No fighting extradition then Clarence - could that be because they no longer have funds to pay the top London lawyers? There again European Arrest Warrants are very difficult to stop as in the Meredith case Germany have promptly handed a suspect over - good for them. Probably would look better for the McCanns and their friends to just go back with Portuguese investigators voluntarily than fight and finish up being taken back with silver bracelets on!
Todays article from the Telegraph:
McCann parents 'may return to Portugal'By Fiona Govan in Praia da Luz
Last Updated: 2:36pm GMT 04/12/2007
Madeleine McCann's parents could be asked to return to Portugal for further questioning over their daughter's disappearance, it is claimed.
More on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
A team of investigators will travel to Britain within days with a request to re-interview Kate and Gerry McCann and the seven friends who dined with them on the night their daughter went missing during a family holiday to Portugal.
Telegraph TV: Watch the latest developments in the Maddy case
If approval is given, the interviews will be carried out by Leicestershire police in the presence of Portuguese detectives, who will be limited to observing proceedings.
But Portuguese investigators may ask Madeleine's parents and possibly some of their friends return with them to the Algarve for further questioning, it has been reported.
"Police may feel they need to have someone identified or organize a face-to-face meeting," a source close to the investigation told Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha.
"The decision will be made depending on the outcome of the interviews in the UK."
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Another newspaper reported that Portuguese police were only waiting for the "green light from British authorities" before leaving for England with requests to interview members of the so-called Tapas Nine, the name given to the McCanns and their friends who were eating dinner on May 3 when Madeleine vanished.
"We're doing everything we can to get the letters requesting fresh interviews authorised this week," a source told Portuguese daily 24 Horas.
"They are ready and simply depend on bureaucratic procedures now."
It has also emerged that the 'letters of appeal', which contain a list of 100 questions that detectives want to put to the group, were 'fast-tracked' after a meeting with the British Ambassador to Portugal.
Detectives leading the investigation met with newly appointed ambassador Alex Ellis at police headquarters in Faro last week after learning that test results carried out by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) in Birmingham were "inconclusive".
"It was a private meeting between the Ambassador, the director of the Policia Judiciaria in Faro and the team that was sent to England to analyse the results from the FSS," a senior police source confirmed.
"In that meeting it was decided that because of a lack of conclusive evidence they should go ahead as quickly as possible with new interrogations of the nine people who dined in the Tapas restaurant on May 3," the source said.
The McCanns, both 39, were made arguidos – formal suspects – on September 7 after police allegedly found microscopic specks of blood in their holiday apartment and "bodily fluids" they thought could have belonged to Madeleine in the boot of their hire car.
It has been reported that police are working on the theory that Madeleine's body had been transported in the rental car, weeks after she accidentally died in the holiday apartment.
Detectives are said to believe that – in the absence of conclusive forensic evidence – the key to unravelling the mystery of Madeleine's disappearance shortly before her fourth birthday could lie with alleged inconsistencies in the statements given by the McCanns and their friends.
The McCanns left Portugal to return to Rothley in Leicestershire on September 9, less than 48 hours after they were made formal suspects in their daughter's disappearance.
At the time the couple said that they would be happy to return to Portugal if it assisted police in their inquiries. Last night their official spokesman Clarence Mitchell said that view had not changed.
"If Kate and Gerry, or indeed any of their friends, are required to go back to the Algarve then they will be more than happy to comply.
"They will do anything necessary if it helps them move on and be eliminated as suspects."
8 comments:
AND FROM THE LONDON EVENING STANDARD - BRITISH AMBASSADOR FASTTRACKED REQUEST FOR FURTHER INTERROGATIONS - GOOD FOR HIM! ENOUGH OF THIS SILLY TALK OF BRITISH AUTHORITIES TRYING TO FRUSTRATE THE INVESTIGATION!
McCanns may face identity parade in Portugal as police weigh up next steps
04.12.07
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Kate and Gerry McCann may be summoned back to Portugal to face fresh interrogation and even an identity parade, it has been revealed.
Police want to call them back for more questioning about the disappearance of their daughter and a possible "confrontation" with witnesses, it was claimed.
Members of the so-called Tapas Nine who dined together on the night Madeleine vanished could also be asked to return to Portugal for meetings and to aid "identification", sources close to the investigation said.
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New threat: Portuguese police want to interview Gerry and Kate McCann again
The move by police is the clearest indication yet that they still consider there are serious allegations for the couple to answer.
Police sources said that three Policia Judiciaria investigators are poised to fly to Britain next week to question the couple and their holiday friends again about missing Madeleine.
A decision will then be taken on whether to recall the McCanns to the Algarve after they are re-interviewed in Britain, the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha reported.
Portuguese police have already prepared requests to re-interview the parents and their friends in Britain and a source close to the case told the newspaper: "In the letters which are practically ready and should follow on this week, there may be more things asked other than the questions that will be done there."
The police source added: "When the operations begin on British soil we will determine if it is necessary to bring someone to Portugal.
"It may be necessary to do some identification or confronting of witnesses because it is not certain that all will be interrogated there.
"The decision will be made depending on how the operations go. It is confirmed that the letters will still proceed this week."
