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

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

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

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

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

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

McCann appellent les témoins à violer le secret de justice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fourniret Trial: the facts, but no explanation.

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

The families of Michel Fourniret's victims have attended the trial in Charleville-Mézières, talking about their children and hoping for some kind of explanation about why Michel Fourniret did what he did. Fourniret has remained adamant that he will not speak at a public trial; he wanted the proceedings to be in camera. So, "lips sealed." Is he worried that he may be attacked? Monique Olivier appears to be wearing a protective vest over her clothing. I am not sure if Fourniret is wearing similar protective gear, but Olivier's vest would imply tight security.

The couple sit behind bullet-proof glass. I recall a few years ago when a German woman took a gun into a courtroom and shot the man who had raped and murdered her daughter and I wonder what I would feel like, as perhaps the mother of Elisabeth Brichet. I couldn't guarantee that were a gun available to me that I would not use it on a vile monster who had raped and murdered my young daughter.

Enfants Kidnappés continues the reporting of the trial today. There are several articles published today, which I shall post separately.

Le couple Fourniret a reconnu les faits mais sans s'expliquer vraiment*

En six semaines de procès, Michel Fourniret a reconnu les sept homicides pour lesquels il est jugé devant les assises des Ardennes, mais sans jamais consentir à s'expliquer, alors que son épouse et complice présumée Monique Olivier a fait des révélations sur leur intimité.

The Fourniret couple have admitted the facts but without really explaining.

In six weeks of the trial, Michel Fourniret has admitted the seven murders for which he is on trial before the Ardennes Assizes, but without ever agreeing to explain, while his wife and alleged accomplice Monique Olivier has made disclosures about their privacy.

Pendant les 21 jours d'audience consacrés à l'examen des faits, le tueur en série présumé est resté fidèle à sa résolution formulée dès l'ouverture du procès, le 27 mars: "Sans huis clos, bouche cousue". Il s'est contenté de reconnaître laconiquement avoir enlevé, violé puis tué entre 1987 et 2001 sept adolescentes ou jeunes femmes en France et en Belgique. Dans deux affaires où Monique Olivier n'est pas poursuivie, il a nié les viols, avant d'en reconnaître un à demi-mots. Essayant tour à tour de l'amadouer ou de l'interpeller vigoureusement, les tentatives des avocats des parties civiles pour le faire parler ont presque invariablement tourné court. L'accusé n'a pas plus réagi lorsque les familles des victimes l'ont exhorté à s'expliquer. La cour et les familles ont néanmois été confrontées à la mécanique criminelle de Michel Fourniret avec la diffusion - exceptionnelle dans un procès d'assises - d'aveux de l'accusé filmés en 2004 par la police belge.

During the 21 days of the hearing dedicated to the examination of the facts, the alleged serial killer has remained faithful to the resolution he made at the opening of the trial on March 27th: "Without the proceedings being held in camera, mouth sealed." He has contented himself with laconically acknowledging having abducted, raped then killed, seven teenagers and young women in France and Belgium between 1987 and 2001. In two cases where Monique Olivier is not charged, he denied the rapes, before grudgingly acknowledging one of them. Trying time and again to coax him or to question him vigorously, the attempts by the lawyers for the civil parties to make him speak have nearly always stopped short. Neither did the accused respond when the victims' families appealed to him to explain himself. The court and the families have, nonetheless, been confronted by the criminal machinations of Michel Fourniret with the showing - exceptional in an assizes trial - of the confessions of the accused, filmed in Belgium in 2004.

Elles ont pu ainsi voir et entendre l'accusé détailler froidement comment il avait étranglé une adolescente belge de 12 ans en 1989 ou forcé une lycéenne ardennaise de 18 ans à lui "demander de lui faire l'amour" avant de la tuer en 2000. Dans la même vidéo, il expliquait sa quête obsessionnelle de la virginité, un "symbole" selon lui. C'est d'ailleurs lorsque les débats ont porté sur sa vie sexuelle que Michel Fourniret a dérogé le plus souvent à son voeu de silence. Ainsi lors de la mise en évidence en cours d'audience d'un possible viol post-mortem sur une adolescente de 13 ans enlevée et tuée près de Nantes en 1990, l'accusé, visiblement soucieux, a renouvelé par l'intermédiaire de ses avocats sa demande de huis clos.

They were thus able to see and to hear the accused coldly detailing how he had strangled a 12 year-old Belgian teenager in 1989 or forced an 18 year-old Ardennes schoolgirl to, "ask him to make love," before killing her in 2000. In the same video, he explained his obsessive quest for virginity, a, "symbol," according to him. It is during the debates about his sex life that Michel Fourniret has departed most often from his vow of silence. Thus during the evidence given in the course of a hearing about a possible rape post-mortem on a 13 year-old teenager, abducted and killed near Nantes in 1990, the accused, visibly worried, renewed through the intermediary of his lawyers, his demand for the proceedings to be held in camera.

De la même façon, il est sorti brièvement de son silence, le dernier jour de l'examen des faits, pour réagir à la confession de son épouse qui venait de révéler qu'ils avaient rejoué des scènes de crimes pendant leurs relations sexuelles. "J'ai quand même observé que Monique Olivier a relaté les choses avec un vocabulaire (...) qui me fait gerber", a-t-il déclaré devant la cour dans une allusion aux paroles crues de sa femme. Tout au long du procès, Monique Olivier, co-accusée d'un meurtre et renvoyée pour complicité dans quatre autres, a reconnu avoir été la complice de son mari mais a nié avoir étouffé avec lui une étudiante de 21 ans à leur domicile en 1989. Dans les autres affaires, l'ancienne garde-malade a systématiquement minimisé sa participation. Vivement interpellée par les avocats des familles sur son absence de réaction pour sauver les victimes, elle a affirmé avoir agi par soumission à son mari qui lui inspirait une "peur permanente". "Je regrette. Ma place est en prison", n'a-t-elle cessé de répéter, sans jamais un regard pour les familles.

In the same way, he briefly came out of his silence, on the last day of the examination of the facts, to respond to his wife's confession in which she had just revealed that he had replayed the scenes of his crimes during their sexual relations. "I have even noted that Monique Olivier has related these things with a vocabulary (...) that makes me want to throw up," he stated before the court, alluding to the crude words of his wife. Throughout the trial, Monique Olivier, co-accused in one murder and charged with complicity in four others, has admitted having been her husband's accomplice but has denied having suffocated a 21 year-old student with him at their home in 1989. In the other cases, the former nurse has systematically minimised her participation. Keenly questioned by the lawyers for the families about her lack of reaction to save the victims, she stated that she acted by submitting to her husband who inspired in her a, "lasting fear." "I regret. My place is in prison," she did not stop repeating, without ever any regard for the families.

Michel Fourniret, 66 ans, est père de quatre enfants de deux premiers mariages. Monique Olivier, 59 ans, a eu deux garçons d'une première union. En 1998, le couple a donné naissance à un fils. Selon les experts, les deux accusés ne souffrent d'aucune pathologie mentale et sont d'une intelligence normale.

A partir de lundi, la cour va se pencher sur leur personnalité et le fonctionnement du couple. Des psychiatres et des membres des familles des deux accusés sont convoqués devant la cour.

Michel Fourniret, aged 66, is father to four children from two former marriages. Monique Olivier, aged 59, has two boys from a former marriage. In 1998, the couple's son was born. According to the experts, the two accused are not suffering from any mental illness and are of normal intelligence.

