puisqu'il a 25 ans de métier, laisse un témoin lire les déclarations d'un ou plusieurs autres témoins. Il s'agit là, d'une maladresse pour ne pas dire une volonté d'orienter l'audition. C'est une faute professionnelle! L'audition de tout témoin est placée sous le secret professionnel même s'il s'agit de la déclaration de l'épouse du témoin en question. O'Brian, dans une déclaration, reconnaît avoir pris connaissance de l'audition de son épouse pour: "rafraîchir sa mémoire". Quant à Jane Tanner, elle a été interrogée mais son audition à été interrompue par le déclenchement inopiné de l'alarme incendie. Durant les 23 minutes qui suivirent, alors que le commissariat été évacué selon une procédure précise, Jane a pu s'entretenir avec l'avocat d'un des suspects et un des suspect en personne de l'affaire en question. Le tout au sein du commissariat. Même s'il ne s'agit pas d'un témoin à charge, on peu se poser des questions quant à l'aspect déontologique de la procédure. Notons que, malgré tout, Jane avait et a toujours des contacts avec certains suspects du moment et qu'ils pouvaient discuter librement de l'affaire bien avant d'être auditionné.

Interference with the investigation?

SOS Maddie reveals that during O'Brien's interview as a witness, he would first have been able to read the statements of his partner, Jane Tanner, before responding to the questions of the police officer in charge. This is obviously scandelous! It is totally unacceptable that a police officer, who moreover is not a beginner, since he has 25 years in the job, lets a witness read the statements of one or several other witnesses. It is a blunder if not a desire to direct the hearing. It is a professonal mistake! The hearing of every witness is placed under professioanl confidentiality even if the statement is that of the spouse of the witness in question. O'Brien, in a statement, admits gaining knowledge of his wife's hearing to, "refresh his memory." As for Jane Tanner, she was interviewed but her hearing was interrupted by the unexpected setting off of the fire alarm. During the 23 minutes which followed, while the police station was evacuated according to clear procedure, Jane was able to have a discussion with the lawyer for one of the suspects and with one of the suspects in the case in question, in person. All this at the police station. Even if it is not a witness for the prosecution, we may ask questions about the ethical aspects of the procedure. We note that, in spite of everything, Jane had always had contact with certain suspects at the time and that they were able to freely discuss the case well before being interviewed.

Brian Kennedy, le milliardaire qui finance l'équipe d'avocat des parents et les appointements de Clarence Mitchell, entre autre, a visité plusieurs témoins impliqué dans l'enquête sur la disparition de Madeleine. On est en droit de e demander pourquoi un particulier, fut-il milliardaire, peut se permettre d'interférer dans une enquête de police ? Les témoins les moins favorables aux McCann auraient été particulièrement visités. La question qui vient immédiatement à l'esprit est: pourquoi ? Dans quel but ? Certes Brian Kennedy n'est pas impliqué dans l'enquête en cours au Portugal. Il n'est même pas témoin. Les autorités britanniques auraient du, au minimum dans un souci déontologique, mais surtout dans un souci d'objectivité, interroger Brian Kennedy sur ses motivations à interférer dans une enquête concernant une fillette de 4 ans ? Jusqu'ici, les autorités britanniques restent silencieuses à ce sujet. Or les autorités portugaise ont demandé à leurs homologues britanniques des précisions mais là aussi sans réponse du R-U.

Brian Kennedy, the millionaire who finances the parents' team of lawyers and the employment of Clarence Mitchell, and others, visited several witnesses involved in the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. We are entitled to ask why an individual, millionaire he may be, is allowed to interfere in a police investigation? Especially the witnesses least favourable to the McCanns would have been visited. The question that comes immediately to mind is: why? To what end? Certainly Brian Kenedy is not implicated in the ongoing investigation in Portugal. He is not even a witness. The British authorities, at least as an ethical issue, but above all as an issue of of objectivity, should have questioned Brian Kennedy about his motives for interfering in an investigation concerning a little four year-old girl? Until now, the British authorities have been silent on this subject. Well, the Portuguese authorities asked their British counterparts for details but there again with no response from the UK.

Les McCann auraient trafiqué les preuves ?