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Missing: Madeleine McCann
The news is a further crushing blow to the McCanns' hopes of being cleared as suspects.
They had hoped that police would lift their official status as suspects after DNA tests failed to find any evidence that they were involved in Madeleine's disappearance from their holiday apartment. But now it appears that they will face a lengthy re-examination by both British and Portuguese detectives over the coming weeks.
Last week there was a crunch meeting led by the head of the investigation with magistrates and the British Ambassador to Portugal at Faro police station over the letters of appeal.
Ordinarily it can take up to six months before such requests are processed through the diplomatic channels.
But the British Ambassador Alex Ellis is said to have speeded up the process by waving through some of the bureaucracy, although the Foreign Office have denied his direct involvement.
Public prosecutor Jose Cunha Magalhaes e Meneses would have to sanction any move to recall the McCanns, but it is believed he gave the go-ahead at the meeting last week.
Portuguese police are still awaiting the results of further DNA tests on samples of hair and blood taken from the McCanns' holiday apartment and hire car which are being carried out at the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham.
But police don't consider them essential to their requests for re-interviews, it is claimed.
Policia Judiciaria are just waiting for the "green light from the English", another Portuguese daily 24 Horas said.
A legal source told the paper: "The McCanns will not escape a new police interrogation.
"We are making efforts so that the letters of appeal are still authorised this week, they are ready and depending on the bureaucratic procedures."
The interviews will take place at a police station in the UK with Portuguese police being allowed to watch whilst British detectives pose a new series of questions.
Police are said to be particularly keen to interview the Tapas Nine as soon as possible because of the poor quality of DNA evidence in the case.
Fatima Pinheiro, a Portuguese DNA expert, said that it would be very difficult for experts to find the type of genetic material necessary to distinguish Madeleine from her twin siblings Sean and Amelie, two.
She told Correio da Manha that scientists would need to make the distinction if they are to prove the missing four-year-old's body was transported in the boot of her parents' holiday hire car as police believe. Last night close friends of the family dismissed the latest bid by police to recall them to Portugal.
A friend said: "If and when Kate and Gerry's friends are interviewed, nothing will change.
"Nothing will be said to incriminate them in any way.
"They will not need to be called to Portugal because any outstanding discrepancies will be ironed out.
"Nothing suspicious will be said and no one is going to change their story. They will only tell the truth.
"The friends aren't going to say anything which will give them need to call Kate and Gerry back. Nothing substantial will come out of this."
The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell confirmed that they would be available to give statements to the authorities.
"I will not comment on yet further speculation in the Portuguese press", he said.
"If the police want to come over to the UK, then Kate and Gerry and their friends will be more than happy to cooperate.
"In fact, they are keen to help.
"If Kate and Gerry, or indeed any of their friends, are required to go back to Portugal they will be more than happy to comply.
"They will do anything necessary if it helps them move on and be eliminated as suspects."
Hi, Viv!
How are you?
Just got back. Anything new?
I'm trying to deal with my cold, but it is not easy. Not much energy today.
xxx
Hiya I dont feel too good today either - stomach upset possibly antiinflammatory drug for my ankle and not eating enough with them.
I was just pleased to read the new British Ambassador fasttracked further interrogation. See everyone on the forum is on about them being in a secret location but I can find no official press report of this. Where has this come from? If I could drive I would pop over to Rothley and have a look!!LOL although maybe the Special Branch would not let me get near their house...Understand they have a few enemies for some odd reason..People should act lawfully and leave them to the police! Do you know when the PJs are going to come back - cant wait - especially if they are going back with Kate Gerry and some of their mates - interesting Clarence ssys the wil be only too happy too - yeah right!
Hi, there! :-)
I have no idea when the PJ is going to the UK again. Soon, I hope! And taking them all to Portugal would be a blast! :-) Oh, let me dream! :-)
Hope you're feeling better. i'm sure you'll be ok soon.
I'm getting ready to go to bed.
Sleep tight and take care!
Hiya Tonights forum produced the usual laughs and titters that made me feel better esp Maureen, Alroy and Rosiepops - they are so funny - they want to be taken seriously uh?
I think them lovely PJs come blasting back to the UK next week and Kate and Gerry will say "oh blast" LOL I am told by my doctor they are in secret location...so it seems every time the PJ come near them they go running - but they want to help find Maddie, surely they do?
Hope you feel better soon too darling
TAKE CARE BIG HUGS AGAIN TO YOU AND BLACK
AND I AM ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS IN PORTUGUESE LOL
BOA NOITE!XXXXXXX
Beijinhos (kisses) from Black to you.
Boa noite, minha amiga!
And lots of beijinhos from Athena for both of you! Hope you will feel better asap! (exhausted and overworked here...what a team we make!lolol) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ah minha amiga - my friend, I think!
beijinhos to you Claudia and Athena. Now I am thinking I will be so good at Portuguese soon that by the time the McCanns are back in Portugal very soon I will not be needing to get google to translate your papers for me - I will just be reading them ....wont I? lolol Maybe you should keep up with my lessons just a little longer. The News in the DE and DM is GOOD!
Something... some very special christmas present... will make us all feel so much better soon...very soon!
Justica para Madeleine!
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