From Monday, the court will focus on the personality and the functioning of the couple. Psychiatrists and members of the families of the two accused are to appear before the court.

SOS Maddie 30/04/08. The McCanns want to ban Gonçalo Amaral's book, "The Truth of the Lie."

Apparently the McCanns have instructed their lawyers to try to ban the publication of the Gonçalo Amaral book, "The Truth of the Lie." If they do not succeed in banning it, the McCanns would like to see any reference to the events surrounding Madeleine's disappearance edited out. Their lawyers are pouring over the question of whether Amaral can write about these events, even if he has retired from the PJ. I find myself wondering if this is because they feel that they are not allowed to talk about these events, or if there are things which the McCanns would rather the general public did not know.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

McCann veulent interdire "La vérité du mensonge"

L’annonce de la publication du livre "La vérité du mensonge", signé par l’inspecteur de la Police Judiciaire (PJ) Gonçalo Amaral, ancien responsable de l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine, inquiète Kate et Gerry McCann qui ont demandé à leurs avocats de faire interdire toute publication.

The McCanns want to ban, "The Truth of the Lie."

The announcement of the publication of the book, "The Truth of the Lie," authored by the PJ inspector, Gonçalo Amaral, former head of the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, worries Kate and Gerry, who have requested their lawyers to get all publication banned.

Indépendamment de l’idiome de publication, le couple McCann, selon un proche, est prêt à entamer des poursuites en justice contre l’inspecteur si son livre révèle certains détails des événements qui ont entouré la disparition de Maddie.
Au Portugal, les avocats du couple se sont déjà penchés sur la question de savoir si l’inspecteur aurait, ou non, le droit de publier un livre qui révèle les détails d’une enquête qu’il à lui-même dirigé et sur laquelle il doit garder une certaine réserve malgré son annonce de quitter les cadres de la PJ.

Regardless of the wording of the title, the McCann couple, according to a relative, is ready to take legal action against the inspector if his book reveals certain details of the events surrounding Maddie's disappearance.
In Portugal, the couple's lawyers are already addressing the question of finding out if the inspector has the right or not to publish a book which reveals details of an investigation which he himself led and about which he should maintain a certain discretion, in spite of his announcement to leave the employment of the PJ.

Des contacts informels ont été faits auprès de la direction nationale de la Police Judiciaire afin de connaître les éventuels limitations à que Gonçalo Amaral serait obligé.

Gonçalo Amaral, coordinateur du Département d’Investigation Criminelle (DIC) de la Police Judiciaire (PJ) à Portimão au moment de la disparition de Maddie, à été responsable des investigations qui ont amené à que Kate et Gerry McCann soient constitués arguidos, suspects d’avoir simulé l’enlèvement de leur fille et la dissimulation de son corps.

Informal contacts have been made with the national directorate of the PJ in order to find out the actual restrictions by which Gonçalo Amaral would be bound.
Gonçalo Amaral, coordinator of the Criminal Investigation Department (DIC) of the PJ at Portimao at the time of Maddie's disappearance, was head of the investigation which led to Kate and Gerry McCann being constituted arguidos, suspected of having simulated the abduction of their daughter and of disposing of her body.

Ecarté de l’enquête en octobre 2007 par le directeur national de la PJ, officiellement en conséquence d’un article du Diário de Noticias, signé par José Manuel Oliveira, lui attribuant des déclarations critiquant le travail de la police britannique, l’inspecteur Gonçalo Amaral continue à bénéficier de la confiance inconditionnel de ses collègues mais également de l’Association Syndical des Fonctionnaires d’Investigation Criminelle (ASFIC).

Dismissed from the investigation in October 2007 by the PJ's national director, officially as a consequence of an article in Diário de Noticias, written by José Manuel Oliveira, attributing to him statements critical of the work of the British police, inspector Gonçalo Amaral continues to benefit from the unconditional trust of his colleagues, but also of the Civil Servants' Trade Union Association of Criminal Investigation (ASFIC).

L’arrivée de l’inspecteur Paulo Rebelo à permis une révision du dossier mais la ligne d’enquête n’a jamais changé car toutes les pistes et indices suivies par Gonçalo Amaral ont maintenu sa valeur.
Après son départ de la Police Judiciaire, Gonçalo Amaral compte entamer des poursuites en justice contre plusieurs médias britanniques que, à default de trouver une faille à son parcours professionnel, avaient choisie de traiter l’inspecteur d’ivrogne, gros, etc.

The arrival of inspector Paulo Rebelo allowed a review of the case but the line of enquiry never changed because all leads and clues followed by Gonçalo Amaral kept their value.
After his departure from the PJ, Gonçalo Amaral intends to initiate legal action against several British media who, being unable to find a flaw in his professional work, had chosen to depict the inspector as a drunk, fat, etc.

3 livres : Maddie, l’enquête et la machine McCann

Si le livre "La vérité du mensonge" – encore sans date de publication déterminée– n’apporte pas l’opinion personnelle de Gonçalo Amaral à propos de la disparition de Madeleine, il permet toutefois aux lecteurs de comprendre le travail de la police portugaise et britannique qui à conduit les McCann à être constitués comme arguidos.
Selon l’avocat António Paulo Santos qui représente l’inspecteur, dans "La vérité du mensonge", Gonçalo Amaral ne donne pas son opinion personnelle à propos de la disparition de Madeleine.

3 books: Maddie, the investigation and the McCann machine.

If the book, "The Truth of the Lie," - date of publication still to be decided - is not about Gonçalo Amaral's personal opinion on Madeleine's disappearance, it allows the readers to understand the work of the Portuguese and British police which led to the McCanns being constituted as arguidos.
According to the lawyer António Paulo Santos, who is representing the inspector, in, "The Truth of the Lie," Gonçalo Amaral does not give his personal opinion on Madeleine's disappearance.

"Le livre sera le récit de quelqu'un qui à vécu l’investigation de l’intérieur, mais aussi de tous les faits qui l'entourent. Il interprète les faits et les indices", affirme l’avocat, soulignant que le sujet du livre, prévu en portugais et anglais, n’est pas Maddie mais plutôt l’enquête à sa disparition.
En anglais, c’est au tour de Kate et Gerry McCann d’annoncer qu’ils négocient la publication d’un livre qui raconte leur expérience après la disparition de leur fille. Selon plusieurs sources, une avance de plus d’un million et deux cents mil euros à été proposé au couple pour leur récit.

"The book will be the account of someone who has lived the investigation from the inside, but also all the facts surrounding it. He interprets the facts and the clues," the lawyer states, stressing that the subject of the book, planned in Portuguese and English, is not about Maddie but rather the investigation into her disappearance.
In England, it is the the turn of Kate and Gerry McCann to announce that they are negotiating the publication of a book which recounts their experience after their daughter's disappearance. According to several sources, an advance of one million, two hundred Euros has been offered to the couple for their account.

Selon leur responsable en communication, le livre signé par les McCann raconte leur version de l’histoire. "L’unique livre officiel", souligne Clarence Mitchell.
Aucune date n’est encore avancée pour la sortie du livre mais, selon les estimations de plusieurs experts de l’édition, il risque de devenir, au Royaume-Uni, un succès financier sans précédentes.

