Enfants Kidnappés: McCann case - Charlotte Pennington's statement May 2007

It is May 7th 2007. The interviewing of individual employees is continuing; employees of the Kids Club, the Tapas Bar and the Millennium. Today, Charlotte Pennington was interviewed. The interpreter who translated what she said was none other than Robert Murat.

On the matter at hand, it is said:

The informant was heard as a witness. The informant, being of English nationality, having no command of the Portuguese language either in written or in spoken form, the interview takes place in the presence of a translator: Robert Murat.

She arrived in Portugal on April 28th, the date from which she started working for the OCEAN CLUB as a nanny.

The informant states that in the period between April 29th and May 4th, her job entailed working with a group of children on holiday with the above mentioned company, in the age group of four months to one year. this group is called the "Baby Club". The "Baby Club" group is subdivided into three other groups of two babies and each sub-group is the responsibility of an individual nanny.

In the context of the current investigation, the informant advises that in the course of her job at the OCEAN CLUB, there were various times when she was with a child called MADELEINE MCCANN. Although not belonging to the group for which she is responsible, it is normal, given that the two groups are in adjacent rooms. Thus, Madeleine McCann belongs to the group called the "Mini Club" with children aged between 3 and 4 years and, she explains that the "Mini Club" group and the "Baby Club" are in the same building , close to the OCEAN CLUB's reception, the reason why the informant has been personally in contact with the missing minor.

The informant states that it was usual during "siesta time" which is approximately between 9am to 10.30am and between 2.30pm and 3pm, for the informant to get involved at the "reception" for children in her group but also for her colleagues, given that the children she was looking after were sleeping. She also went over to the "Mini Club" to participate more closely in some activities with the children there.

The informant states that on two definite days, those being Sunday April 29th and Thursday May 3rd, the informant was personally in contact with Madeleine McCann, reading stories to her and speaking with her.

And so, the informant describes Madeleine McCann as being an intelligent child, shy at first but once she gets to know the people she is with, she talks normally for her age and stays calm.

The informant adds that Madeleine was usually called "Maddie" given that it was under that name that Madeleine introduced herself to the informant, the shortened form of her first name.

On May 3rd, towards 10.15pm, while the informant was working for the “Mini Club” group in the “Dinner time,” service, together with her colleagues Jackie and Amy, a woman she did not know, but who must have been a tourist, went to their building asking if they were aware of the disappearance of a child called “Maggie” or Maddie.

Questioned about “dinner time” the informant states that the company’s childcare offers parents the free service of leaving their children in the care of crèche leaders during dinnertime between 7.15pm and 11pm.

With the confirmation that a female child had disappeared and, on the basis of the name the woman had given them, they guessed that it must be Madeleine, for which reason Amy telephoned her boss, Lyndsay, who informed them of Madeleine’s disappearance. The procedure for “searching for a lost child” was put into action. It was an organised search in different areas of the company concerned.

Thus, the informant participated in that search in a team with her Colleague Amy and, they covered various areas of the company, which were assigned to them. In covering the area backing onto the residences where Madeleine, the twins and the parents were staying, she could see that, in the meantime, there were various people in the apartment without being able to say if they were friends or employees. She was involved with the searches until 1.30am (May 4th 2007) and she then went to her own place.

In the searched that she carried out together with her colleagues, other people participated (tourists, company employees). Later, without being able to say what time, she stated that the police were on the spot and that they set up the measures for this type of situation. The informant states that the search by members of the OCEAN CLUB ended at around 4.30am on May 4th 2007, without result.

To our question, the informant states that she had very little contact with Madeleine and only as a nanny present in the neighbouring room. She did not know the routines of the child or her parents and she did not notice any situation that she found strange concerning the missing child during the time she worked in Portugal.

The informant adds that Madeleine was usually dropped off at the crèche at 9.15am and that the parents dropped the twins off afterwards.

To our question, the informant reports that she has no knowledge of any situation that she suspects could be linked in any way, directly or indirectly to Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

She has nothing more to add. After reading in the company of the translator who explains to her, she goes on and signs.

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

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

Enfants Kidnappés

Lori Campbell

Leicestershire Constabulary

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

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

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

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

What we can assume.

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

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

Indeed:

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

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

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

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

Enfants Kidnappés

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

Gonçalo Amaral: Justice for Madeleine is still possible.(Updated)

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

SOS Madeleine McCann 4/10/08

From Duarte Levy in Vigo, Spain.

A year after leaving the PJ, Gonçalo Amaral, former coordinator of Portimão's Department of Criminal Investigation, stated yesterday in Vigo, Spain, that in spite of political pressure, "it is still possible that justice can be done for Madeleine."

Gonçalo Amaral, former head of the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance, was a guest at a conference organised yesterday by the Spanish daily newspaper, "Faro de Vigo," in the context of his book, "Maddie: The Truth of The Lie," coming out in Spain.

Update:

Several officers of the National Spanish Police, respectfully referred to as, the "Comisario," stated that they did not understand why the authorities of the country where Madeleine was born have never opened an investigation to find out what happened and continue to support the abduction theory.

According to Amaral, the result of work carried out by his team and several British police officers is recorded in the reports of the investigation and as long as they are not destroyed, there is always the possibility to bring the investigation to a successful conclusion: "it would only take one of the nine friends to decide to talk..."

The former coordinator of the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance states that it is still possible to find out the truth, stressing that the investigation from a legal point of view is neither finished nor closed: it is only waiting for better evidence and it is necessary for those who are able to to bring new details to the Portuguese authorities.

Duarte Levy (Vigo - Espagne)

Enfants Kidnappés 2/10/08: McCann case - Kids Club staff interviews

Enfants Kidnappés

Catriona Treasa Sisile B.'s interview

The interview begins at 6.36pm on May 6th 2007. It is the fifth time that Robert Murat is actively involved as an interpreter in the ongoing process. We will come back later to the first four times.

The informant is heard as a witness. Being of British nationality, she has no command of the Portuguese language in spoken or written form, because of which and because he is present, the person named: ROBERT MURAT residing at Casa Liliana, Ramalhete Road in Praia da Luz, 8600 Lagos, contactable via telephone no: 913...., offered to translate the interview.

