MORE WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE

It is three weeks since we last posted on the Blog, all the time expecting (not really) that some news would be forthcoming regarding the continuing search for little Madeleine McCann.  Or even news about the McCanns finding someone else to sue and help to keep Carter Ruck in business, and their own Maddie fund in a healthy financial state.

The Police, British or Portuguese, have had little to say in this intervening period and have failed to report any worthwhile activity, no more suspects, no more interviews and definitely, no more progress.  But plenty of expense for the British (and we suppose) the Portuguese Taxpayer!

What we find particularly interesting about the Madeleine case is that despite the absolute mountain of World-wide publicity there has been a total lack of "Maddie sightings" for a very long time.  This is an unusual aspect of this type of missing person enquiry, as normally one expects to get a steady flow of sightings especially at the start and during the time that active investigations are ongoing.  Why is this?   Is it because people have given up as they assume the worst case scenario or because they are just fed up with all the who-har surrounding the Parents and their attitude to the society who are trying to help.  Constantly issuing writs and suing for damages, on the back of the alleged abduction of a small child, does little to endear them to the public.

We are of the opinion that the Portuguese Police should have taken action against the McCann parents at the time they left their three children unprotected.  Perhaps then they would be more grateful for the fantastic and un-paralleled support they have been given by the Government and the other various services involved in the search.

There are still many questions left unanswered, especially those asked by the Portuguse Police of certain Arguidos shortly after the incident.  Bring back Detective Amaral and let him conclude the case he was handling so efficiently, until there was interference from higher authority.

A POLICEMAN'S LOT IS NOT A HAPPY ONE,

So at long last the Portuguese Court has made a decision regarding the Damages Claim made by the McCanns against ex Detective Goncarlo Amaral of the Portuguese Police.  All in all the sum awarded, plus interest, amounts to the massive sum of over £400,000 and for the McCanns to be satisfied Amaral, who is already on his knees financially, will have to realise the value of his assets, including his home.   The McCanns do not seem concerned about this, or the trail of claims they have put in over the years against anyone who dare say a bad word about them.  It could appear to some that they are more interested in making money from the loss of their child than actually trying to find her!

Was the case against Amaral justified?  We think not!  The assumption he made regarding Madeleine's disappearance, an alleged abduction, was based as far as we understand it on forensic and other evidence obtained from the Apartment and a hire car.   The evidence of cadaver in the parents wardrobe and in the car was obtained using trained British dogs, whose records were unquestionable.  Other forensic evidence from blood residue was examined in a British laboratory with an excellent reputation in forensic science. There was also other evidence obtained from statements and the examination of the Apartment, all of which when put together led Amaral to make the informed decision he did.  Why should a Police Officer be made to pay for a decision made in accordance with the fulfilment of his duty?  The World is mad!  Having read the book, "The Truth of the Lie", we can see nothing in it than should upset two, professional, qualified medical practitioners whose daily life was spent helping others with their problems.

Had Amaral made a different decision that resulted in locating the girl or, at least, establishing a plausible alternative to the conclusion he did, the parents would have had no reason to make such claims for damages as they did.  
Despite the grievances of the McCanns, and despite the millions of pounds thrown at the investigation, and the high profile support the family have received from the British Government, not one piece of additional evidence has been uncovered.  From the large number of claimed "suspects" who have been interviewed, no one has yet been arrested or charged. And the McCanns seem content to allow even more millions to be poured into what is becoming a fruitless search.  Is it not time for them to call a halt and let lives return to normal, but retain the hope that, one day, Madeleine will be found?

The Saga of the McCann's claim against Goncarlo Amaral will not be over for some considerable time yet, as he has publicly stated his intention to appeal, and then appeal again if necessary, up to the level of the European Court against the decision of the Lisbon Judgement.  It could take as long as 5 years, so we shall keep our interest alive.

Apparently the book, "The Truth of the Lie" has received a further ban from sale.   Not much use when many people have already bought it, second-hand copies are available on the Internet, and digital copies can be downloaded from a number of sites in English. 

Speculation, Speculation, Speculation

Since that day in May those few years ago, there has always been much speculation that the Parents of Madeline McCann were concerned in her disappearance.  As both the Portuguese and British Police have come to a halt in their investigations, surely it would be a good idea to also get rid of the cloud surrounding the McCanns themselves.  To satisfy the demands of the baying wolves the McCanns could take a polygraph test to give credence to their answers if it showed their innocence.  This type of test is much more relable today than it was years ago and to make the result even more conclusive, it could also be extended to all their holiday friends.  It is believed by many that only by such a properly conducted and open test will the accusations cease.

The whole saga needs bringing to a conclusion.  

This does not mean that the parents have to give up hope.   The search for Maddie has so far proved useless, the interviewing of witnesses and suspects has yielded nothing, and there is little hope of present investigations unearthing any further positive or useful information.  

If Maddie is alive somewhere, she may have her own memories that one day will come to the fore and make her ask questions or seek out her own answers as to where her life started, and guide her back to her family.  

A Video worth watching

In the absence of other news we have had a look around and found this inteesting video.

http://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t10149-buried-by-mainstream-media-the-true-story-of-madeleine-mccann

This is the first of four.

Time Marches On. Yawn.........

Yet more weeks have passed and still the British and Portuguese Police seem to be unable to make further progress.

The Briptish Police need to listen to Amaral and pick up from where he was forced to give up.

A Repeat from U Tube

Check this out.

http://youtu.be/6x7ryFkR8w4

ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH . . . . . . .

Yet once again the UK Police have decided that they need to return to Portugal to interview even more so called suspects.  If they carry on this way the whole of the population of the Algarve will have been checked over and  questioned.
It is fairly apparent that they are getting absolutely nowhere with their current, and past, investigations, but for some unknown reason wish to soldier on.  Who is giving the authority for the massive and escalating costs to be incurred?   Is it still as a result of their pleas to the Prime Minster some years ago?   Had this been another little girl, without links to the Government, the case would have bern put on the back burner long ago.

Despite their very slow and painless search for the abductor, they have only paid scant regard to the forensic and circumstantial evidence, obtained during and just after the alleged abduction.  Is it not about time they went back to square one?  Deep questioning of the Parents, and their Tapas Friends.  Reinvestigating the evidence given by the Smith family and other "witnesses" who were interviewed at the time, and a thorough look at the moneymaking ventures since then, made in the name of Maddie.   And an outside audit of the use of the funds collected.

All the Private Investigators employed by the McCanns, need to be thoroughly interviewed, and any information gleaned from them put into the evidence melting pot.

There are still many questions to be answered, and the case must be brought to a conclusion.

