Proud of the PJ

In your face!

2011-06-03T19:55:00.002+01:00

ECU Ruling: East Midlands Today, BBC1 (East Midlands), 12 January 2011
Publication date: 30 May 2011

Complaint
The programme included a brief exchange between a reporter and Gonçalo Amaral (a former policeman who had worked on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and had since written a book on the case). One word in the exchange was bleeped, and the report gave the impression that this was because Sr Amaral had used offensive language about the MrCanns. A viewer complained that this was inaccurate and unfair to Sr Amaral.
Outcome
The reporter's belief, reinforced by others on the programme team who viewed the recording, was that Sr Amaral had indeed used an English phrase which included an offensive term applied to the McCanns. On further examination, however, it became clear that Sr Amaral had been speaking Portuguese, and that an inoffensive phrase had been misconstrued. Upheld
Further action
The Editor of the programme has discussed the outcome with the producer and reporter involved. In future, the team plans to use interpreters if clips from interviews are unclear.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/content/ecu/ecu_eastmidlandstoday120111

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2010-12-22T21:50:00.002Z

to all those who believe and still fight for Justice!

Unbanned!

2010-10-19T13:24:00.002+01:00

New appeal

2010-08-15T00:17:00.002+01:00

RIP, Carina

2010-06-08T00:26:00.001+01:00

Descansa em Paz

On strike

2010-05-02T14:24:00.000+01:00

and refusing to go with the spinning flow.

Psychic lawyers or how to piss off judges

2010-03-29T13:38:00.005+01:00

On the Cipriano case, the Supreme Court of Justice [link to the Supreme court decision, process 330/04.2JAPTM-B.S1] of 17/12/2009 signed by the judges Souto Moura, Soares Ramos and Carmona da Mota dismissed the new appeal to revise the sentence of Leonor Cipriano presented by her lawyer, Marcos Aragão Correia. The lawyer presented as new evidence for the appeal a confession letter signed by João Cipriano where he allegedly stated that he had «attempted to sell» Joana Cipriano - a confession, as the lawyer bragged on the media, that was given because he 'bluffed' João Cipriano, telling him to «sign the confession adding that if he did not say the truth, an inmate from another prison that was going to be transferred to that establishment would murder him, simulate his suicide, on behalf of the people who wanted to buy Joana». João Cipriano ended up presenting a different version to the Sentence Execution Court, in Lisbon, he “denied to have written, signed and did not remember having dictated", to anyone, the contents of a statement that was presented as being authored by him but admitted to his sister lawyer visit.

Marcos Aragão Correia stated that on his visit to João Cipriano on 18th May 2009, who is detained at the Carregueira prison, in Belas (Sintra) he saw [as a psychic] "lots of blood running down his face as if he was guilty of an heinous crime" - the same lawyer also said that he is not completely sure that Joana is dead because in another «vision» he saw her "walking accompanied by a couple". The lawyer also presented the 8 page declaration written by Leonor Cipriano on 15 January 2009 [translated here] which gave [another] different version of the events of that night, accusing her brother of murdering Joana, a declaration that at the same time admitted that Leonor was willing to «sell» her daughter Joana to an alleged foreign couple. The lawyer also presented witnesses statements made by elements of the Cipriano family, excerpts of the book written by criminologist Barra da Costa, a private letter and a PJ's old report to which the lawyer admitted receiving in an unclear manner. Marcos Aragão Correia additionally fundamented the appeal using a persistent attack on Gonçalo Amaral, the PJ coordinator of the Joana Case - in the appeal the lawyer stated that «We can not therefore be admired by the calamitous results of a criminal investigation handed to a dangerous and violent alcoholic, even more catastrophic when we are before serious crimes committed against children, to whom, only too late appeared the good sense of removing him from the investigations when the same alcoholic repeated the same gross mistakes without fundamentation and without any evidence against the mother of another missing child in the Algarve (Madeleine Beth McCann)» [in the process document 330/04.2JAPTM-B.S1 and from Marcos Aragão Correia own site.

The Public Ministry understood that the revision should be denied, adding that "Having seen the text of the appeal, there is a clear attempt to tarnish the image of the Judiciary Police, especially of one former element of that Police who was involved in the investigation of the case which led to the conviction" and "this animosity can not serve to justify the application for review of the decision, much less affirmations like «Apparently, II [Gonçalo Amaral] took a course in criminal investigation in Guinea-Bissau or in an analogous country, or was driven by motives for us as yet unknown so that the truth was not to be discovered». The Public Ministry also added «But beyond this, and still under the same scope, the Public Ministry has to raise the question about the legitimacy of joining to the appeal a private letter, referred to as a letter sent by the wife of one PJ element to his hierarchy superior, as well as a service report from the PJ picket, documents that the distinguished lawyer stated to have reached his hands in an illicit manner, which nevertheless did not inhibit the the lawyer of joining them to the process."

On the confession forced by Marcos Aragão Correia «bluff» the Public Ministry stated: "And, in that which refers to the co-defendant CC [João Cipriano], it is understood that the activity of the distinguished lawyer goes beyond all legal and ethical rules to which he owes obedience" and "The description given by the distinguished lawyer himself of how he obtained the 'declaration' signed by the arguido [João Cipriano], who is represented by another lawyer, is almost frightening, and an absolutely forbidden method of obtaining evidence". Regarding the new declaration made by Leonor Cipriano the Public Ministry stated: "It is pathetic the justification that she gave - of only now revealing the facts for being afraid of being arrested for trying to sell her daughter" and "what follows here is a desperate attempt by the defendant/appellant to escape liability for the acts performed by her and for which she is serving a sentence". (...)

The Public Ministry then summarizes the grounds for denying the appeal: «Appeal for revision, which, from the above, should be denied by:

- Not being admissible, given the failure to report «new» facts, already known by the defendants at the time of conviction;

- Even admitting the possibility of the review with those facts, it is certain that the «declarations» appended to the process are not valid;

- Even accepting that validity, they do not contain credible evidence;

- And, even if they were understood as that they would not be enough to raise a sufficient doubt to review the final decision, since they are unaccompanied by other elements of evidence;»

The Supreme Court of Justice collective of judges gave a similar fundamentation for the denial of the appeal to revise Leonor Cipriano's sentence.

Complete article here:

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2010/03/news-recap-amaral-mccanns-halligen-and.html

Chill pill needed

2010-02-13T14:22:00.004Z

F*** the BBC

2010-01-15T16:55:00.002Z

My New Best Friend

Spare a thought for my new best friend Goncalo Amaral.

I’m beginning to think the former detective in the Madeleine McCann case has a point when he complains about the British media attacking him.

My Beeb colleague accused him of saying “F*** the McCanns” in an alleged off-guard moment when we all followed him out of court the other day.

What he actually said was “Fala com McCanns” which means “Ask the McCanns”.

The rest of us, through our interpreters, understood perfectly what he was saying.

I think he needs a good libel lawyer.

Isabel Duarte may be free when she has finished pursuing him over his book on the Madeleine case.

http://blogs.news.sky.com/lifeofcrime/Post:3a3b2db6-247f-40db-a103-4d2e0778bf18

Worth the wait

2010-01-12T20:36:00.004Z

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Madeleine-McCann-Kate-And-Gerry-McCann-Arrive-In-Lisbon-For-Start-Of-Goncalo-Amaral-Libel-Trial/Article/201001215519468?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15519468_Madeleine_McCann%3A_Kate_And_Gerry_McCann_Arrive_In_Lisbon_For_Start_Of_Goncalo_Amaral_Libel_Trial

Especially dedicated to the WHORES and BASTARDS who admire and defend child murderers

2010-01-09T13:41:00.004Z

Supreme Court refuses to review Joana case sentence

João and Leonor Cipriano, co-accused of having murdered Joana Isabel Guerreiro Cipriano

by José Manuel Oliveira

Lack of new evidence dictated decision. João Cipriano denies his niece’s death and accuses his sister of having sold her daughter.

The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) deliberated not to carry out the sentence review that had been requested by Leonor Cipriano, who serves a 16-year prison sentence, just like her brother, João Manuel, over the co-authorship of the death of her daughter Joana, who went missing on the night of 12/09/2004, in the village of Figueira, near Portimão, where she lived, and whose body has still not appeared.

The judicial decision is due to not existing “effectively new facts”, nor “truly relevant” evidence” hearing the two inmates within an extraordinary appeal for revision of sentence, in December 2009. The child’s mother’s lawyer, Marcos Aragão Correia, has lamented the judicial decision and stated to Diário de Notícias, yesterday, that he will gather “new evidence in order to request a new revision”.

The Supreme Court’s decision, that is dated 17/12/2009 and signed by judges Souto Moura, Soares Ramos and Carmona da Mota, which Diário de Notícias had access to, mentions that João Manuel Cipriano, Joana’s uncle, who was heard at the Sentence Execution Court, in Lisbon, “denies having written, denies having signed and does not remember having dictated, to anyone, the contents of a statement that was presented as being authored by him”. Nonetheless, he confirms the visit from his sister’s lawyer, Aragão Correia, to the Carregueira Prison, in Belas (Sintra), where he is held, who asked him to speak about his niece’s case, adding that if he did not say the truth, an inmate from another prison might come to murder him on behalf of the people who wanted to buy Joana.

After recognising, during said meeting with Aragão Correia, that he had murdered his niece after trying to sell her, a deal that failed “because there was no money”, João Cipriano ended up presenting a different version to the Supreme Court’s judges. According to the document, he asserted that he “never tried to sell his niece to anyone, but on the night that she disappeared, his sister told him to come to the door because there was a car near the church that was going to take her daughter, whom she had sold to a foreign couple”. In that statement, Joana’s uncle says that he “saw the car, saw his niece entering the vehicle in which she was driven away. He never saw his niece again.”

On the other hand, Leonor Cipriano confesses that it was her brother who talked her into handing her daughter over to a Spanish couple in exchange for money, but when facing a failed deal, João “killed” the child and buried her body “in the hills of Figueira”.

source: Diário de Notícias, 09.01.2010

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2010/01/supreme-court-refuses-to-review-joana.html

Merry Christmas, with LOVE. :-)

2009-12-23T17:45:00.002Z

Give Madeleine a chance

2009-12-05T17:42:00.003Z

video by Justice and Truth * Acta non verba – Actions, not words

Mr.and Mrs. McCann: Give Madeleine a Chance, please ask the Portuguese Public Ministry to reopen the archived Case, for Madeleine's sake, for your daughter.

And while her parents don't ask and don't fight for the re-opening of Maddie's archived case, let's help them by pressuring the Portuguese Public Ministry to re-open the investigation so that international police forces can work together to find Madeleine. Sign the Petition here.

Gonçalo Amaral - Defence Fund/ Fundo de Defesa: Help/ Ajude!

2009-11-20T18:15:00.004Z

http://pjga.blogspot.com/

Press Release – Defence Fund

11.20.2009

For Immediate Release

The movement ‘Citizens in Defence of Rights and Freedoms – Project Justice Gonçalo Amaral’ formally announces the creation of a defence fund by means of a solidarity account to support citizen Gonçalo Amaral, who has been deprived of his civil right to free expression.

Freedom of expression is an inalienable constitutional right, for which the Portuguese people have fought hard, and that cannot be placed at stake, namely when it is exercised with responsibility and with civility.

Citizen Gonçalo Amaral presently finds himself in the front line of a struggle for freedom of expression. An unequal struggle, in which the parties have access to disparate financial resources – citizen Gonçalo Amaral is forced to exhaust all and any personal resources that he may possess, and which are manifestly insufficient to meet the expenses that are inherent to his defence.

His opponents, who are well aware of this limitation, and who are financed by third parties to place considerable resources at their disposal, risk little or nothing, and gamble everything to silence the former Judiciary Police coordinator.

Gonçalo Amaral desires nothing more than to see this matter duly clarified in a court of law, which is the only place where the material truth of facts can, and should, be established. And we, Portuguese citizens, will do anything to see that happen.

Both parties must have equal access to Justice, and to adequate legal representation. In this particular case, we see a need to create a legal defence fund, in order to ensure that citizen Gonçalo Amaral is given access to said equality.

Therefore, the citizens who wish to show their solidarity with this cause, may contribute with their support through a bank account at Banco Português de Investimento (BPI) with NIB: 0010 0000 438 0385 000 1 62; IBAN: PT 50 0010 0000 438 0385 000 1 62; Swift: BB PI PT PL.

The ‘Project Justice Gonçalo Amaral’ blog – www.pjga.blogspot.com – offers the possibility to donate using the PayPal system.

This action is subject to principles of full transparency and seriousness.

For equal Justice for all, in respect of civil rights and duties of Portuguese and European citizens.

For Truth and for Freedom.

For further information please contact Mr. Luís Arriaga on +351 92 501 19 69, or use the email projectojustica@gmail.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Press Release – Fundo de Defesa

11.20.2009

Para divulgação imediata

O movimento ‘Cidadãos pela Defesa dos Direitos e Liberdades - Projecto Justiça Gonçalo Amaral’ anuncia formalmente a criação de um fundo de defesa através de uma conta de solidariedade para apoio ao cidadão Gonçalo Amaral, privado do seu direito cívico de livre expressão.

A liberdade de expressão é um direito constitucional inalienável, pelo qual o povo português lutou arduamente e que não pode ser posto em causa, nomeadamente quando exercido com responsabilidade e respeitando a lei.

O cidadão Gonçalo Amaral encontra-se presentemente na primeira linha da luta pelo direito de expressão. Uma luta desigual, em que as partes dispõem de recursos financeiros díspares – o cidadão Gonçalo Amaral vê-se forçado a esgotar todos e quaisquer recursos pessoais de que possa dispor, e que são manifestamente insuficientes para fazer frente às despesas inerentes à sua defesa.

Os seus opositores, cientes desta limitação, e financiados por terceiros que colocam à sua disposição avultadas quantias, pouco ou nada arriscam, e tudo jogam para silenciar o antigo coordenador da Polícia Judiciária.

Gonçalo Amaral nada mais deseja do que ver este assunto devidamente esclarecido em tribunal, o único local onde a verdade material dos factos pode, e deve, ser apurada. E nós, cidadãos portugueses, tudo faremos para que tal possa ocorrer.

Ambas as partes devem ter igual acesso à Justiça, e a representação legal adequada. Neste caso em particular, afigura-se-nos necessário o estabelecimento de um fundo de defesa legal para assegurar que o cidadão Gonçalo Amaral tenha acesso a essa igualdade.

Assim sendo, os cidadãos que se queiram solidarizar com esta causa, poderão contribuir com o seu apoio através de uma conta bancária sedeada no Banco Português de Investimento (BPI) com o NIB: 0010 0000 438 0385 000 1 62; IBAN: PT 50 0010 0000 438 0385 000 1 62; Swift: BB PI PT PL.

No blog ‘Projecto Justiça Gonçalo Amaral’ – www.pjga.blogspot.com -, poderão ser efectuados donativos através do sistema PayPal.

Esta acção encontra-se sujeita a princípios de total transparência e seriedade.

Por uma Justiça igual para todos, no respeito pelos direitos e deveres cívicos dos cidadãos Portugueses e Europeus.

Pela Verdade e pela Liberdade.

Para esclarecimentos adicionais contacte Dr. Luís Arriaga, através do 351 92 501 19 69 ou através do email projectojustica@gmail.com

Ajuda/ Help

2009-11-09T00:14:00.003Z

Manifesto

No dia 9 de Setembro de 2009, Portugal tomou conhecimento, através da comunicação social, de uma ocorrência gravíssima neste país que tanto lutou pela Democracia: um acto de censura contra um livro.

O livro “Maddie: A Verdade da Mentira” foi sujeito a uma providência cautelar que visou, não apenas a suspensão da venda do livro e do DVD baseado na obra, mas também de toda e qualquer divulgação da tese veiculada pelo Dr. Gonçalo Amaral, autor do livro e ex-coordenador da Polícia Judiciária, sobre o caso ‘Madeleine McCann’.

Com este acto, bania-se não apenas a obra escrita, mas todo um pensamento: a expressão de uma opinião, baseada em factos de uma investigação policial; uma conclusão racional, responsável e adulta.

No entanto, tal providência cautelar era apenas a ponta de um icebergue. Na acção principal a que se refere, os pais de Madeleine visam extorquir ao Dr. Gonçalo Amaral a soma de 1.2 milhões de euros – um valor astronómico e fora de qualquer proporção, seja legal, seja ético.

Uma segunda providência cautelar viria ainda apreender bens e vencimentos ao requerido, manietando a sua capacidade de resposta em termos financeiros, uma vez que as custas judiciais e de processo se encontram indexadas ao valor exigido na acção principal. Desta forma, sem capacidade de livre expressão e economicamente asfixiado, completa-se o cerco a um Homem que tem procurado, com elevado custo pessoal e familiar, única e exclusivamente a reabertura de um processo judicial, para que se possa concluir uma investigação que muitos consideram ter ficado aquém das suas potencialidades.

O Dr. Gonçalo Amaral não pode falar. Mas nós, Cidadãos Portugueses, podemos falar por ele.

Podemos falar, e podemos agir.