Dans son édition d'aujourd'hui, le Correio da Manha affirme que la PJ n'a pas de doutes quant au fait que les parents de Madeleine ont modifié la disposition des meubles et de divers objet de l'appartement d'où Maddie a disparu. Si c'est vrai, et il faut voir sur quoi ce base le CdM, il s'agit là d'un maquillage des lieux d'une scène d'un crime afin de détourner les soupçons et d'effacer les preuves. Notons que la PJ a toujours considéré comme étrange le fait que le lit de Madeleine n'ait pas été défait comme si la petite n'y avait pas dormi. Il est difficile de croire qu'un ravisseur ait pris soin de refaire parfaitement le lit de Madeleine après l'avoir enlevée ? Maintenant gageons que le dossier en DVD (que notre association va pouvoir consulter) expliquera ces détails troublants.

The McCanns tampered with evidence?

In today's edition, Correio da Manha states that the PJ have no doubts about the fact that Madeleine's parents changed the position of furniture and various objects in the apartment from which Madeleine went missing. If this is true, and we must see what CdM is basing this on, there is here tampering with areas of a crime scene in order to divert suspicion and to wipe out the evidence. We note that the PJ have always considered strange the fact that Madeleine's bed had not been disturbed as if the little girl had not slept there. It is difficult to believe that a kidnapper had taken care to remake Madeleine's bed perfectly after having abducted her? We are now betting that the case file on DVD (that our association will be able to look at) will explain these worrying details.

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

Correio da Manha 3/08/08: The 48 questions Kate McCann refused to answer

With thanks to Astro for this translation, which I unashamedly lift from the 3Arguidos forum!

"Investigation – What the PJ inspectors wanted to know

The 48 questions that remained unanswered

When she became an arguida, Kate stopped talking to the inspectors

September 7, 2007. Kate McCann entered the Polícia Judiciária in Portimão in the morning and the questioning extended into the evening. She was heard as a witness, but the tension in the air was evident. For the first time, people were concentrated at the PJ building’s door and murmured words of mistrust regarding the couple.

On that day, CM had reported that the dogs had detected cadaver odour on Maddie’s mother’s clothes. A piece of evidence that the authorities intended to use as a trump, during a questioning that only changed course on the next day, after the PJ failed to see their doubts clarified.

Kate began by replying all the questions, but when she was made an arguida, she stopped talking. She went silent, in the company of her lawyer, and accepted all the insinuations in a provocative manner. Less than 48 hours later, Kate and Gerry travel to England with the twins, leaving the investigation into the disappearance of their daughter, who meanwhile had become four, behind.

They later guaranteed that they would return if necessary – which they never did, although they were never formally requested to return – and they are no longer arguidos for the suspected involvement in concealing the child’s body. Today, CM reveals the 48 questions that Kate did not want to answer during the interrogation and which reflect the investigators’ doubts. More than a year after Maddie disappeared, many of these questions remain unanswered.

Jeers for the McCann couple

The day that Kate and Gerry went to the PJ’s offices in Portimão marked a turnaround in the relationship between the local people and the couple: the curious bystanders that spent the day on the street jeered at Maddie’s mother and father, mainly criticizing the “absence of visible suffering” from Kate. The foreign press also attended in great numbers.

The Judiciária’s 48 questions that Kate did not answer

1 On the 3rd of May 2007, at around 10 p.m., when you entered the apartment, what did you see, what did you do, where did you search, what did you handle?

2 Did you search in the couple’s bedroom’s closet? (said she would not reply)

3 (Two photographs of her bedroom’s closet are exhibited) Can you describe its contents?

4 Why are the curtains in front of the side window, behind the sofa (photograph is exhibited) ruffled? Did someone pass behind that sofa?

5 How long did the search that you made in the apartment after detecting the disappearance of your daughter Madeleine take?

6 Why did you say straight away that Madeleine had been abducted?

7 Presuming that Madeleine had been abducted, why did you leave the twins alone at home while you went to the Tapas to raise the alarm? Even because the supposed abductor could still be inside the apartment.

8 Why didn’t you ask the twins at that moment what had happened to their sister, or why didn’t you ask them at a later point in time?

9 When you raised the alarm at the Tapas, what exactly did you say and what were the words?

10 What happened after you raised the alarm at the Tapas?

11 Why did you do to warn your friends instead of calling out from the balcony?

12 Who contacted the authorities?

13 Who participated in the searches?

14 Did anyone outside of the group learn about Maddie’s disappearance during the following minutes?

15 Did any neighbour offer you help after the disappearance?

16 What does the expression “we let her down” mean?

17 Did Jane mention to you that she had see a man with a child that night?

18 How were the authorities contacted and which police force was called?

19 During the searches, and already with the police present, in what locations was Maddie searched for, how and in what manner?