In answer to our questions, she responds that she has been in Portugal since March 21st of this year and that this is her first visit to the country. Next, she says that she came to Portugal to work as a play leader, having obtained a contract of employment with the "Mark Warner" company. She states that her contract started on March 21st and ends on November 7th 2007, the date on which she will return to her own country. She points out that the company in question, in its turn, has a contract with the "OCEAN CLUB" tourist village to provide a child care service for parents who are clients of the village. She adds that in the tourist village, this type of child care takes place in four different places according to the ages of the children.

Thus, for children aged four months to one year it is the "Baby Club" which is close to the OCEAN CLUB's main reception. For children aged one to two years, it is the "Toddler" which is next to the "Tapas" restaurant. For children aged three to five years, it is the "Mini Club" which is also close to the Ocean Club's main reception. And finally, for children aged six to nine years and from ten to thirteen years, it is the "Junior Club" which is close to the "Millenium" restaurant.

Concerning the operating hours, there are four separate services.

• Basic service: 9am-12.30pm
• Service two: 2.30-5.30pm
• Service three: 7.30pm-11.30pm

This is a service for dinner time called the "Dining out service." It is next to the Ocean Club's reception.

Service four: 7.30pm-1am

For an extra charge, there is a "Babysitting" service between 7.30pm and 1am provided in the apartments for parents who request it.

The informant mentions that the work of the play leaders is the same in all areas specified above and that all colleagues have similar training. Rotations are scheduled, which means that they change places from week to week, changing the age group they have to work with.

She states that as part of her job she has to work out a weekly plan of activities to develop with the children who are entrusted to them, notably outside, like swimming tennis, the beach...

To our question, she specifies that she is responsible for a group of children, similar in age to the missing minor and that each supervisor has around seven children who stay with the same supervisor for the week.

In continued answer to our questions, she responds that she has known the McCann family since last Sunday, April 29th, when the McCann parents placed their daughter in the "Mini Club". She adds that until Thursday May 3rd, the little girl came every day.

Questioned, she responds that since she has been working with the little girl, it has seemed to her that the parents were attentive to their daughter given that they asked what Madeleine had done in the crèche and that they even accompanied Madeleine a few times in certain outside activities. Concerning the little girl, she states that she was an active and sociable child. Only on the first day was she more reticent with the group.

The informant reports that during the time that Madeleine was entrusted to her care, at certain moments, it seemed to her that the little girl was sad or unhappy without saying anything in particular about being cross, sad or unhappy about whatever it was. She also reports that she was an obedient child who never wandered from the group and who never spoke to strangers.

When asked, the informant responds that it was always the parents who brought Madeleine and fetched her from the "Mini Club."

When questioned, she responds that in the course of her work, on the company's premises and outside (as described above) she has never noticed anyone in particular or suspicious watching the children with whom she was working. She did not notice anyone taking photos of the children and notably of Madeleine. She states that she never heard her colleagues refer to such things either.

The informant states that in the context of the disappearance of the minor, Madeleine, she saw nothing and was not aware of any reason which might explain the disappearance. Finally, the informant advises that in the few years that she has been working in this profession, for the same company, in various countries, she has never heard anyone talk of an event of this kind.

The informant states that since she has been in Portugal, in addition to the British people and her colleagues, she has got to know people outside the tourist company, some of Portuguese nationality but mostly British people whom she associates with when going out at night to enjoy herself. During her evenings out no one has asked her about her work, or about the children, or the McCann family in particular.

After reading in the company of the interpreter, she goes on and signs.

Enfants Kidnappés 1/10/08: Unprecedented haul of internet paedophiles in Spain.

Enfants Kidnappés

The Spanish police carried off an unprecedented haul in the field of child pornography on the internet with 121 arrests and now place this type of action as one of its "priorities."

The Interior Minister, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba congratulated the "fine work" by the police against offences, "which arouse the most disgust in society."

Around 800 police officers across Spain participated in this operation, Christened, "Carousel," the Spanish police indicated in a press release on Wednesday.

It is, "the most important operation against child pornography on the internet ever carried out in the country," they stressed.

Amongst those arrested were a police officer, an agent for the Spanish intelligence services, CNI (National Information centre) as well as a student from a school for the Civil Guard, several Spanish media indicated, quoting sources close to the investigation.

In addition to the 121 arrests, 96 other people were prosecuted in this case for, "possession and distribution of material of a paedophile nature on the internet," the police stated.

A total of 210 searches were carried out which led to the police seizing 347 computer hard discs, 1,186 CDs and DVDs, 36 laptop computers, 15 USB memory sticks.

"Millions of archival videos and photos were seized, some showing assaults on minors, extreme in their severity," the police explained.

Amongst the people arrested, two individuals, "were producing their own pornographic material," in addition to receiving and exchanging files with paedophile content and their, "victims could be identified in their family surroundings."

The investigation was launched in 2007 in, "collaboration," with the Brazilian police. It was focused on a, "known file-sharing network," through which "many archives of a paedophile nature," transited.

With the help of the police from different countries, the Spanish division specialised in this type of crime, the Brigade for Technological Investigation, was able to list 18,000 connections with illegal content in 75 different countries.

But it was in Spain that their action was focused, locating 250 homes where pornographic content featuring minors had been downloaded and distributed.

The people arrested come from the most diverse social and professional backgrounds. There are airline pilots, janitors, taxi drivers and even bank employees amongst the 121 arrested. Age is also highly variable, ranging from minors to retired.

For several years Spain has increased operations against paedophiles on the internet and the national Spanish police now place tracking down paedophiles on the internet amongst their, "priorities."

In the past five years, more than 1,200 people have been arrested in Spain in connection with paedophilia on the internet. The specialist Spanish investigators have been helped for several years by special software, "Hispalis," which allows them to detect and find the names and addresses of internet users who log on to illegal sites.

The work of the Spanish Brigade for Technological Investigation is one of the best known at international level. This year, the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, honoured the work of the Spanish police in awarding them its international prize, "Children first."

Enfants Kidnappés 30/09/08 - disappearance of Antoine de Brugerolle in Issoire (France) Summary Part 3

Enfants Kidnappés

The search resumes.

The search for little Antoine, aged six and a half, reported missing on September 11th in Issoire (Puy-de-Dôme), resumed on Monday in Perrier with the exploration of caves by cavers from the gendarmerie.

The area in Perrier, around 4km west of Issoire with around 300 troglodyte caves and caverns, had already been explored by gendarmes and dogs shortly after the child's disappearance was reported.