Agir na defesa da liberdade de expressão, direito constitucional que entendemos inalienável, sobretudo quando é exercido de forma responsável e madura.

Agir no apoio a quem se vê privado de meios para se defender legalmente, na sequência de manobras deliberadas por parte de quem visa a sua destruição, pessoal e profissional.

Agir porque hoje a vítima da mordaça da censura é o Dr. Gonçalo Amaral – amanhã poderá ser qualquer um de nós.

Este Projecto visa a acção e o apoio a quem procura Justiça. Os Cidadãos que dão início a este movimento, associam-se de forma livre, independente e apolítica, unidos na defesa da liberdade de expressão e no respeito mútuo.

A nossa primeira acção é o lançamento de uma petição; outras iniciativas se seguirão.

Pelo exercício de uma cidadania livre, firme e responsável, não nos calaremos. Junte-se a nós!

Leia Mais aqui , e assine a Petição!

Ajude-nos a passar a palavra.

Siga os updates e partilhe-os no Twitter ou no Facebook.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Manifesto

On the 9th of September, 2009, Portugal and the World learned, through the media, about an extremely serious occurrence in this country that fought so hard for Democracy: an act of censorship against a book.

The book “Maddie: A Verdade da Mentira” was subject to an injunction that sought not only the suspension of sales of the book and the DVD that was based on it, but also of any and all divulgation of the thesis that is defended by Dr. Gonçalo Amaral, author of the book and former Judiciary Police coordinator, about the ‘Madeleine McCann’ case.

Through this action, a ban was imposed not merely on the written work, but on an entire line of thought: the expression of an opinion, based on the facts of a police investigation; a rational, responsible, mature decision.

Nonetheless, said injunction was merely the tip of an iceberg. In the main action that it refers to, Madeleine’s parents seek to extort the sum of 1.2 million Euros from Dr. Gonçalo Amaral – an astronomical amount that is out of any proportion, both legal, and ethical.

A second injunction succeeded in apprehending belongings and professional income from the defendant, stifling his capacity to respond in financial terms, given the fact that judicial and process costs are indexed to the value that is demanded through the main action. In this manner, stripped of his freedom of expression and economically asphyxiated, the siege on a Man who, at huge personal and family cost, seeks nothing more than the reopening of a judicial process, in order to conclude an investigation that so many consider has been cut off halfway through, closes in.

Dr. Gonçalo Amaral cannot speak. But we, Citizens of the World, can speak for him.

We can speak, and we can act.

We can act to defend freedom of expression, a constitutional right that we see as inalienable, mainly when it is exercised in a responsible, mature manner.

We can act to support a Man who is deprived of the means to legally defend himself, following deliberate manoeuvres from those who seek his personal and professional destruction.

We can act because today, the victim of censorship’s gag is Dr. Gonçalo Amaral – tomorrow it can be any one of us.

This Project seeks action and support for a Man who wants Justice. The Citizens that initiate this movement associate in a free, independent and apolitical form, united in the defence of freedom of expression, and in mutual respect.

Our first action is the launch of a petition; other initiatives will follow.

For the exercise of free, firm and responsible citizenship, we will not be silenced.
Join us!

Read more here, and sign the Petition.

Help us spread the word.

Follow the updates and share them at Twitter or in Facebook.

http://pjga.blogspot.com/

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/11/cidadaos-pela-defesa-dos-direitos-e.html

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/11/citizens-in-defence-of-rights-and.html

A real JOURNALIST

2009-11-06T00:42:00.006Z

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/11/sandra-felgueiras-interviews-mccann.html

http://blip.tv/file/2813972

http://tv1.rtp.pt/programas-rtp/index.php?p_id=1871&e_id=511&c_id=1&dif=tv

I hope all the pathetic wimps in the UK who have the nerve of calling themselves journalists without bursting out laughing watch this, learn what a JOURNALIST is and grow some damn balls.

Splinters

2009-10-29T20:01:00.002Z

American book about Maddie's disappearance defends Gonçalo Amaral's theory

The theory that Madeleine McCann was not abducted will again be printed on the pages of a book, this time authored by Brian Johnson. Written in English, “Faked Abduction” defends that the abduction theory was built to conceal what the book alleges to be the truth about what happened to Madeleine. The publishing is programmed for the internet and for the North American market before Christmas and is a response to the prohibition of Gonçalo Amaral’s book, “Madeleine, The Truth About The Lie”

by Rita Jordão

In a statement to SIC, one of the persons responsible for the book’s publication and the author of the truthformadeleine.com website stated that he had been in negotiations with the former PJ inspector to publish the book on North American soil. “The negotiations were cancelled after the Portuguese judge’s decision, so we decided to write a book in English, which is factual and non speculative”, defended the person known as Stevo.

According to the same source, the title “Faked Abduction is the conclusion of deep investigative work. The document also includes countless excerpts from the files of the investigation that was carried out by the PJ, and is already being translated into German for possible international publication.

According to the author, the book “illustrates the various witnesses’ inconsistencies, the constant changes in the versions and the lack of cooperation from the McCanns and their friends, known as the Tapas 7, with the police”. “The McCanns have tried to prevent people from publishing the truth about the case (…) after reading the book, you decide for yourselves if this was a Faked Abduction or not”, says Brian Johnson in the text that introduces “Faked Abduction”.

Kate and Gerry McCann’s spokesperson stated that he had no knowledge about the book, yet asserted that any attempt to defame will face justice.

source: SIC, 29.10.2009

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/10/american-book-about-maddies.html

Naughty, naughty Sunday Express

2009-10-18T12:06:00.000+01:00

Satellite Clue to Maddie Kidnap

By James Murray

Home Secretary Alan Johnson is prepared to ask US spy chiefs for satellite images which may show the face of Madeleine McCann’s kidnapper, following intervention by the Sunday Express.

Hope of new progress came after it emerged Leicestershire Police never made a formal request to the Home Office for views of Praia da Luz on Portugal’s Algarve at the time the little girl vanished in May 2007.

The quality of pictures taken by satellites in space is now so good they can reputedly identify the colour of someone’s eyes.

Last night a senior source with the Portuguese police said: “We know US spy satellites regularly sweep over Portugal looking at military installations and government facilities.

“So we thought they might actually have images of Praia da Luz on the day of the kidnapping and the preceding days.

“We hoped spy images may have captured the kidnapper watching the apartment prior to the event or even on the day itself. Obviously, having a picture would have speeded up the apprehension of the offender.”

Yet more than two years after Madeleine was snatched no help has been forthcoming, despite early requests from senior Portuguese detectives.

The Portuguese source explained: “This was fully discussed with Leicestershire Police and officials with the British Government.

“We were confident of getting progress because of Gordon Brown’s interest in the case and this apparent special relationship between Britain and the United States.

“Your ambassador to Portugal even visited our officers soon after the kidnap.

“The bad news for us is that we got nowhere with this avenue of inquiry, which was both frustrating and infuriating.”

For, despite all the talk, nothing appears to have been done officially with the British government and the formal requests were never made.

Last night a spokesman for Mr Johnson said extensive checks within the security intelligence community had failed to discover any formal request ever having come to them through Leicestershire Police from Portugal.

However, he said that if a request were now made Mr Johnson would see whether he could offer any assistance in trying to persuade the Americans to become co-operative.

The issue appears so sensitive that Prime Minister Mr Brown may have to speak directly to US President Barack Obama in order to achieve co-operation.

The Sunday Express sought explanations for the extraordinary situation from the US government’s ultra- secretive National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

The agency’s lawyers are now considering a Freedom of Information request from the Sunday Express.

A spokesman for the agency said: “NGA does not provide imagery to private citizens or private companies. For reasons of national security we do not discuss specifics about what images we have or our capabilities.”

Private investigators working for parents Kate and Gerry McCann, who live in Rothley, Leicestershire, have also tried to access US satellite images, but with no success.

source: Sunday Express, 18.10.2009

Read more: http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/#ixzz0UHhhv4Jp
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

Read more: http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/#ixzz0UHhcb6HI
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

Hmmm...

2009-10-12T13:04:00.001+01:00

Clarence Mitchell standing for election as an MP?

Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt's appeal for more Conservatives to be employed by BBC News could be about to be granted – except in reverse. Clarence Mitchell, the former BBC journalist turned spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, is planning to stand as a Tory MP in the next general election. Mitchell, who quit the corporation to head up the media monitoring unit at the government's Central Office of Information, will face a selection board early next month. He already knows the party's director of communications, Andy Coulson, rather well – from Coulson's time as editor of the News of the World.

in the Guardian

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/10/clarence-mitchell-standing-for-election.html

Lawyer jokes :-)

2009-10-06T12:45:00.000+01:00

Why won't sharks attack lawyers?

Professional courtesy.

What do you call a lawyer who's gone bad?

Senator.

What did the lawyer name his daughter?

Sue.

What do you get when you cross a lawyer with a demon from hell?

Another lawyer.

How many lawyer jokes are there?

Only three. The rest are true stories.

What are lawyers good for?

They make used car salesmen look good.

What is the difference between yogurt and the American Bar Association?

Yogurt has culture.

What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 50?

Your Honor.

What's the only disadvantage to using lawyers instead of rats in laboratory experiments?

It's harder to extrapolate the test results to human beings.

Why are laboratory scientists switching from rats to lawyers for their experiments?

1. Lawyers are more plentiful than rats;

2. The lab technicians don't get as attached to the lawyers, and

3. There are some things a rat just won't do.

What happens to a lawyer who is thrown out of a saloon?

He was disbarred.

What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a lawyer?

An offer you can't understand.

Hear about the terrorist that hijacked a 747 full of lawyers?

He threatened to release one every hour if his demands weren't met.

What's the difference between a dead skunk in the road and a dead lawyer in the road?

There are skid marks in front of the skunk.

What's the other difference between a lawyer and a vulture?

Vultures wait 'till you're dead to rip your heart out.

How do you know when your divorce is getting ugly?

When your lawyer doesn't seem like a bloodsucking leech anymore.

What's another difference between a lawyer and a vulture?

The lawyer gets frequent flyer miles.

What is the difference between a lawyer and a leech?

A leech will let go and drop off when its victim dies.

What's the difference between a female lawyer and a pit bull?

Lipstick.

What's the other difference between a lawyer and a prostitute?

Clothes.

What is the difference between a dead lawyer and a squished skunk in the road?

The vultures will eat the skunk.

What's the difference between a lawyer and a prostitute?

A prostitute will stop screwing you when you're dead.

A Very Happy Birthday

2009-10-02T00:00:00.001+01:00

Um forte abraço de parabéns para si, caro Gonçalo Amaral. Que o ano em que comemora a bela idade de 50 anos, seja o ano em que a justiça, em todas as suas vertentes, seja feita. Não podendo estar presente fisicamente, ficam os meus votos de um aniversário passado na companhia daqueles que lhe querem bem e que acreditam na vitória da verdade e da justiça.
Tudo de bom, são os meus votos.

Someone's certainly not happy today. Furious, probably...

2009-09-27T15:17:00.002+01:00

Someone must be distracted...

Sunday Express Exclusive Interview with Sofia Leal

Sofia and Gonçalo Amaral

THE wife of Portuguese detective Gonçalo Amaral has denied they are locked in a personal battle with Kate and Gerry McCann and has spoken of their pity for the distraught couple.

By James Murray

“Everyone thinks we are fighting the McCanns but this is not true,” said 38-year-old Sofia Leal in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express.

“I tell people all the time that they are having to endure the hardest pain in the world, which is losing a child.

“As a mother I cannot imagine what kind of pain that is. It is so hard.

“Like Kate McCann, I am a Catholic. The image of pain in the Catholic church is not Christ on the Cross but Mary holding her child in her arms. It is the pain of the loss of a child and there is no worse pain in the world. We are sorry for that.”

That pain was etched on the face of Kate McCann when she made a fleeting visit to Lisbon last week to meet her lawyers and to appeal for help in finding her daughter, snatched in May 2007 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve.

Close to tears, Kate said: ‘‘She’s six now but we’ve just got to keep going. It has been very harrowing and draining. But there is no choice, she needs us to find her and bring her home.”

In Portimão, 20 miles up the coast from Praia da Luz, Sofia spoke of the anguish suffered by her husband, who coordinated the McCann investigation. The McCanns are suing him for £1million they believe he has made with his book about the case, The Truth Of The Lie, and a documentary.

They are particularly angered over his claims that Madeleine is not alive. Civil servant Sofia says her 49-year-old husband suffered post traumatic stress after he was removed as head of the Madeleine investigation in September 2007. He took early retirement the following month, even though he lost two-thirds of his pension.

“It was a bad time for Gonçalo,” said Sofia. Even in his sleep he was going over in his mind what had happened to him and how his career was brought to a premature end.

“I heard him talking in the night because of nightmares. Everything he did, every action he took was going through his head.

“I was worried because he is such a calm, tender man but luckily over the past few months the nightmares have stopped.” Sofia, who works in the Portimão mayor’s office and is responsible for three major projects, including a new Algarve airport, speaks English fluently and is both amused and angered by comments aimed at her husband from some people in Britain. “We know how Gonçalo is portrayed in Britain, the caricature of a foreign detective missing the clues, but the reality is that you will not find a better detective in Portugal.

“There were many times in the investigation when his bosses said, ‘You have done enough’ but he kept working and working, chasing all the leads.

“There are satellites which probably have close-up pictures of what was happening on the ground that day. He tried to get the images but he couldn’t. The US said the satellites were trained on Morocco at the time and that was it. That is what annoys him because he says the inquiry was not completed to his satisfaction.

“Goncalo loves me and our three girls very much but he lives for his job. For him an investigation is like a mathematical equation.

“One and one has to make two. Until the answer is found he will not give up.” From the proceeds of the book her husband has bought a Jaguar car but she insists he has not made a lot of money and that he will defend the legal action.

“We are now living on one-third of our budget for the month but that is OK for us because he made the right decision,” she said.

“If he was financially motivated, he would have stayed in his job for the full pension but that is not his way.”

His 25-year-old daughter from his first marriage, also called Sofia, has just passed a law degree. His wife has a daughter Rita, 11, from her first marriage and she has a daughter, Agnes, with Gonçalo who will soon be six.

This week there is a double birthday celebration, Sofia’s today and her husband’s 50th on Friday.

“We will see all our family and friends and enjoy ourselves,” she said. “We are so lucky to have three beautiful girls in the family.

“Gonçalo is very proud of them all. He is very good with them at home but my only complaint is that he is not strict enough with them. He lets them do what they want where I have to be a little stricter.

“He never yells at them but he can also be a little overprotective. He is always worrying about them having accidents in the playground or wherever. I could not wish for a better father.”

The couple met 10 years ago through a friend and married in June 2000. They spent their honeymoon in the Azores, where her husband dreams of spending his retirement.

in Sunday Express

Just a little reminder

2009-09-25T01:09:00.002+01:00

First of all, I would like to post here again a brilliant comment by my friend Zodiac, from July 2008. I think that given the latest news, it is very, very appropriate and probably extremely useful. It still cracks me up, Zodiac! :-)

"My defence will be:

When I go out I always leave my doors unlocked and sometimes the windows are also left open. I enjoy wining and dining with my friends in another friends back garden approx 100 mts from my house, in fact it is just like sitting in my own back garden I can see the top of the roof of my house from my friend Stu Pidder's garden therefore I believe it is within the bounds of responsible home safety especially as we take it in turn to check on each others homes every 30 mins or so.
I am sure my Insurance Company would have no quibble with that when I need to make a claim if it were ever burgled. Every home owner does it! Although the chances of it being burgled in such circumstances are very rare hence the no need to lock up, imo.

Although there was one incident regarding a laptop in my home, I had gone to do my usual check and discovered my laptop had been moved, used and then replaced. I just knew as soon I entered the house that someone had been using it, the study door was half open, not the way I had left it, the small window to the rear was open, it was closed when I left. I looked at the desk and I could tell from the way the the mouse was sitting on the mat that it had been taken at some point in the evening and then replaced. I went back to Stu Pidder's and finished my wine and Tapas although this did kinda bother me I decided not to let it interfere with my dinner and my social life, my friends are important to me and it was the kind of night we were all into each other so why spoil it.

However with the art of hindsight I think this has been happening over a long period of time, maybe 14-16 months. I decided to mention it to my mates cos it was starting to annoy me that someone could just go into my unlocked home and use my laptop, I mean you do not expect that where we live it is very safe, very quiet and I really did not think for a minute something like that would happen, if I did think that I would never have left the doors unlocked.

Anyway, I was telling my friends my sad news when my closest mate in the whole world, Dolly Dimple said that when she was checking her home (a few months ago, FFS some friend!) she saw a guy walking past my house. She knew he was a local, he had bright orange hair, he was peally whally white, wore a kilt, sipped Whisky from a small flask, was humming 'Donald where's your troosers' and carried bag pipes under his right arm. She thought he was a bit odd because he had something under his left arm wrapped in a blanket with a mouse hanging out, she watched him walk up the street and he hid in a neighbours front garden. She said she walked up and peeped over the hedge to see what he was doing. He was sitting with what she now knows was my laptop, it had my name on it 'Amya Moron' but at the time she just thought someone shared the same name as me. She said he was sitting in the neighbours garden, she could see him clearly as the Streetlamp gave her a clear view, he was laughing like a hyena she could only see some of the words on the screen...3.. and... A...and...rows of pictures, then he was typing a word...Zodi....that was all she could see.
She said she would definately be able to recognize him again as he has a distinctive walk, it looks like he is doing the highland fling, she would recognize him any where despite not being able to see his face.