20 Why didn’t the twins wake up during that search, or when they went to the upper floor?

21 Who did you call after the facts?

22 Did you call SKY News?

23 Did you know about the danger of calling the media, because that could influence the abductor?

24 Did you request the presence of a priest?

25 How was Madeleine’s face publicized, with a photograph, or other media?

26 Is it true that during the search you remained seated on Maddie’s bed without moving?

27 How did you behave that evening?

28 Did you manage to sleep?

29 Before the trip to Portugal, did you comment on a bad feeling or a bad premonition?

30 What was Madeleine’s behaviour?

31 Did Maddie suffer of any disease or did she take any kind of medication?

32 What was the relationship like between Madeleine and her siblings?

33 What was the relationship like between Madeleine and her siblings, her friends and her colleagues at school?

34 Concerning your professional life, in how many and in which hospitals have you worked?

35 What is your medical specialty?

36 Did you work by shifts, in emergency rooms or in other departments?

37 Did you work on a daily basis?

38 Did you stop working at a certain point in time? Why?

39 Do your twin children have difficulty in falling asleep, are they unruly and does that upset you?

40 Is it true that at certain times you were desperate over your children’s attitude and that left you were upset?

41 Is it true that in England you considered the possibility of handing over Madeleine’s guardianship to a relative?

42 In England, did you give your children medication? What type of medication?

43 Within the process, you were shown films of cynotechnical inspection of forensic character, where the dogs can be seen marking indications of human cadaver odour and equally human blood traces, and only of human origin, as well as all the comments that were made by the responsible expert. After the visualization, and after cadaver odour was signaled in your bedroom next to the wardrobe and behind the sofa that was pushed against the living room window, you said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said?

44 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of human blood behind the sofa by the detection dog

45 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of cadaver odour in the boot of the vehicle that you rented a month after the disappearance?

46 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, concerning the marking of human blood in the boot of the vehicle?

47 You said that you could not explain anything apart from what you had already said, upon being confronted with the result of the collection of Maddie’s DNA, which was analysed by a British lab, behind the sofa and inside the vehicle’s boot?

48 Did you have any responsibility or intervention in the disappearance of your daughter?

The question that she answered
Are you aware of the fact that by not answering these questions you may compromise the investigation, which is trying to find out what happened to your daughter? She said yes, if the investigation thinks so.

Process becomes public tomorrow

From tomorrow onwards, the entire investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine will be made available to the arguidos, to the witnesses, to the lawyers and also to the journalists, because it is a case of manifest public interest.

The process, which was archived on the 21st of July, will also be available to the general public, a situation that will allow for an authentic scrutiny of the work that was developed by the Polícia Judiciária. This decision, which came as a surprise due to the fact that the case involves a child, was only announced at this point in time, after the Portuguese lawyers for the McCann family, Carlos Pinto de Abreu and Rogério Alves, requested the Portimão Court for priority in the access to the process.

Last Wednesday, the Court had requested the interested parties that had already asked for the consultation of the process to leave a CD at the secretary’s office, given the fact that the process will be supplied in a digital format.

The archiving of the investigation into the little girl’s disappearance, which happened on the 3rd of May 2007, in the Algarve, precipitated the lifting of the judicial secrecy, which had been extended precisely until the month of August.


source: Correio da Manhã, 03.08.2008, paper edition"

Enfants Kidnappés: Kate McCann's diary

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

1/08/08

Le journal de Kate 01 août 2008

Le journal de Kate.

Depuis quelques jours, la presse portugaise publie des éléments du journal intime de Kate. Ces éléments font parties du dossier. Il est probable que la partie publiée fasse partie des notes personnels d'un ancien inspecteur de la PJ et que le journal publie. Fort du soutien de leur rédacteur en chef, le dit journal n'hésite pas à révéler de nombreux éléments de l'enquête et ce en guise de réponse au menaces dictatoriales de Clarence Mitchell, porte-parole des McCann. Nous avons décidé à l'association de ne pas parler du contenu de ce journal car comme son nom l'indique, il s'agit d'un journal INTIME.