The whole area was examined more thoroughly throughout the day by cavers from the Peleton Haut Montagne Gendarmerie of Grenoble. (PGHM)

On September 27th, Jean-Yves Coquillat, the Clermont-Ferrand prosecutor, had declared the search "suspended" but would be taken up again at the "slightest development," in the investigation.

We are not aware of what had motivated this new search.

Enfants Kidnappés 30/09/08 - disappearance of Antoine de Brugerolle in Issoire (France) Summary Part 2

Enfants Kidnappés

28 septembre 2008

Searches suspended.

The search for little Antoine, aged six and a half, reported missing on September 11th in Issoire (Puy-de-Dôme) has been "suspended" for now and will be taken up again on the "slightest development," in the investigation, we learned on Saturday from the Clermont-Ferrand prosecutor, Jean-Yves Coquillat.

"We are at a stage of the investigation where the search has been suspended and will be taken up again on the slightest development," M. Coquillat told AFP.

The latter stated on Friday that the investigation into Antoine's disappearance, "had only begun," and that he, "was not excluding any theory," including the child's "family circle."

During the day, on the basis of witness statements, the gendarmes had combed, in vain, the Suc wood and surveyed a neighbouring body of water, in Vernet-la-Varenne (Puy-de-Dôme) the village Sébastien, Antoine's mother's partner, comes from. Witnesses had stated having seen individuals throwing a bag into that pond.

Meanwhile, Antoine's mother, Alexandrine, aged 23, remanded in custody in Clermont-Ferrand on Wednesday and then released on Thursday without charge, spent the day with her lawyer in order to constitute herself as a civil party in this case.

She said she was, "exasperated," and "sickened," that she should be suspected of "having harmed her kid," in an interview on Saturday in the daily newspaper La Montagne. "That's the truth. I love my son. I miss him," she told the newspaper.

Her partner Sébastien, a dropout aged 29 and also remanded in custody on Wednesday, was held but in the context of a separate case of trafficking in narcotics.

Six others who were remanded, friends of the couple, aged 20 -30, were also released on Thursday without charge.

Enfants Kidnappés 30/09/08 - disappearance of Antoine de Brugerolle in Issoire (France)

Enfants Kidnappés

Summary of the case. Part 1

24 septembre 2008

Antoine's mother and her partner remanded in custody.

The investigation into the disappearance of Antoine, aged six and a half, reported missing on September 11th in Issoire (Puy-de-Dôme) accelerated on Wednesday when eight people were placed on remand, including the child's mother and her partner. Alexandrine, aged 23, and her partner Sébastien, aged 29, were placed on remand on Wednesday afternoon together with six others, "close to the couple," Jean-Yves Coquillat, Clermont-Ferrand prosecutor, told AFP.
According to a source close to the investigation, they are in custody with the Issoire and Clermant-Ferrand gendarmerie.
"The investigating magistrates and the investigators consider that they have sufficient evidence to proceed at this stage, to put questions to them," explained the prosecutor, refusing to say what the new evidence was.

In the afternoon. the investigators, assisted by forensic specialists and technicians, carried out a , "much more thorough," search for almost two hours in the mother's apartment in old Issoire.
"The gendarmes ripped up the floor to take new samples, the results of which will be known during the term of remand," explained M. Coquillat.
A few days ago, two small drops of the little boy's blood were revealed in Antoine's bedroom. But the prosecutor had then considered that this did not constitute, "a decisive element, since these spots (may) have been left following a nose bleed or accidental cut."

During their remand, the investigators will question the couple and those close to them about a number of grey areas remaining in this case, notably on the exact date of the child's disappearance.
"We need some answers," stressed the magistrate, who will give a press briefing on Thursday at 5pm.
The once favoured idea that the little boy ran away had rapidly lost all consistency, and on September 14th the prosecutor opened an investigation for, "abduction and sequestration of a minor."

Antoine's mother had told the investigators several times that she had gone out to a restaurant for dinner with her partner on September 11th at around 8pm, and that they discovered the child's disappearance on their return, at around 9.15pm. But the child, who went back to school on September 2nd, has not been in class since, because of gastro-enteritis, according to his mother, who never responded to calls from the school's director who was worried by this absence.

According to witnesses, the child was seen for the last time on September 6th.
The gendarmes continued meanwhile to gather witness statements on the personality of the mother and her partner, both of whom have already served prison sentences for trafficking of narcotics.
"These people are somewhat strange," stressed the prosecutor. "This became apparent over the course of the interviews and that is why we are continuing to gather witness statements, because we need as much evidence as possible from the witnesses and people who know them," he said.

SOS Madeleine McCann 2/10/08 - Clarence Mitchell a guest speaker for the Society of British Editors.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

Clarence Mitchell, spokesperson for Kate and Gerry McCann, is one of the guests of honour for the next annual conference of the Society of British Editors, where the former director of the Media Monitoring Unit is scheduled as a speaker.

Amongst the other speakers, is Sly Bailey, boss of the Mirror Group, Carolyn McCall, Director General of Guardian Media, Paul Dacre, editor of the Daily Mail, and Christopher Meyer, President of the Press Complaints Commission.

The Society of Editors is an organisation that brings together more than 400 members and that, according to its internet site, defends values like the universal right to freedom of expression and the right of the public to be informed.

(Editor's note: Ok then, Clarence, why not stand up there and maintain those lofty principles by telling the public why the McCanns did not return to Portugal to help the police with a reconstruction of the events surrounding their daughter's disappearance?

Tell us, Clarence, why the McCanns allowed stories of sightings to be published when they knew they had been investigated and ruled out? It's all in the case files. And while you're at it, Clarrie, how did Kate know for sure that Madeleine had been abducted? Why was she absolutely sure that Madeleine could not have got out of her bed and walked out of the unlocked door? Just a few Clarence for you to be getting on with. I am sure there are lots more questions that people want answers to, answers the public, with their right to be informed, have not been given.)

In the case of Madleine's disappearance, the McCanns' spokesmen and lawyers have maintained regular contact with editors and directors of the major British newspapers. On September 12th 2007, after Kate and Gerry McCann were officially constituted as arguidos, Justine McGuiness, their then spokesperson, and their lawyer Angus McBride, met with several editors and directors to whom they explained that the fact that the Portuguese authorities had not found Madeleine's body was the best proof of the couple's innocence.