According to their PR spokesman, the book written by the McCanns recounts their version of the story. "The only official book," stresses Clarence Mitchell.
No date has yet been put forward for the publication of the book but, according to the estimates of several publishing experts, it could become an unprecedented financial success in the UK.

La machine McCann racontée en français

Un troisième livre, cette fois-ci en français, viendra apporter une vision différente de l’affaire McCann. Cosigné par plusieurs journalistes et édité au départ de la Belgique, le livre raconte comment et pourquoi la machine médiatique à été mise en place avant même le début de l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine McCann.

The McCann machine told in French.

A third book, this time in French, will bring a different perspective to the McCann case. Co-authored by several journalists and published in Belgium, the book tells how and why the media machine had been set up even before the start of the enquiry into Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

Prévu pour le mois de juin, il démontre comment la diplomatie britannique à influencé le déroulement des investigations, notamment par la mise à disposition des McCann des moyens de l’état, mais il explique également quel à été le rôle de chaque intervenant.

Divers documents confidentiels et transcriptions d’enregistrements d’appels téléphoniques vont illustrer le récit.

Planned for the month of June, it shows how British diplomacy has influenced the course of the investigations, notably by the placing at the McCanns' disposal the services of the government, but it also explains the role of each of the intervening parties.

Various confidential documents and transcriptions of recordings of telephone calls will illustrate the account.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

30/04/08

Enfants Kidnappés 29/04/08. The PJ contradict the information published by Sky News.

Truth and Lies. Following a report on Sky News about the attempted abduction of a young Dutch girl in the Algarve, comes the Enfants Kidnappés report. Apparently the PJ know nothing about this attempted abduction. Does this mean that it was reported directly to Sky News, but not to the PJ? Very strange!

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

Vérité et Mensonges

La police dément les informations publiées par Sky News.

La PJ dit ne pas être au courant d'une tentative d'enlèvement d'une mineure hollandaise en Algarve comme le publie Sky News. L'affaire impliquerait un suspect dont la description serait la même que celle faite dans la disparition de Madeleine. Un responsable officiel de la PJ du département de Portimao a rapporté à la presse portugaise que la PJ n'était au courant d'aucune situation de ce genre et qu'il n'y avait aucune enquête en cours à ce sujet.

Truth and lies.

The police contradict the information published by Sky News.

The PJ say they are not aware of an attempted abduction of a very young Dutch girl in the Algarve as published by Sky News. The case would implicate a suspect whose description would be the same as that given in the disappearance of Madeleine. An official of the PJ, from the Portimao department, reported to the Portuguese press that the PJ was not aware of any situation of this kind and that there was no current investigation on this subject.

Selon Sky News, la jeune hollandaise de 15 ans rentrait chez elle, vers 18h00 ce 11 mars dernier, après être allé dans un supermarché des environs. Elle aurait été suivie par un homme en jeep noir, vitres teintées qui aurait ouvert la porte de sa voiture empêchant l'adolescente de poursuivre son chemin. Il aurait, ensuite, essayé de forcer la jeune fille à monter à bord. L'hollandaise se serait débattue et aurait réussi à échapper aux griffes de son agresseur. La jeune décrit l'homme d'environ 40 ans, cheveux long, bague en or aux doigts. Selon Sky News, la description coïncide avec celle de l'homme que Kate et Gerry McCann croient avoir enlevé leur fille. Pour mémoire, l'homme du portait robot dressé dans l'affaire McCann a été identifié en son temps et lavé de tous soupçons dans cette affaire. Le papa de la jeune hollandaise a souhaité rester anonyme.

According to Sky News, the young 15 year-old Dutch girl was going home, at around 18.00 on March 11th, after having been to a local supermarket. She had been followed by a man in a black jeep with tinted windows. The man opened the car door to block the teenager's path. He then tried to force the young girl to get into the car. The Dutch girl struggled and succeeded in escaping from the grips of her attacker. The young girl described the man as being around 40 years old, long hair, gold rings on his fingers. According to Sky News, the description matches that of the man whom Kate and Gerry McCann believe abducted their daughter. For the record, the man portrayed in the sketch in the McCann case, was idenified at that time and cleared of all suspicion in the case. The young Dutch girl's father wished to remain anonymous.

Éléments troublants

Il est à noter que les Pays-Bas reviennent souvent depuis le début de la disparition de Madeleine. En effet, Gerry a travaillé aux Pays-Bas et y de nombreuses relations. La femme qui aurait vu Madeleine dans une station essence du Maroc vit ou a vécu aux.... Pays-Bas. La femme qui prétend avoir vu Madeleine en Belgique est... hollandaise. La jeune fille qui dit avoir vu Madeleine danser dans un restaurant en France, est.... hollandaise. La jeune fille de l'article de Sky News est... hollandaise. Simple coïncidence ? En tous cas, ces éléments sont troublants. Certaines personnes, convaincues de la première heure et "contre vents et marées" de l'innocence des parents en sont arrivés à se demander: "Si les parents sont innocents, pourquoi la machine de communications de Clarence Mitchell cherche, parfois de façon très maladroite, à faire douter le public ?"

Troubling details.

It is to be noted that the Netherlands comes up often since the beginning, with Madeleine's disappearance. In fact, Gerry worked in the Netherlands and knows many people from there. The woman who had seen Madeleine in a fuel station in Morocco lives or has lived in....the Netherlands. The woman who claimed to have seen Madeleine in Belgium is....Dutch. The young girl who said she saw Madeleine dancing in a restaurant in France, is...Dutch. The young girl in the Sky News article is...Dutch. Simple coincidence? In any case, these details are troubling. Some people, convinced from the very first and, "against winds and tides," of the parents' innocence, have come to wonder: "If the parents are innocent, why the Clarence Mitchell media machine, which sometimes very awkwardly, makes the public doubt?"

Vérité et mensonges

L'ancien enquêteur en charge du dossier Madeleine, Gonçalo Amaral va publier un livre dans lequel il promet de révéler des faits et des indices rassemblés pendant l'enquête. Enquête qu'il a vécue de l'intérieur. "Le livre sera le récit de quelqu'un ayant vécu les recherches depuis l'intérieur, mais aussi de tous les éléments qui l'ont entouré. Il ne s'agit pas d'un roman ou d'une interprétation et encore moins d'un avis personnel" a affirmé Maître Antonio Paulo Santos en annonçant cette information à la presse.

Truth and lies.

The former investigator in charge of the Madeleine case, Gonçalo Amaral, is going to publish a book in which he promises to reveal the facts and the clues gathered during the investigation. An investigation which he lived from the inside. "The book will be the account of someone having lived the research from the inside, but also of all the details which surrounded it. It is not a novel or an interpretation and even less of a personal opinion," stated Me Antonio Paulo Santos, announcing this information to the press.

Interroger sur le lancement du livre, l'avocat a déclaré "qu'il n'y avait pas encore de date prévue. Mais que ce sera après que le secret de justice soit levé". Il estime que cela pourrait être pour cet été. Le livre, dont le titre sera "Vérité et Mensonges", aura plus de 200 pages et est de la totale responsabilité de Gonçalo Amaral a ajouté l'avocat. La traduction du livre en anglais "est de la responsabilité de la maison d'édition". L'avocat a précisé que son client pourrait demander des "dommages et intérêts" aux médias l'ayant traîné dans la boue en l'offensant avec des termes tels que: "Ivrogne, Gras, Barbare ou bien adepte de la torture"

Questioned about the book's launch, the lawyer stated, "there is, as yet, no date planned. But it will be after the secrecy of justice is lifted." He estimates that it could be this summer. The book, of which the title will be, "Truth and Lies," will have more than 200 pages and is the total responsibility of Gonçalo Amaral, added the lawyer. The translation of the book into English, "is the responsibility of the publishing house." The lawyer stated that his client may seek, "damages and compensation," from the media which dragged him through the mud, insulting him with terms such as: "Drunk, Fat, Barbaric or adept at torture."