My witnesses for all the occassions that my laptop was used without my permission are:

Stu Pidder and his partner Ida Nyit.
Patty O'Furniture and her partner Pop Sickle.
Xavier Breath and his partner Sue Cherself.
Dolly Dimple and her partner Hyman Idiot.
And of course not forgetting my PR rep should I need one Boabie Puller."

And then, so we will never, ever forget where some of our opinions come:

Had to wear one the these today

2009-09-23T20:51:00.002+01:00

because there was a weird stench in the air. I heard it will go away soon.

A great message, don't you think?

2009-09-13T15:56:00.002+01:00

Viva La Vida - Coldplay

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

-------------------------------------------------------------

Links para a tradução Inglesa do censurado "A Verdade da Mentira" de Gonçalo Amaral/ Links to the English translation of the censured "The Truth of the Lie" by Gonçalo Amaral:

http://frommybigdesk.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Verdade%20Da%20Mentira

http://goncaloamaraltruthofthelie.blogspot.com/

Link para o livro censurado "A Verdade da Mentira", de Gonçalo Amaral, em Português/ Link to the censured book "The Truth of the Lie" by Gonçalo Amaral in Portuguese:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/9532208/Maddie-A-Verdade-Da-Mentira

Links para o documentário censurado de Gonçalo Amaral/ Links to the censured documentary by Gonçalo Amaral:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxGhlYTNisw&feature=channel Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-bGNM54zbo&feature=channel Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF_EZCp-zJQ&feature=channel Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4fOjXPKH0&feature=channel Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtbaFZ01bA&feature=channel Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e7ug0BfNy4&feature=channel Part 6

Censura nunca mais/ No to censorship

2009-09-10T14:03:00.005+01:00

Links para a tradução Inglesa do censurado "A Verdade da Mentira" de Gonçalo Amaral/ Links to the English translation of the censured "The Truth of the Lie" by Gonçalo Amaral:

http://frommybigdesk.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Verdade%20Da%20Mentira

http://goncaloamaraltruthofthelie.blogspot.com/

Link para o livro censurado "A Verdade da Mentira", de Gonçalo Amaral, em Português/ Link to the censured book "The Truth of the Lie" by Gonçalo Amaral in Portuguese:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/9532208/Maddie-A-Verdade-Da-Mentira

Links para o documentário censurado de Gonçalo Amaral/ Links to the censured documentary by Gonçalo Amaral:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxGhlYTNisw&feature=channel Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-bGNM54zbo&feature=channel Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF_EZCp-zJQ&feature=channel Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4fOjXPKH0&feature=channel Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtbaFZ01bA&feature=channel Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e7ug0BfNy4&feature=channel Part 6

Back to work

2009-09-09T13:57:00.002+01:00

See you soon

2009-08-30T22:08:00.003+01:00

Just to let you know that I'll be away for a few days, probably a week maybe more. My family needs me and those we love are more important than anything else. I'll try to check my email from my mobile but can't promise it will work. :-)
xxxx

New discussion place

2009-08-25T14:17:00.000+01:00

The place to discuss the Madeleine case if you're smart enough not to swallow the crap you're fed.

http://themaddiecasefiles.com/

Gonçalo Amaral

2009-08-23T01:10:00.003+01:00

Gonçalo Amaral to self-publish his book in the UK

Gonçalo Amaral, the former coordinator of the Madeleine McCann investigation, has contacted the editor of his book, “Maddie: The Truth About The Lie”, seeking to recover its copyright, with the ultimate purpose of publishing the book in the UK himself.

Based on the criminal investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine, “The Truth About The Lie” has sold over 200 thousand copies in Portugal, and has been translated and published in several countries, like France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Belgium.

A documentary that is based on the book was broadcast by TVI in Portugal and reached an audience of 2,2 million viewers, was sold and broadcast in other countries, like Spain and Denmark, where it generated added interest in the case.

"The Truth About The Lie" has not been published in the UK, where no editor seems to be willing to risk upsetting the McCann couple.

Similarly, the documentary has not been broadcast by any British television channel.

Many British citizens have been forced to search for, and watch, the documentary on the internet, in order to access factual information that has otherwise not been made available by the UK media, in general.

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/08/goncalo-amaral-to-self-publish-his-book.html

Could this be 'Investigative Journalism'?

2009-08-16T01:16:00.006+01:00

So why did Madeleine McCann detectives ask so few questions after major breakthrough?

By Tom Worden, Martin Delgado and Andrew Chapman
Last updated at 12:58 AM on 16th August 2009

Private detectives leading the hunt for Madeleine McCann faced questions last night after a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed apparent shortcomings in chasing a ‘strong lead’.

The detectives failed to make even rudimentary inquiries before announcing a ‘significant’ development in the worldwide search for the six-year-old.

At a Press conference in London, lead investigator David Edgar appealed for help in finding a ‘bit of a Victoria Beckham lookalike’ whom a British tourist saw looking agitated outside a dockside restaurant in Barcelona three days after Madeleine disappeared.

Retired Cheshire Detective Inspector Mr Edgar said it was possible that Madeleine had been smuggled into the Spanish port by yacht from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz, where she vanished on May 3, 2007.

The agitated woman, thought to be Australian, made a remark to the tourist which suggested she was waiting for the arrival of a child.

Mr Edgar, 52, told the 50 journalists from several countries: ‘It’s a strong lead. Madeleine could have been in Barcelona by this point. The fact the conversation took place near the marina could be significant.’

As a result of his appeal for information and the issuing of an e-fit image of the woman, the search switched to Australia, where a woman in Sydney made a statement to police claiming to know the identity of the mystery female seen in Barcelona, although this apparently came to nothing.

The Mail on Sunday, however, has established that members of Mr Edgar’s team who had visited Barcelona:

Failed to speak to anyone working at the seafood restaurant near where the agitated woman was seen at 2am.

Failed to ask the port authority about movement of boats around the time Madeleine disappeared.

Failed to ask if the mystery woman had been filmed on CCTV.

Knew nothing about the arrival of an Australian luxury yacht just after Madeleine vanished until told by British journalists, who gave them the captain’s mobile phone number.

Failed to interview anyone at a nearby dockside bar where, according to Mr Edgar, the mystery woman was later seen drinking.

Failed to ask British diplomats in Spain for advice before or during the visit.

Also, Spanish police could not confirm that they had been contacted by the British investigators.

Last night Mr Edgar said: ‘We are not above criticism and I take responsibility for any shortcomings. If somebody has not done what they should have done, that’s my job to deal with that.’

Conversation: The bar belonging to Jose Luiz Lopez where the key conversation between a tourist and an Australian woman allegedly took place

He was hired by Kate and Gerry McCann after Portuguese authorities shelved their investigation last year.

According to the Find Madeleine Fund website, ‘the majority of the fund money has been and continues to be spent on investigative work to help to find Madeleine’.

The McCanns, doctors living in Rothley, Leicestershire, originally hired Barcelona-based detective agency Metodo 3 to look for Madeleine in 2007 as they were convinced that Portuguese police had given up the search.

Metodo 3 reportedly charged £50,000-a-month and its director, Francisco Marco, was criticised after making a series of boasts about his team’s ability to find Madeleine.

In December 2007, he caused a sensation by claiming he knew who had kidnapped her and hoped to have her home by Christmas.

Metodo 3’s six-month contract ran out in January 2008, although it has continued to help with the search.

The Mail on Sunday’s inquiry by a Spanish-speaking reporter in Barcelona last week has exposed worrying gaps in the British detectives’ strategy, including failure to question several people who might have vital information.

Appeal: Clarence Mitchell, left, and David Edgar with their e-fit of the 'Victoria Beckham lookalike'

Jose Luis Lopez, owner of the El Rey de la Gamba restaurant where the
mystery woman was seen, said: ‘The private detectives did not make any enquiries at my restaurant.

‘I am almost always here when the restaurant is open and my staff would have informed me if anyone had approached them about such an important matter. You are the first person to ask about this Australian woman.’

The manager of the bar next door, Kennedy’s Irish Sailing Club, where the woman was later seen drinking, said: ‘You are the first person to ask about this Australian woman or the Madeleine case. If someone came into the bar asking questions about Madeleine, I would hear about it very quickly.’

Barcelona port director Joan Guitart said: ‘Nobody has been here asking questions about Madeleine or this Australian woman. This is the first I have heard about any possible link to the port. We would be happy to help the investigation in any way possible.’

Riddle: Was Madeleine taken to Barcelona marina?

A senior port authority worker added: ‘There are several security cameras monitoring the port but we have not been approached about footage from the night in question.

‘The footage is not available, as it was over two years ago that this conversation is said to have taken place. But I would have expected anyone carrying out the investigation to at least have asked about it.’

A source at the British Embassy in Madrid said: ‘The detectives did not inform us or the consulate in Barcelona that they were coming to Spain, nor request any assistance in their investigation.’

Jewellery designer Hannah Tait, 35, from London, who lives on a 34ft yacht yards from El Rey de la Gamba, said: ‘This place is like a small village so news travels very fast.

Nobody has been here asking about Madeleine or the Australian woman.

‘The first I heard was when I read about this on the internet. If someone had been investigating something so important here in the port, I would have heard about it.’

A Barcelona-based private detective with more than 20 years’ experience of missing persons cases said: ‘I cannot understand why the Madeleine detectives would have released this story and e-fit to the public without first making their own investigation in the port.

‘It beggars belief that they did not even speak to the owner of the restaurant or the port authorities.’

Identified: The Mail on Sunday discovered Rhonda Wyllie's yacht Willpower was in the marina at the vital time in 2007

One of the most significant pieces of information about a possible Barcelona connection to Madeleine’s disappearance was uncovered by British journalists.

Later, The Mail on Sunday gained access to port records for the key dates of May 6 and 7, 2007.

They revealed that nine boats arrived in the marina in the 48-hour period, only one of which was unfamiliar to harbour authorities.

It was the £6million Sunseeker powerboat Willpower, owned by the Australian multi-millionairess Rhonda Wyllie.

When the then captain of the boat was eventually found, he said he had not been approached by any British detectives.

Although he has since been contacted by Mr Edgar’s team, the investigators are in the embarrassing position of having to explain why it was left to reporters to discover the boat’s presence in Barcelona and trace its former captain.

There is no suggestion that Mrs Wyllie, widow of property tycoon Bill Wyllie, is connected in any way with Madeleine’s disappearance.

The Barcelona stage of the inquiry was led by Mr Edgar’s assistant, former Merseyside Detective Sergeant Arthur Cowley, and an interpreter.

Mr Cowley, 57, is sole director of Alpha Investigation Group, based in Flintshire, North Wales.

He declined to discuss the details of his visit to Barcelona.

Asked last night why Mr Cowley and his colleague had not spoken to the port authorities, Mr Edgar said: ‘My instructions were that they couldn’t get through security at the marina at the time. I’ve got to take that at face value. We are a small team. We are dealing with finite resources and will have to manage with that.’

He said Mr Cowley’s company had no connection with the Madeleine investigation. ‘I am employed by the McCann family and I pick my staff,’ he added.

Madeleine was nearly four when she disappeared from a holiday flat while her parents dined with friends in a nearby restaurant.

Last night the McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: ‘The private investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance is being conducted entirely professionally and thoroughly under the direction of Dave Edgar.

In the dark: Jose Luiz Lopez, the bar owner who was not spoken to by private detectives

‘Upon receipt of the new witness information, two members of the investigative team travelled to Barcelona to conduct preliminary inquiries during a brief initial visit.

‘This included identifying the exact marina where the witness had been and all relevant locations within it. At that stage, the precise bar involved had not been identified by the witness. Nevertheless, inquiries were conducted at a number of bars, with staff members being interviewed.

‘However, not all of the bars were open during the investigators’ visit. Because of the transient nature of bar work, it was also found that many of the workers who were spoken to were not present at the marina in May 2007.

'Other relevant personnel in the area were also interviewed, although we will not
discuss the detail of who was spoken to for operational reasons.

‘The information, once gathered, including photographs, was brought back to the UK for witness confirmation. Both British and Portuguese police were kept fully informed of the investigators’ visit to Spain.

‘The news conference was then held for the simple reason that public assistance was needed once the e-fit had been drawn up from the witness account. The public appeal does not preclude further enquiries being conducted in Barcelona as appropriate.’

He declined to say how much the private detectives were being paid, adding: ‘We will not discuss contractual matters concerning the investigation costs nor the investigator remuneration.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206842/Why-did-Madeleine-McCann-detectives-ask-questions.html#ixzz0OIJH5VMc

The truth at last! :-)

2009-08-10T12:57:00.004+01:00

Missing it already

2009-08-10T12:48:00.002+01:00

A good example some should follow

2009-07-04T11:52:00.002+01:00

Justice and Delinquency' - Author Rights revert to Child Instituiton

'Justice and Delinquency'

The author rights of the book 'Justice and Delinquency', in the original titled 'Justiça e Delinquência', coordinated by Gonçalo Amaral will revert to an institution to support children at risk. The decision was taken unanimously by all the authors, whom, in a gesture of great dignity and social responsibility have agreed to assign all the author rights for a common good.

In addition to the excellent set of reflections that the book contains and that can help to think about the state of justice in Portugal, the book is also contributing to a better future, fairer and more decent.

The institution to be awarded the author rights of the book is 'Florinhas da Neve', that belongs to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, in Vila Real, North of Portugal.

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/07/justice-and-delinquency-author-rights.html

My wishes

2009-07-03T00:01:00.001+01:00

On a personal level I wish love, peace and especially good health to all those I love and to all those whose health is failing right now.

On a more general level I wish justice for all the murdered, abused and neglected children in the world. May they see justice happen one day, wherever they are.

To all the Little Susies out there

2009-06-27T00:11:00.002+01:00

Little Susie

Artist : Michael Jackson
Song : Little Susie

Somebody killed little Susie
The girl with the tune
Who sings in the daytime at noon
She was there screaming
Beating her voice in her doom
But nobody came to her soon...

A fall down the stairs
Her dress torn
Oh the blood in her hair...
A mystery so sullen in air
She lie there so tenderly
Fashioned so slenderly
Lift her with care,
Oh the blood in her hair...

Everyone came to see
The girl that now is dead
So blind stare the eyes in her head...
And suddenly a voice from the crowd said
This girl lived in vain
Her face bear such agony, such strain...

But only the man from next door
Knew Little Susie and how he cried
As he reached down
To close Susie's eyes...
She lie there so tenderly
Fashioned so slenderly
Lift her with care
Oh the blood in her hair...

It was all for God's sake
For her singing the tune
For someone to feel her despair
To be damned to know hoping is dead and you're
doomed
Then to scream out
And nobody's there...

She knew no one cared...

Father left home, poor mother died
Leaving Susie alone
Grandfather's soul too had flown...
No one to care
Just to love her
How much can one bear
Rejecting the needs in her prayers...

Neglection can kill
Like a knife in your soul
Oh it will
Little Susie fought so hard to live...
She lie there so tenderly
Fashioned so slenderly
Lift her with care
So young and so fair

"Justice and Delinquency"

2009-06-17T14:47:00.000+01:00

Gonçalo Amaral launches compilation of texts about criminality

On the 25th of June, former PJ inspector Gonçalo Amaral presents a book, in Lisbon, that reunites texts from judiciary professionals and operators, among others, about criminality in Portugal

Gonçalo Amaral has coordinated the book ‘Justice and Delinquency’, which compiles opinions and proposals for solutions from judges, prosecutors, lawyers, a criminal investigation coordinator, a journalist, a university professor and a psychologist.

In the book, he sustains that policemen must act in a “pro-active” manner, performing a “previous study of criminal means and of the usual crime agents”, among others, reuniting all “necessary” elements for the “capture of its author”.

Rui Rangel, a senior judge and the president of ‘Associação de Juízes pela Cidadania’ [‘Judges for Citizenship Association’], participated in the project, in which he expresses that violence has “undermined all of the social fabric” and defends measures like the “increase of video surveillance”, “intense and frequent ‘searches’ at the entrance of entertainment areas” and a “revision of the Penal Code with an increase of sentences”.

Concerning applicable sentences, judge Maria dos Santos Ribeiro underlines that the convicts do not wish for a substitution of sentences for community work, favouring “the discreet sacrifice of their freedom over the public ostentation of their financial incapacity to pay the fine”.

Prosecutor Maria Clara Oliveira, on the other hand, believes that present society “favours solitary living”, to which the “chaos of the table of values”, the “inefficacity in the fight against excesses”, the economical crisis and the “reappearance of dictatorial regimes” are added.

Marta Daniela Seixas, a joint prosecutor, also criticises the “intense” family and social values’ crisis in Portugal, recalling that school abandonment contributes to the “increase of juvenile criminality”.