(Editor's note: And the British editors and directors did not come up with a few cases to prove this was not how the law works? No body proves innocence? And Angus McBride, a lawyer, actually put his name to this bollox? Some things, as the cliché goes, you just couldn't make up!)

The next conference of British editors will take place at the Marriot Royal Hotel in Bristol, from 9th to 11th November.

Enfants Kidnappés 1/10/08: McCann case - Kids Club staff interviews

01 octobre 2008

Lindsay Jayne J.'s interview.

We return to our case file. Lindsay J.'s interview took place on May 6th 2007.
This interview is interesting for several reasons. Lindsay J is manager of the KIDS CLUB.

In the matter at hand, it is stated that:

The informant is heard as a witness. In virtue of the fact that the informant is of British nationality and that she has no command of the Portuguese language, the present statement is taken in the presence of Filipa Maria C.S., translator.

The informant has been in Portugal since March 15th, the date on which she started to work for the "Ocean Club" tourist company in Praia da Luz where she supervises the leaders (male and female) of the KIDS CLUB, her contract of employment having been previously signed in London (England)

In the context of her duties which she carries out for the company mentioned, she has had contact on several occasions with a child called Madeleine McCann, observing from a distance. The informant states that the child belonged to the "MiniClub," group in which the children are aged 3 to 5 years.

Questioned in more depth, the informant advises us that the group of children belonging to the "MiniClub" category is supervised by her colleague Amy T. who, in her turn, coordinates a group of leaders composed of Catriona B. and Emma W. Both were on duty in the week of April 29th to May 4th 2007.

The informant informs that the "MiniClub" is subdivided into two classes of children and that Madeleine was entrusted to Catriona B.

The "MiniClub" is open from 9am. A break is scheduled for lunch between 12.30 and 2.30pm when the afternoon session starts until 5.30pm.

Then, from 7.30pm, the Kids Club provides a complementary "dinner" service until 11.30pm. For an additional fee, parents can obtain a "babysitting" service without a fixed time, to be arranged between the parents and the baby-sitter.

The children stay at the centre and get involved with various activities which can be done on the company's premises, appropriate for this purpose, or they can also go outside, notably to the beach but always accompanied by a Kids Club employee.

The informant tells us that on a date which she cannot be precise about but which was some time last week, Madeleine McCann participated in a boat trip, organised by the company's crèche. Several children particpated in this outing to the sea, accompanied by the employees mentioned above and an expert in water activities, whose name she is not aware of.

To our question, the informant states that Madeleine McCann was accompanied by her parents, Kate and Gerald McCann who are renting apartment G5A at the Ocean Club.

She indicates that on May 3rd 2007, at around 10.20pm, she was informed by her colleague Amy T. that Madeleine McCann had disappeared. At that, she immediately launched the "missing child" procedure. This procedure consists of dividing the site into several areas, which are allocated to various of the company's employees to start searching for the missing child. To that effect, the informant explains that, around 10.45pm, the date indicated, the said procedure was begun, dividing the whole site into three distinct areas, namely the north zone, the central zone (including the area of the company) and all the roads surrounding the company and which go as far as the beach. Five of the company's employees were mobilised to coordinate the searches, helped by various people ( other employees, tourists and residents)

Later, not knowing precisely what time, the local police came to the company and, taking into account the procedure which we had set in place, they proceeded with the appropriate actions for this type of situation.

Questioned by us, the informant indicated that the searches by members of the OCEAN CLUB ended at around 4am on the morning of May 4th, without result.

To our question, the informant stated that at the time she was informed of Madeleine McCann's disappearance, she was alone in her residence and that she immediately went out and initiated the procedure described above. To our questions, the informant replies that given that she had no direct contact with the minor in question, Madeleine McCann, being only the supervisor of the company's crèche leaders, as a consequence she does not know the routines of the minor or her parents and that no suspicious situation or any special concern about the child had been reported to her during the time she worked in Portugal.

The informant did not notice any other suspicious or unusual situations which might be related directly or indirectly to Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

After reading in the company of the interpreter, who explains to her, having nothing else to add, she goes on and signs.

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

SOS Madeleine McCann 30/09/08: PJ brings to an end the parental kidnapping of three Belgian children.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

Tonight, the Portuguese authorities brought an end to the parental kidnapping of three children of Belgian nationality, who went missing on January 4th in the town of Deurne, Anvers. The three girls, Godelieve, Gerda and Truke Otto, aged respectively 14, 10 and 7, had been taken away by their father, Cornelis Otto, against the wishes of their mother, Marie Castermans.

The man was arrested by the PSP in the Viseu region in collaboration with the PJ who also placed the children in a social institution waiting to be handed over to their mother. The Belgian organisation, Child Focus, which maintains direct contact with the mother, was informed tonight at around 3am, by SOS Madeleine McCann.

Yesterday afternoon, the Child Support Institute (IAC – Instituto de Apoio à Criança), Portuguese organisation responsible for cases of missing or at risk children, gave out a national alert asking for help in urgently locating the three Belgian children.

The organisation made the telephone number 116000 available to possible witnesses, the SOS line for missing children.

In January, a few days after their abduction, Cornelis Otto, aged 39, and the three children had been seen in Montijo, begging in the streets of the town. The local police - PSP - had even got as far as identifying the father without however arresting him, because the Belgian authorities had not issued an international arrest warrant. After this warrant was issued, on August 20th, the PJ intensified their search.

The Portuguese authorities worked in collaboration with the federal police and the organisation, "Child Focus."

According to the Belgian authorities, the children, accompanied by their father, crossed Europe in a white Peugeot Partner, registration XXH-802 and a caravan registeration YBE-6882. During their journey, the children and their father stayed in camp sites for short periods of time, having as their only means of subsistence begging, notably playing a barrel organ.

Duarte Levy

30/09/08

Editor's note: I guess this shows that the 116000 emergency call system for alerts in missing children cases, which was set up some time ago, does actually work and that police forces across Europe are already organised for collaboration. If all EU countries would now adopt the 116 numbers and set up their own emergency call systems, there would be no need to be talking about an American Amber Alert type system.

SOS Madeleine McCann 27/09/08: British couple saw Madeleine in Mallorca.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

According to a spokesman for the national police in Palma (Mallorca), no major search operation has been launched on the island following the witness statement from a British couple stating that they saw Madeleine McCann in the company of two women: "we are carrying out the usual checks, nothing else," the officer stated this morning, stressing, "that the most astonishing thing about the story is that amongst the other people present in the same place, no one saw that little girl, or even the two women."