Fourniret Trial: Mananya Thumpong (Enfants Kidnappés 28/04/08)

Enfants Kidnappés 28/04/08

This fifth full week of the Fourniret trail starts with the examination of the case of Mananya Thumpong. The attempted abduction of Sandra, aged 14, will also be dealt with this week.

"28 avril 2008

Un mois d'audience, déjà, et quatre semaines et demie d'épreuves insoutenables* Il ne reste plus que deux dossiers à examiner en cour d'assises des Ardennes. La tentative d'enlèvement de Sandra, 14 ans, et l'assassinat de Mananya, 13 ans. Monique Olivier n'accompagnait pas son mari. A mi-parcours de ce procès historique, il convient de saluer la dignité des familles, qui toujours se contiennent en dépit des atrocités qu'elles doivent entendre. Elles continuent de faire bloc sur leurs bancs, où chaque jour s'assoient à leurs côtés des hommes et femmes arborant le badge « Aide aux victimes ». Un mois déjà et peu d'explications, finalement, puisque le principal accusé reste motus et bouche cousue, selon sa formule favorite."

A month of the hearing already and four and a half weeks of unbearable details. There are only two cases left for the Ardnnes Court of Assizes to examine. The attempted abduction of Sandra, aged 14, and the murder of Mananya, aged 13. Monique Olivier did not go along with her husband. Mid-way through this historic trial, we should salute the dignity of the families, which they maintain in spite of the atrocities which they have to hear about. They still sit together on their benches, where each day the men and women wearing the badge, "Victims Support," sit beside them. One month already and in the end, few explanations while the principal accused stays silent with lips sealed, according to his preferred formula.

Appréhenderait-on mieux les faits s'il parlait ? Pas forcément, tant ils demeureront à jamais incompréhensibles. De ce lundi à mercredi, la cour retrace les ultimes étapes, en solitaire, du parcours de Fourniret. Aujourd'hui, Sandra, âgée de 14 ans en 2000, va raconter comment l'Ardennais tenta de l'enlever sur un quai de gare à Gédinne, en Belgique. Ce 12 février, il lui avait proposé 10.000 francs pour qu'elle l'accompagne chez une boulangère en quête de main-d'œuvre. Face au refus de Sandra, il l'avait saisie par un bras, la tirant jusqu'à ce qu'elle parvienne à se sauver.

Would we understand the facts better if he were to speak? Not necessarily, so much of it will for ever be incomprehensible. From Monday to Wednesday, the court retraces the final stages of Fourniret's solo career. Today Sandra, aged 14 in 2000, is going to recount how the Ardennes man tried to abduct at a train station in Gédinne in Belgium. On that day, February 12th, he offered her 10,000 francs to accompany him to a boulangerie, looking for a workman. Faced with Sandra's refusal, he grabbed her by her arm, and pulled her along until she managed to save herself.

Ça été positif Mananya Thumpong, 13 ans, n'est pas parvenue à échapper à son ravisseur le 5 mai 2001. C'était un samedi, elle sortait de la médiathèque de Sedan. Sur son chemin, il y avait le fourgon C25 de Fourniret. La suite est révélée par Monique Olivier : « Quand il est rentré, il m'a dit être allé chasser à Sedan et que ça a été positif. Il a précisé tous les détails.
A son tour l'époux avoue, mais nie le viol. Mananya est morte étranglée. Le 1er mars 2002, alors que la maman conserve un espoir de la revoir vivante, Mananya est découverte en forêt de Nollevaux, non loin de la frontière franco-belge. Kanyarat Thumpong identifie sa fille grâce à sa bague et à sa montre. Elle apprendra que Michel Fourniret a piégé Mananya en l'approchant plusieurs fois et que, ce 5 mai, il lui a proposé de rencontrer son fils Sélim.

It was positive. Mananya Thumpong, aged 13, did not manage to escape from her attacker on May 5th 2001. It was a Saturday, she was leaving the Sedan library. On her route was Fourniret's C25 van. The following was revealed by Monique Olivier: "When he came home, he told me that he had gone hunting in Sedan and that it had been positive. He presented all the details." In his turn, the husband confesses, but denies the rape. Mananya died of strangulation. On March 1st 2002, while her mother retained the hope of seeing her alive, Mananya was found in the Nollevaux forest, not far from the Franco-Belgian border. Kanyarat Thumpong identified her daughter by her ring and her watch. She would learn that Michel Fourniret targeted Mananya, approaching her several times and that, on May 5th, he suggested that she meet his son, Sélim.

Fourniret tel que vous ne l'avez jamais vu*

Des yeux enfoncés, un regard animal, un teint jaunâtre, un physique quelconque et une attitude vaniteuse. Voici Michel Fourniret tel que vous ne l'avez jamais vu, croqué par deux dessinateurs présents au procès d'assises.
Ils n'ont pas la même vision que les juges, les jurés et même les chroniqueurs judiciaires. Eux scrutent le moindre détail physique, les mimiques, les postures, les gestes de l'accusé. Ils voient des choses que les autres ne voient pas. Ainsi, « Michel Fourniret a des yeux très enfoncés dans les orbites, tandis que Monique Olivier, elle, a les yeux très ronds », souligne Fel, alias Roland Fournel, 34 ans. « Lui a le teint jaunâtre, elle, gris. »

Fourniret as you have never seen him. Eyes sunken, an animal expression, jaundiced complexion, an unremarkable physique and an attitude of vanity. Here is Michel Fourniret as you have never seen him, sketched by two artists attending the trial at the assizes. They don't have the same viewpoint as the judges, the jurors and even the court reporters. They scrutinise the smallest physical detail, the facial expressions, the postures, the gestures of the accused. They see things which others don't see. Thus, "Michel Fourniret has eyes, which are sunken in their sockets, while Monique Olivier has has very wide eyes," Fel, alias Roland Fournel, stresses. "He has a jaundiced complexion, her, gray."

L'illustrateur français suit le procès de Charleville-Mézières, armé de feuilles à dessin, de crayons, de plumes, de feutres. Lui et ses confrères - ils sont entre quatre et cinq à chaque séance - se trouvent tout près du box des accusés. « Nous sommes à un mètre cinquante. Par les trous de la vitre pare-balles, je peux même sentir l'odeur de transpiration de Fourniret », constate Matthieu Gauthy, dessinateur belge de 26 ans.

The French illustrator is following the trial at Charleville-Mézières, armed with drawing paper, pencils, pens, markers. He and his colleagues - there are four or five at each sitting - are very close to the dock. "We are about a metre and a half away. Through the holes in the bullet-proof glass, I can even smell Fourniret's sweat." states Matthieu Gauthy, 26 year-old Belgian sketch artist.