On the contrary, psychologist and teacher Paulo Sargento dos Santos considers that the relationship between crisis and crime is “political demagogy” and suggests an intervention at the level of “unstructured urban ecologies”, in order to avoid an “excessive concentration of citizens with poor economical and social resources on the borders of big cities”.

Journalist and criminal psychologist Hernâni Carvalho defends that the problem does not originate in social neighbourhoods, recalling that “everyone was pushed into them over time” and all of them were “sponsored by the State”.

Lawyer Rui da Silva Leal admits that there “are measures to be taken” at the sociological, school and educational level, but before that, action within Justice has to be taken – the “full execution of applied sentences” should be imposed – in order to return the feeling of security to populations.

Teacher Manuel Augusto Meireis shares his thoughts about stereotypes that are created by society and stresses that formal and informal control instances “have been contributing decisively to the bad image of penal Justice”.

Francisco Almeida Garrett, a lawyer, alleges that the increase of criminality in Portugal “is not conjunctural” but rather “structural” and that the system is preoccupied “almost exclusively with the defence of prevaricators”.

The lawyer even foresees that “in a few years the magistrates themselves will be beaten and killed over motives that are related to the exercise of their functions”.

The presentation of the book ‘Justice and Delinquency’ is scheduled for the 25th of June at Alethea bookshop, in Lisbon.

Gonçalo Amaral, who has meanwhile retired from the PJ, initially coordinated the investigation into the disappearance of little English girl Madeleine McCann, in May 2007, in Praia da Luz, Lagos, Algarve.

In the book that he published under the title ‘Maddie – The Truth about the Lie’, Gonçalo Amaral considers that “the child died in the apartment on that day”.

Meanwhile, Gonçalo Amaral was condemned in May by the Court of Faro to one year and six months in prison over false testimony, with a suspended sentence for the same period, in the trial of alleged aggressions against Leonor Cipriano, the mother of little girl Joana Cipriano.

The process of alleged aggressions against Leonor Cipriano by PJ inspectors is related to the so-called ‘Joana case’, which dates back to September 2004, when the child disappeared from the village of Figueira, Portimão, in the Algarve.

source: Lusa/Sol, 17.06.2009

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/06/goncalo-amaral-launches-compilation-of.html

Winds of change...

2009-06-08T00:05:00.004+01:00

both in Portugal and in England, it seems.
Sócrates and Gordon Brown together in defeat.

Well, well, well

2009-06-02T12:56:00.003+01:00

Gonçalo Amaral to file complaint

The former PJ inspector will file a complaint with DIAP [Departamento de Investigação e Acção Penal - Penal Investigation and Action Department] against the McCann couple, over defamation, requesting the audition of new witnesses, in an attempt to reopen the process.

source: Correio da Manhã, 02.06.2009

-------------------------------------------------------------

DIAP - Departamento Central de Investigação e Acção Penal, or Central Penal Investigation and Action Department. This is the Public Ministry's central Department that is reponsible for the investigation and prevention of violent, highly organised or especially complex criminality.

The 'Departamento Central de Investigação e Acção Penal' (DIAP) is competent to coordinate the direction of investigation of the following crimes:

- against peace and humanity;
- terrorist organisation and terrorism;
- against the security of State, with the exception of electoral crimes;
- trafficking of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors, except situations of direct consumer distribution, and criminal association for trafficking;
- money laundering;
- corruption, peculate and economic participation in business;
- fraudulent bankruptcy;
- damaging management of an economical unit in the public sector;
- fraud in obtaining or deviating a subsidy, subvention or credit;
- economic-financial infractions that are committed in an organised form, namely through the use of computer technology;
- economical-financial infractions of international or trans national dimension

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/06/maddie-case-goncalo-amaral.html

A liar? Really????

2009-05-26T11:14:00.001+01:00

Joana case: court says that Leonor Cipriano lied

The Court of Faro will request the Public Ministry to open a judicial inquiry on Leonor Cipriano over the crime of false statements in the trial of present and former PJ inspectors within the “Joana case”.

In the ruling, that was read out on Friday and which the Lusa Agency accessed today, the collective of judges considered that the statements that Leonor Cipriano produced during the trial sessions contained “flagrant and relevant contradictions”, and therefore determined that a certificate should be extracted, to which a copy of the tape recordings was added.

In the verdict, it is mentioned that the mother of the child that disappeared on the 12th of September 2004, in the village of Figueira, in Portimão, “was offered (…) an extensive opportunity to reveal the truth” during the trial sessions at the Court of Faro, but “essentially seized the opportunity to lie”.

“Leonor Cipriano lied about the manner in which she was beaten, about the identification of the persons that beat her, about the time and the manner how she revealed that she had been beaten, in short, she lied about every essential aspect of the statements that she gave”, the verdict stresses.

Underlining that Leonor Cipriano presented “no plausible reason whatsoever to have done so”, the collective of three judges, presided by Henrique Pavão, considered that Joana’s mother revealed “major contradictions” and that she presented “very different versions for one and the same fact”.

The verdict, which will also be sent to the PJ’s Department of Discipline and Inspection, where an inquiry is being held against present inspectors António Cardoso and Paulo Marques Bom, considered the aggressions as proved, although without establishing the aggressors’ identity, and determined the condemnation of two of the five arguidos in the process.

Gonçalo Amaral, a former coordinator of the PJ’s Criminal Investigation Department in Portimão, who was acquitted of the crime of omission of denunciation, was condemned to one and a half years over the crime of false deposition, with a suspended sentence over a similar period.

Inspector António Nunes Cardoso, who is still in service, was condemned to two years and three months over forgery of document, with a suspended sentence over two years.

Former PJ inspectors Paulo Pereira Cristóvão and Leonel Morgado Marques and still inspector Paulo Marques Bom, who all stood accused of the crimes of torture against Leonor Cipriano, following the questioning at the PJ in Faro, in 2004, were acquitted.

Leonor Cipriano and her brother, João Cipriano, were condemned by the Supreme Court of Justice to 16 years in prison each, over the crimes of homicide and concealment of Joana’s cadaver.

source: Diário de Notícias, 25.05.2009

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/05/joana-case-court-says-that-leonor.html

Prison visits

2009-05-22T17:08:00.002+01:00

Cipriano Case: PJ Inspectors Accused at Faro Trial

The collective of judges considered that Leonor Cipriano was tortured, even though it could not be proved by whom. In the verdict read today, two PJ inspectors were accused, Nunes Cardoso to document forgery and Gonçalo Amaral to omission of denunciation of the aggressions suffered by Leonor Cipriano, the rest of the 5 arguidos [defendants] were absolved.

Gonçalo Amaral was sentenced to one year and an half of jail. The two PJ inspectors face a suspended sentence.

The lawyers for Cipriano, Marcos Aragão Correia and the assistant representing the Bar Rodrigo Santiago will appeal as well as António Cabrita, Gonçalo Amaral's lawyer.

by Joana Morais

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/05/cirpriano-casepj-inspectors-accused-at.html

Appeals have already been confirmed by both parties, apparently.
To all those who were eagerly expecting to visit someone in prison, they will have to be satisfied with visiting Leonor Cipriano. I'm sure she'll appreciate it.

Bring it on, says Gonçalo Amaral

2009-05-17T15:50:00.001+01:00

Portuguese investigator to counter-sue McCanns

35 minutes ago

LISBON (AFP) — The police officer who formerly led the Portuguese investigation into the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann said he would counter sue the missing girl's parents Sunday.

"My lawyers are working on the case and we will take the McCann couple to court and perhaps other people for defamation, slanderous denunciations and false statements," said Goncalo Amaral on Portuguese TVI television.

"We will see who has spoken the truth in this case" into the disappearance of Madeleine in the south of Portugal in May 2007, he added.

On Saturday, Kate and Gerry McCann announced they were to take action for defamation over comments made in the media by Amaral, who is now retired.

In a statement, the couple said: "We, together with our three children Madeleine, Sean and Amelie, are taking this legal action against Goncalo Amaral over his entirely unfounded and grossly defamatory claims -- made in all types of media, both within Portugal and beyond -- that Madeleine is not only dead, but that we, her parents, were somehow involved in concealing her body."

Portuguese police named Kate and Gerry McCann as "arguidos", or formal suspects, in their daughter's disappearance, in September 2007, but prosecutors announced in July 2008 that they were no longer suspects.

Amaral was removed from the case in October 2007.

Portuguese police have said they are no longer actively investigating the case.

Madeleine, who would now be six years old, went missing from a holiday flat where her family were staying in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007.

Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jHXPM0oA7JyVh1xY6X0Ichg75Trg

The Mockumentary

2009-05-14T02:23:00.002+01:00

The McCann documentary, analysed by forensic psychologist Paulo Sargento

Of the pretence reconstitution of the facts of the 3rd of May 2007, when Maddie disappeared, there's no more than a few minutes. Then, one can see a happy family

by Hernâni Carvalho

Kate McCann saw the open window. Thus starts the McCanns’ documentary. To tell you the truth, the window was opened by Kate herself, as proved by the lophoscopic (fingerprints) analyses that were made by the PJ on the windows of apartment 5A, at the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz. Thus starts the documentary that SIC broadcast lat Tuesday.

From the pretence reconstitution, we saw, all in all, less than five minutes. But we saw a happy family. A perfect one. Kate paints with the twins, she takes them to watch the chicken, the ducks and the horses. She peels potatoes and greets Gerry when he arrives after a day of medical consults. To be certain, we even saw Maddie’s father’s patients. Kate was also a doctor, part time, but now all she does is to care for the children. Life as it is for perfect, complying parents.

Now, the McCanns protect the twins. When half of the world was searching for Maddie, the twins’ faces could be seen. Even on the day that they landed in England, after leaving Faro with State honours, without having been subject to any inspection at the airport, like it happens to everyone else. The McCann documentary is a television making work of art. Concerning the coherence of the facts that were broadcast, that’s another issue.

'Tvmais' saw the McCann documentary in the company of forensic psychologist Paulo Sargento. And we registered his comments.

Paulo Sargento: As was expected, the announced reconstitution by the McCanns resulted in an image laundering attempt, that in my opinion is disastrous.

In truth, they didn’t dare to call this production a “reconstitution”…
P.S.: Yes, but they suggested that this was a documentary that would provide new clues.

And did they do that?
P.S.: No. Right away because neither the actors served the purpose nor the reconstitution of the night when Maddie disappeared is even complete. They only used one actress to play the inconsistent role of Jane Tanner.

Maybe there’s another documentary in waiting…
P.S.: That’s could be it… Notice that Matthew Oldfield played himself, very briefly, and Gerry McCann was counselling and little more. It’s bizarre that the documentary occupies itself with the reconstitution for less than one tenth of its total length (50 minutes).

What do you say about Jane Tanner’s testimony?
P.S.: Hardly credible. The alleged abductor walks slowly, in an excessively lit area (under the street lamp), for Jane not to be able to remember any trace of his face. And yet, she remembers difficult details like the colour of the trousers, the jacket and the type of shoes.

And the statements from five persons who saw the “ugly” man?
P.S.: It’s interesting that the man was only seen by English people, and almost exclusively during the day.

The Smiths saw him at 9.50 p.m.
P.S.: Yes. But on a location and walking into a direction that were opposed to those that were mentioned by Jane Tanner. What’s even more curious is the fact that the witness mentions that “he doesn’t look like a tourist”, carrying “a little girl with long blonde hair”. This is impressive. A little English-looking girl, being carried away by a person who didn’t look like a tourist. The so-called ugly man. Adding to the fact that he was only seen by English people, during the day, wearing a black jacket (not a brown one, like Jane mentions), he appears too early in the story. The first testimony dates from the 29th of April and one of the detectives speaks a lapidary sentence: “Someone watched the apartment for a week or more”. Well, if Maddie disappeared on the 3rd of May and the McCanns arrived on the 28th of April…, this is called a FRAUD!

In the documentary, there is a new piece of data. Gerry, Kate and Matthew admit that they didn’t even enter the children’s bedroom and they say it was too dark to be see clearly whether Maddie was there or not.
P.S.: That’s where Gerry betrays himself. He states that when he looked into the room, he remembers thinking how beautiful Madeleine was and how much he loved her and how proud he was to be the father of three beautiful children. Gerry says that he felt that when he “looked into the bedroom”. Just watch the documentary again.

Nevertheless, the detectives say that they are hopeful…
P.S.: Detectives don’t operate on hope. Detectives work with hypothetical-deductive methods, based on evidence and indications.

At least, we now know the McCanns’ everyday life?
P.S.: Not even that. It’s daily life that is TOO NORMAL for someone who has suffered one of the most devastating blows that a human being can suffer: the loss of a daughter. Everything smells artificial and plastic. The relationship with the twins, the phone call with Jane Tanner, Gerry’s professional routines, Kate waiting for him… All in all, an old, well-known strategy of promoting the image of a happy family, which in this case, becomes grotesque. Just notice Gerry McCann’s sentence: “We’re a family, a happy family, but incomplete…” As much as we want to, not everything is what it seems to be!

source: Tvmais, 13.05.2009, paper edition

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/05/mccann-documentary-analysed-by-forensic.html

No shame - Portuguese authorities WAKE UP

2009-05-10T18:02:00.002+01:00

De acordo com o jornal inglês News of the World, foram registados uma série de ataques pedófilos a crianças britânicas, nos últimos anos, no Algarve, perante a incapacidade e incompetência da polícia portuguesa.
O mesmo jornal refere que quase duas dezenas de pedófilos viviam perto da zona de onde foi raptada Madeleine McCann. Dave Edgar, que trabalha para os pais da criança desaparecida da Praia da Luz acusa ainda a polícia portuguesa de se recusar a colaborar com os investigadores britânicos, que estão agora a tentar localizar os pedófilos que viviam perto do Ocean Club, na Praia da Luz.
De acordo com aquele ex-polícia britânico, Madeleine McCann poderá ter sido levada para um aldeia no interior da serra algarvia, salientando que a polícia portuguesa nunca realizou buscas naquela região. Os investigadores ao serviço da família McCann procuram agora, no Algarve, cinco pedófilos suspeitos que poderão ter raptado Madeleine.

By Paulo Reis

http://gazetadigitalmadeleine.blogspot.com/2009/05/pedofilos-atacam-no-algarve.html

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/298893/Ex-police-officers-hired-by-parents-Kate-and-Gerry-McCann-have-the-names-of-at-least-FIVE-new-possible-kidnappers-of-Maddie.html

Hey, I know this guy!

2009-05-07T14:26:00.007+01:00

Vote on your favourite abductor:

Silence

2009-05-02T23:59:00.003+01:00

Censored in the UK

2009-04-30T20:00:00.004+01:00

I have been sent a link to this. I think you are going to like it. :-)

http://censuredinuk09.blip.tv/#2046709

Gonçalo Amaral doesn't give up

2009-04-27T15:14:00.002+01:00

Madeleine is in Praia da Luz!

Gonçalo Amaral continues the searches and makes revelations

“Madeleine McCann died in apartment 5A and her body was concealed.” With this certainty, Gonçalo Amaral closes the documentary ‘Maddie – The Truth of the Lie’ that was broadcast by TVI on the 13th of April.

The former coordinator of the most media exposed investigation of all times believes that the English girl, who disappeared from Praia da Luz on the 3rd of May 2007, was not abducted as her parents have always defended and further advances: “Maddie is there in the Praia da Luz area! For some reason, they’re around.”

Despite having been taken off the case in October 2007, Gonçalo Amaral continued to investigate on his own and promises to make some revelations soon: “I’ve been talking to other retired policemen, from other countries, and we’ve given the case plenty of thought. There is lots of information that has been collected, and news will be out, over the coming days. We have new clues and very serious ones.”

The production from Valentim de Carvalho Filmes, which is based on the book that was launched by Gonçalo Amaral, after he was removed from the investigation, was a success. Over two million viewers saw the documentary, which was broadcast by the Queluz station, and is now the second most viewed programme of 2009.

The former Polícia Judiciária inspector already expected the programme to be a success, but never this much. “We were expecting great impact, because it’s an issue that still touches people. They want to know the truth and they want justice. But we never expected this much”, reveals Gonçalo Amaral, who doesn’t doubt that since the 13th, the Portuguese are now better informed about Maddie’s disappearance. But according to the former inspector, it seems that not everyone watched it attentively: “The Attorney General should have realised by now that he holds a very important document that proves that there is no abduction, and all he has to do is to reopen the process.”

Ocean Club workers want to sue the McCanns

Before the little girl’s disappearance from apartment 5A at the Ocean Club, 130 people worked at the resort. During the following summer, the number fell to 60, and late last year, it was reduced to 48. Presently, only 27 people have kept their job!

The Ocean Club management was forced to “cut back on personnel” and doesn’t hesitate to point at those who are responsible over the redundancies. Te dismissal letter, which was sent to 21 workers, reads: “… This is the expected result of a sequence that has been continued over the past two years, when the company has supported the heavy costs of a reduction in its activity, as a result of the unfortunate Maddie McCann event.”

The Ocean Club staff shares the same opinion and add that “after the little girl’s disappearance, there was a break of 40 per cent in the number of tourists. We used to host entire families. There were even ‘wars’ to get a sunbed. Now, that doesn’t happen anymore”.