Robert and Marian Cleminson, a couple of British tourists, claim to have seen a child resembling Madeleine McCann in Cala d'Or in the company of two women, described as originating from Northern Europe and aged around 40 to 50.

Before informing the police on the island, last Wednesday, the couple allegedly went back to the hotel to consult the internet and check the resemblance of the child they saw with photos of Madeleine.

After having questioned other tourists present in the same place where the couple had described having seen Madeleine, the police did not find the least evidence which might confirm the witness statement.

"We are grateful to the British couple in question for having brought this to the attention of the police as quickly as they did, but obviously, there were a certain number of witness statements in the past which offered nothing," stated Clarence Mitchell, spokesperson for the McCanns.

The British media took up the case.

While the police in Mallorca confirmed the witness statement of Robert and Marian Cleminson, a British couple in their sixties, the media in the United Kingdom took up the case.

The Leicester Mercury, quite close to the McCanns, headlined that the "hunt," had started after Madeleine was allegedly seen in Mallorca, announcing that, "the McCann family's private investigators have joined a huge police operation."

The Mirror headlines that the Mallorca witness statement is investigated, while The Sun states that a couple of British people in Mallorca saw Maddie. Meanwhile, it's The Sun that publishes the first statements from the witnesses: "She greatly resembled Maddie, which aroused our suspicions," Marian stated.

Madeleine is not being looked for on Halo 3.

According to Bungie, the company behind the video game Halo 3, the message asking where is Maddie, included in its latest trailer, is not a reference to Madeleine McCann, being only an "unfortunate coincidence."

The trailer for the next round of the famous game, distributed by Microsoft, came out last week on Bungie's internet site with a short question: "Maddie, where are you?"

"It is an unfortunate coincidence, but there is no connection between Bungie's game and the tragic disappearance of that little girl," wrote Brian Jarrard, Bungie's public relations director.

The use of the name Maddie in a game known for its high level of violence immediately gave rise to much speculation, where even Halo 3's admirers recognised that, "even if a character in the game happened to disappear, it probably wasn't the best idea in the world to call her Maddie."

The image flashes very quickly, just a few moments, but fans of the game, looking for all information about it, quickly found the messages.

(Editor's note: I have never played a video game and if I were to be asked to name a few, I would have a hard time coming up with any at all. However, I have now heard of Halo 3. A good marketing ploy, or, as they say, an unfortunate coincidence?)

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

27/09/08

Enfants Kidnappés 14/09/08: In Morocco, a fatwa authorises paedophile marriage.

Morocco: Scandal

14 septembre 2008

A Muslim leader has issued a fatwa which has aroused no end of emotions. And for good reasons. Cheikh Mohamed ben Abderrahmane Al-Maghraoui has published a religious opinion on an internet site authorising the marriage of little girls from the age of nine. A lawyer and human rights organisations are condemning a call to the, "rape," of children and to "paedophilia."

Cheikh Mohamed ben Abderrahmane Al-Maghraoui is in the line of sight of Moroccan human rights defenders. According to the daily newspaper Al Jarida Al Oula of September 1st, the religious leader has issued a fatwa authorising the marriage of little girls from the age of nine, on the internet site Maghrawi. "It has been said and we have seen that nine year old girls are just as ready for marriage as girls aged 20 and older," Cheikh Mohamed ben Abderrahmane Al-Maghraoui allegedly explained on Maghrawi.net. To back up what he is saying, he also cited the example of the Prophet, who married one of his wives when she was nine years old.

If he wanted to create a scandal, he has succeeded. Many human rights defenders have stepped into the breach. They are condemning a reactionary religious opinion which violates the International Convention of the Rights of the Child, which Morocco has ratified, and the new Family Code, which fixes at 18 years the minimum age for marriage - regardless of sex. This is without taking into account that the Code itself is not inflexible on the subject of early marriage. "The legislature has exceptionally authorised early marriage and left it to the authority of a judge without the minimum age or contractual conditions of this type of marriage being made clear. The result is that the marriage of minors is still taking place," Fatiha Mesbahi, member of the central office of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights*, stresses. (*AMDH)

As a result, some fear that the fatwa encourages even more the marrying of minors, especially as, "in Morocco, a large percentage of the population is illiterate," comments Mourad Bekkouri, lawyer at the Rabat bar. "In the small villages, there is no way of knowing what is going to happen, how people are going to react. They could marry their daughters from age nine, thinking that the fatwa is official, while it has not been validated by the Higher Council of Ulema*." Given the risks, Me Mourad Bekkouri placed a complaint before the Rabat "Tribunal d'Instance" (Editor's note: lowest level court in the French judicial system) on September 4th and is waiting to see if the prosecutor will open an investigation.

*Ulema - Islamic lawyers. (Editor's note)

This fatwa is a crime against humanity.

For the lawyer, this struggle is for the preservation of innocence. And he doesn't mince his words: "I consider that this fatwa is an infringement of the rights of the child and a call to rape and to paedophilia." An opinion shared by several newspapers and associations. "At this stage, this is not promotion of paedophilia, it is paedophilia, full stop! At age nine, a girl is not mature enough for sexual relations, to receive sperm, to be impregnated...She might as well be killed in advance! This fatwa is a crime against humanity. The person who issued it should be charged," Mohammed Graigaa, executive director of the Moroccan Family Planning Association, strongly protests.

Saïda Drissi Amrani is president of the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women in Rabat. When she read the Al Jarida Al Oula article, it made her feel, "sickened," and she couldn't "finish reading the article." "It was the start of the school year. So, the message is what? Don't take your daughters to school, get them married? But can such a young girl understand what marriage is? Sexual relations? Is she really mature enough to decide? We mustn't justify the unjustifiable! Children are the parents' responsibility until aged 18, not a husband's!" rages Saïda Drissi Amrani, who classifies as "frustrated," and, "sick," those who look to religion for excuses to spread their ideas.