Kate's Dairy

For a few days, the Portuguese press has been publishing details from Kate's personal diary. These details form part of the case file. It is likely that the published part is part of the personal notes of a former PJ inspector, published by the newspaper. Powerfully supported by their editor-in-chief, the said newspaper does not hesitate to reveal numerous elements of the investigation in the guise of responding to dictatorial threats from Clarence Mitchell, the McCanns' spokesperson. We have decided not to talk about the contents of this diary because, as its name suggests, it is a personal diary.

En outre, son contenu ne constitue pas une preuve. Bien au contraire. Ce ne serait pas la première fois qu'un coupable essaye de manipuler la police e indiquant des choses contraire à sa culpabilité dans son journal sachant que tôt ou tard la police le lira. Attention, nous ne disons pas que c'est le cas pour Kate McCann. Nous voulons juste expliquer que ce journal ne constitue en aucun cas un élément de culpabilité ou d'innocence. L'accès au dossier n'étant pas encore autorisé, l'hypothèse qu'il s'agisse des notes personnelles d'un membre de l'enquête nous paraît plus que probable. Si on peut comprendre l'amertume d'avoir été retiré d'une enquête par une hiérarchie ayant courbé l'échine face à la pression politique d'une puissance étrangère, on est en droit de se poser des questions sur l'utilité de divulguer ce genre de détails. D'accord, il ne publie que les parties ayant trait à l'affaire mais malgré tout je ressens un certain malaise dans cette attitude.

In addition, its contents are not evidence. Quite the contrary. This would not be the first time that a guilty person tried to manipulate the police, suggesting things contrary to their guilt, knowing that sooner or later the police would read it. Look, we are not saying that this is the case with Kate McCann. We just want to explain that this dairy does not in any way constitute an element of guilt or innocence. While access to the case file is not yet authorised, the idea that these are the personal notes of a member of the investigation seems more than likely to us. If we can understand the bitterness of having been withdrawn from an investigation by a hierarchy giving way in the face of political pressure from a foreign power, it is right to ask questions about the usefulness of disclosing these details. OK, only the parts concerning the case are published, but in spite of that I am slightly uneasy with this attitude.

Malinka

Sergey Malinka âgé de 23 ans vivait à Praia da Luz et était un ami de Robert Murat nous rappel la presse portugaise. Il fut impliqué dans les remous de l'affaire parce qu'il fut le dernier à avoir contacté Robert Murat après la disparition de Madeleine. C'est lui, également, qui a fait la page Web de la société que Robert Murat dirige avec Michaela Walczuch. Malgré qu'il fût seulement entendu comme témoin, la PJ l'a soupçonné d'être impliqué dans la disparition de Maddie. L'interrogatoire à été dur et on pouvait l'entendre depuis l'extérieur. Les membres de la PJ étaient irrités que leurs questions restaient sans réponses. Son téléphone fut placé sous écoute mais rien n'en n'est ressorti. Le russe fut entendu le 16 mai soit deux jours après que Robert Murat ait été suspecté de l'enlèvement de Madeleine. Le passé de Malinka n'a pas joué en sa faveur. Ce dernier aurait entretenu des relations sexuelles avec des mineurs ce qui fait de lui un prédateur potentiel. La presse portugaise ne précise toutefois pas l'âge des mineurs. S'agissaient-ils de filles ou de garçon ? La réponse est certainement contenue dans le dossier de l'affaire. Une affaire qui sera bientôt rendue public..

Malinka

Sergey Malinka, aged 23, was living in Praia da Luz and was a friend of Robert Murat, the Portuguese press reminds us. He was implicated in the turmoil of the case because he was the last person to have contacted Robert Murat after Madeleine's disappearance. It was also him that built the web page for the company which Robert Murat was running with Michaela Walczuch. In spite of his only having been heard as a witness, the PJ suspected him of having been involved in Maddie's disappearance. The interrogation was hard and could be heard from outside. The members of the PJ were annoyed that their questions remained unanswered. His telephone was placed under surveillance but nothing came of it. The Russian was heard on May 16th, two days after Robert Murat had been suspected of abducting Madeleine. Malinka's past did not play in his favour. The latter had had sexual relations with minors, which made him a potential predator. The Portuguese press did not specify the age of the minors. Was it girls or boys? The answer is certainly contained in the case file, a case which will soon be made public.

L'accès au dossier.