As a result of this decrease in the number of customers, over twenty people, aged 30 to 50, and some of them working for this company for two decades, have received a redundancy letter and promise to unite to sue the McCanns.

Residents want to forget about Maddie

The tragedy that was lived in Praia da Luz, in May 2007, did not only “cast a shadow” on that resort. A little over the entire Algarvian village, business owners complain about the lack of tourists, and once more blame the excessive media coverage of the Maddie case.

The truth is that, two years after the disappearance of the English girl, that paradise by the sea has yet to return to normalcy. “We enjoyed a quiet life, and it was bad luck that this happened here”, a resident says. The locals have not managed to forget about Maddie, and they are not even allowed to do so! Gerry’s return to Praia da Luz, earlier this month, is proof. Despite the fact that Kate remained in England, supposedly due to being physically and psychologically debilitated, the husband returned to the crime scene, but was ill received.

At the Ocean Club’s entrance, insults were thrown at the one that they used to support. “Why didn’t he come when the PJ asked him to?”, a shop owner questions. “What’s this documentary’s use? To further denigrate Praia da Luz’s image?” – another one asks.

There is no doubt that the locals’ opinion about the McCanns’ innocence has changed a lot. Apart from making it very clear that the couple is not welcome, they weren’t pleased about the most recent campaign from the English. A few weeks ago, ten thousand leaflets were distributed in mail boxes and dozens of posters with Maddie’s face were put up. Nevertheless, ‘Maria’ failed to find a single one of them! “They were all torn”, a resident confesses. We see a single outdoor upon leaving Luz, with the child’s face covered with white paint, as well as the contact number for new information. It’s a sign that the locals cannot stand the McCanns’ media circus anymore.

Chronology of a Polemical Case

2007

3rd May Madeleine McCann disappears from the room where she slept with her twin brother and sister, at the apartment 5A of the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz. The parents were having dinner with a group of friends in the resort's restaurant, around 50 meters away from the apartment.

5th May The Judiciary Police director in Faro, Guilhermino Encarnação, advances that all the evidence points to an abduction, there was already a sketch of the suspect.

14th May Murat is heard for 14 hours at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Portimão and becomes the first arguido [suspect] in the case process.

31st July The PJ, elements of the British police and two dogs, trained to detect traces of blood and cadaver scent, inspect apartment 5A and find new evidence.

11th August For the first time the Judiciary Police admits that Madeleine might be dead.

6th September Kate McCann is inquired at the PJ in Portimão for 11 hours.

7th September The McCann couple is heard at the CID in Portimão and constituted as arguidos.

9th September Kate and Gerry return to England.

2nd October Gonçalo Amaral, coordinator of the ‘Maddie Case’ since the first day, is removed from the investigation.

8th October Paulo Rebelo is announced as the substitute of Gonçalo Amaral, at the head of the case.

2008

19th March The PJ returns Robert Murat’s apprehended belongings.

13th April Robert Murat demands libel payments from various British media groups.

21st July The Attorney General's Office [PGR] announces the archiving of the process due to not obtaining evidence of the practice of any crime.

24th July Gonçalo Amaral publishes the book 'The Truth of The Lie', where he reveals his theory about Madeleine’s disappearance.

2009

25th March Ten thousand leaflets and dozens of posters with Maddie’s face are distributed and placed in Praia da Luz, with the intention of not forgetting about the disappearance of the English girl.

4th April Gerry McCann returns to Praia da Luz to shoot a documentary about what happened on the 3rd of May 2007.

12th April Inspector Ana Paula Rito replaces Paulo Rebelo at the coordination of the Portimão’s CID.

13th April TVI broadcasts a documentary based on Gonçalo Amaral’s book, in which the former inspector sustains that Maddie is dead.

source: Maria magazine, 26.04.2009, paper edition

Photographies of Gonçalo Amaral courtesy of Patrícia de Melo Moreira/DN © All rights reserved

Please, help!

2009-04-24T19:54:00.000+01:00

"Elena Zhagrova (38) is just one of the many cases that Louise Minchin (BBC Breakfast) and Rav Wilding (former Metropolitan Police Detective and Crimewatch presenter) will be appealing for information about.

In May 2008, after texting her boyfriend Charles to say she was fine, Elena disappeared. She was last seen at Highgate Underground Station, and has not been seen since. Charles has kept the last phone message she left for him a few days before her final text, saying she would call him later."

Paulo Reis - Probably the best investigative article ever written about this case

2009-04-23T15:21:00.005+01:00

The “Niggle” and Strange Tale of Robert Murat

Was it a Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice?

PJ Reis and Associates

"Basically, I'm just an ordinary, straightforward guy who's the victim of the biggest f***-up on this planet - if you'll excuse the language."

Robert Murat talking to David Jones, Daily Mail, 02 June 2008

AN INCREDIBLE STORY

One thing that is obvious from the CD of evidence released by the Portuguese authorities in July 2008, in what was an inexplicably selective disclosure, is the identification by Miss Jane Tanner of Mr Robert Murat as Madeleine McCann’s “abductor”. She picked him out in a surveillance exercise on Sunday 13^th May 2007 and persisted in her allegation against him and did not withdraw it until her interviews with the Leicestershire Police in April 2008. You have to dig deep into the CD and other sources to pull everything together, but here is what happened and it is incredible.

THE SUPPOSED SIGHTING OF THE ABDUCTOR

In the early hours of Friday 4^th May 2007, Miss Tanner approached GNR Officer, Nelson da Costa (statements at folios 417, 1340 and 3285) and told him that she had seen an “individual” running and carrying a “child” who was “clearly” wearing pyjamas. The Officer did not consider the sighting credible because when he asked Miss Tanner to describe the “individual” she was unable to do so: excusing herself because it had been very dark. The Officer wondered, if it had been so dark, how she had been able to “clearly” see the child’s pyjamas.

A later exchange between Jane Tanner and the GNR Officers was translated by Sylvia Maria Correia Baptisa (an employee of the Ocean Club). Jane Tanner told the GNR, via Miss Baptista, that she had seen a “man” crossing the road, (North of Apartment 5A) possibly carrying a child. Miss Baptista (statements at folios 355,1289 and 1975) found this story “strange, because she was convinced Miss Tanner had not been in a position to see the area concerned.

In the late morning of Friday 4^th May 2007, Miss Tanner told the PJ in Portimao about seeing a “person” striding “purposefully out” across the top of the road near to Apartment 5A carrying a small child. This alleged sighting took place less than an hour before Madeleine was reported missing at around 10.30pm on Thursday 3rd May 2007. Miss Tanner said the alleged “abductor” was between two and five metres away from her and that she had a clear view of this “person” whom she described as follows:

Brown male between 35 and 40, slim, around 1.70m. Very dark hair, thick, long at the neck. (Noticed when the person was seen from the back). He was wearing golden beige cloth trousers (linen type) with a "Duffy" type coat (but not very thick). He was wearing black shoes, of a conventional style and was walking quickly. He was carrying a sleeping child in his arms across his chest. By his manner, the man gave her the impression that he wasn't a tourist.

Miss Tanner’s statement continues:

Concerning the child, who seemed to be asleep, she only saw the legs. The child seemed to be bigger than a baby. It had no shoes on, was dressed in cotton light-coloured pyjamas (perhaps pink or white). It is uncertain, but the interviewee has the feeling that she saw a design on the pyjamas like flowers, but is not certain about it.

Concerning these details, the interviewee states not having known what Madeleine was wearing when she disappeared. She has not spoken to anyone about this. Concerning the man, she has only mentioned it to Gerald, but without going into details and with the police.

The interviewee has been invited to draw a sketch which we attach to this document. Questioned, she stated probably being able to identify the person that she saw if she saw him in profile and at the place where she saw him.

Strangely, in three interviews, she only once refers to seeing a “man”. This lack of specificity is disturbing. Why does she consistently refer to the alleged abductor as a “person” and not a “man” and to the “girl” as a “child”?

FORENSIC LINGUISTICS

If you walk out of your house and fall over a cat, your autonomic memory recall will not lead you to say that you “fell over an animal”; your recollection will be specifically of a “cat” and possibly a “fat black cat with white legs” or a “bloody cat”. In forensic linguistics (see the brilliant analysis of the ransom note in the case of JonBenet Ramsey on www.statementanalysis.com) the truth is usually spontaneously recalled from memory to a specific event, object, activity or time and not to a generality: in the present context the noun “person” indicates that the specific image of a man was not accessible in Miss Tanner’s memory. It suggests an invention of something that did not happen being contrived from the imagination. The rule is that “truth is from memory but lies are from the imagination”. Of course, linguistic analysis proves nothing, but it does raise serious questions about Miss Tanner’s credibility.

THE EGG MAN

Later on 4^th May 2007 Miss Tanner was asked for more detail about the “abductor”. This resulted in a graphic from the PJ’s computers (which is not on the CD) and to the famous “Egg Man” sketch that was based upon it. The “Egg Man” is a frontal view, without glasses or a moustache and short hair at the back of his head but with strands hanging over the front of his face, with a parting. It is nothing like Robert Murat.

Miss Tanner subsequently told the Leicestershire Police that she could not have improved upon the “Egg Man” because the PJ did not have computer software that could draw profiles. This is an implausible excuse and she gave a detailed verbal description that is unlike Mr Murat. The “Egg Man” sketch as well as her verbal description of the “abductor” were not consistent, nothing like Mr Murat, yet this did not prevent her, later on, picking him out as the person she saw on the night of 3^rd May 2007.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORDS “THEREFORE” and “BECAUSE”

In her second statement to the PJ (on 10^th May 2007) Miss Tanner said (see the summary translation at folio 3994 of the CD) she “believed it (ie the child being carried by the abductor) was a girl and therefore her pyjamas were light coloured (White or pink)”. She did not say she had seen pink pyjamas, nor that they had a pattern or frill on the legs. This very significant detail – which precisely matched the clothes that Miss Tanner later learned Madeleine had been wearing - only came much later. Miss Tanner assumed, because the man was carrying a girl, the pyjamas would be pink! But why did she assume it was a girl when she has consistently admitted she did not see the child’s upper body, hair or face? This circularity puts us on notice that Miss Tanner’s statement is not credible.

In her interviews with the Leicestershire Police, in April 2008, Miss Tanner again repeats the circularity of what came first: the actual sighting of pink pyjamas or her imagining this colour because she believed (or assumed) the “child” was a girl:

Detective Constable Sophie Ferguson asked:

“And then think about the child again, as much as you can see of that child in that split second, and tell me what you saw?”

Miss Tanner responded:

“Well, again, I mean, and this is….. I think initially I couldn’t really bring, I could only really remember the feet. But the day after, when we had, they, at the interview, the person that was interviewing was really pushing me to try and, you know, remember any more details, and the one thing that I could really think was, erm, a turn-up of some description.

And I don’t know whether this made it into my statement, (SHE MUST KNOW IT DID NOT) but there was, and this is the thing that convinces me it was her, there was, erm, sort of the pyjamas were, there was some sort of, I thought it was a turn-up, but some sort of design on the bottom of the pyjamas.

And I did say it in my first statement and in my second statement . I can remember saying it again and, erm, the translator in there, because I said I don’t know whether this made it into my first statement or not, but the translator sort of went ‘Oh yes, I can remember you going like this’, because I was moving my hands up, but I was sort of talking about something at the bottom of the pyjamas.

Because, from my own point of view, and I think, you know, Oh was I trying to, I can think that I would think ‘Oh maybe a little girl would be wearing pink pyjamas’, so, you know, if you were subconsciously putting things in your head, I can think pink pyjamas, yes, but I wouldn’t think of some detail around the bottom of the pyjamas as a specific thing to, to mention.

The bottom line is that Miss Tanner admits that she:

Only saw the feet or legs of the child and did not know whether it was a boy or a girl
Assumed the “child” was a girl
May have imagined seeing pink pyjamas by “subconsciously putting things in your (her) head”

But she maintained that she could not possibly have imagined (and therefore must have seen) “some sort of …. turn-up or design” or “detail around the bottom of the pyjamas” that was included in her first and second statement. The problem is that this description was not mentioned in her first statement (made on 4^th May 2007) but was critically important because it perfectly described the clothing that Madeleine had been wearing.

Miss Tanner claimed not to have known, at the time of making her first statement, what Madeleine had been wearing, because she had “not been in the room” when Kate McCann had given the description of them. Again, in the forensic linguistic field, the use of words such as “therefore”, “since”, “hence”, “as”, “so” or “because” put the analyst on notice that the explanation may not be truthful. However, she cannot deny having been told about this detail before 10^th May 2007, so its inclusion in her second statement really counts for nothing.

The words “because” etc are usually associated with “pseudo denials” such as “I did not take the money, because I did not have the keys to the safe”. Truthful denials and truthful assertions are usually totally committed and do not need to be subconsciously supported by words such as “because” or “therefore” etc. “I did not steal the bloody car” is more likely to be truthful than “I did not take the car because I cannot drive”. Liars often fret that their stories may be disbelieved and subconsciously add unnecessary reinforcement, often introduced with the linking word “because”. Miss Tanner uses “because” a lot!

INCONSISTENCY OF TENSE, NOUNS AND PRONOUNS

Miss Tanner (again the summary at Folio 3994) stated “….. I did think it strange that “the child” (not a specific recall to a “girl”) has a blanket/sheet to cover it”. She has since denied that she ever said the girl was covered by a blanket and it is possible that the translated summary statement is erroneous. But that is what it says.

Miss Tanner’s apparent use of the present tense “has”, when relating a past event, is a classic symptom of deception, as is the unspecific noun “child”. Also, the use of the pronoun “it” is not consistent with an accurate focused retrieval from memory: the pronoun “her” would have been more indicative of the truth whereas “it”, when supposedly recalling the sighting of a young girl, is not.

UNDERPLAYING THE SIGHTING

Both Miss Tanner and her husband – Russell O’Brien – admit that in her early conversations with the PJ about the “abductor” she had “not wanted to believe” or “did not give much importance” to what she had seen and may have, to use Russell O’Brien’s words, “underplayed” the sighting. She says she “avoided mentioning” precisely what she had seen to Mr and Mrs McCann “therefore she didn’t want to increase their suffering” (Folio 3995). Again, the word “therefore” appears.

We know her explanation is not true because the chronology agreed by the Tapas 9 (including Mr and Mrs McCann)—by tearing pages out of Madeleine’s picture book before the PJ arrived—specifically describes Ms Tanner’s alleged sighting. She did tell them about seeing a “person” with a “child” but she did not tell them about the child’s pink pyjamas, with a design on the trousers. And the possible reason for this omission may have nothing to do with preventing the McCann’s “suffering” but results from the story being embellished after the event to match Madeleine’s clothing.

QUESTIONS ABOUT PROCEDURES

Extreme care has to be taken with applying linguistic analytics to any statements and especially to those that have been translated. What is unacceptable, in both the PJ and Leicestershire Police interviews, is that the English versions (before translation) are not in the CD. Good practice would dictate that the statements should have been first written (or tape recorded) in English or in the witnesses’ native language (so they can properly agree them) and then translated into Portuguese for proceedings in that country. Both versions should have been retained. This does not seem to have happened with any of the statements now in the CD.

It appears that the PJ made the translations of their interviews with the Tapas 9 in real time, while the conversations were taking place, and did not keep a record in English of what, precisely, was being said. Similarly, there is no record in the CD of the English versions of the Leicestershire Police interviews with independent witnesses. The bottom line is that the content of virtually all of the statements in the case could be denied and this may be one of the reasons why the Portuguese prosecutors decided to shelve the case. It is alternatively possible that full transcripts in English of the Tapas 9’s interviews by the PJ are available but they are not to be found in the CD.

CONFIDENCE IN THE SIGHTING

We can measure how confident and concerned Miss Tanner was, at the time, by the reaction of her husband and other searchers. None of them went tracking off in the direction she claims she had seen the “abductor” striding “purposefully out”. In fact, no one (including the Portuguese sniffer dogs) seems to have taken her sighting seriously. This is unsurprising as she did not take it seriously herself!

THE FINGERING OF MR MURAT

On 6^th May 2007, a female CID Officer in the Leicestershire Constabulary (Folio 307 of the CD) faxed the “Portugal Incident Room” stating that Lori Campbell, a reporter from the Sunday Mirror, had been in contact. The Officer reported:

“Lori has been speaking to an Interpreter who has been helping the Portuguese authorities with the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance. He has only given his name as “ROR” (sic) and has not given any background information about himself.

Lori has become suspicions of Rob as he has given conflicting accounts to various people and became very concerned when he noticed his photo being taken by the Mirror’s photographer. ROB stated to Lori that he was going through a messy divorce in the UK at the moment and that he had a 3 year old daughter just like Madeleine, who he is separated from at the moment. He made a big show of telephoning his daughter in front of reporters and Lori felt he was being too loud and making a big thing of speaking to his daughter on the phone. The things that ROB has said to Lori have raised her concerns about him.