Excuses because Cheikh Mohamed ben Abderrahmane Al-Maghraoui omitted to report an important part of the Prophet's union with Aisha, and has thus, "sullied," the image of Islam in the name of his "fundamentalist," beliefs. "The Prophet did not consummate the marriage at the age that Aisha's father gave his daughter. It was indeed much later," is particularly noted by Mohammed Graigaa, who stresses that the person who issued the fatwa, "seeks merely to make himself important." Not impossible. According to several local newspapers, it is a salafiste* desperate for fame, who is issuing fatwas on controversial subjects in order to come out of the shadows.

* Someone who claims to be returning to the roots of Islam. (Editor's note)

To prevent further texts from creating scandal. Me Mourad Bekkouri considers that the Minister for Habous* and Religious Affairs should interest himself in controlling this sort of output. As for the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, "The AMDH," states indique Fatiha Mesbahi, "has always struggled for and called for religion to be separated from the State, which international conventions have ratified without reservation, and for domestic laws to be brought into line with international legislation. If that were the case, we would not be at the mercy of fatwas formulated to distort from the "Cheikh and the Ulema."

* Habous (also Houbous) (Arabic: الحبوس‎) is an Islamic term related to land property legislation in the Muslim world.

Habous can be classified into three main categories: private, public, or mixed. (Editor's note)

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

Kate and Gerry McCann Questions: brilliant YouTube video!

Video courtesy of alanw69 at the 3 Arguidos.

http://www.the3arguidos.net

Enfants Kidnappés 24/09/08: Eddie and Keela - what the Madeleine McCann case file says.

Inspection of the apartments.

Date: July 31st 2007 - 8pm. Report:

Participants:

PJ: Tavares A. & Ricardo P. Inspectors
UK: Mark Harrison, Martin Grime (UK Forensic Canine P SM Expert),
Eddie & Keela (English Springers)
Silvia B. Manager of the Ocean Club complex.

On that date, inspections were conducted in the apartments occupied by members of the McCann family as well as the group who were with them at the time of Madeleine McCann's disappearance. It was only on that date that the apartment, identified as that of the parents, was empty allowing further investigation which was authorised by the respective occupants. Thus, at the appointed time, the search with the dogs began, covering the following apartments:

5A:

From 8.30pm to 9.20pm, the dogs go through.
8.20pm: The cadaver dog, "marks," the couple's wardrobe area in the bedroom.
8.22pm: The cadaver dog, "marks" an area behind the sofa in the sitting room near the window overlooking the road.
From 8.47pm to 9.20pm, the blood detecting dog goes through.
8.10 (should it be 9.10?) The dog, "marks" an area of floor behind the sofa in the sitting room, near the window overlooking the road.

5B: 9.24 to 9.27pm: The cadaver dog did not alert on anything.

5D: 9.29 to 9.34pm: The cadaver dog did not alert on anything.

5H : 9.35 to 9.38pm : The cadaver dog did not alert on anything.

4G : 9.42 to 9.45pm : The cadaver dog did not alert on anything.

Garden belonging to apartment 5A (with access via the balcony and the steps):

9.49 to 10pm: The cadaver dog "marks" an area of the garden immediately below the window.

Date: 01 août 2007 - 06h00

Inspection of the surrounding areas.

Date: August 1st - 6am

After evaluation of the area surrounding the Ocean Club tourist village, based in Praia da Luz, taking account of the characteristic topography of the ground and the distance from where the small child Madeleine McCann disappeared, an inspection was carried out with the help of dogs specialised in the detection of cadaver odour, in various places, such as described:

1 - At 6.40am, an area between the "Piteira" road and the "Oliveira" road, was inspected. At 7.15am the inspection was completed with nothing being detected by the dogs.

2 - At 7.25am, an area adjacent to the "BEIJAFLOR" property on the "Figueira," road, defined by the "Ramalhete" road. An inspection of the whole area was made and nothing abnormal was noted. The inspection was completed at 7.45am.

3 - At 7.55am, an area between the "Casa Azul" residence on the "Figueira" road and the "Casa Pandora" residence as well as a dirt road on the left of the "Figueira" road was inspected by the dogs without anything abnormal being noted. The inspection ended at 8.05am.

4 - At 8.20am, an area between the residences "Casa Pandora" on the "Figueira" road, "Quinta Mimosa" and "Casa Ladeira" without anything abnormal being noted. The inspection ended at 8.40am.

A photographic report of the places inspected is attached.

Initial conclusion.

To the coordinator of the criminal investigation.

Faced with new elements revealed by the dog handling unit's search, attached to the report, and on the basis of Mark Harrison's report, there is every reason to believe that the small child Madeleine McCann died in apartment 5A where she was spending her holiday with her parents at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz. Following the markings by the cadaver odour detecting dogs and traces of human blood inside the apartment from which the child disappeared, we have done further extensive research, revealing that there was never a death, or a body, notified in this same apartment before. In this report, several places were marked, signaling the presence of cadaver odour and human blood. In addition, we can observe that a cadaver odour was detected in the garden adjacent to apartment 5A. Nothing was detected in the other residences.

It follows from this investigation that there are indications, in practice and in the facts, of the crime of murder such as defined in ArticleQI310 of the Penal Code.

So as to go further with this lead, of which certain results may reveal new evidence, we request authorisation to carry out further inspections, within the legal framework, in two distinct places:

1 - Rue des Fleurs no...The McCann family's current residence in Portugal.
2 - Rented vehicle Renault Scenic, registration ...DA - 27.

We suggest that this inspection is entrusted to the PJ and ask the Public Prosecutor for a 20 day mandate. Thus, we consider that there are indications that consolidate strong suspicions according to which, there are elements of evidence of a crime, inside the vehicle used by the McCanns and, moreover, likely to reveal important details of fundamental importance for the investigation.

Villa rue des Fleurs.

Report:

August 2nd 2007 -6.14pm - 27 Rue das Floras- Praia Da Luz - Lagos

Participants:

PJ: Ricardo P & J. Carlos P., inspectors.
UK: Mark Harrison, Martin Grime & Eddie.

On that date, within the context of a residential search, carried out at the McCann couple's current residence, an inspection by a dog handling team was made. Thus, at the time indicated at the beginning of the report, all areas of the property were inspected and the following results obtained:

6.36pm - The dog Eddie, who detects cadaver odours, "marked" the area of a cupboard in the living room. On checking, the dog was indicating a pink soft toy belonging to MadeleineMcCann.

The clothes.