L'affaire sera rendue public dès ce lundi annonce la presse portugaise. Mais on n'imagine pas à quel point. En effet, le dossier sera à disposition des journalistes qui en ont exigés l'accès à partir de lundi matin au tribunal de Portimao et ce de source officielle. Le contenu du dossier va donc s'étaler au grand jour par journaux interposés. Je pense que Clarence Mitchell va avoir beaucoup de procès à préparer. Aura-t-il le temps d'encore chercher Madeleine ?

Access to the case file.

The case will be made public from this Monday, the Portuguese press announces, but I cannot imagine how. Indeed, the file will be available to journalists who have requested access from Monday morning at the court in Portimao and that is official. The contents of the dossier will therefore be open to public scrutiny through the press.*** I think that Clarence Mitchell will have lots of legal actions to prepare. Will he still have the time to look for Madeleine?

Une partie du dossier reste sous le secret de justice.

Les parents ont envoyés au Portugal quelques-uns de leurs avocats britanniques afin de rejoindre le cabinet portugais en charge des intérêts des parents. Ensemble ils vont consulter une partie importante du dossier. Près de 20.000 pages. Ces pages seront copiées puis envoyées au R-U. Après quoi, les parents enverront le dossier à l'agence de détectives qu'ils ont engagé. Cependant, les parents tout comme les journalistes n'auront pas accès à l'entièreté du dossier. Le PGR a décidé de garder sous le couvert du secret de justice une partie du dossier. Le juge responsable de l'affaire a reçu et accepté une demande de maintenir certaines informations sous le secret de justice. Très rapidement de nombreuses personnes se sont imaginés que la PJ était derrière et que cette dernière serait sur quelques pistes intéressantes. C'est, évidemment, possible au vu d'une certaine effervescence qui règne depuis quelques jours au sein de la PJ et des enquêteurs. Mais il existe une autre explication dont nous nous faisions écho le 20 juillet dernier.

Part of the case file remains under the secrecy of justice.

The parents sent a few of their British lawyers to Portugal to join up with the Portuguese office responsible for the parents' interests. Together they will look at a substantial portion of the file, nearly 20,000 pages. These pages will be copied then sent to the UK, after which the parents will send the file to the detective agency which they have hired. However, the parents, like the journalists, will not have access to the whole file. The PGR decided to keep part of the file under the secrecy of justice. The judge in charge of the case received and accepted a request to keep certain information under the secrecy of justice. Very quickly many people imagined that PJ were behind this and that it would be about a few interesting leads. This is obviously possible, in view of a certain excitement prevailing for a few days on the part of the PJ and the investigators, but there is another explanation for which we hark back to July 20th last.

Souvenez-vous:

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. 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.

Remember:

A magistrate and two police officers, amongst them Stuart Prior, liaison officer with the PJ, went to the Portimao 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 would be the fact that the British police wish too keep secret the contents of the list of British citizens, classified as paedophiles, living in the Algarve. These known paedophiles were clearly identified on the list that the British authorities handed over to the PJ and that forms 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. It would seem that the English do not want to see the disclosure of the preliminary report from the Birmingham lab in which it is established that 15 out of 19 genetic markers are perfectly matched with Madeleine McCann's DNA. It was this report which reassured the PJ, as well as the British police liaison officer, in their suspicions that Madeleine had died between 17.30 and 22.00 at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz and that the body was transported in the car rented by the parents, 22 days later.

Les résultats ADN

Dans un article prochain nous vous parlerons plus en détails des résultats ADN et une généticienne experte en analyse ADN répondra à certaines questions que nos lecteurs se posent... (à suivre...)

The DNA results.

In an article to follow, we will tell you in more detail about the DNA results and a geneticist expert in DNA analysis will answer a few question raised by our readers. (to be continued....)

*** With thanks to Cinnabar at the 3Arguidos for a very elegant translation of that phrase which I found awkward.

Correio da Manha 2/08/08: Goncalo Amaral responds to Clarence Mitchell

Correio da Manha 2/08/08

Translation courtesy of Carilina at the 3 Arguidos.

"Discover the differences."

"A criminal investigation does not have to be politically correct."

"Those who knew me through Social Communication got an opinion based on my connection with the so-called Maddie Case. During the investigation and after being separeted, I was a target of the most terrible accusations from the British press, some local commentators and a man named Clarence Mitchell, whose role is not very well understood. On the eve of the publication of the book you already know, this gentleman was sending me threats : "that I should take care" - I was stunned!