Could you please call Lori who is still in Portugal to establish further details to identify ROB in order to eliminate him from your enquiries on 07917 XXXXXX”

The Leicestershire Police were impressively quick in forwarding Miss Campbell’s information to the PJ, in stark contrast to the way they handled some other matters. For example, in mid May 2007, Katherine and Arul G***** contacted the UK police. They are both doctors and friends of some of the Tapas 9. They made statements claiming that, while on an earlier holiday with Mr and Mrs McCann and Fiona and David Payne (two of the Tapas 9), Mr Payne, in the presence of Mr McCann, had made disturbing remarks about Madeleine in what might be construed to be a sexual and perverted way.

These potentially critical statements were not reported to the PJ until many months later and then only after the Portuguese Officers had heard rumours and had specifically asked to see them. Although the statements are indexed in the PJ files, they are not included in the CD. This omission has to be deliberate.

Miss Campbell’s report must have hit the hot buttons, because Mr Murat came under suspicion and the PJ intercepted his telephone (see folios 1017 and 1267), picking up some interesting chats with Martin Brunt of Sky TV (see folios 1675 and 1692) but little else except for a conversation with “Phil” a British Police Officer whom Mr Murat asked about the ways mobile telephone signals could be traced to specific locations. Mr Murat’s interest seemed to be whether such tracking would prove he was at home during the critical hours of Thursday 3^rd May 2007 and thus tends to support his innocence. There was nothing from the PJ’s surveillance to implicate Mr Murat. However, things were to change and change very quickly.

THE ARRIVAL IN LUZ OF CONTROL RISKS GROUP (“CRG”)

In the early afternoon of Sunday 13^th May 2007, Miss Tanner spoke to “some of the people that Kate and Gerry brought in” (believed to be Control Risks Group (CRG) whose two senior investigators—Kenneth Farrow and Michael Keenan— arrived in Faro on the British Airways flight from Gatwick that morning) and told them about her sighting of “the person”. It is probable (but this is not clear from the CD or from the Leicestershire Police interviews) that she told CRG (as she had earlier told the Portuguese Police) that she could identify the “abductor” if she were to see him in profile and in context.

The involvement of CRG is important. The company was apparently retained as part of a “crisis management” team by Bell Pottinger on behalf of Mark Warner. Some CRG specialist were probably in Luz before 13^th May 2007 but Mr Farrow is the ex-head of the Economic Crime Unit in the City of London Police and Mr Keenan an ex-Superintendent from the Metropolitan Police with specialist fraud and investigative experience.

BOB SMALL AND THE SPANISH POLICE

After speaking to “the people that Kate and Gerry brought in”, Miss Tanner received a telephone call from Bob Small (a senior Leicestershire Police Officer, who was assisting the PJ in the Algarve) who told her that the “Spanish Police” wanted to see her! Yes: he did say, according to Miss Tanner, “the Spanish Police”. It is likely, by that time, that covert plans had been made (on some pretext) to induce Mr Murat to walk across the top of the road, north of Apartment 5A, where Miss Tanner said she had seen the “abductor” and was thus the precise context in which she believed she could make an identification.

Mr Small told Miss Tanner to not to discuss anything with anyone, including her husband. She claims she followed this instruction to the letter: but is it realistic to believe she did not tell him anything: or is she lying on this point? If she is being untruthful, why?

Mr Murat was under suspicion but had not been made an “Arguido”. He been around the Ocean Club a lot from 4th May 2007 onwards and had interpreted the PJ’s interviews with Catriona Baker, Stacey Portz , Leanne Wagstaff and Amy Teirney (Folio 457). It is possible that between 6^th May 2007 (when his name was mentioned by Lori Campbell) and 13^th May 2007 the news that a local suspect had been identified had reached the ears of the “Tapas 9”. It is even conceivable that they knew the suspect was Mr Murat. Unlike her husband and others of the “Tapas 9”, Miss Tanner had never been introduced to Mr Murat.

THE ILL JUDGED“PICK UP”

Arrangements were made for Miss Tanner to be collected by Mr Small and his PJ colleagues in a car park near to Mr Murat’s home: this was probably around 7.30pm on Sunday 13^th May 2007 while Dr Amaral waited for news in a meeting room at the Public Ministry, preparing to pounce if Miss Tanner’s identification was “successful”.

Miss Tanner dramatizes that she was “worried sick” that the “Spanish Police” were about to cart her off to destinations unknown and got her husband to walk with her to the rendezvous with Mr Small. If, as she claims, she did not discuss the identification operation with her husband, what precisely did she say to him? What did he think was going on? Who looked after their kids and what did they tell them? It is beyond belief that Russell O’Brien and some of the other “Tapasniks” did not know what was afoot.

Why the police arranged Miss Tanner’s pick up so near to their main suspect’s home was at best foolish and was asking for trouble. On their way to the car park - and just outside his home - Robert Murat (who had met Russell O' Brien on the morning of Friday 4^th May 2007) stopped, got out of his green VW van and chatted, showing the couple posters he had made to “Find Madeleine” and generally rattling on about nothing in particular. This was the first time Miss Tanner had been introduced to Mr Murat, but given the events that were about to follow it is amazing she did not cry out “That’s him… that’s the ‘person’ I saw: the abductor”. But she didn’t say a single word.

In April 2008 she told the Leicestershire Police that she was concerned that there “was some strange conspiracy going on” (to abduct her) and that Mr Small had “scared the daylights out of her”. She continued: “But that made me even more suspicious because it was like, so I think at that point, I think I actually spoke to Stewart (Stewart Prior the lead UK Police Investigator in Luz)”. She knows she had spoken to Mr Prior and thus had no reason to believe that she was about to be abducted. Her histrionics in this regard are absurd.

The discussion Miss Tanner had with her husband about the identification charade are very important. He had already met Mr Murat and would be able to identify him and point him out to her. Was it pure coincidence that he accompanied Miss Tanner to the pick up by Mr Small? Was it bad planning that the pick up was just outside Mr Murat’s house? Was it misfortune that they happened to bump into Mr Murat? Or is the whole sequence far more sinister?

Miss Tanner was taken away by Mr Small and the PJ and she says Russell O’Brien wrote down their car registration number, presumably so he could rescue her if the Spanish Police abducted her. Miss Tanner was driven to another location and hidden in the back of an undercover surveillance vehicle (a refrigerated van) which was driven to a position near the side entrance to Apartment 5A, facing north.

THE IDENTIFICATION OF MR MURAT AS THE ABDUCTOR

Miss Tanner then, apparently, saw three people walk across the top of the road: but Mr Murat was the first to do so. It is not clear exactly what she told the PJ at the time but, however she would like to spin the story now, it was enough to make them believe Mr Murat was the “abductor”, notwithstanding the fact that he looked nothing like the “Egg Man” or her verbal description. The sighting was reported to Dr Amaral and the Public Ministry and plans made to arrest Mr Murat.

Mr Murat’s home was searched on 14^th May 2007. He was made an “Arguido” 15^th May 2007 and his face was on every TV screen in Europe, including those at the Ocean Club.

WELCOME CORROBORATION BY THE “TAPAS 3”

A report on Sky News caused Rachel Mampilly to scamper into the Tanner’s apartment saying she recognised Mr Murat from her sighting of him at the Ocean Club on the night of 3^rd May 2007. Fiona Payne corroborated this and Russell O’Brien added that he had met Mr Murat, while the search for Madeleine had been taking place on the night and early morning of 3^rd and 4^th May 2007, and had entered the interpreter’s telephone number into his mobile’s memory at that time.

Miss Tanner claims that she had not told her friends anything about her outing in the refrigerated van and that their reactions to Mr Murat’s exposure on Sky News were spontaneous. However, in her April 2008 interviews with the Leicestershire Police, Miss Tanner stated that her friends suggested that she should speak to Mr Small about Mr Murat. How did they know she had Mr Small’s contact details if she had not discussed the identification charade with them? Miss Tanner stated:

“Cos I’d got, I’d got his number from the day before (for/from?) them and you know, they sort of, you know, to say, oh is this, is this relevant and also I wanted to tell him that I’d seen him (Mr Murat) on the way to doing the surveillance as well as, yeh, just for that so it’s just to make the point really that I think at that point, they didn’t know that Robert Murat had said he wasn’t there on that night”.

Later in the interview, Miss Tanner said:

“…. Get to the truth of the matter and the truth is, you know they, when they asked me to ring Bob Small to make these statements, we didn’t even know that he’d, erm, hadn’t, hadn’t said he was there on the night and they didn’t know that I had done the surveillance………… I mean when I got back, I didn’t even tell Russell what I’d done cos I took everything seriously what the police said in terms of, you know, not telling anyone”

A PROCEDURAL ERROR OR A PERVERSION OF THE COURSE OF JUSTICE?

Miss Tanner telephoned Bob Small and relayed her friend’s concerns, but it is not clear whether or not she told him about the compromising, supposedly accidental, encounter with Mr Murat- outside his house – “five minutes” before identifying him as the “abductor”. In most jurisdictions this encounter would have invalidated Miss Tanner’s identification evidence. It would also have raised suspicions that there had been a deliberate plot for her to bump into the prime suspect (accompanied by someone who knew him) so that she would see what he was wearing and, based on such knowledge, identify him as the “abductor” some “five minutes” later.

Whether this suspicion is true or incorrect, it does not alter the fact that the identification exercise was gross incompetence by all involved. Mr Murat denied being at the Ocean Club on 3rd May 2007, which made his position even more serious because it conflicted with evidence from the “Tapas 3”.

There is nothing in the CD to indicate whether the supposedly accidental encounter was reported to Mr Small, although the subsequent reaction of the Leicestershire Police (in the interview with Miss Tanner in April 2008; see below) suggests that it was. The critical unanswered question is whether or not Mr Small reported the evidentially corrupting incident to the PJ and to the Portuguese judiciary and if he did why they accepted Miss Tanner’s evidence without demur.

OTHER STATEMENTS BY THE TAPAS 3

On 15^th May 2007, Mr O’Brien, Fiona Payne and Rachael Mampilly made statements to the PJ putting Murat in the Ocean Club late on 3^rd May 2007 (folios 1957). Their evidence appears to conflict with that from both Portuguese Police Officers and Mark Warner’s staff (Folio 1330 et seq) who say Mr Murat was not there that night. Activity on his own and his mum’s computers tend to confirm that he was at home, among other things, looking at mild porn sites (Folio 1166)

STATEMENTS BY GAIL COOPER AND WORK BY BRIAN KENNEDY

Towards the end of May 2007, Mrs Gail Cooper (Folio 3997 and 3982) gave a statement to the Newark Police claiming that when she had been on holiday “in a villa near Apartment 5A” she was visited by a strange man who said he was collecting money for an orphanage near Espiche.

On 11^th July 2007, a formal confrontation between the Tapas 3 and Mr Murat took place in Portimao. He stuck to his guns: they stuck to theirs' and it became a standoff. In this meeting Miss Tanner was able to get a very good look of Mr Murat and apparently continued to maintain he was the “person” she had seen carrying the “child on 3^rd May 2007”, despite the fact he looked nothing like the “Egg Man” The PJ seemed to believe Mr Murat.

At some point, Brian Kennedy, the McCann’s financial backer and double glazing magnate, arranged for Gail Cooper to meet Melissa Little BSc (Hons), PS, FBI Diploma, which resulted in the sketch of “Monster Man” who had a long pointy face, moustache, long hair at the back of his head, but no glasses (Folio 3979).

MELISSA LITTLE’S SKETCHES

On 22^nd October 2007 (folio 3905) Gerald McCann emailed Robert Small with two sketches both prepared by Melissa Little, one of which (“the second sketch”) became known as “Bundle Man”. The first sketch is similar to “Bundle Man” but it is in black and white and has a nose (“Nose Man”).

Mr McCann wrote to “Bob” Small as follows: “Sketch 1 was the rough outline…… “She (Miss Tanner) was not really happy with the face and therefore Melissa decided to leave it blank”.

The differences between the two sketches may appear marginal, but they are critical, because the black and white “Nose Man” (see folio 3906) does not wear glasses, nor does he have facial hair! Since Mr Murat cannot see a barn door without his glasses and is never without them, this sketch would appear to rule him out as the “abductor”. Yet no one acted on this gross inconsistency and he remained an Arguido.

No wonder Miss Tanner was “not really happy with the face”, when it totally destroyed her identification of Mr Murat.

BRIAN KENNEDY PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR?

On 13^th January 2008, Brian Kennedy interviewed Albert Schuurmans who is the head of the Roscoe Foundation, based in the Algarve. Mr Schuurmans gave a statement to Mr Kennedy, or to his representatives , claiming (misleadingly, as it happens) that there were no orphanages in Espiche: thus making Mrs Cooper’s sighting potentially very sinister.

At around this time, Gail Cooper discussed her sighting with the British media but added further detail and described seeing “Monster Man” acting suspiciously on a three separate occasions: firstly when he was walking in heavy rain on the beach at Luz, later that day when he called at her apartment claiming to be a charity collector and two days later when she saw him hanging around a children’s outing arranged by Mark Warner. She told the reporters she had found the man “disturbing”. It should be noted that in none of her alleged sightings did she see him “striding purposefully”.

Miss Little prepared a second sketch showing Mrs Cooper’s “Monster Man” striding out and in a very similar pose to that based on Miss Tanner’s most recent recollection. The pose is strange because none of Mrs Cooper’s three sightings saw “Monster Man” “striding purposefully”. It is also significant that Nose Man has no moustache. Miss Little seems to have exercised a high degree of artistic licence.

But whichever way you look at these pictures it is obvious they are not of Robert Murat and nothing like the “Egg Man”.

THE POWER POINT PRESENTATION

On 16^th January 2008, Gerald McCann emailed Stuart Prior, Superintendent with the Leicestershire Police, with a PowerPoint presentation (folio 3966) stating “as discussed”. An hour later, Mr Prior forwarded the package to Ricardo Paiva of the PJ asking for instructions and stating, among other things:

The PowerPoint attached (Folio 3968) was completed by the McCanns but the statements were all taken by the UK police

Miss Tanner’s description was taken from the press and from the summary of her statement
There is some urgency around this as we need to decide prior to the Gail Cooper artist’s impression appearing in the UK press
How are you going to deal with the possible press issues?
What are you planning around Mr Kennedy and the private investigation firm?

He concludes: “I will need to get back to the McCanns as he has asked to be updated. How would Paulo (Mr Rebelo) want his conducted and what information I am to provide to them. They are very excited about this potential lead”

The Power Point slides highlight the similarity between “Bundle Man” and the “Monster Man”. Mr McCann states:

Miss Tanner spent a full day with Melissa Little, a qualified Police Sketch Artist since 1986 to compile this likeness of the suspect
Melissa met Gail Cooper in a separate session
After spending hours with both witnesses, Melissa Little states “there are many similarities between Miss Tanner’s man and Gail’s”
Miss Tanner believes that there is an 80% likelihood that this is the same man she saw carrying away the child, believed to be Madeleine

Significantly, nowhere in the PowerPoint pack is there any mention of the very precise sighting by the Irish Smith family (who identified Gerald McCann as the likely abductor), nor has there been (as far as can be found in the files) any attempt to follow the Smith’s evidence, except by Mark Harrison the UK Police search expert, (Folios 2224 and 2262) who on all of his search plans marks only two sightings… that of Miss Tanner and that of the Smith family. Mr Harrison obviously takes the Smith sighting seriously.

MORE ON GAIL COOPER

On 17^th January 2008 Detective Constable 4168 of the Leicestershire Police interviewed Gail Cooper and emailed the Operational Task Force. Mrs Cooper tried to explain the News of the World’s additions and embellishments to her police statements with the phrase; “It never crossed my mind”….. and the Officer reported that she “mentioned a man called Brian Kennedy who was working for the McCanns and …. had sent an artist down to do a sketch of the man she saw at the villa “(Folio 4005).

On 18^th January 2008, Stuart Prior emailed Ricardo Paiva about the Gail Cooper statement:

“as discussed. I have given Gerry a brief update just saying that the other descriptions are different to the artist’s impressions completed by Gail and identified by Jane. That the witnesses appeared genuine which indicates a number of charity collectors in the area prior to Madeleine being taken. (This makes Mr Kennedy’s evidence very suspect)

We have not spoken to Jane at all and will not share our files with anybody, except yourselves, unless you request this from us. It appears there were at least three charity collectors if not more in the area in the weeks before Madeleine being taken.

I am told that the artists impression by Gail Cooper is likely to hit the press over the weekend and I will update you on the effects of this next week although we are not involved in this in any way at all”

Later Mr Prior refers to an email from Michael Graham of the Leicestershire Police who reported “I (Mick Graham) have spoken to Charlotte Pennington this morning and she has no additional information to give……….. She has been spoken to by a Private Investigator (Noel Hogan) working on behalf of Metado 3. Charlotte assures me that she has only relayed to him the same information that she has already given to the PJ and to me (as per email dated 7^th August 2007).

On 20^th January 2008, the News of the World published a long article on Mrs Cooper’s alleged sighting and printed the full facial and striding out sketch of “Monster Man”. On 21^st January 2008, Clarence Mitchell, the McCann’s spokesman held a press conference releasing details of “Monster Man”.