HOW MUCH LONGER, HOW MUCH MORE?

The Madeleine Abduction Mystery deepens!  Over 40 police and their helpers still working on the case and will be kept on the case for the foreseeable future, according to today's Press reports.

The Police still seem to favour a dead person as the main suspect and developed further this could lead to a very convenient (for some) solution.   It does appear that the possibility of there having been an accident in the apartment, in which Madeleine suffered a fatal injury, has been completely discarded.  The evidence, forensic and otherwise, originally associated with the case, also seems to be completely disregarded.  Obviously the Cadaver Dogs, provided by the UK Police are not worth their salt, if the evidence gathered is not used.

Whilst the McCanns may wish to live in hope of one day having their Daughter returned to them, surely it is about time the public were spared this enormous expense, the McCanns got on with their life, and we all returned to a state of relative normality.

I am again reminded of Kate's comment that she feels closest to Madeleine when she is on the Beach at Praia de Luz.  Maybe another place to consider digging?

NEW TAXI DRIVER SUSPECT

We now read that the Police are considering a Praia da Luz Taxi Driver as a suspect and suggest that he could have been involved in disposing of "a body", which may have been that of Madeleine McCann.

If by any slim chance he was so involved, one can consider whether the body was a result of his own crime or maybe that of another person or persons.   Is there a possibility that he was disposing of such for others, maybe for payment?   Or was it just a dead cat or dog?  The possibilities and various twists and turns this theory could lead is virtually endless.  It will, no doubt, be consigned to the rubbish heap as most leads and theories have over the last seven years.

We believe that Detective Amaral was getting to the bottom of the mystery when he was discharged from the case under the behest of the British Government.   Perhaps those who insisted on his sacking are now beginning to regret their interference in what was happening in Portugal!

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS x 8

The headlines today are that, at long last, the Police are to interview "suspects" who may be concerned with the alleged abduction of Madeleine.
We hear that they are to interview 8 people!  Why 8?  Or are they just hoping that by a bit of strong arm interviewing they will manage to get one of them to submit, and actually confess to being the perpetrator of the alleged crime?   It certainly looks that way.  Surely after all the time, effort (questionable), and money thrown at this mystery, they should have narrowed their list of suspects down to one or two at the most?   Is it just a case, of once again, clutching at straws, and merely trying to justify the time being spent, probably in the full knowledge that the whitewash brush is waiting in the wings.

Goncalo Amaral is no idiot, and it is just regrettable that his theories have not been fully explored.  When is the truth going to be told as to exactly why he was removed from the case?

When is the only firm evidence of the blood stains, and the excellent work of the British search dogs to be recognised, along with the conflicting statements and lack of evidence of any intruder having entered the flat?   Maybe when the Police run out of ideas or decide they have had a long enough holiday!

BETTER THAN A HITCHCOCK FILM,

There we all were, wating with baited breath for K and G McCann to have their day in Court and to provided irrefutable evidence as to how Detective Amaral's theories, as published in his book, has affected the search for their Daughter, Madeleine.  Such are these Parents who left their three young children unattended, and refused to answer questions from the Police that could have maybe brought this whole episode to a conclusion a long time ago.  An ending that could have been happier than the conclusion that many people forecast now.  Instead it just seems to be a never ending chase for compensation.  

We have read the book written by Goncales Amaral and think that it has been well written, evidence diligently analysed and a conclusion reached with which some will agree and some will not.   Only by testing the evidence in a Court of Law could Detective Amaral's theory be proved or disproved.

On another note.  There seems little news from the British Police working in Praia da Luz, apart from their apparent appreciation of Portuguese Beer, which accoding to the Press they are downing with gusto.  Are there no rules about Drinking and Digging?  The jokes about the Seven Dwarfs will no doubt follow!

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE

The Police search in Praia da Luz has is now moving on to another site to the land around a water plant where "prime" suspect Sn Monteiro worked.  If he is or was the prime suspect should the site not have been the first to be investigated?

Of course it is very convenient to bring up this suspect, as he died in a tragic accident in 2009 !   What a nice easy closure on the case were it possible to blame it all on him!  But, of course, there is no evidence at the scene of the alleged abduction or his involvement.  It is all speculative and the subject of pure conjecture.  No evidence, no witnesses!   Not Guilty Mi Lud!

Go back to square one, get the McCanns to answer the questions put to them by the PJ when they were Arguidos!  Failure to assist in the production of evidence in the search for their Daughter is a most unusual stance to take.

Where are the rest of the Tapas crowd now?  Should they not be involved by going over past statements, or even in a reconstruction of the events of that evening.

Has everyone seen the 48 questions that Kate McCann refused to answer?   They are in the public domain and an Internet search will easily locate them.  They are very interesting and tend to indicate the way the Portuguese Police were directing their thoughts.

A THOUGHT OR TWO

It seems fairly obvious from the Police interviews and their actions, that they seriously consider that Madeleine McCann is dead.   Has this been communicated to the Parents we wonder?   Or, will they still continue to believe in her being alive with a chance of being found?

Should the Current or future searches discover the body of Madeleine it is only a remote chance that they will get any clue as to who was responsible.   Although there may be a clue as to how she met her demise, such as a bad head injury or marks indicating such as strangulation, there will be no direct link to the killer or the ones who hid the body.    However, such additional information, put alongside the original evidence gleaned by Detective Amaral's team, could lead to establishing what exactly happened and who was responsible!

There is of course one alternative.  If it is believed the child is not alive, and has suffered her demise as a result of being left unattended by the parents, perhaps they should be considered as culpable and prosecuted accordingly either in Portugal or the UK.

Or is that unfair?   What do you think?

..........

THE PORTUGUESE VIEW

As one can inmagine the activities of the British Police on Portuguese soil is causing interest, concern and disquiet in the Algarve.

This is a transcript of a comment on Portuguese TV which gives one reporter's take on the British presence.  From the well respected Eduardo Cintra Torres [ECT] - 

"That gentleman from the Scotland Yard (Officer Redwood) that appears there [in the video inset they are showing and debating about Redwood's visit to Algarve] - it's actually a pity that we don't have a psychologist here to make his profile, not of Maddie's or of the “assassins”, but of that Scotland Yard gentleman. I look at him and I just think: “this man just wants to appear on TV”. With so many disappearances of children in England... did he choose the Maddie case because he would appear on TV? And they went beyond, now they've come to Portugal to investigate. Why is the Portuguese police being subservient to this mockery, to this televised show off - we had aerial searches in Lagos seven years later! Aerial searches! We need to ask, what exactly is going on?! This is the utmost ridiculous thing, a show off, something just to appear on TV. And then they're going to open holes, searching for, eventually, the child's body at the 25 de Abril street? Was it for this that we had the 25 de Abril Revolution?