Let me make it clear that I consider this to be an unacceptable tone, coming from a citizen of the oldest democracy in the world. Take care, why? Because I might step on a banana peel while walking? Is Mr Mitchell concerned about my health? I do not think so. We all perceive his threatening tone.

In Portugal, we are not used to people speaking that way. Nor is this the view we have of the British people, but there are always some people that fall out of standards. A criminal investigation need not be politically correct, nor fear veiled threats. The book only contains facts and contains no indictment. So the differences stand out."

Gonçalo Amaral, former coordinator criminal investigation

Gonçalo Amaral interview in English

http://www.the-news.net/cgi-bin/google.pl?id=970-2

Exclusive in English: Former ‘Maddie Cop’ interview
2/8/2008

In an interview staged only a short walk from the regional PJ police headquarters in Faro over the weekend, Gonçalo Amaral, the former leading detective in the case involving the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has an open and frank conversation with The Portugal News. Lambasted by the British media, and ignored by much of the Portuguese written press since the launch of his controversial book last week (which the Correia da Manhã newspaper has assisted in promoting), Gonçalo Amaral explains his reasoning behind certain methods of investigation, and stresses his actions to date have not been to accuse anyone, rather, he argues, his focus has been about the pursuit of truth.

The Portugal News: Did you leak information about the investigation to the media?

Gonçalo Amaral: I never had anything to do with leaks. We have to look at from where these leaks could have originated. A number of entities worked with us during the investigations and we cannot rule out the possibility that some of these leaks originated in Britain. As a matter of fact, when the FSS handed over their report to Portuguese police, we kept it under wraps, but a British daily was the first to appear with extracts of the FSS’s findings.

TPN: But how does that explain that some sections of the Portuguese press have printed confidential information that later proved to be accurate?

GA: Perhaps they had good sources of information, but we cannot conclude that they were given information by police in the Algarve.

TPN: The report leaked last week says that Gerry and Kate were made arguidos on the “merest possibility” that they were involved in the disappearance of their child. Is that accurate?

GA: They were made arguidos on suspicion of two crimes: concealing a body and simulating an abduction and potentially the crime of abandonment. But saying they were made arguidos on the merest possibility that they were involved in the disappearance of their child is not true. The conclusions reached by the team investigating the crime, including colleagues in Britain, are the same as the five points I mention at the end of my book. Perhaps the conclusions reached in this latest report were made to facilitate the archiving of the case and findings were put across in a mild manner. Once you gain access to the case files, you will find that it was not due to a mere possibility.

TPN: What do we know about Madeleine’s disappearance?

She was here on holiday. There is obviously no doubt that Madeleine existed. There is also no doubt that she went missing. The scheme employed to visit the children does, to a large extent, not correspond with the truth, it was probably used to safeguard the view that the children were safe [in the apartments on their own as their parents dined at the Tapas restaurant].

TPN: How often were the children checked upon?

GA: One of the first lines of the investigation was to interview the party that was on holiday with the McCanns to establish this.

TPN: What did you find at the apartment?

No signs of forced entry. There were no signs of glove marks on the window. We compiled a report of the evidence we collected, but we are not here to accuse anyone.

TPN: Do you think more could have been done before archiving or closing the case?

GA: In my opinion, a number of things are still lacking: We should have continued investigating the parents in order to either charge them or rule them out as suspects. If I represented this couple, I would have insisted that police investigations continue. Not everything we do is to incriminate a suspect. Often a phone will be tapped in order to obtain information that will clear a suspect.

We worked long hours discussing a number of potential explanations for Madeleine’s disappearance; we did not insist solely that she had been abducted.

TPN: You say that politics prevented you from doing certain things during the investigation. What were those actions you would like to have taken?

GA: I found the intervention of the [then] British Ambassador strange, as besides the British Consul in Portimão already being involved in the case from the first morning of Madeleine’s disappearance, all diplomatic channels had been opened and were functional. With the arrival of the Ambassador, my colleagues and I thought it was odd, and to a certain extent made us feel limited in our investigations.

TPN: Did you ever receive orders to investigate in a certain manner?

GA: No we did not receive any orders. I don’t like talking about orders. But we felt limited.