Pour Gauthy, c'est sa première cour d'assises. Au tout début du procès, le 27 mars, sa main tremblait. « L'atmosphère était tendue, c'était impressionnant », avoue-t-il. Le jeune Hutois se dit frappé par le regard du tueur en série. « Ses yeux bleu clair sont glacials. Le premier jour, il nous fixait, agacé. On devinait qu'on le gênait. Il a un regard dur, animal, qui trahit sa cruauté et la souffrance qu'il a infligée à ses victimes. Bien sûr, je suis influencé par ce que j'ai entendu sur lui, mais on sent tout de même que ses yeux ont bu la mort.

For Gauthy, it is his first assizes court. At the start of the trial on March 27th, his hand was trembling. "The atmosphere was tense, it was impressive," he says. The young man said he was struck by the serial killer's gaze. "His clear blue eyes are glacial. On the first day, he stared at us, annoyed. It seemed that we were bothering him. He has a hard look, which betrays his cruelty and the suffering he inflicted on his victims. Of course I was influenced because I had heard about him, but all the same, it felt as though his eyes had drank death."

Plus expérimenté, avec 14 procès d'assises à son actif, Fel avoue avoir du mal à le dessiner. « Quand je croque quelqu'un, je m'imprègne d'abord, explique-t-il. Avec Fourniret, c'est très difficile : il est insaisissable. C'est un chasseur. Il ne se laisse pas attraper. Il sait comment se protéger des juges, de tout le monde, même des dessinateurs. »

More experienced with 14 assizes trials to his credit, Fel confesses to feeling sick about drawing him. "When I sketch someone, I get an impression first of all," he explains. "With Foruniret, it is very difficult: he is elusive. He is a hunter. He does not allow himself to be trapped. He knows how to protect himself from the judges, from everybody, even the artists."

Pour Fourniret, le procès lui appartient.

Gauthy et Fel soulignent tous les deux le paradoxe entre le physique de Fourniret et les horreurs qu'il a commises. « Petit de taille, les épaules étroites, il n'est pas du tout imposant, dit le premier. Son physique lui permet de passer inaperçu. Il a même un look plutôt rassurant. » « Il ressemble à un papy, renchérit le second. A première vue, il paraît sympa. » Mais son comportement le trahit. « La plupart du temps, il reste sans bouger, les bras croisés, les yeux fermés, comme s'il se formait un bouclier », constate Gauthy. « Son attitude révèle sa vanité et son arrogance, ajoute Roland Fournel. Il regarde tout le monde de haut, droit dans les yeux, même la maman en colère d'Elisabeth Brichet. Il semble mépriser la terre entière. »

For Fourniret, the trial belongs to him.

Gauthy and Fel both stress the paradox between Fourniret's physique and the horrors he has committed. Short of stature, narrow shoulders, he is not at all imposing, says the former. His physique allows him to pass unnoticed. He even looks rather reassuring. "He looks like a grandpa," adds the latter. "At first sight, he seems nice." But he is betrayed by the way he carries himself. "Most of the time, he sits motionless, arms crossed, eyes closed, as if he is making a shield for himself." states Gauthy. "His attitude reveals his vanity and his arrogance," adds Roland Fournel. "He looks down on everyone, his right in his eyes, even on the angry mother of Elisabeth Brichet. He seems to despise the whole world."

Quand on projette sur grand écran la vidéo et les photos des ossements de la petite Namuroise de 12 ans, découverts au château du Sautou, il regarde encore, « sans baisser la tête, avec un semblant d'intérêt, comme s'il s'agissait d'un documentaire animalier à la télé », raconte Gauthy. Les images morbides ne le dérangent pas, au contraire. En revanche, sa réaction est différente lors de la projection de ses interrogatoires par les inspecteurs de Dinant. Là, il détourne le regard, ferme les yeux. « C'est un technicien. Tout est calculé chez lui, affirme Fel. Pour lui, ce procès lui appartient. Il en est la vedette et veut en profiter, se montrant par moment cabotin, contrairement à Monique Olivier qui, la tête toujours baissée, les épaules rentrées et le regard hébété, joue la victime tout au long des débats. »

When the video and the photos of the remains of the little 12 year-old girl from Namur, which were found at the Chateau du Sautou, are projected onto the large screen, he watches, "without lowering his head, with a semblance of interest, as if it were a wild-life documentary on TV." Gauthy relates. The morbid images do not upset him, on the contrary. However, his reaction is different during the showing of his interrogations by the Dinant inspectors. There, he looks away, closes his eyes. "He is a technician. Everything is calculated with him," states Fel. "For him, the trial belongs to him. He is the star in it and wants to profit from it, showing himself as theatrical, in contrast to Monique Olivier, who, head always lowered, shoulders held back and with a dazed look, plays the victim throughout the proceedings."

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

Enfants Kidnappés 28/04/08

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enfants Kidnappés: the case of Jonathan Coulom. New web site now online.

I only came across Enfants Kidnappés when I was looking for news of Madeleine McCann's disappearance. For some of us, I guess, one of the effects of the Madeleine case has been to focus our attention on other cases of missing, abducted and murdered children. I know it has done that for me. I look at Karl Zero's web site, Enfants Kidnappés and I realise that I have never heard of most of the children he is talking about. Estelle Mouzin. Who? Rui Pedro? Thanks to Karl Zero, I now know about those children. I now know that Jonathan Coulom was abducted and killed in 2004. If Jonathan's case has been in the UK or any media outside France, I missed it. Karl Zero publishes news about Jonathan's case this week. This is my translation of the Karl Zero report.

"Nouvelles pistes dans l'affaire du meurtre de Jonathan," New leads in the case of Jonathan's murder.

The schoolboy disappeared into thin air from a holiday camp in the middle of the night.

The investigation into the abduction and murder of Jonathan Coulom could gain momentum this week. Last year, IRCGN specialists in criminal analysis, went over the file with a fine-tooth comb. New leads opened up, "Cell 44," was reinforced. Ludovic Romanens met with Jonathan's father. He particularly mentions that he is waiting for an internet site that is about to be put online.

A worrying disappearance.

Jonathan Coulom disappeared on Wednesday April 7th 2004 in Saint-Brévin (Loire Atlantique) he was eleven years old. To his parents, he was a shy, engaging and resourceful child. He was 1.45m tall, with short chestnut-coloured hair, blue eyes, and he wore an earring in his left ear. Originally from Orval, the schoolboy disappeared into thin air in the middle of the night from a holiday camp where he was staying with his class.

His mates in the dormitory did not hear him go out, nor did the two leaders who were sleeping in the same corridor. For the police dogs, the trail was lost at the entrance gate of the, "Hermitage," holiday camp. After going over the area, the investigators obtained some unidentified DNA on his bed. They also made a strange observation: all his things were still in the wardrobe in his room. He had disappeared dressed in his pyjamas, with bare feet. An official enquiry was opened. Two hundred police officers worked day and night, searched uninhabited holiday homes, woods, water-holes. The searches lasted several days in the small seaside town.

A murder committed by a calculating sexual pervert.

In spite of this important work, Jonathan Coulom was found dead a month and a half later, on May 18th 2004, his body tied up, weighted with a cinder block, was fished out of the pond at a manor house in Guérande, which had been converted into living accomodation and business areas. The perpetrator was thought to be a n introverted and calculating paedophile, who would have known the area perfectly. He would have had time to identify places and to choose his sexual object from amongst the children on holiday.

Other avenues being explored.