The News of the World concluded “The sketch by qualified police artist Melissa Little, bears an uncanny resemblance to an earlier picture, based on Miss Tanner's story”. This is unsurprising given both selections had – using considerable artistic licence - been made by the same artist—Melissa Little and paid for by Mr Kennedy to assist the McCanns. Why did Mr Kennedy not get the fragrant Melissa to compile a “purposefully striding out” image of the Smith sighting? And why did Miss Tanner not immediately correct her misidentification of Mr Murat?

JANE TANNER INTERVIEW WITH LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE

In her April 2008 interviews - with Detective Constable Sophie Ferguson of the Leicestershire Police -Miss Tanner admitted that Robert Murat was not the “person” she had seen carrying a “child” on Thursday 3^rd May 2007. It is not known what had caused her to change her opinion, especially when at the confrontation in Portimao on 11^th July 2007 she had been so confident in her identification of Mr Murat. Possibly, it was that the PJ had shelved the case against Mr and Mrs McCann, making the identification a moot point.

Miss Tanner excused her misidentification of Mr Murat:

“I wasn’t really taking it in because I was worried sick I was about to be abducted by the people…..”.

Miss Tanner’s drama is highly implausible, because before she set out on the Identification Charade she had spoken to Stuart Prior, whom she knew to be a Leicestershire Police Officer, to confirm Mr Small’s bonafides. But she continued to excuse her positive, but mistaken, identification of Mr Murat:

“But it was a bit odd because there was a car, where we were parked, there was a car that moved just at that point that he appeared and then two other people walked by so I didn’t really…… but I didn’t even recognise it as the person I’d been talking to five minutes before. Well you know half an hour before so, erm, then we went, I think because it had gone a bit wrong, because this car had been there and then we tried to set it up elsewhere but again I couldn’t really see, I couldn’t really see that well and you know it didn’t look, it didn’t jog any memories”

Detective Constable Ferguson’s lack of a reaction suggests she was fully aware, but not at all concerned, of Miss Tanner’s supposed accidental encounter with Mr Murat “five minutes” before picking him out as the abductor. It seems that Miss Tanner realised this encounter was “dodgy” and thus changed her reactive description of “five minutes before” to “well, you know, half and hour before”.

However, the Officer tried to get Miss Tanner to benchmark her mental image of the abductor with pictures she had subsequently seen of Mr Murat in the newspapers:

“Now you are left with that mental image in your head about the man carrying the child. And you said, you described his hair quite well. Having seen MURAT then and obviously in the papers since, could you link the two of those?”

Miss Tanner prevaricated and struggled to respond:

“I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t, phew, I don’t, I don’t think it, no, there doesn’t, there’s no, but then the person I see in the paper doesn’t really look like my recollection of the person I met on the way to meet Bob SMALL. Its really annoying because normally I would have probably taken more notice but I was so worried about what I was going to do, because I didn’t know at this point at all, I didn’t really take any notice, but I think it was too short and I remember it being, being long into the neck and not so. Again, I don’t really, when I saw Robert MURAT outside his house he looked quite little to me, but then when you see him on the telly he seems quite big, so I can’t, again, I don’t think the build, the build was right, I don’t.”

Detective Constable Ferguson:

“So you don’t feel, in your heart of hearts”

Miss Tanner:

“No”

Detective Constable Ferguson:

“You don’t feel it was the same person?”

Miss Tanner responded:

“No, I don’t, no” and later said: ”I don’t think it was him that I saw. But I just thought that it was”

Miss Tanner’s responses are disturbing for many reasons but perhaps the most worrying is her evasion of Detective Constable Ferguson’s question which called for a comparison of the “abductor” with Mr Murat’s photograph in the newspapers. The request to make the comparison with the papers was irrelevant and insipid. It would have been much more relevant, and potentially revealing , for the Officer to have invited Miss Tanner to compare the “abductor” sighting with her confrontation of Mr Murat in Portimao on 11^th July 2007 and then to ask her why she had not corrected her misidentification at that time. Proper questioning would have put Miss Tanner’s false identification to the test.

But even probing glaring discrepancies played no part in the Leicestershire Police interviews of the “Tapas 9”. The interviews were superficial and as one Officer explained it they were “just ticking the boxes”. But why?

In any event, Miss Tanner avoided giving an answer to the insipid question that was asked and instead deflected to a comparison of her supposedly accidental meeting with Mr Murat “five minutes” before picking him out with his television appearances. This was not the question she was asked to address.

If she had really seen Mr Murat on the evening of 3rd May 2007, in the course of abducting Madeleine, this would have been, as Detective Constable Ferguson correctly implied, the indelible benchmark in her memory. The fact that, either consciously or more likely subconsciously, Miss Tanner did not, or could not, make such a comparison throws further doubt on her evidence.

Russell O’Brien, who had originally stated he had spoken to Mr Murat at the Ocean Club on the night of 3^rd and 4^th May 2007 (and had entered his phone number into his mobile handset at that time), changed his story when technical evidence proved that this was incorrect. Mr O’Brien said:

“Well, I do not wish to change, you know, my original statement. The original kind of statement. But we have, you know, the niggle that unintentionally we have, that have got a time wrong and that it was on the following morning”

So, Mr Murat’s life was destroyed and the Tapasniks have a “niggle” they may have got it wrong! Is Mr Murat unlucky or what? But why, oh why, when his lawyers must know every fact in this article and more, does he not take action (possibly involving the Independent Police Complaints Commission) against the Tapas 9, the LP, PJ and CRG? That is among the biggest questions of all.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

A number of people have asked me what is happening to the detailed reports, especially relating to a forensic examination of the crèche records, prepared by of one of the investigative firms with which I have been working. The Leicestershire Police has never formally acknowledged receiving the reports and has not responded to emails and telephone calls. They are thus in a position where they could deny ever receiving the reports.

I understand that the reports have not been forwarded to Portugal and that the crèche records have still not been forensically examined. This again raises the possibility of a “cover up” or gross incompetence by the British authorities, including the politicians, Police, Home Office, Foreign Office and Forensic Science Service.

But the subject will be pursued and all the relevant reports and papers will be handed over – soon... - to the head of the Public Prosecutors Office with a formal request to re-open the investigation based on new evidence which will be presented. So please be patient.

Paulo Reis

http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/2009/04/niggle-and-strange-tale-of-robert-murat.html

Pain, agony, heartbreak, torment, grief, anguish

2009-04-22T20:24:00.001+01:00

PA / AP Photo Steve Parsons

The Documentary - hopefully soon in English too

2009-04-14T13:01:00.011+01:00

Let's try these videos and see if they're not pulled:

THANK YOU thelastdoor for sharing!

A Verdade da Mentira - Maddie McCann (Parte 1 de 5)
Enviado por thelastdoor

A Verdade da Mentira - Maddie McCann (Parte 2 de 5)
Enviado por thelastdoor

A Verdade da Mentira - Maddie McCann (Parte 3 de 5)
Enviado por thelastdoor

A Verdade da Mentira - Maddie McCann (Parte 4 de 5)
Enviado por thelastdoor

A Verdade da Mentira - Maddie McCann (Parte 5 de 5)
Enviado por thelastdoor

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!

2009-04-08T19:39:00.007+01:00

You can order the DVD of the documentary here: http://212.55.142.230/workmedia/vcm/maddie.html

Guys, lets flood the Procuradoria Geral da República (Attorney General’s Office) with e-mails and ask them to reopen Madeleine’s case. I was told it is a very real possibility and that the PGR is between a rock and a hard place. The Freeport case and the alledged political pressures make this the perfect timing. Write, write, write. Tell them how outrageous it is that a child’s life is less important than political questions. Make yourselves be heard. Each and everyone of you may be essential for the re-opening of the case. I think that Portuguese and English are the best languages to use. But if you don’t speak or write Portuguese or English, than write in the language you master!

This is the website: http://www.pgr.pt/

This is the e-mail address: mailpgr@pgr.pt

THANK YOU ALL.

Cláudia.

Thread on the 3 Arguidos: http://the3arguidos.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=30628&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

........................................................................

Pessoal, toca a inundar o site da Procuradoria Geral da República a pedirem para o caso Madeleine ser reaberto. Foi-me dito que isso é uma possibilidade muito real e que a PGR está entre a espada e a parede. O caso Freeport e as alegadas pressões fazem deste o momento político perfeito. Escrevam, escrevam, escrevam. Digam como é inadmissível a vida de uma criança ser menos importante do que questões políticas. Façam-se ouvir. Cada um de vós pode ser essencial para a reabertura do processo.

Este é o site: http://www.pgr.pt/

Este é o e-mail que consta do site: mailpgr@pgr.pt

Obrigada a todos!

Cláudia.

Disgraced 'journalism'

2009-04-05T16:29:00.005+01:00

Pulhas nojentos

A canzoada que pulula pelas redacções dos pasquins britânicos já começou novamente a ladrar, quase certamente seguindo as ordens dos assessores do casal de pais negligentes que deixou três crianças sózinhas, enquanto emborcava garrafas de tinto e branco, numas férias em Portugal. Gerry e Kate aceitam agora fazer uma “reconstituição” do que aconteceu naquela noite, depois de terem rejeitado o pedido da PJ para o fazer.

Percebe-se porquê. O casal de pais negligentes tinha receio – e deixou isso bem claro – que a reconstituição da PJ tivesse como objectivo confirmar as declarações dos nove amigos que alegadamente jantavam no Ocean Clube, nessa noite.
Esta “iniciativa” do casal de pais negligentes é referida pela obediente Comunicação Social inglesa, com destaque para o “The People”, que aproveita para lançar falsas informações. Dizem estes idiotas que a polícia renovou os apelos ao público, colocando cartazes e distribuindo cerca de 10 mil folhetos, onde se apela a informações sobre a criança desaparecida.
Seria caso para perguntar a estes mentecaptos do “The People”: quem é que vos paga para difundirem falsas informações? A nova campanha que referem foi lançada pelo casal de pais negligentes e não pela polícia.
Como sempre, a excrescência rosa que acompanha o casal de pais negligentes lança umas atoardas destinadas a provocar lágrimas nos ingénuos. Diz a coisa rosa que há novos elementos que podem conduzir a importantes pistas. Pois. Mas nada de transmitir essa informação à Polícia Judiciária, certo?

Publicada por Paulo Reis

http://gazetadigitalmisteriodaluz.blogspot.com/2009/04/pulhas-nojentos.html

Disgusting rascals

The scoundrels who swarm editorial offices of British rags have already started to bark again, almost certainly following the orders of the advisers of the neglectful couple who left three children alone while they were gulping bottles of read and white during their holidays in Portugal. Gerry and Kate are now willing to do a ‘reconstruction’ of what happened that night, after having refused the PJ’s request to do it.

The why is understandable. The neglectful parents feared – and they were clear about it – that the reconstruction requested by the PJ was intended to confirm the statements of the nine friends who allegedly had dinner at the Ocean Club that night. This ‘initiative’ by the couple of neglectful parents is mentioned by the obedient English press, namely by “The People”, which takes the opportunity to release false information. These idiots say that the Police have renewed public appeals by displaying and handing out around 10 thousand leaflets in which information about the missing child is requested.

This could be the opportunity to ask these fools from “The People”: who is paying you to release false information? The new campaign mentioned was launched by the neglectful parents and not by the Police. As always, the pink appendix who accompanies the couple of neglectful parents vents out some innuendo aimed at causing tears to the gullible. The pink thing says that there are new elements which could lead to important leads. Yeah.. But no telling the Polícia Judiciária about that information, right?

Posted by Paulo Reis

Translated by Cláudia

Updated update - A bit too late

2009-04-04T00:00:00.009+01:00

Update 13:00 pm: Jane Tanner, Matthew Oldfield and Clarence Mitchell are in Praia da Luz with Gerry McCann. Apparently it's a joint ITV Channel 4 production. Gerry will not take any questions from the media, Clarence will give a press statement later on.

The production team brought a 'Madeleine' to play the role of Madeleine Beth McCann.

Meanwhile 21 workers of the Ocean club were fired today, the letter mentioned the McCanns as the cause for their joint dismissal. The workers are considering to sue the McCanns.

Gerry in Portugal to participate in a reconstruction for a TV CHANNEL, Sic Notícias just revealed.
Not interested in the Police, uh?
.....................................................................................

Gerry is going to follow the development of private investigations in the Algarve, and there is to be news soon

by Duarte Levy

A month before the second anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance, Gerry McCann, the little English girl’s father, arrived yesterday evening at Lisbon airport for a 48-hour visit.

During his stay, Gerry McCann will follow the filming of a “kind of” mini reconstitution of what allegedly happened on the night that Maddie disappeared. The filming is made by ITV, that intends to record a documentary and counts on a group of actors who will play the roles of the nine British citizens: Kate, Gerry McCann and the other members of the Tapas group.

According to the couple’s spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, Madeleine’s father allegedly also comes to follow the couple’s ongoing private investigations on the terrain.

“Gerry is not going to meet the PJ or any member of the Portuguese authorities”, Clarence told 24horas. (Really, Mr Mitchell? We all know he doesn't like the police very much!)

The couple’s spokesman, now also working for a communications and public relations company, further promised that during Gerry’s visit to Praia da Luz, the media would be offered “relevant news” concerning the search for Maddie. (Will Madeleine's whereabouts be revealed, then? Less than that it's not relevant.)

Clarence Mitchell refused to confirm or deny the presence of private investigators in Praia da Luz, but 24horas knows that during last week, while the campaign was ongoing, at least two former members of the English police visited the locations where supposedly Maddie was abducted from.

As 24horas had published already, Gerry McCann returned to Portugal alone because “Kate is not ready yet”. (Hmmm...)

Yesterday evening, Maddie’s father travelled directly to the Algarve, after being greeted by members of the British embassy, who awaited him on his arrival. (Nothing new there.)

Clarence Mitchell confirmed to 24horas that “just like Gerry had announced a few weeks ago, during his first visit, this is just one more visit”, and other visits are scheduled, with “the purpose of searching for Maddie”, according to the couple’s spokesman. (Two years later?)

PJ follows Gerry’s visit to the Algarve

A source at the Polícia Judiciária in Portimão confirmed that Maddie’s father’s visit to our country is being watched closely (I really hope so. As closely as possible...), yet lamented that the couple didn’t carry it out at “the time when the inquiry demanded it”. (Oh come on, there were certainly more important things to do than help the police find out what really happened to Madeleine.)

The population of Praia da Luz, which is upset by the campaign that has been carried out in that area of the Algarve, fails to understand the visit’s purpose: “They did nothing to help the police and ended up fleeing this place like criminals”, Rui Macedo told 24horas, adding that “they won’t rest until they destroy our region”. (A standing ovation from me, Rui Macedo!)

But Gerry McCann isn’t the only one returning to Portugal, as 24horas was able to establish that several other persons who intervened in the Maddie case are in our country at the moment. (Double hmmm...)

source: 24horas, 04.04.2009

by astro

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/04/surprise-visit.html

Something from the bottom of the heart

2009-03-26T15:50:00.003Z

Thank you, Helmy, for sending me the video. Absolutely beautiful!

The following is a post by Astro I read on the 3 Arguidos. As I read it I felt it expressed everything I wanted to say, but so much better. This is how many thousands (if not more) of Portuguese people feel like. From the bottom of the heart, thank you Astro, for alloing me to post it here.

Unless you actually live in the region, like Sasha has so effectively described, I find it very difficult for anyone to fully understand the situation in which the people of Luz have been living for almost two years now.

The subject is sad, yet interesting at the same time, but it really would take a very long post to fully paint the picture of what Luz has been going through, since that fateful evening of the 3rd of May 2007.

The fact that there are people who actually trace ANY sort of connection/comparison between the locals' worry about their only source of income - tourism - and respect or consideration for Madeleine, is offensive, to say the least. Are these people supposed to sacrifice the survival of their entire families, in the name of some sort of curse that befell the village, on the 3rd of May 2007? Are these people expected to lay down their lives, because it would look indecorous to try to preserve one’s salary?

These people have done EVERYTHING that they could do, without anyone even asking them to do it; they took time off work, they gave their best efforts, their money, their hearts and souls to help find Madeleine. Anyone who thinks otherwise has either been fed a lot of misinformation by certain media, or is simply cruel beyond comprehension. People walked their feet until they were sore, searching a radius of 15 kms around the village. Those who couldn't physically help, offered food and drink to those who could, and to the policemen and fire fighters who were on location, day and night. Policemen slept in cars, when they slept at all; some were offered a few hours of sleep on a sofa in the locals' homes. The people in Luz cried, prayed and worried themselves sick over a little girl that they didn’t even know, as if it was their own daughter, niece or granddaughter.

Meanwhile, all over the country, people despaired. During those first days, there was criticism of the parents, it would be false to deny it, but the general sentiment was 'we have to find the little girl before anything else'. Finding Madeleine was the only thing that was on everyone's mind, not only in Luz, but all over the Algarve - all over Portugal, really, as many of the early 'sightings' across the country attest.

I think most of you are aware that I live in Portimão, some 30 kms away from Luz. I remember the helicopters flying over our house, on their way to Luz or returning from a day of searches. I remember the posters that were put up on every shop window, every bus stop, every train station, hospital waiting room, supermarket entrance… Thankfully, we never had to endure what Luz suffered, with the invasion of journalists from all over the world, in search for yet another ‘human angle’ story, for that special scope. We didn’t have to endure their raucous parties night after night, either – but that’s another story entirely.