João Ferreira (CMTV news anchor) - The opening of the case by the British authorities was done taking into account the media coverage?

ECT - Absolutely, that police officer from the Scotland Yard in particular pursues media coverage.  I believe that is a shame for the Portuguese state to allow the mediatization of an investigation that belongs to the Portuguese and not to the English. If we tried to do the same in England, would they allow it? Obviously not.

JF - They were authorized by the Attorney General's Office...

ECT - Of course, it's the old alliance issue.

JF - Thank you, Eduardo."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT VALUE THE PRESENCE OF CADAVER?

The BBC's CRIMEWATCH Programme on Television last night spent a great amount of time on the case of a convicted killer, even though a body had never been found.  The one striking aspect of the case was the use of sniffer dogs who smelt out the presence of CADAVER giving a direct link to the suspect.   One area was the place the body had been hidden, and the other in the boot of his car.

We seem to remember, that the BRITISH sniffer dogs taken to Praia da Luz to assist in the search for Madeleine McCann, also discovered the presence of CADAVER.   First in the Holiday Apartment used by the McCanns and then in the boot of a hire car rented by them.

We thought it rather unusual that one situation led to a prosecution and the other has not, despite the similarities, no body, cadaver where a body could have been hidden, and cadaver in a means of transport that could have been used to move the body!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The reports in today's press gives details of the Police moves to dig up some land close to where Madeleine was allegedly abducted, and the virtual army of people and machinery involved.   Slightly less prominent we find that the McCanns are still progressing with their defamation case against Detective Amaral and others regarding his book and a television programme.  Compensation seems more important than cooperation.

Maybe rather than chasing compensation the Parents who, we repeat, left their young children unprotected and vulnerable whilst out dining with friends, could better spend their time assisting with the continuing search for their Daughter, and also answer the questions they refused to answer to the Portuguese Police!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What has happened to all the other lines of enquiry?  Where are the burglars, where are the ones wanted for interview?  This case needs solving quickly, or without any firm lines of enquiry, abandoning completely.

NOTHING TO SNIFF ABOUT

The latest Media reports tell us that next week the Police will start a ground breaking search in various areas of Praia da Luz, bring in the resources of earth penetrating Radar and Sniffer Dogs.   More power to their elbow!

But was it not the British Sniffer Dogs who seven years ao detected blood and cadaver in the McCann's apartment and hire car?   That evidence never led to anything, possibly due to the details being surpressed and swept ynder the carpet!

What will happen this time?   Let's not all wait with baited breath.

Within the last year or so whilst over 30 UK Police have been "investigating" we have been tald of "dramatic developments" on numerous occasions, yet there has been no positive results.

Get the Tapas Group back in the viewfinder and give them a good grilling.  Get the McCanns to answer the questions they refused to answer for the Portuguese Police.  It seems that more is being done to appease the McCanns, than blame them foe leaving the children in danger in the first place!

PICKS AND SHOVELS

We see from the National Media that the British Police in the search for Madeleine McCann have decided to expand their operations in the Praia de Luz area and will be concentrating their efforts into underground searches.

We have said before that Kate McCann has always said that she feels closest to Madeleine when she is on the Beach at PdL so maybe this would be a good place to start.  Whether this feeling is just a whim on her part or a distinct feeling that could exist between Mother and child, we shall have to wait to find out.

The Police having explored virtually every possible avenue in their enquiries, maybe now realise that the one possible solution is that suggested by Detective Amaral very early in the case and as yet unexplored.  Perhaps Madeleine was not taken out of Praia de Luz, and that the answer to the "mystery" lies around the apartment and the local area.

Heigh Ho, heigh Ho - it's off to work we go . . . . . . . . .

ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY

We have now reached the ninth anniversary since the mysterious disappearance of little Madeleine McCann.

We have already seen the publicity machine in action with TV interviews and coverage in the Press; no doubt more will follow.  The facial expressions of Kate McCann are the usual sad images we are used to seeing whilst Gerry seems to still convey his rather carefree attitude and a certain remoteness to what is happening.

Kate is still blaming the lack of progress finding Madeleine on the lack of cooperation twixt the British and Portuguese Police.  Surely she must realise that any abductor is not going to hang around the scene of the crime, or even the Town or Country where the crime was committed.   She is almost oblivious to reality and shows no gratitude for the money that it being spent, or the work being done to find her child.  If she can do better let her try.

Also Mrs Kate McCann does not seem to consider that she and Gerry were the prime causation of Madeleine's disappearance!  As has been said by many people, many times, had Kate and Gerry McCann NOT left their children unattended, no harm would have come to them.  Why did they NOT use the excellent baby sitting services available to them?   What a completely irresponsible action to take.  Thank God all Doctors are not tarred with the same brush!   Would you trust them to look after your health and perform heart surgery on you?

If Madeleine was abducted, and is now part of a new family, it is fairly obvious that she would be settled and conditioned to her new environment.   If however, she is not alive, then no amount of police time or money will bring her back.  In either case maybe it is time for the McCanns to get on with their life and just remain hopeful that one day she will be found.

ANOTHER MISSING CHILD

On 21st. July 1991, on the Greek Island of Kos a little boy of 21 months went missing.  His name was Ben Needham.  

Ben is still missing and would now be a young man of 24.   Ben never had the attention or money from the authorities, spent on the search for him, as is being lavished on the unusual disappearance of Madeleine McCann.  

Is, or has there been some influence from higher authority brought to bear in one of the cases?

Maybe it is time to re-open Ben's case and get 30 odd policemen from New Scotland Yard hot foot over to Kos, and resume the investigation into his disappearance, and return him to his family.   At least Ben was not left in a vulnerable situation by his parents whilst they partied the evening away!   Ben's family deserve a lot more help than they seem to have had, or seem to be getting.   And they certainly deserve the same time, effort and money spent, if not more, than the McCanns!

HAS ANYONE HEARD ANYTHING?

Well, once again everything has gone quiet in the Algarve, but you can bet your bottom Dollar that with Easter fast approaching the McCanns will be busy getting their pennyworth of publicity and gathering all financial donations put in their direction.

The Police seem to have come to a blank wall.  The 38 they wanted to interview along with the dead coloured man and the three burglars has come to nothing.  No doubt a good composer could make up a pretty decent ballad about the goings on.