That thesis was the one favoured for a long time by the 15 investigators of, "Cell 44." Four years after the events, other leads are now being looked at. Saint Nazaire's deputy prosecutor, Jacques Noguellou, points out that the police are working on, "new avenues," relaunching the enquiry with the examination of the 20 volumes of the file. "Uncertainty about the date of death, undoubtedly, led to the enquiry being too narrow," said the magistrate. Jonathan could have been killed soon after his abduction by a murderer acting on impulse.

The internet site and the appeal for witnesses.

An internet site was put online on Tuesday April 22nd 2008. Images of the area, some details of the investigation, photos of Jonathan and an appeal for witnesses are on the site: http://www.dossierjonathan.fr/
There is also information from several anonymous letters, received recently by the investigators. Jonathan Coulom's attacker has not yet been identified.
The internet is being used more and more in cases such as this, but Jonathan's is perhaps a first where the public can contact the investigators directly.

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

*****************Report ends*****************

I don't know what, "Cell 44," is, having made a brief reccie mission this morning to find out, with no success. Similarly, Ludovic Romanens. No idea and no information found that tells me what he has to do with this case. When I make headway with my searching, I will post the details...or perhaps someone reading this knows and will tell me!
Here is that web site again:

http://www.dossierjonathan.fr/

Enfants Kidnappés 24/04/08: Monique Olivier cracks and cries.

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

24 avril 2008

Fourniret reconnaît le viol d'une victime qu'il avait nié la veille*

Michel Fourniret est revenu sur ses déclarations de la veille en reconnaissant devant la cour d'assises des Ardennes, qui le juge pour sept meurtres aggravés, le viol de Céline Saison, une lycéenne de 18 ans, enlevée en 2000 et qu'il a avoué avoir tuée.
"Si je considère la question sous l'angle juridique, à ce moment-là je m'interdis toute nuance, et je dis oui, je reconnais cette inculpation" pour viol, a finalement déclaré l'accusé au président Gilles Latapie, qui s'était employé pendant plus de trente minutes à essayer de le faire parler.

Fourniret admits the rape of a victim, which he had denied the day before.

Before the Ardennes court of assizes, where he is on trial for seven aggravated murders, Michel Fourniret went back on his statements of the day before in admitting the rape of Céline Saison, a schoolgirl aged 18, abducted in 2000, whom he confessed to having killed.
"If I consider the question from a legal perspective, at this moment I forbid myself any subtlety, and I say yes, I admit that guilt," for rape, the accused finally stated to the president Gilles Latapie, who had been involved for more than thirty minutes in trying to make him talk.

Mercredi, au début de l'examen du dossier, l'accusé, 66 ans, avait reconnu l'enlèvement et l'assassinat de la lycéenne disparue le 16 mai 2000 à Charleville-Mézières, mais il avait contesté l'avoir violée. Lors de ses aveux en 2004 en Belgique, rapporté mercredi à la barre par un enquêteur de la police judiciaire de Reims, Michel Fourniret avait admis avoir "pénétré" sa victime, mais ne pas l'avoir "déflorée".

At the start of the examination of the case on Wednesday, the 66 year-old accused had admitted the abduction and murder of the schoolgirl, who disappeared on May 16th 2000 in Charleville-Mézières, but he had contested having raped her. During his confessions in 2004 in Belgium, reported on Wednesday at the bar by an investigator from the PJ of Reims, Michel Fourniret had admitted having, "penetrated," his victim, but not having, "deflowered," her.

Monique Olivier a craqué*

L'épouse du tueur en série présumé Michel Fourniret, qui comparaît à ses côtés pour complicité devant la cour d'assises des Ardennes, a fondu en larmes jeudi après-midi, près d'un mois après l'ouverture du procès. Alors que la cour écoutait le témoignage d'un médecin légiste belge qui avait procédé à l'autopsie du corps de Céline Saison, une lycéenne de 18 ans tuée en 2000 en Belgique, celle que son mari a longtemps appelée sa "mésange" a été secouée de sanglots pendant quelques minutes.

Monique Olivier cracked.

The wife of the alleged serial killer, Michel Fourniret, who appeared alongside him for complicity, before the Ardennes Court of Assizes, dissolved in tears on Thursday afternoon, nearly a month after the opening of the trial. While the court was listening to the witness statement of a Belgian coroner, who had carried out the autopsy on the body of Céline Saison, an 18 year-old schoolgirl, killed in 2000 in Belgium, the one whose husband had often called his, "chickadee," was shaken with sobs for a few minutes.

Le soir du meurtre de Céline, Fourniret lui avait raconté les faits*

Face au mutisme dans lequel s'est plongé son mari depuis le début du procès "faute de huis clos", les avocats de la partie civile ont vivement interpellé Monique Olivier sur son absence de réaction. "Elle participe autant que faire se peut. [...] Avec nous, elle craque. Il y a des jours, il faut que cela sorte", a expliqué Me Jean-Paul Delgenes, un de ses trois avocats commis d'office. Après avoir séché ses larmes, la complice de Fourniret a refusé de répondre à une question de l'avocat de la famille Saison, Me Hervé Dupuis. "Posez la question à Michel Fourniret", s'est-elle contentée de lâcher, des tremblements dans la voix. Pourtant, Monique Olivier connaît les faits. Le soir du meurtre de Céline Saison, Fourniret lui avait détaillé son crime et montré le visage de sa victime sur des photos retrouvées dans le sac de la lycéenne.

On the evening of Céline's murder, Fourniret had related the facts to her.

Faced with the mutism into which her husband had plunged himself since the start of the trial, "in the absence of huis clos," the lawyers for the civil parties questioned Monique Olivier strongly about her lack of reaction. "She participates as much as she can. (.....) With us, she cracks. There is time, this must come out," explained Me Jean-Paul Delanges, one of her three court-appointed lawyers. After drying her tears, Fourniret's accomplice refused to respond to a question from the Saison family's lawyer, Me Hervé Dupuis. "Put the question to Michel Fourniret," she contented herself with saying, her voice trembling. However, Monique Olivier knows the facts. On the evening of the murder of Céline Saison, Fourniret had detailed his crime and shown the face of his victim in the photos found in the schoolgirl's bag.

Couple diabolique*

"Une automate", c'est le mot qu'utilise Monique Olivier pour se qualifier. "Avec Michel Fourniret, on ne peut pas s'opposer", avait-elle admis le 2 avril dernier, au cinquième jour d'audience, après avoir exprimé des regrets pour sa participation à certains crimes reprochés à son mari sans pouvoir expliquer sa passivité. Cette mère de trois enfants a scellé son destin avec Fourniret en répondant à une petite annonce publiée le 12 septembre 1986 : "Prisonnier aimerait correspondre avec personne de tout âge pour oublier la solitude".

L'Ogre des Ardennes cherchait à l'époque l'âme soeur depuis sa cellule de Fleury-Mérogis où il purgeait une peine pour plusieurs agressions sexuelles. Obsédé par la virginité, Fourniret était à l'époque devenu furieux lorsqu'il avait appris que sa bien-aimée avait déjà connu d'autres hommes avant lui. Au fil de leurs correspondances épistolaires, elle lui avait promis de l'aider à trouver des filles vierges. Le couple diabolique était formé.

Le procès reprend lundi à 13H00 avec l'examen de la tentative d'enlèvement de Sandra Noirot, alors âgée de 14 ans, à Gédinne (Belgique) en 2000.

Diabolical couple.