Date: August 2nd 2007 - 11.20pm

On that date, following the home visit made to the McCanns' current residence, on the Rue des Fleurs, various items of clothing were laid out in an appropriate place for this purpose, to carry out an inspection by the dog handling unit.

The collected items of clothing were set out individually with the agreement and under the directions provided by the British technicians, the dogs having previously covered the space where the clothing was laid out.

1 - 11.20pm: Prior reconnaissance of the place by the two canine units to guarantee that the space was clear of all odours being sought. The reconnaissance was completed at 11.30pm without anything being signaled by the dogs.

2 - 11.30pm: An initial inspection by the human blood detecting dog, began with the clothing packed in the box bearing the notation: "Living room." At 11.40pm, the inspection was completed without the dog showing anything abnormal.

11.41: The canine human remains recovery dog started its inspection and "marked" various clothes. The inspection was completed at 11.52pm. The clothes were returned to their box for later use.

From 12.02am until 1.30am, (03/08/07) all the other boxes, containing clothing from the twins' bedroom, from the friends' bedroom, from the bedroom of the couple labeled 1 & 2, as well as the empty luggage, was inspected by the two dogs without conclusive results.

Apartment 5A - OCEAN CLUB

As joinder to the procedure. It is made known and according to superior orders that today at 8pm, specialists from LPC (Police forensics lab) Fernando V. and Lino R., after having seen the recorded images resulting from the inspection by the dog handling unit on 31/07/07 in apartment 5A, duly mandated, proceeded with the collection of whole floor tiles where the dogs used in the inspection indicated the possible existence of traces of human blood as well as the presence of a body in the apartment. The tiles were lifted so as to preserve possible samples to be analysed by the appropriate laboratory. This entire action was filmed in order to illustrate the way in which the lifting was accomplished and with what tools so that the experts had a better idea of the work.

Robert Murat/Casa Liliana

Report:

August 4th and 5th 2007.

Casa Liliana, residence of the suspect Robert Murat, situated on "Ramalhete" road - Praia da Luz - Lagos.

Participants:

PJ: Tavares A., chief inspector, J. Carlos P., Ricardo P, inspectors
UK: Mark Harrison, Martin Grime and Eddie.

On that date, within the context of residential visits, which were carried out at the home of the suspect ROBERT MURAT, an inspection by the dog handling unit was made in the gardens and inside the residence of the accused.

August 4th 2007 - 7.28pm: Start of the inspection of the gardens of the residence. Eddie, human remains recovery dog, covered the whole perimeter outside the dwelling and nothing abnormal was signaled.

August 5th 2007 - 3.22pm: The same dog inspected all rooms of the residence and nothing in particular was signaled.

RUSSELL O'BRIEN

To the coordinator of the criminal investigation.

In the context of the investigation, we have collected information concerning a vehicle used by RUSSELL O'BRIEN, friend and member of the group who spent their holiday with the McCann family in the Algarve . At the time of the request for vehicles considered important to the procedures that follow, we were not aware of the identification details of this vehicle. Meantime, our investigation has led us to establish that it may be a vehicle of the "Opel" range, a "Corsa" model, registration....AG - 62. At the present time, we do not have a mandate to search for and seize the vehicle to allow us to add the vehicle to the planned inspections. As a consequence, we request such a legal mandate in order to be able to realize the planned inspections.

Samples sent to the lab.

Between 3pm on August 4th 2007 and 6.30am on August 5th 2007, the following samples were recovered in the living room of apartment 5A at the OCEAN CLUB where a murder probably took place.

Samples 1A to 3B: recovered on the floor.
Samples 4A to 13B: recovered on the wall.
Samples 14A to 15B: recovered behind the sofa.
Sample 16A: recovered from the blue curtain.
Samples 16B: recovered from the white curtain behind the blue curtain.

All of these elements have been handed over to the Birmingham Forensic Science Services. (FSS)

Samples recovered in the car.

Between August 6th at 9.30pm and August 7th at 4am, the following samples were recovered in the grey Renault Scenic car.

From the driver's side:

1A: Hair
1B: Fibre and hairs
1C: Fibres and hairs
1D: Fingernail

Front passenger side:

2A: Hair
2B: Hair
2C: Fibres and hairs
2D: Fibres and hairs
2E: Fingernail

Between the seats:

3A: Hair

Back seat:

4A: Hair
4B: Fibres and hairs
4C: Fibres and hairs

Centre seat:

5A: Hair
5B: Fibres and hairs
5C: Fibres and hairs

Right-hand seat:

6A: Hair
6B: Fibres and hairs
6C: Fibres and hairs

Luggage compartment (rear boot)

7A: Hair
7B: Fibres and hairs
7C: Fibres

8A: Hair
8B: Fibres and hairs
8C: Fibres and hairs

9, 10 and 11: Hair

12: Car key

13: Control samples of seat fabric

All of these were handed over to Birmingham FSS for analyses.

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

Enfants Kidnappés 22/09/08 - The McCann case: a suspect, the follow-up and conclusion.

Enfants Kidnappés

A suspect (follow-up and conclusion)

22 septembre 2008

Investigation on the ground.

It is May 5th 2007, two days after Madeleine McCann's disappearance:

On this date we are carrying out extensive further investigations to gather information within the context of the procedure. To this end, the whole of the tourist enterprise, called the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz was covered.

The said enterprise comprises several apartment blocks, as well as some small apartments spread out over four buildings, only separated by roads or shrubbery, called Waterside Gardens, Waterside Village, Club Cottage and Ocean Club Gardens. Another building, called CRISTALUZ, adjoining the Ocean Club, but not belonging to the same company, was visited. In this way, 443 residences were visited and all the respective inhabitants were identified and interviewed for any information they may have had about the disappearance of the small child, Madeleine McCann, checking out all situations or suspicious attitudes as well as their previous police records.

We have also inspected the unoccupied residences, to which we had access thanks to the staff of the tourist organisation. This extensive investigation was carried out by 6 teams of PJ inspectors, helped by different members of the Ocean Club's staff.

Lance R. Interview.

The interested party comes to us as a witness. Being a foreign citizen, he has no command of Portuguese and Inspector J.D., present during this interview, will assist as interpreter for the informant, who states:

He has been a permanent resident in Praia da Luz for two years where he owns an apartment in co-ownership with his parents. Professionally, he manages various properties for other people. He is aware of the events we are working on and for which he comes to us via the media and notably by way of the Sky News channel. In the course of door-to-door enquiries carried out yesterday by PJ inspectors, giving him a description of a potential suspect with a description of the clothes worn by the same suspect, the informant remembered having seen someone resembling that description two weeks ago.