What happened to ALL THE  ORIGINAL EVIDENCE gathered by Amaral and his Crew?
The BLOOD in the apartment.
The CADAVER in the apartment wardrobe.
The missing TENNIS BAG.
The UNFORCED WINDOWS.
The CRY of "THEY have taken her."
The CADAVER in the CAR.
The UNSLEPT IN BED.
The CRIES of MADDY every NIGHT!
The other children who DID NOT WAKE during the hullabaloo.
The BURGLARY without anything being STOLEN.
The evidence of the SMITH FAMILY.
etc. etc. etc.

Maybe the Police should go back to square one and reinterview the whole Tapas pack.   

It is pretty obvious that Madeleine is not going to be found, and it also looks unlikely that anyone will be caught or prosecuted for any abduction.

The only ones to blame are the PARENTS FOR LEAVING THE CHILDREN UNPROTECTED AND VULNERABLE.   Maybe they should be the ones to be punished as far as the Law will allow.

WHAT'S UP DOC?

Not a lot, it would seem!
Information in the media suggests the Police have still not met the Burglars, the McCanns are still upset by the slow progress, having possibly completely forgot that is was they who left the child unattended.  The Portuguese Police are apparently not being very co-operative, and an English woman now tells of her drink being spiked by a "scruffy migrant from the former Soviet Union" and an attempt to steal her young child, 30 odd miles away from Praia de Luz.

Is Maddie still alive?  We wonder!

Will the case ever be solved?  We wonder!

POLICE CLOSE IN ON 3 SUSPECTS......

This is the headline in today's Express and illustrates the pathetic slow progress of this investigation.   The report of two weeks ago was telling us that ARRESTS were imminent!  For some abstract reason they seem to be chasing three POSSIBLE burglars who were making lots of mobile phone calls around the assumed time of Madeleine's alleged abduction.  We cannot see why they would do this when the place was in turmoil with everyone searching for the child and the Police arriving on the scene from all directions.  Surely they would have got well away from the place?

The whole affair, apart from costing millions of Pounds or Euros, does not appear to be making any progress or even displaying any likelihood of the case being solved in the near or distant future.

Maybe it is time for Detective Amaral to be returned and to progress with the lines of enquiry he was developing, or for the British Police to look more seriously at the conclusions he had reached.

Surely it is also about time for the McCanns to realise that there is little more that can be done to find their Daughter and to stop bleeding the Public Purse by allowing the enquiry in its present form to continue.

With the World-wide publicity this incident has generated, a reward that is equivalent to a win on the Lottery, someone somewhere would have come forward by now, if there was the least trace of finding Maddy dead or alive.    We hope it will be resolved one way or the other very soon.

MET POLICE MOVING IN TO ARREST THREE!

Latest news is that the Met Police have travelled to Portugal to liaise with the Portuguese Police to carry out an arrest on three suspects.

Now just suppose, the three people they seek were implicated in the "crime", would they have been hanging around the Algarve just waiting to have a Police hand drop on their shoulder?  We doubt it.  Unless, of course, the people concerned are unaware that the Police are actually coming for them.  "Them" could be names that we have already heard many times, people who were definitely in the apartment on that fateful day, but consider themselves as innocent of ANY crime!  They know who they are, and probably so do others!  We just hope that the British Police get it right and that swift Justice will follow.

These are the nine main witnesses, from before, during and after the event.  We are sure they will be delighted once it is all over.

Just think on 3 May 2014, Madeleine McCann can be legally declared deceased.  What aspect will this throw on further investigations?

ANOTHER MISSING 3 YEAR OLD

Concerns are mounting for Mikaeel Kular, who disappeared from his Edinburgh home on Wednesday night.

In somewhat mysterious circumstances, similar to that of Madeleine McCann, an Edinburgh toddler has gone missing from his bed in the middle of the night.   Apparently some of the child's clothing was also missing and exit was gained through a strong outer door that a young child would find it difficult to open.   The Mother and other children were apparently unaware of any intruder or movement by the toddler.

Exhaustive searches have been made in the area and a countrywide alert has been made.

The incident begs some of the same questions as the Madeleine case.  There were no signs of forced entry or any evidence to suggest an abduction, just the mysterious disappearance of a young child.  Could this be a copycat incident or just a co-incidence?

The main question in our mind is, "Will the Police and Government spend as much time, effort and cost on finding this toddler as they have, so far, on the McCann case?"  

We wait to see, and hope in the meantime that little Mikaeel will be soon found alive and well.

Bring in Father Brown or Miss Marples!

Whatever is happening to these investigations?

Over past weeks, nay months, there have been so many red herrings fed to us by the Police that they must be swimming in an absolute ocean of garbage!

We have had 38 "suspects" wanted for interview, an accusation against a dead person, another about a couple of sneak thieves and now yet another ex Mark Warner employee.   And we still ain't any further on with locating Madeleine, either alive or dead.  The cost is escalating out of all proportion and all caused by parents who thought enjoying themselves with their friends was more important than the welfare and security of their young children.

Put the McCann Parents in Court for neglect and see if that will resolve the matter.

Maybe a few pertinent questioned fired at the rest of the Tapas Group would shed some light on the happenings of 3 May 2007?   They seem to have been kept out of the equation for far too long, and they should be able to add some pertinent information to the happenings of that evening.

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE SPY PLANE........

So now the American Air Force has been brought into the act.
Headlines, "SPY PLANE CLUE TO MADDIE MYSTERY".  Oh yeh?

An old aerial spy plane photograph already having been passed to the enquiry team some years ago, is now the secret weapon to finding the alleged abductor.   Apparently it can show facial detail of some events of that fateful evening, perhaps even the alleged abductor!  We wonder if it may show any detail of the actual happenings during those hours, or any likenesses of anyone we could recognise?

Add this latest line of enquiry to all the other ones over past months, and as we can see the solution of the case is still no nearer.  

A GENTLE REMINDER

Reposted from 2010

HOW LONG MORE ?

We watched the Crimewatch program on BBC TV last night (28/11/13) and were quite surprised at an obvious faux pas by the Police Representative on the Madeleine McCann case!

When talking about the future collaboration between the Met and the Portuguese Police he commented that it would be a great help to solving the Madeleine case in the WEEKS AND MONTHS TO COME!  What a fantastic (not) display of confidence, and no doubt a real boost for the McCann parents, knowing that they are unlikely to see closure for some time to come.

Unlike Queen Victoria, we are sure that many people are "Not amused!", particularly at the enormous expense the investigation is racking up.  Our guess is that the weekly cost must be between 50 and £100,000, if not more, and looks like continuing for ever if recent and current progress is an indication of the efforts so far.

If everyone were honest with their opinion, we don't think anyone (apart from the McCanns) are expecting to find Madeleine either dead or alive.

The parents are at fault - the end!