TPN: Did the police offer a plea bargain to Kate McCann?

GA: No.

TPN: But did you not suggest she consider a plea bargain?

GA: We only explained the nature of certain crimes. Her lawyer was there, you can ask him.

TPN: Did Kate and Gerry McCann answer all the questions that you posed to them as fully as possible?

GA: Up until being declared an arguido, Kate, at the request of her lawyer, co-operated. When questions became of a nature that could incriminate her, she was made an arguido, her rights and duties were read out to her in English and thereafter she opted for the right to remain silent.

TPN: And Gerry McCann?

GA: He answered all questions, before and after being made an arguido.

TPN: When did the police first learn of the intention of the McCanns to leave Portugal?

GA: With the arrival of the sniffer dogs, I think back in August, the couple started showing a keenness to leave the country. As for these dogs, I have not seen or heard any scepticism in Britain, contrary to Portugal.

TPN: How can you explain the theory that Kate and Gerry used their hire car in the disappearance of their daughter when it was hired 25 days after she vanished?

GA: I don’t know. I was not the one who hired the car.

A bodily fluid was detected in the trunk of the car which was similar to that of Madeleine McCann in 15 of the 19 indicators of her profile.

TPN: Has this evidence been investigated further?

GA: No.

TPN: Why not?

GA: You will have to ask my former colleagues that question.

TPN: What evidence was there that someone had been watching apartment 5A prior to Madeleine’s disappearance?

GA: We spoke to a number of people who came forward.

TPN: Anyone suspicious mentioned in these statements?

GA: No. Perhaps just a British musician we later tracked down.

But in a reconstruction, witness testimonies, such as that of Jane Tanner and others, including restaurant workers, could be clarified further.

TPN: At what stage did you become suspicious of the McCanns and why?

GA: There were a number of inconsistencies detected during the first interrogations.

TPN: Such as?

GA: We were initially told by the parents that when they checked on the children they would use the front door. But Kate later said they used the other door. Because had they used the front door, they would have detected someone had forced their way into the room [where Madeleine and the twins had been sleeping].

But during these initial rounds of questioning, my team and I believed these inconsistencies were due to the McCanns and their friends trying to cover the fact they had left their children unattended, along with their possible lack of trust in the Portuguese police. This had a lot of weight for me in the beginning, especially as the law in Britain is far tougher concerning the abandoning of children.

TPN: Did you look into sex offenders, and what was the outcome?

GA: It is very difficult that a paedophile pre-selected Madeleine. It had to be very well planned. But all known sexual predators were investigated.

TPN: Did you have any evidence that Robert Murat and the McCanns or their friends knew each other previous to Madeleine’s disappearance?

GA: We tried to confirm this, but along with the assistance of the British police, we were unable to establish any connection. But we looked into all possibilities. Robert Murat purchased a last-minute ticket to come to Portugal a couple of days before Madeleine went missing, perhaps as it was cheaper to do so. But we had to investigate whether or not his visit coincided with Madeleine’s disappearance a couple of days later and whether he had been contacted to come here.

TPN: How do you see the lawsuit that you might face over your book?

GA: My book is based on facts. It could be a good occasion to take all the case files to court and compare what I wrote with that which is contained in the files.

TPN: What next lies ahead for you?

GA: I have had a number of proposals, but in October I am intending on starting my practical training as a lawyer, as I already have a law degree, but never practised.

Brendan de Beer

Edition: 970

http://www.the-news.net/cgi-bin/google.pl?id=970-2

Madeleine McCann: Correio da Manha articles in English

Articles published by the Portuguese journal Correio da Manha are available in translation on the Joana Morais blog. Translations by Joana and Astro.

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

Some recent titles:

Kate tried to hide twins’ tantrums - Correio da Manhã

McCanns Pressured Judiciary Police

Gonçalo Amaral Admits That Investigators Protected the McCanns

PJ report vs. Amaral's book - a comparison in three parts

Kate tried everything to accuse Robert Murat- Correio da Manhã

Policeman irritates Kate for not offering coffee - Correio da Manhã

Kate managed the news and controlled the English - Correio da Manhã

Madeleine McCann: Reversed Investigation

The Truth of The Lie by Francisco Moita Flores

Kate McCann Forced Political Pressure on the Investigation

Here is the link again:

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

Thank you, Joana and Astro for all the work that's obviously gone into making these articles available in English.