But even 30 kms away from Luz, the worry was palpable, omnipresent, inescapable. Madeleine was the subject of every conversation, everywhere, at all times. This may seem somewhat surreal now, with the benefit of time distancing us from those times, even a bit exaggerated. But in May 2007, it seemed there was nothing that we weren’t prepared to do, even if that implied behaving in an exaggerated manner.

It was precisely this enormous nationwide effort, this extraordinarily intense commitment of people all over the country - an effort that had never been made for 'our' (fortunately few) missing children... – that made what followed that much harder to swallow.

It’s easy to blame the shift in people’s perspective about the case, on the leaks from the PJ, that were only too happily published by the Portuguese media. It’s easy to blame the McCanns’ fall from grace on Mr Amaral and his team (a team that included British policemen and British experts), or on human nature, because the ‘populace’ was envious of the McCanns’ money, fame, good looks.

But look again, please.

You will see a very different picture.

You will see the supposedly devastated, desperate parents, jogging, playing tennis, entertaining guests, posing for photographs, jetting all over Europe. You will see them smiling at the locals when the cameras were rolling – and not even saying ‘good morning’ when the employee from the Batista supermarket delivered their shopping at their apartment. You will see the British media, under the command of the McCanns’ spokespeople, ridiculing, insulting and humiliating the very same people who cried their eyes out for Madeleine.

And when the going got tough, instead of answering the police’s questions, they left Luz without a word. They turned their backs on those who had treated them like family, who had offered everything that they had, and then more.

Some will say that nobody asked the locals to do what they did. Others will say that the McCanns owed these people nothing, that they had to think about their missing daughter, about their remaining children. The McCanns had to protect their family.

Fair enough. God knows I’d protect my family with my life, if necessary; anyone can relate to such arguments.

But there cannot be two different standards just because it suits us.

The people of Luz are protecting their families as well. They have to earn a living, they have no fund to pay their mortgage when times are tough. They have no wealthy supporters, no famous sponsors. All that they have is their arms and legs to do their work, day in and day out, and that work just happens to be, for the vast majority at least, the tourist trade.

Even if for a moment, they put aside the insult, the arrogance, the humiliation that they suffered, they’d still be left with a very basic choice: a campaign of highly dubious success – or the need to restore the shattered image of their village as a safe, family friendly holiday destination.

Finally, just a thought about the proclaimed purpose of this campaign: the McCanns announce that they want to enlist the help of the people of Luz, to jog their memories, to collect any information they may have about the little girl, and the night that she disappeared – in the belief that a member of the population of Luz could have deliberately held information back from the police.

I think in English this is called 'adding to the insult'.

I’m sorry if this offends anyone, I definitely don’t condone the shredding of posters in this case; but if I ever come across one, I’ll quietly, calmly remove it and place it in the paper recycling bin. I don’t need posters to remind me of a little missing girl that didn’t deserve the destiny that befell her.

And neither do the people of Luz.

Too many farces for one day

2009-03-24T14:57:00.004Z

McCanns launch campaign in the Algarve

by Duarte Levy

With little over a month to go until the second anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance, and alleging that they didn’t care properly for the contacts with the locals, Kate and Gerry McCann now announce the launch of a new campaign that targets the inhabitants of Lagos and Burgau, the areas closest to the tourist resort in Praia da Luz where their daughter allegedly disappeared from.

According to information from the couple’s spokesman, Kate and Gerry now believe that their daughter is still alive and that they didn’t properly care for contacts with the locals, who will therefore receive 10 thousand leaflets in their post boxes asking for help, while several posters will be affixed throughout the region.

source: Duarte Levy @ Wordpress, 24.03.2009

The farce continues

2009-03-24T11:53:00.003Z

PJ Inspectors' trial returns to Court of Faro today

Expert says lesions are from distinct moments

by Lusa

The trial over the alleged aggressions against assistant Leonor Cipriano by Judiciária inspectors returns to the Court of Faro on Tuesday, with the hearing of a forensics medicine expert, who concluded that the bruises have occurred at three different moments.

The 12th trial session, which is scheduled to start at 9.30 a.m., is expected to hear Teresa Magalhães, an expert at the National Institute for Forensics Medicine, who wrote a report on request by the Court of Faro, about the photographs where Leonor Cipriano can be seen with lesions on various places of her face and body.

A source that is connected to the process has told Lusa Agency that in her report, the expert concluded that the bruises had been made during “three different trauma episodes”, with hematoma that is three to four days old, others that are eight to nine days old, and further ones that are 21 days old.

The expert, who never saw Leonor Cipriano’s alleged lesions live, further excludes, in her report, that a fall from stairs could have been the cause for the lesions.

The defence for the present and former Polícia Judiciária (PJ) inspectors nevertheless argues that the stair fall theory cannot be excluded, because of the “trauma mechanism”.

During a previous session at the Court of Faro, a forensics expert had already stated that the lesions that Leonor Cipriano presents in the photographs may have been made on two distinct moments and that they could be a consequence both of falling off the stairs or being assaulted.

Marcos Aragão Correia, Leonor Cipriano’s lawyer, is not expected to attend Tuesday’s trial session.

In February, Marcos Aragão requested the removal of this trial’s presiding judge, arguing that the magistrate’s behaviour indicates bias. Nevertheless, the Appeals Court of Évora has denied the request for the removal of the presiding judge.

Aragão Correia was notified of the decision from the Appeals Court of Évora last Thursday, and when confronted with the decision, that allows for no appeal, informed Lusa that he wouldn’t attend the next trial sessions, although he continues to represent Leonor Cipriano in writing.

The “Joana case” dates back to the 12th of September 2004, the day when the girl, aged eight, disappeared in the village of Figueira, near Portimão, in the Algarve, and whose mother, Leonor Cipriano, and her uncle, João Cipriano (both siblings) have been condemned by the Supreme Court of Justice to 16 years in prison over the crimes of homicide and concealment of the child’s cadaver.

Before serving her sentence at the prison in Odemira, Joana’s mother was under preventive detention and was questioned several times by inspectors at the PJ’s Directory in Faro.

The Public Ministry’s accusations against present and former Judiciária inspectors appeared following the interrogations at the PJ in Faro. Three stand accused of the crime of torture, one stands accused of failing to give assistance and omitting a denunciation, and a fifth one stands accused of document forgery.

source: Diário de Notícias, 23.03.2009

Spoof or no spoof, great idea!

2009-03-19T11:42:00.003Z

The McCann Million Dollar Challenge

Austin, TX - Texan businessman, Tom Franks, has offered to donate a million dollars towards the Find Madeleine Fund, a company set up by the parents of missing British girl Madeleine McCann.

Austin, TX - Texan businessman, Tom Franks, has offered to donate a million dollars towards the Find Madeleine Fund, a company set up by the parents of missing British girl Madeleine McCann. Madeleine was three-years-old when she disappeared from her vacation apartment in Praia- da-Luz, Portugal in May 2007.

Tom Franks, who shares his time between Texas and L.A., said, “I will give the parents a million dollars if they can answer just one question. I will need to see evidence, either forensic evidence, witness evidence or strong circumstantial evidence that shows the man they want us to believe took their child probably did. If they publish compelling evidence that a man seen by a tourist before they arrived in Portugal, was "Madeleine‘s probable abductor," as they claim on their website, I will gladly give them a million dollars to help find that man.”

Franks explained why he had decided to make his offer to Mr.and Mrs, Mccann. "Justice has to be seen to take place for an innocent child. We must defend and protect children, even if it is difficult for others." He added that he "could not understand why they want us to believe a particular man took their child, when there has never been any evidence released that suggests that is the case and when the man has never been suspected by the police. It is important that when a child goes missing those responsible for that child tell the truth so that justice can prevail. I am happy to give the McCanns a million dollars to track down this man, if there really is credible evidence that he probably abducted Madeleine."

Franks' million dollar offer can be seen at: http://mccannmilliondollarchallenge.webs.com

The Pledge

My million dollar challenge to Gerry McCann

A reminder of some facts:

1/ A woman called Gail Cooper was on vacation in Portugal before you even arrived there. She says she saw a man collecting money for charity. Does that make him a child abductor? No. She says she saw a man on the beach when it was raining. Does that make him a child abductor? No. She says the man gave her the "creeps" because of the way he looked. Does that make him a child abductor? No. It means she might need to get out more, but no reason to believe he had anything to do with Madeleine.

2/ One of your vacation chums, Jane Tanner, states she did not see the face of the man she conveniently claims she saw, so I am not going to have you tell me she saw the same man Gail Cooper saw. She plainly would not know if it was the same man, if she had seen the face.

3/ On your website you display two pictures of the man your pal conveniently claims she saw and two pictures of the other man Mrs. Cooper says she saw.

You clearly want all of us to think the man Mrs. Cooper saw is the same as the one your vacation pal claims she saw and you want us to believe he is "Madeleine's probable abductor."

My Challenge

I challenge you to produce compelling evidence that shows Mrs. Cooper's man probably abducted Madeleine. I need either forensic evidence, very strong circumstantial evidence or witness evidence. I don't think you have evidence to prove that Mrs. Cooper's man probably abducted your daughter. You also have no evidence the man your vacation buddy conveniently claims she saw probably abducted Madeleine.

I think it is something you invented and you knowingly had a lie published on your website. Don't pretend you are unaware it is on your website. What parent with a lost child would not look at their own website designed to find their child? I think you are a liar. A controlling man like yourself would know fully well what is on your website.

If I am wrong and you can provide the forensic, strong circumstantial or witness evidence to substantiate your claim that the man probably abducted Madeleine, I will donate $1,000,000 to your fund. You can use that to pay your mortgage in full and take another vacation. Hopefully you will come back this time with as many children and you leave with.

You can either accept my challenge and publish the evidence on your website or decline my challenge and remove your lies from your website. The choice is yours, but the longer your lies remain on your website the more people will become aware you are a liar.

If you cannot accept my challenge, others will ask why not. Others will ask why you have lied. Why have you pretended to the public a man probably abducted Madeleine when you have no evidence to support that claim?

Others will know you are a liar. Others will wonder why you lied. I can only think of one reason why you would lie, because you want to create a smokescreen, a diversion from what really happened.

You are collecting money from the public on your website based on the claim that Mrs. Cooper's man probably abducted Madeleine. If you cannot substantiate that claim and it transpires you have lied, you had better pay every cent back to those you have taken money from, because that would make you both a thief and a liar.

Tom Franks 03/18//09

Is someone growing some balls?

2009-03-13T15:16:00.001Z

Daily Mail

13 March 2009

Jan Moir

Gerry's complaints leave a bitter taste

How strange it was to see pale, pugnacious Gerry McCann back in the news this week. It serves as a reminder that while the world has moved on for the rest of us, time stands still for him.

For the McCann family, the clocks stopped nearly two years ago, on that terrible night in the Algarve when their three-year-old daughter slipped from public view and has not been seen since.

In their quest to find Madeleine, the desperate McCanns invited the world's Press into their lives. It was a relationship that was doomed to sour.

Grievance: Gerry McCann has complained about the Press

For months, the McCanns' efforts to keep their daughter's plight high on the news agenda were intense. Far from shrinking from the oxygen of publicity, what they feared most was the muffle of public apathy. In the process, they became experts at manipulating the media to their own advantage.

At one point, Mr McCann even returned to the family home in Leicestershire to tie his own yellow ribbon to the teddystocked Madeleine shrine that had been hastily erected in the centre of the village.

Then and now, watching Gerry McCann walking the red carpet of his grief, as knowing as a Cannes film star, can be an uncomfortable experience.

This week, Mr McCann took the opportunity to air his grievances about the Press and its treatment of his family in front of the House of Commons Culture Select Committee.

For what possible purpose? Certainly, some bad judgment decisions were made by the more excitable newspapers, who have been punished with hefty libel payments and widespread approbation for their troubles. Surely that is an end to the matter?

No. Mr McCann is not finished complaining. Yet the more and more he complains about what happened in the aftermath of his daughter's disappearance, the more I feel he is attempting to assuage his own guilt for failing to be there when she needed him most.

Still, it's not his fault that these useless Select Committees, stuffed with the third rate and the Parliamentary walking wounded, give an indulgent platform for anyone with a grievance.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/debate/article-1161605/JAN-MOIR-Please-girls-We-THAT-desperate.html#addComment

Once again, great reading from Paulo Sargento

2009-03-07T20:42:00.002Z

Satellites and Espionage

by Paulo Sargento*

Duarte Levy has published an article in ‘24Horas’ newspaper, on Monday the 23rd of February 2009, that many unsuspecting readers might think was a Carnival joke. But anyone who knows journalist Duarte Levy knows that, both in the ‘blogshpere’ and in the more traditional press, he is not a man to hide behind masks. Actually, that’s the very reason why, showing his face throughout the high quality investigation that he carries out, he has experienced a few misfortunes, just like Paulo Reis, Gonçalo Amaral, Hernâni Carvalho and others who, if it wasn’t for the excessive amount of events, on the same “targets”, and within particular time circumstances, one might state that these gentlemen share the common fact that… “they’re very unlucky”. Within less than 2 years, these men have experienced more flat tires, car hits, unjustified detentions, persecutions, computer hackings, cowardly dog assassinations, phone threats, computer viruses, anonymous letters, forbidden document translations, thefts, robberies, meetings with mediums and threats to their physical integrity, than they had suffered in their entire lives. Their ages lie between 40 and 50. But it took only 21 months for the number of “unpleasant” events to reach, for some of them, and within this time frame, occurrence rates that are 50 times higher than the probability that they occur with to any common citizen within an average 80 year life span. Amazing, isn’t it? And everything in silence and without (apparent) connections.

Well. Let’s return to Duarte Levy’s article and explore a bit of the subject that he treated notably.

I retained two central aspects: that the satellites were turned towards Morocco and the existence of “spies”.

Why did I retain the reply that the journalist was offered: “The satellites were all turned towards Morocco”?

Because this is a Mitchell Style reply. If we take a closer look at some of the questions and answers that appear, from a certain time onwards, in the Maddie case, we are faced with notable structural similarities, under the linguistic point of view (both in syntactical and in pragmatic terms). But, even more! While looking barbarously stupid, those questions or answers are absolutely contusing! Always! What do I mean? That they are obvious lies! Nobody believes that all British satellites (because they certainly don’t own just one, and as a matter of fact, the number of objects that circle the earth is becoming worrying, namely since recently two satellites collided) were turned towards Morocco. Why? Because apart from the technical problems that would arise, there would have to be at least ONE acceptable justification for such an event. A State secret? This is where I state that the replies are contusing, despite barbarously stupid and appearing to treat us all as clowns (I beg the clowns, the real ones, whom I much admire, to forgive me).

How does one refute a State secret? Motives to point towards Morocco? Yes, of course! But they are top secret! And it had to happen in the 3rd of May 2007, of all days! What special event took place in Morocco at that point in time, for all of the satellites to be oriented into that location? As far as we know: NOTHING. NOTHING. But being a State Secret, the stupidity acquires contusion.

This type reply is typical, just like the justification for G. McCann’s visit and so many others.

Allow me to say this: there probably is nothing that could be more irritating than to be forced to accept the contusion of stupidity!

But, there was a mention of spies?

Apart from the simple technique of anonymity that is permitted by the ‘blogshpere’ but which an attentive analysis of the timings and the “grammatical styles” unveils, we have a far more powerful trap: a new form of counter-information – the “Streisand effect”.

The so-called “Streisand effect” has often surfaced on the internet. In Portugal, we have a more parsimonious popular expression: “a cat hiding with its tail sticking out”.

So, what’s this so-called “Streisand effect”? This is a supposed effect that is produced when there is an attempt to censor something on the internet. In a simplified manner, given the structure, the number of people and the means that are available on the internet, if I want to prevent certain news from coming out, or if I try to censor it, the effect of said censorship is the exact opposite of what was intended, because it tends to replicate in every possible and imaginary manner, like some sort of cybernetic self-regulation.

But is it just us who know this? No! The “Streisand effect” is Poison and Antidote, an old espionage recipe. Do you know why? Imagine that I try to censor a piece of news in order to render another one innocuous? Imagine that after one undesirable piece of news is at risk of spreading, I place two or three other placebo pieces of news (but booby-trapped as pseudo-censors)? Is this possible?

Can you imagine how often this has happened in the Maddie Case? Numberless times, and almost always under the shape of CONTUSION THAT SMOTHERS STUPIDITY!

See you around!

source: Câmara de Comuns blog, 25.02.2009

* Forensic psychologist, university professor, author and blogger

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From Wikipedia: The term Streisand effect originally referred to a 2003 incident in which Barbra Streisand sued photographer Kenneth Adelman and Pictopia.com for US$50 million in an attempt to have the aerial photo of her house removed from the publicly available collection of 12,000 California coastline photographs, citing privacy concerns. Adelman stated that he was photographing beachfront property to document coastal erosion as part of the California Coastal Records Project. As a result of the case the picture became popular on the internet, with over 420,000 people visiting the site over the next month.