AND SO IT CONTINUES

Whatever the outcome of this enormously expensive exercise, let us not forget,

KATE AND GERRY McCANN LEFT THEIR THREE YOUNG CHILDREN OPEN TO DANGER.

THEY DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE MADELEINE RETURNED TO THEM SHOULD SHE BE FOUND ALIVE.

THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A DECISIVE INVESTIGATION BY THE SOCIAL SERVICES AS TO WHETHER THEY ARE FIT AND PROPER PARENTS FOR THE TWINS.

It is also fairly obvious from the lack of results from two National Police Forces that the chance of finding the alleged abductor is now less than minus 100% !   Any one connected with the child's disappearance will now be long gone and made plenty of plans as to how evade the long arm of the law.  It is also very unlikely that the child would have been retained, and will have been passed on or otherwise secreted. 

Where are the Tapas group in all of this?    We have not heard a peep out of them since that May day in 2007.   Are they immune to what is going on?   Or do they just prefer to keep stum?

We continue to observe and wait. . . . . . 

ALL QUIET ON THE LUZ FRONT

Isn't it amazing?  2 weeks ago the media was absolutely full of stories (for stories they must be) of the progress that was being made in the search for Madeleine McCann's alleged abductor(s).  
The Police (UK) were boasting about the number and quality of leads they had and the vast number of individuals who they wished to interview.   Then came the revelation that their number one suspect, an ex employee of the Holiday Complex, had been killed in a "freak" accident some time ago.   That would have been very convenient had the Police had sufficient proof to establish that he was, in fact, the abductor.  It would have been "case closed" and lets get back to Blighty.

It seems that such was not the case and the "search" goes on for "them".   We can never forget those words uttered by Kate McCann on that evening; "THEY have taken her!"  Who?  Did Kate or Gerry actually KNOW who THEY were?  Had something been arranged that the others of the Tapas group were unaware?   Was the cry the opening line of some pre-arranged enactment?  As things stand we will never know, but certainly amongst those following the events as they unfold, many still have very strong suspicions about what happened; and they are prepared to vociferously discuss and voice their feelings and ideas.

We do not think there have been many occasions in past years where the public have been so interested about an event, and have put themselves so solidly on one side or other of the theorists.  There must be an end somewhere, but it would seem from the activity so far, that the end is far from being just round the corner.

p.s.  Be prepared for the publicity machine being fired up just around the lead up to Christmas!

MORE FROM PORTUGAL

With thanks to those in Portugal who also follow the Madeleine Case.

Investigation. In view of the existence of new evidence, within days it will be decided who will investigate the disappearance of the English child. Portuguese police deny pressures and say, that despite the “close relationship”, they will run a parallel investigation to the Scotland Yard

by Alfredo Teixeira

The Judiciary Police (PJ) reopened the investigation concerning the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and they warrant that this time the parents of the girl who disappeared in Praia da Luz, Algarve, days before her fourth birthday, on May 3, 2007, are not suspects. To the DN the Portuguese police disclosed that there are “new evidence” about what has happened to the child while she slept together with her two twin siblings, in the apartment at the tourist resort. They do not disclose the existence of suspects and only reveal that internally, in the coming days, a team will be created to resume the investigation.

When, last week, on the 17th, the PJ hierarchy met with the Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Mark Rowley and DCI Andy Redwood, who heads the approximately 37 agents working in the British investigation, the decision to request the reopening of the investigation to the Public Ministry (MP) was communicated.

The Portuguese police denies any pressure from the English, stressing that they did not cooperate directly with the Scotland Yard investigation. However, information gathered by the English police, mainly related to the past of some people that were referenced in the case files, would have complemented the analysis by the investigation team in Portugal.

“There were elements gathered that have to do with events before the disappearance of the child and others after. Relating them with those contained in the process already archived have raised a more than reasonable doubt about what happened to the child,” said a source close to the investigation to the DN, adding that a in meeting with Gerry and Kate McCann, and the lawyers of the couple, the PJ asked “absolute silence” about the investigation.

At the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police who have been working on the case for over a year [sic, for over two years], Scotland Yard said to have found new relevant information, based on the forty thousand documents and clues collected by the police forces from Portugal, UK and eight different companies of private detective and just a few days ago they showed e-fits of a suspect.

A source of the PJ that hasn't, however, worked for this process, does not set aside the divulgation of images of the same kind if appropriate. It acknowledges, however, the important of the work done by the Regional Section of Criminal Investigation and Prevention of the PJ from Porto, led by the coordinator Helena Monteiro. Notwithstanding the formal archival of the investigation, that team was on the field since March last year, searching for leads to follow and in order to fill any eventual gaps in the initial investigations.

That reanalysis task has “helped identify new evidence, which by imposing further investigation, meet the requirements set by article 279º no 1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for the reopening of the investigation.” said the PJ in a statement. “Similarly to what happens in all the cases of missing children, notwithstanding the formal archival of the investigation concerning her disappearance, and as was always publicly stated, the Judiciary Police continued to be attentive to any and all information likely to enable the understanding of the whereabouts of the minor Madeleine McCann, the circumstances in which her disappearance occurred and the identity of its author(s),” the PJ clarified. 

Also yesterday, a note from the Attorney General's Office (PGR) said that the Public Ministry (MP) decided to reopen the investigation. It was on July 21, 2008 that the PGR announced the archival of the process concerning the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and removed the status of arguidos from the parents of the English minor and Robert Murat, with the proviso that they could reopen the process at any time if “new elements of evidence” surfaced, evidence which they now claim to exist as the result of the identification of witnesses who were never heard.

Experience in missing people cases

With the investigation archived since July 2008, it was the National Direction of the PJ who, in March 2011 [sic, 2012], assigned to a team of investigators from the North Directorship the task to re-analyse the whole wide range of information in the process, with the objective of identifying information whose further understanding could be revealed useful and possible. Leading the group of four inspectors was the coordinator Helena Monteiro, with experience in missing people cases, namely the young lady from Lamego, Carina Ferreira, whose body was found after a month of searches at the bottom of a ravine near a motorway. Helena Monteiro has worked, among other areas of investigation, in the fight against violent criminality.

Diário de Notícias, October 25, 2013, paper edition

A PORTUGUESE VIEW

By Rui Calafete

It is a process that has dragged on for too long, it is a good tool for "spin" to stifle other topics from the media agenda and is one of the greatest hoaxes of which we hear for a long time.

There are so many missing children in the world, so many children who are trafficked and enslaved, but it seems that only this child, specifically, mobilizes the attention of some powers.

I consider a shame these advances and retreats - now the Public Ministry will reopen this process - some e-fits are released for the front pages of sensationalist tabloids and those parents who strike me as extremely cold persons return to the limelight.