"An automaton," is the word used by Monique Olivier to describe him. "With Michel Fourniret you couldn't disagree," she admitted on April 2nd, the fifth day of the hearing, after having expressed her regrets for having participated in certain crimes with which her husband is charged, without being able to explain her passivity. This mother of three children sealed her fate with Fourniret in answering a classified ad, published on September 12th 1986: "A prisoner would like to correspond with someone of any age to forget the loneliness.

At the time, the Ogre of the Ardennes was looking for a soul-sister from his cell in Fleury-Mérogis, where he was serving a sentence for several sexual assaults. Obsessed with virginity, Michel Fourniret had, at that time, become furious when he had learned that his beloved had already known other men before him. Throughout their correspondence, she had promised to help him to find virgin girls. The diabolical couple was born.

The trial resumes on Monday at 1pm, with the examination of the attempted abduction of Sandra Noirot, then aged 14, in Gédinne (Belgium) in 2000.

Enfants Kidnappés 23/04/08: Céline's father confronts Fourniret

Céline Saison's father confronted Michel Fourniret in the Court of Assizes in the Ardennes town of Charleville-Mézières, where Fourniret's trial is in its third week.

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

Le père d'une victime impose à Michel Fourniret de le regarder dans les yeux*

La cour d'assises des Ardennes, qui examine depuis mercredi l'assassinat de Céline Saison, a assisté à un face-à-face intense entre le père de la victime et Michel Fourniret, qui a reconnu avoir tué la lycéenne de 18 ans en 2000, mais nie l'avoir violée. Comme lors de l'examen des précédents meurtres, le président de la cour, Gilles Latapie, a invité en début d'audience les parents de Céline, enlevée le 16 mai 2000 à Charleville-Mézières, à venir à la barre évoquer le souvenir de leur fille. Jean-Pierre Saison, accompagné par son épouse Maryline, s'est alors adressé au tueur en série présumé, jugé pour sept meurtres aggravés. "C'est la troisième fois qu'on se rencontre, deux fois vous avez fui, une fois en Belgique, une fois en France, lors des reconstitutions. Cette troisième fois est la bonne", lui a-t-il lancé, debout face au box des accusés. "Je veux simplement vous regarder, vous verrez peut-être à travers mes yeux le regard de Céline", a-t-il poursuivi avant de fixer en silence pendant quelques secondes Michel Fourniret. Ce dernier a fermé les yeux, avant de soutenir le regard de M. Saison. "J'ai tellement de haine que si la vie me le permet, j'irai cracher sur votre tombe", a ajouté le père.

A victim's father forces Michel Fourniret to look him in the eye.

The Ardennes court of assizes, which since Wednesday has been examining the murder of Céline Saison, saw an intense confrontation between the victim's father and Michel Fourniret, who admitted having killed the 18 year-old schoolgirl in 2000, but denied having raped her. As during the examination of the other murders, Gilles Latapie, president of the court, before the hearing, invited the parents of Céline, who was abducted in May 16th 2000, in Charleville-Mézières, to come to the bar to talk about their daughter. Jean-Pierre Saison, accompanied by his wife Maryline, then addressed the alleged serial killer, on trial for seven aggravated murders. "This is the third time we have met, twice you fled, once in Belgium, once in France during the reconstruction. This third time is right," he said, standing in front of the accused's box. "I simply want to look at you, you will perhaps see Céline's gaze through my eyes," he continued before staring in silence for a few seconds, at Michel Fourniret. The latter closed his eyes, before sustaining M. Saison's look. "I have so much hatred that if life allows me, I will spit on your grave," the father added.

Dans une salle annexe où près de 200 personnes -dont de nombreux habitants de Charleville- assistaient aux débats retransmis sur grand écran, le public a applaudi spontanément cette dernière remarque. Céline Saison, "timide et réservée" selon ses proches, avait disparu après avoir passé une épreuve de bac blanc à Charleville. Son corps avait été retrouvé le 22 juillet 2000 dans un bois en Belgique, près de la frontière. Devant la cour, Michel Fourniret a simplement reconnu l'enlèvement et l'assassinat de la lycéenne, mais il a contesté le viol. Lors de ses aveux en Belgique en 2004, il avait pourtant avoué l'avoir violée. "C'est la première fois qu'il conteste le viol de Céline Saison. C'est une fois de plus de la provocation", a estimé hors audience Me Hervé Dupuis, l'avocat de la famille.

In an annexe room, where nearly 200 people - many of them residents of Charleville-Mézières - were watching the debates transmitted to a large screen, the public spontaneously applauded this last remark. Céline Saison, "shy and reserved," according to her family, had disappeared after sitting a bac blanc exam in Charleville. Her body had been found on July 22nd 2000, in a wood in Belgium, near the border. Before the court, Michel Fourniret simply admitted the abduction and murder of the schoolgirl, but contested the rape. During his confessions in Belgium in 2004, however, he had confessed to having raped her. "This is the first time he has contested the rape of Céline Saison. It is one more time of provocation," Me Hervé Dupuis, lawyer for the family, suggested to the hearing.

A la barre, le commandant Daniel Bourgard de la police judiciaire (SRPJ) de Reims a rappelé les déclarations de l'accusé lors de ses aveux. Fourniret racontait avoir abordé la lycéenne au prétexte de la recherche d'une adresse. Il disait l'avoir obligée à se déshabiller sur un chemin isolé et à lui demander poliment de lui faire l'amour. Il expliquait l'avoir violée puis étranglée avec une ficelle, et concluait: "Son bras se lève une dernière fois, son visage boursouflé." En début d'audience, Jean-Pierre Saison s'est également adressé à Monique Olivier, 59 ans, épouse et complice présumée de Fourniret, qui n'est pas poursuivie dans cette affaire. "Quand on prend le cartable d'une jeune fille, dans lequel il y a des photos et qu'on prend un malin plaisir à regarder celle qui a été sacrifiée, pour moi vous êtes un peu coupable", a-t-il lancé à l'accusée.

At the bar, Daniel Bourgard, commander of the judicial police (SRPJ) of Reims, recalled the statements of the accused during his confessions. Fourniret recounted having approached the schoolgirl on the pretext of looking for an address. He said he had forced her to undress on an isolated road and asked her politely to make love to him. He explained having raped then strangled her with some string, and concluded: "She raised her arm a last time, her face swollen." Before the hearing, Jean-Pierre Saison also addressed Monique Olivier, aged 59, wife and alleged accomplice of Fourniret, who is not being charged in this case. "When you take a young girl's case, in which there are photos and you take a perverse pleasure in looking at that which has been sacrificed, for me you have some guilt," he said to the accused.

En 2004, elle avait déclaré que son mari lui avait montré sa victime sur des photographies trouvées dans le sac de la lycéenne. L'ancienne garde-malade a été à nouveau interpellée sur son absence de réaction. "Dans votre cas, y a-t-il une servitude volontaire?", lui a demandé une avocate des parties civiles, en reprenant le sujet de philosophie sur lequel avait planché la lycéenne avant son enlèvement. Monique Olivier n'a pas voulu répondre. Jeudi la cour poursuit l'examen du dossier Céline Saison.

In 2004, she had stated that her husband had shown her his victim in the photographs found in the schoolgirl's bag. The former nurse was again questioned about her lack of response. "In your case, was it a voluntary servitude?" a lwayer for the civil parties asked her, taking up the subject of philosophy, on which the schoolgirl had worked before her abduction. Monique Olivier did not want to respond. On Thursday the court continues the examination of the Céline Saison case.