The said person has been seen several times in Praia da Luz by the informant. He is a person of around 30/40 years old, around 1.7m., usually dressed in dark colours, wearing jeans, with dark skin and dark hair. The informant does not remember any other details about the individual but he would be able to recognise him if the person was presented to him in person or in a photo. The informant states that he saw the individual on the access road to Praia da Luz as well as near the pharmacy situated on Rue Helena do Nascimento Baptista, also in Praia da Luz. The informant only had visual contact with the suspect, having seen him alone and on foot. The informant is only informing the PJ because the person he is speaking of corresponds to the profile described by the PJ investigators and the individual is not like the usual sort of tourists in Praia da Luz.

The informant goes to be interviewed by our artists to create a working drawing of the person to whom he is referring, bearing the no. 19/2007. The informant wished to add that, to him, the individual seemed to be suffering from mild psychological problems. The informant has nothing else to add. After reading with the interpreter accompanying the present procedure, who explains to him, he goes on and signs.

Suspicious vehicle.

We refer to our log of vehicle registrations to highlight all Renault Clio vehicles with a registration number with the last four figures: AV-67. it appears that the vehicle in question is registered..- AV - 67 and the owner is a self-drive rental agency.

Rental vehicle.

At the headquarters of the self-drive vehicle rental company, "Luzcar rent-a-car," we asked them to provide us with all the information concerning the vehicle bearing the registration number...AV - 67 for the period from 28/04/07 to the time of the present investigation. It was possible to determine that the vehicle was rented on April 28th at Faro airport by a Polish citizen, named W.K., staying at Solimar in Burgau where he reserved the accommodation via the internet. We now attach a copy of the reservation email. The Polish citizen paid for the reservation with credit card no. 5185... . .... .... ... valid until May 2008.

The contract was drawn up by Nelson M., an employee of the agency, whose interview is attached. A photocopy of the hire agreement is attached as an appendix. The vehicle was returned to the hire company on May 5th 2007 at Faro airport and has already been hired out again according to information given to us by Luis F., an agency employee. Currently, the vehicle is on hire to Clere E. at Parc da Floresta no...in Budens, Vila do Bispo.

We have carried out investigations to find out where W.K. was staying. He was staying in apartment no.... Solimar building, Ficticia à Budens Road. That apartment is managed by the company ATB, situated on the Main Street, Marretas building, Burgau, Vila do Bispo, whose director, the person named Nuno F., we have contacted.

That apartment belongs to Peter and Margaret O., who live in Windsor Grove, Cardiff, Wales. Photocopies of documents showing complete identification for Peter and Margaret O. are attached as well as a copy of the rental documents. It is to be noted that after W.K.'s departure, the apartment has had no other lettings. A key to the apartment has been given to us to carry out any further investigations deemed necessary.

Interpol

In the context of the investigation into the disappearance of the little British girl, Madeleine McCann, in Praia da Luz, during the night of May 3rd 2007, it is of vital concern for the investigation that the relevant authorities make enquiries about the citizens of Polish nationality, of whom the known details are, W.K., holder of Polish driving licence no. 6307...and Anetta K., partner of W.K., to find out if they have criminal records. They arrived at Faro airport on April 28th 2007 on flight Al32744 from Berlin and they left Faro, today, on Air Berlin flight AB2745. We also request information about the final destination of these two passengers.

The follow-up investigation.

In order to determine the comings and goings of the couple of Polish nationality, who spent their holiday in Bergau, we approached several business establishments and on the basis of the description which we have of the couple, the owner of the "Beach Bar" advised us that it could be two of his clients. He seemed to recall that the couple had lunch and dinner two or three times, without remembering the exact days, but it would have been at the beginning of the week. He knows that they are Polish because they spoke about football on the day of the Liverpool/Chelsea match, saying that Liverpool's goalkeeper was Polish. The match in question took place on May 1st 2007. They also discussed Portuguese and Brazilian classical music.

The couple know several performers from those countries. They asked the owner of the bar where they could buy music of this genre. The owner directed them to the FNAC shop at the Algarve shopping centre or to the Chiado commercial centre. They said they would probably go to Lisbon the same day. To the restaurateur, the couple seemed quite atypical of holiday-makers to that place. They paid in cash. The owner, however, did not perceive any abnormal behaviour from the couple.

The investigation determines that the couple effectively went to FNAC at the Chiado centre on May 2nd 2007 where they bought two comedy musicals CDs, paid for with credit card no. ... ... ... ..., the same one used to pay the Luzcar rent-a-car company for the hire of the vehicle, registration...AV-67. We seized the surveillance video and we attach photos from the FNAC surveillance system in which we can see the Polish couple in question.

Nelson M. interview.

The informant was heard as a witness. He is employed by the vehicle rental company called, "Luzcar," where he has worked for two years as receptionist. According to the register it was he who was on duty during the hiring of the vehicle...AV - 67, a grey 2006 Renault Clio. He delivered the vehicle which, meanwhile, has been returned today at 6.45am as the register states. He does not remember the client who hired this vehicle because he delivers 30 vehicles a day, but he states that the register contains all the useful information.

• The delivery place.
• Date and time.
• Client's name.
• Exact home address.
• Temporary address in Portugal.
• Nationality.
• Driving license.
• Credit card number.
• Private telephone number.

He does not remember anything else. After reading, he goes on and signs.

End of this lead and our conclusion.

The, "suspect," couple were clearly identified and quickly exonerated. Witnesses recognised them from photos. I will leave out the couple's explanations and their alibi, which are of no interest, since they are innocent. So, why this series of articles about, "a suspect."? Quite simply to show that one or more leads were followed up rigorously and professionally. Also to show that thephotofit published widely by the British press, about a month ago, was not an unknown suspect or an abandoned lead, but indeed someone clearly identified in the case file to which the journalists as well as Clarence Mitchell and the McCanns have had access. Finally, I have published these articles because they are contained in the case file and we want to apply transparency to this case.

In the news.

We note that the suspects (Arguidos) had until September 20th to request the PJ to continue their search for Madeleine McCann. It would seem not to be the case. The parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, have allegedly not asked the police to continue their research into Madeleine's disappearance.