Everyone saw that this spectacle has become a circus, everyone has in their opinion a view about the case and all also have a suspicion of what happened. Mine is identical to the majority of the Portuguese, but I do not want to share it.

The British government and the Scotland Yard became heavily involved, perhaps, as never before with any other child, because the press assessor of the parents was part of the communications team of Downing Street.

This case is tiring, has beards, it just fools those who wish to be fooled, but remains afloat. It is in all respects disgraceful the time that the media loses with it, but it sells. That is the secret of the renewed interest. 

IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS!

Well, well, well! This is getting more like a Pantomime every day.   Today we read in the popular Press that the McCanns are to be kept abreast of all the information obtained by the Portuguese Police in their continuing enquiries into the alleged abduction of Madeleine.

How on Earth can those, who have themselves in the past  been suspects, now get the privilege of  being allowed to receive such important details that could well influence any trial or criminal proceedings in the future?    It is a bit like Jack the Ripper helping the Police to find himself!

We must return once again to the fact that had the parents not left the children unattended, no abduction or other crime would have occurred.

In fact, had the parents been Portuguese Nationals they would probably have been arrested, charged with neglect and their other two children taken into care.   Maybe this was something they were concerned about!

Let the Met and Portuguese get on with the job and keep the Parents away from the independent investigations that are being carried out.  Their own publicity, the use of private investigators and the like have achieved nothing, so why don't they keep a low profile and let the experts get on with the job.

We have spoken to many people including the Portuguese, and even a Portuguese Lawyer, but feel it would be improper to publish most of the comments we received.

CASE RE-OPENED BY PORTUGUESE

We see that due to substantial new evidence the Portuguese Police have decided to reopen the Madeleine McCann enquiry.  

This has apparently been welcomed by Kate and Gerry McCann.   Perhaps they will therefore desire to give the Police their utmost help and assistance to find their Daughter.  In which case there are many people who hope that Kate will now be willing to answer the questions she refused to answer during the previous enquiries of the Portuguese Police!   Or is that just a little too much to expect?

Perhaps the Portuguese will also wish to re-examine all the evidence, including the statements given by the rest of the McCann's party.

Thousands, perhaps millions of folk, await the next episode of this continuing drama.

MADELEINE BOOKS

Other than The Truth of the Lie by Goncarlo Amaral, other books have been penned regarding the mysterious disappearance of Madeleine McCann.  Here are three.

JUST SUPPOSE?

The Met Police in the recent Crimewatch Program, ruled out the person apparently seen by Jane Tanner, from their enquiries.

No other person, male or female, was seen in the area of the McCann's apartment carrying a child.   However there was a report of a tennis holdall missing that may have belonged to Gerry McCann.  What if the alleged abductor used such a bag to take a sleeping or drugged child from the property?  Who would know, or even suspect, what the bag contained?   The bag could also be used to hide an unconscious infant for a short time until it was convenient to remove it to a different place.

Such an item could be hidden in a cupboard, even whilst a search was going on in the vicinity, and later easily transported in the boot of a car.  Mere speculation?  Or yet another possible scenario?

A READER'S POST

This is a comment made by a reader and we consider it worthy of being a stand alone posting.

The folks who continue to refute the evidence and make excuses in any way possible for the "poor parents" are disturbing. It's almost as if they don't want to know the truth. They support "poor Kate and poor Gerry" to the point of near insanity. Any comments on blogs that rightly question the parents motivations, behaviour, parenting etc. are shot at as if they were being spoken about sacred cows! Kate has not answered many questions--how can an investigation be effective while she sits closed mouthed, about circumstances surrounding the "disappearance" of her own child. I really think that it is time for her to be arrested, perhaps then she would co-operate? Or does she, by virtue of her profession, her husbands profession, and their respective associates or contacts in 'high places" get a free pass on this? If she is not willing to answer the questions then how can she keep this vigilant "plea for help" in finding the child? Is there something wrong with her that we are not aware of? 

Another Reader commented

Watching the program "Aktenzeichen XY" in Germany (the equivalent of "Crimewatch") something struck me: Gerry McCann says if they could deliver a message to Madeleine, he'd say: "We would tell her how much we LOVED her". Why does not say "We would tell her how much we love her"??

What do you think?

DETECTIVE AMARAL'S BLOG AND BOOK

We make no comment apart from saying, here is Amaral's version and an English Translation of his book.

Whether it is legal to download it or not we shall leave it to you!

http://goncaloamaraltruthofthelie.blogspot.pt

WHITEWASH!

The BBC Crimewatch program last night left much to be desired.

It seems as if the UK Police are investigating a new Crime.  They are concentrating purely on the time lime and bringing into the equation suspects that have never been considered before.  The only good thing they have done is disproved the evidence of Jane Tanner and cleared the man she saw of any suspicion.

During the whole program ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION was made of the previous evidence and investigation carried out by the Portuguese Police.

What happened to the Tennis Bag?
What about the blood on the Apartment floor?
What about the signs of death discovered by the Uk Police Dogs in the apartment and the car.
What about some of the suspicious and unexplained car trips?
What about the twins managing to sleep through all the turmoil?
Why did the McCanns call the Press immediately?
Why are the rest of the Tapas group not featuring in any part of the program or investigation?

There are still so many questions to answer, not least of which is the casual attitude of the Parents.  The constant chasing for money and suing people left right and centre.

Why are they suing Detective Amaral who carried out the investigation to try and find their child, until he was thrown off the case.  Is the £2M they are claiming a real value for his publishing a book about the case?  Kate must have had equal upset whilst penning her own narrative.

Something is wrong, and something in the cupboard smells.  No doubt in time, with good and sensible Police work, the truth will out.   We look forward to that day!

PHOTO FIT, OR UNFIT?

Today's Media is awash with photofit pictures from the UK Police prior to the showing on TV of the reconstruction of the incidents of 3 May 2007 when Madeleine McCann was allegedly abducted.
The photofits show two different individuals each described as aged 20 - 40, average, height, average build, brown short(ish) hair, white skin.   Of course someone must presume that the offender, himself probably aware of the manhunt, has not attempted to change his looks for seven years!  How naieve can one be?  At least the description rules out half the World's male population!
Surely that same evening the streets were only walked by men, or that is so according to the media.  Could the crime not have been committed by a woman, who are experts at dealing with young children, and could make the perfect nap without arousing suspicion?
It is also noticed that the time line is now extended to 90 minutes, when previous statements suggested that the children were checked every half hour?
The story seems to have taken another twist and the past portuguese investigation has been swept to one side, as has the evidence gleaned from the UK police dogs which suggested that death had been present in the McCann's apartment and hire car.