SOS Madeleine McCann: lawyers and diplomats to the rescue of the McCanns

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

When Ben Needham went missing on a Greek island some years ago, his mother had to finally give up her search for him when she could no longer afford to eat. I don't recall any government minister sending in the troops, aka Clarence Mitchell, Sheree Dodd et al. Actually, I am sure that there have been other incidents of British children disappearing abroad, but I have never heard of there being intervention at this level of government or diplomacy. Very strange, I say.

Meanwhile....here comes the cavalry!!!!

25.04.2008

Avocats et diplomates au secours des McCann
Kate et Gerry veulent des garanties pour revenir au Portugal

Ce sont les avocats du couple qui ont entamé les premiers contacts, au plus haut niveau, afin d’obtenir une sorte d’immunité que puisse permettre à Kate et Gerry McCann d’effectuer le déplacement à Praia da Luz, au Portugal, sans être inquiétés.

Lawyers and diplomats to the McCanns' rescue.

Kate and Gerry want guarantees for returning to Portugal.

It is the couple's lawyers who have initiated contacts, at the highest level, to obtain a sort of immunity which would allow Kate and Gerry to go to Praia da Luz in Portugal, without being harassed.

La démarche des hommes de loi à été suivie par l’intervention de la diplomatie britannique au Portugal. Selon une source au Ministère des Affaires Etrangers (Foreign Office) des contacts informels ont été effectués avec les autorités portugaises afin de connaître les réelles intentions du Procureur et de la Police Judiciaire (PJ), en particulier pour ce que concerne la reconstitution des événements du 3 mai 2007, jour de la disparition de Maddie, demandée par les enquêteurs.

The lawyers' approach was followed by the intervention of British diplomats in Portugal. According to a source at the Foreign Office, informal contacts have been made with the Portuguese authorities in order to find out the real intentions of the PJ's Public Prosecutor, in particular regarding the reconstruction of the events of May 3rd 2007, the day of Maddie's disappearance, requested by the investigators.

Gerry et Kate McCann avaient la certitude, après leur retour au Royaume-Uni en septembre dernier, que leur statut d’arguidos serait abandonné avant la fin 2007 mais ni leurs avocats ni la pression médiatique exercée par leurs proches n’ont réussi à changer le cour normal de la justice au Portugal.

(à suivre)

Gerry and Kate McCann were certain, after their return to the UK last September, that their arguido status would be lifted before the end of 2007, but neither their lawyers nor media pressure exerted by their relatives has succeeded in changing the normal course of Portuguese justice.

(To be continued)

Enfants Kidnappés: Amaral retires after a 25 year career.

Enfants Kidnappés 24/04/08

Gonçalo Amaral, who initially led the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance, announces his retirement. I have the feeling that there may be a book to follow this decision. I shall look forward to reading this and hope that Robert Murat will also be considering going into print. A couple of good stories there, I reckon!

Démission après 25 ans de carrière. C'est avec tristesse que Gonçalo Amaral, ancien coordinateur dans l'enquête sur la disparition de Madeleine McCann, va quitter la police et demander sa mise à la retraite après 25 ans de carrière. La demande a été faite depuis près d'un mois maintenant mais, Amaral, avait pris sa décision dès son éloignement début octobre où il a été remplacé au poste de coordinateur du Département de Recherche Criminelle de Portimao. Ce remplacement n'a jamais été digéré par Amaral qui, a 48 ans, a commencé à penser à suivre un autre chemin. L'enquêteur a transmis son mécontentement à sa hiérarchie, notamment au Directeur National de la PJ, Alipio Ribeiro peu de temps après que sa demande de retraite ait été acceptée.

Retirement after a career of 25 years. It is with sadness that Gonçalo Amaral, former coordinator in the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance, is going to leave the police and request retirement after a career of 25 years. The request was made nearly a month ago, but Amaral had taken his decision at the time of his removal at the beginning of October when he was replaced in the post of coordinator at Portimao's Department of Criminal Research. This replacement was never properly understood by Amaral who, at the age of 48, began to think of following another course. The investigator made his unhappiness known to his superiors, notably to the National Director of the PJ, Alipio Ribeiro, shortly after which his request for retirement was accepted.

"Il n'est pas satisfait du traitement de ses dernières années. L'institution ne l'a pas défendu dans d'innombrables situations, principalement dans deux cas dans lesquels il serait impliqué, ce qui aurait détruit son image" confie un membre de la PJ. L'ex-coordinateur pourrait prétendre à une place de direction à la Justice ou dans une entreprise de sécurité privé. Il aurait déjà reçu certaines propositions dans ce sens. Le directeur de la PJ à Faro ne souhaite pas faire de commentaire déclarant, à juste titre, qu'il s'agit "d'un sujet personnel que la PJ n'a pas à commenter". Ce même directeur précise qu'il s'agit "d'une dizaine d'éléments de la PJ qui veulent quitter le service. Ils réunissent les conditions pour prendre leur retraite".

"He was not satisfied with his treatment during these last years. The institution did not support him in countless situations, principally in two cases in which he was implicated, which would have destroyed his image," a member of the PJ confided. The former coordinator could claim a place in police management or in a private security company. He would have already received some approaches in this regard. The PJ's director does not wish to comment, stating, rightly, that it is, "a personal subject about which the PJ has no comment." This same director states that there are, "a dozen PJ officers who would like to leave the service. They meet the conditions to take their retirement."

Gonçalo Amaral, âgé de 48 ans, est papa de trois filles. Marié pour la deuxième fois, la plus jeune de ses filles à 4 ans, comme Madeleine McCann, et la plus âgée, 23 ans fruit de son premier mariage. Il a suivi des études de Sociologie, de Psychologie, de Psychiatrie et, enfin, de Recherche Criminelle au sein de l'École de Police de Lisbonne.

Gonçalo Amaral, aged 48, is father to three daughters. Married for the second time, the youngest of his daughters is 4 years old, like Madeleine McCann, and the oldest, from his first marriage, is 23. He studied Sociology, psychology, psychiatry, and finally forensics at the police school in Lisbon.

EN BREF
Les parents ont demandé des émetteurs. Kate et Gerry McCann auraient demandé à l'Océan Club un système d'intercommunication du type émetteur-récepteur pour écouter les enfants dans leur chambre pendant qu'ils dînaient avec leurs amis au restaurant. La direction de l'Océan Club a fait savoir qu'il ne disposait pas de ce genre de système au sein de leurs infrastructures. Les parents ayant déjà fréquenté d'autres lieux de vacances appartenant au groupe Mark Warner savaient que ce genre de système n'était pas disponible selon la direction. Dans le documentaire d'ITV qui sera diffusé mercredi, les parents auraient décidé, faute d'appareils de surveillance, d'aller voir les enfants toutes les 30 minutes refusant les services de baby-sitting de l'hôtel.

In brief

The parents requested baby monitors.

Kate and Gerry McCann requested a monitoring system of the transmit-receive type to listen to their children in their room while they were dining with their friends at the restaurant. The Ocean Club's management made it known that they did not provide this kind of system within their facilities. The parents having already visited other holiday apartment places of the Mark Warner group, would know that this kind of system was not provided, according to the management. In the ITV documentary, which will be shown on Wednesday, the parents decided that in the absence of baby monitors, to go see the children every 30 minutes, refusing the hotel's baby-sitting services.