SOS Madeleine McCann: Secrecy of justice blocks access to some parts of the Madeleine McCann files

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

30/07/08

Secret de Justice bloque l’accès à une partie des dossiers de l’enquête Madeleine

Le cabinet du Procureur public (PGR) a confirmé aujourd’hui que “certaines informations” contenues dans les dossiers d’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine McCann vont rester sous couvert du secret de justice.

The office of the Public Prosecutor (PGR) confirmed today that, "certain information," contained in the investigation files into Madeleine McCann's disappearance will remain covered by the secrecy of justice.

Un porte-parole du cabinet du Procureur-Général de la République (PGR) à confirmée que le juge Pedro Frias, responsable de l’affaire Madeleine, a reçu et accepté une demande de maintenir confidentielles, sous secret de justice, certaines informations bien spécifiques.

Le porte-parole du cabinet du PGR a également souligné que les détails qui vont rester sous secret de justice “ne sont pas considérés comme preuve”. Le cabinet du PGR n’a pas voulu identifier qui était à l’origine de la demande de manutention du secret de justice.

A spokesperson for the office of the Attorney General of the Republic (PGR) confirmed that the judge, Pedro Frias, responsible for the Madeleine case, received and accepted a request to keep confidential certain very specific information, under the secrecy of justice.

The spokesperson for the PGR also stressed that the details which would remain under the secrecy of justice, "are not considered as evidence." The office of the PGR did not wish to identify who was behind the request to maintain the secrecy of justice.

New evidence could clear death row inmate Rodney Reed.

I am very pleased to read that there is new evidence which could finally clear Rodney Reed, who has been on death row in Texas since 1998 and I send my very best regards to Rodney and to his mother, Sandra Reed, who has worked tirelessly to clear her son's name since his conviction. Good luck Rodney and Sandra.

Who is Rodney Reed?

http://www.freerodneyreed.org/who.html

"Rodney Reed has been on Texas’ death row since 1998. He was convicted for the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites in the small town of Bastrop. Stacey’s brutal murder struck at the very heart of the community, not only for its brutality, but for the sinister chain of events it would set into motion. Rodney’s case is a troubling mixture of prosecutoral misconduct, police corruption, poor defense, and institutional racism. Evidence of Rodney’s innocence is overwhelming and the need for a new trial is indisputable.

Rodney was convicted on the basis of one piece of evidence. His DNA was found in a semen sample taken from Stacey’s body at the scene of the crime. Conventional wisdom would suggest such evidence is the nail in the coffin of any capital murder case, not least of all one including an alleged rape. However, Rodney’s court-appointed attorneys (two African American lawyers afraid to spend nights in a small Texas town like Bastrop) neglected to provide witnesses who would testify that Rodney and Stacey were engaged in a sexual relationship at the time of her tragic death. No other evidence in the case connected Rodney to Stacey or the crime scene. Yet, Rodney, his family, and his supporters would soon learn that evidence of a Black man engaged in sexual relationship with a white woman in a small Texas town would be more than enough to frame him for murder and send him to death row.

Stacey was also engaged to Giddings police officer Jimmy Fennell at the time of her murder. Witnesses would later testify – both inside and outside the courtroom – that Fennell had a violent temper and was prone to jealousy. During one of Rodney’s appeals, a fellow police academy graduate would swear under oath that she heard Fennell say he would strangle his girlfriend with a belt (in order to hide fingerprints) if she ever cheated on him. Stacey’s recorded cause of death was strangulation with a belt. Shortly following Stacey’s murder, Fennell was transferred to the Georgetown Police Department just north of Austin. Last year, a grand jury indicted him on abduction and sexual assault charges. The alleged victim was a woman in his custody."

An article in the Austin Chronicle, dated July 25th reports on new evidence submitted to the Court of Criminal Appeals on July 16th, which could clear Rodney.

"In a writ filed with the Court of Criminal Appeals on July 16, attorneys for death row inmate Rodney Reed are arguing that new evidence uncovered about the conduct of victim Stacey Stites' police-officer fiancé bolster Reed's claim of innocence. In court filings, Reed attorney Bryce Benjet tells the court not only that a witness has come forward to confirm that Reed and Stites were having an affair prior to her death, but also that there is additional evidence regarding Jimmy Fennell's apparent proclivity toward sexual violence."

The Austin Chronicle