Whilst the plot continues to thicken, let us continue to remember the two professional people who left three very young choldren, unattended, unsupervised and unprotected whilst they went out wining and dining with friends.

NO MATTER WHAT............. Just IF

IF the McCanns receive any damages from their claim against Goncalo Amaral
IF the McCanns receive any damages from their claim against His Publishers
IF the McCanns receive any damages from their claim against Other Media
IF the McCanns get Madeleine back alive or dead
IF the British Police do not achieve a positive result
IF it is proved there WAS an abduction
IF it is proved there was NO abduction
IF the Tapas group suddenly decide to break their silence
IF the missing tennis holdall is found

And IF Madeleine is never found..........

The only people one can blame , by their own admission, is the McCann Parents who left their three year old child, in the company of her two younger siblings, unprotected, unmanaged and unsupervised, whilst they went off wining and dining.

They should be the ones in the dock, not Amaral or any others.

Not only should Justice be done, it should be seen to be done!

ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE!

A few years ago a small child was allegedly abducted in Portugal and even after much investigation by the Portuguese Police, the theory they put forward was not agreed by the child's family or the British Government.   The case went on with the employment, by the parents, of Private Investigators from European Agencies, who all failed to find the perpetrator(s) of the crime.    Following appeals to the Uk Government the "crack" squad of the Metropolitan Police were put on the job.   As previously stated they have also been unable to solve the crime.

Now we hear that a reconstruction of the day of the incident and later days, all filmed in Spain(?) is to be shown on British Television.   It will also be shown in France, Germany and other European Countries, but NOT, REPEAT NOT in Portugal where it happened.   We would have thought that this would be the premier place to air the program!

Surely this is where the child was allegedly abducted, this was where the Tapas crowd left the children unattended. This was the place where cadaver was found in the apartment and in the hire car.  This where a tennis bag disappeared, this is where Kate McCann feels closest to her Daughter.  This is the place that Jane Tanner allegedly saw a man carrying a child like Maddie.  This is the place where the Tapas Crowd witnessed the happenings that evening.  This is the place where the Church became a place of solace for the Parents.  This is the place where the reconstruction would be best filmed and aired.

We also note that in the Lisbon case where ex Detective Amaral is being sued for £2million, the tapas Crowd are not in attendance and giving their support to the McCanns.  Surely they must have some opinion on the matter.  Or are they keeping, or being kept, quiet for other reasons?   Time will tell.

In the meantime do not criticise the Portuguese people without giving them the opportunity to see what the rest of us will be able to see.   The reconstruction needs to be seen by all, in every little detail, including the blood, the cadaver dogs and the body language which says so much.

WHY ?

Whilst the loss of a child is a very unpleasant experience for anyone, the case of Madeleine McCann seems to be turning into a merry go round.

Perfectly capable Portuguese Police Detectives were close to solving the case despite all the aggravation on the side being created by the Parents.  Then in step the UK Government who immediately start spending millions of pounds on their investigation and who, so far, have not come up with anything more than 40 "suspects" who for weeks now have still not been interviewed or dealt with.

When this is all over questions need to be asked as to why so much effort and financial and other resources have been put into this one case.   Will every alleged child abduction case in the future receive this treatment?  We doubt it!

IF ONLY, IF ONLY !

IF ONLY Dr Gerry McCann and Dr Kate McCann had NOT left their THREE young children, unattended, unsupervised, unwatched and on their own, whilst they went out with their friends on that evening in May, little Madeleine McCann could still be enjoying life in the company of her Parents and her Siblings.

Maybe, people should remember this!

IF ONLY, IF ONLY Kate McCann would give evidence under Oath in the trial of Ex-Detective Amaral.   Is there some special reason for everyone giving evidence on her behalf when she claims to be the agrieved?

THE TRIAL

The trial in Portugal in which the McCanns are claiming damages against Ex-detective Amaral has now started.  The claim, reported to be for £1m, has been brought against Mr Amaral for his alleged libellous comments in his book "The Truth of the Lie".
It is interesting that Kate McCann, who considers herself the most aggrieved by Amaral's comments, will not be giving evidence herself.  By keeping herself out of the witness box she will also save having to answer any questions.  As the case revolves around the disappearance of Maddie and her possible fate some questions could have been very searching.  It makes one wonder if this is why Kate McCann has decided not to testify!
We think she would have gained more support from the public had she faced Mr Amaral across the Court and given him the opportunity of defending himself against his accuser.
Like many others we are looking forward to the outcome of the hearing.

Added at later date

We are watching the accounts of the trial, and the various comments being made on the McCanns behalf in evidence. We have now read that Kate had suicidal thoughts in the past due to Maddies disappearance, but rather surprised that this has not been reported before during all the interviews and publicity there has been. Surely such evidence would be better, and carry more weight, if she took to the witness box herself? Is there possibly some reason that the McCanns do not want their evidence challenged in cross examination? WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LIE, with Amaral and the Portuguese Police or with the McCanns and the alleged abductot? We hope the waiting will be soon over, and the truth of little Maddies fate will be known. 

THE FISH THAT GET AWAY!

Some weeks ago it was widely reported that the British Police on the case had 38 suspects that they wished to interview.  Since then time has passed, the publicity has been repeated and we now learn that Officers from the UK will soon be travelling to Portugal to continue the investigations.

In the meantime, we wonder what those 38 people have been doing, in the light of the fact that they may be taken into custody sometime in the future.   Presuming that of the 38, only one or two would be connected with the alleged Maddie abduction, those one or two would be making themselves pretty scarce.   Maybe they have been given too much warning and the chance of the Police finding them may well lead to a wild goose chase to the nether parts of the World.

We wonder what "evidence", if any, the Police hope to find, or will it just be some "opportunistic", "circumstantial", "you were there at the time" evidence that any decent defence lawyer will be able to drive a tank through?  The evidence was in and around the flat at the time of Maddies disappearance.    The Portuguese Police were presented with forensic evidence, witness statements, and enough circumstantial evidence and other facts to conclude everything there and then.   The main man, Detective Amaral was discharged from the case!     The full reason for his removal has never been explained, although pressure from "high places" has been mooted.   It makes one wonder, if the British Police get close to a solution, will they suffer the same ignominy?   Let's wait and see!

PEOPLE IN HIGH PLACES

Ever since the Madeleine saga began on that evening in May 2007, on the sidelines and in the background have been a number of people in the upper echelons of UK politics.

It had to happen!

Clarence Mitchell, an ex BBC Reporter, who has acted as the McCann's spokesperson for the past 6 years has now chosen to get involved in "real" politics.  He has been selected as the Conservative (no surprise there) Candidate for the constituency of Brighton and Hove.   Of course, he does assert that whilst he is seeking his political fortunes, he will still continue his work for the McCann's, "when required".   Does he maybe hope that there is a chance of his being released from his promotional duties with them?  A Blessed relief possibly?

The McCanns are still managing to maintain a presence in the UK Press, but with such uninteresting headlines as the news of Clarence's future, maybe people will become less interested in the continuing story of Maddie and her parents.

All the rather "non-news" of late makes one wonder if it is the lull before the storm and that we are shortly to get something really positive regarding the on-going investigation.  An arrest maybe?  Or possibly some tragic and worse news?   We wait . . . . . . . . . whilst the clock ticks on.

NO APOLOGIES FOR REPEATING THIS COMMENT

This from the Delaware Times USA (July 9th 2013):

"By CHRIS FREIND
Times Columnist

In past columns, I have championed Don Imus keeping his job, defended Barry Bonds’ achievements and stood up for the falsely accused Duke lacrosse players long before it was “fashionable” for the media to do so. I even opined that Paris Hilton was wrongly jailed, receiving unfair treatment because she was a celebrity.

But no matter how much I try, I simply cannot find anything worth defending about British couple Gerry and Kate McCann.

The McCanns, for a reason that wholly escapes me, have been worldwide media darlings since their then-3-year-old daughter, Madeleine, disappeared from a Portuguese resort in 2007. A disappearance, mind you, that was 100 percent preventable had Maddy’s parents — both well-to-do physicians — not left her alone, along with her twin 2-year-old siblings, in a ground-floor unlocked apartment not once, but repeatedly, while they sampled the local paella far from their children.

Such gross negligence should have made them pariahs, but instead, their vaunted PR machine fashioned them into something akin to “heroic victims.”

Over the years, they have raised millions, engendered the support of (misguided) icons such David Beckham and J.K. Rowling, had a private audience with the Pope, met with high-ranking staff of then-First Lady Laura Bush, wrote a book, and otherwise lavished in the limelight as globetrotting celebrities.

Along the way, lawsuits have been threatened against anyone who dared question the McCanns’ complicity in their daughter’s fate, despite significant inconsistencies in their stories. Quite sickeningly, their actual search for Maddy all too often seemed like an afterthought, as it was much cooler to hang with stars and dignitaries than do the grunt work.

Yet for all the baggage that should accompany them, their star power still shines bright, as the Scotland Yard, upon the direction of Prime Minister David Cameron himself, just re-opened the investigation, citing new leads and “persons of interest.”

Really? After six years and millions of British taxpayers’ money later, they finally have persons of interest?

Aren’t there laws on the books in Britain against child endangerment? Reckless behavior? Negligence? And to those who say Britain can’t prosecute for a crime committed overseas, you can’t have it both ways, as British investigators are reaching out across Europe in a (likely ill-fated) attempt to interrogate and possibly have suspects arrested in other countries.

It seems increasingly clear that McCann case is no longer about what happened to a little girl, but an attempt — some say cover-up — to absolve “upstanding Brits” of any responsibility, conveniently blaming Portugal, the poor man of Europe, for a botched investigation and overall ineptness.

Looking past the gushing pro-McCann headlines, many the world over believe the parents, accidentally or otherwise, were directly responsible for Maddy’s fate. I certainly cannot make that claim, though Gerry and Kate would seem to be guilty of child endangerment. That said, there remain inconsistencies which, to this day, remain unanswered.

Therefore, if Scotland Yard wishes to retain its legendary reputation, it needs to investigate the case from Square One, objectively, free from outside influence. No sacred cows, and no one off the table. And the only way to do that is to start with Gerry and Kate, (and their friends who accompanied them that fateful night), forcing the parents to answer tough questions. The taxpayers, and those who have so faithfully followed this saga for so long, deserve no less.

You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to ask the following:

1.) Will the McCanns and their friends take lie-detectors tests? While not guaranteed, they’re a good barometer. If there is nothing to hide, releasing the results would be a public relations boon, and the investigation could center on Madeleine — for a change.

2.) What time was Madeleine discovered missing? Was it 9 o’clock, as Kate states, or 10 o’clock as others report, and why the discrepancy? How long did it take for anyone to initially call the police, as there are reports of a significant delay. Kate stated that the shutters were forced open, but the police and hotel staff said there was no evidence of tampering. And Kate, why, upon discovering that your daughter was missing, did you return to the restaurant, leaving the 2-year-old twins alone (again!), while a predator could still have been lurking nearby?

3.) Kate yelled, “They’ve taken her”, but how did she know Madeleine was abducted? After all, the doors were unlocked, and Madeleine was known to sleepwalk.

Or perhaps this little girl just happened to awaken, scared,in a dark, unfamiliar place, and looked for the comfort of her parents. Not seeing them, might she have walked out the unlocked door to find them? And when Kate initially yelled “they” took her, to whom was she referring?

4.) The resort was extremely child-friendly. Why not use its inexpensive baby-sitting services? Some reports state that the McCanns did not want the children to be around people with whom they were unfamiliar. Yet, the same people who ran the day camp the children attended were also the baby sitters. And how could “strangers” be any worse than leaving three young children (with a combined age of 7) alone in an unlocked apartment?

5.) How often did the parents check the children before Madeleine went missing? Every hour, half-hour, or not at all? (The statements of the resort staff differ markedly from the McCanns). Since the room was a considerable distance away from the restaurant, and its view blocked, how could the McCanns compare that “secure arrangement” to eating in their backyard garden?

6.) During a BBC interview, Kate was adamant that the children would not awaken while she and Gerry were dining. Yet, since Madeleine reportedly had a history of sleepwalking, how could Kate be so sure of this?

7.) How many nights did the McCanns dine out while leaving the children alone? What were the distances of those restaurants from their room? Were any away from the hotel?

8.) How much money raised has actually has been allocated to the physical search for Madeleine? A thorough and independent forensic audit should be conducted.

9.) In an earlier interview, the McCanns stated, “Looking at it from where we are now, I don’t feel we were irresponsible, I feel we are very responsible parents.” Do they still feel that way?

10.) Assume that the police dog was accurate in its detection of death in the room, and the death was that of Madeleine. Why then would the perpetrator take away a dead child?

At a minimum, these questions are a logical starting point to get to the bottom of Madeleine’s disappearance.

As a wise man once said, lies reveal more than they conceal. If Scotland Yard does its job, perhaps we shall put that saying to the test.

Chris Freind is an independent commentator who operates FreindlyFireZone.com. He can be reached at CF@FreindlyFireZone.com. His column appears every Wednesday."