PORTUGUESE ATTORNEY GENERAL - NO DECISION AS YET

Hi All

Have not had much time of late but amid the speculation this case is about to be shelved felt I should publish this report in BBC news and would point out there is an entirely similar one on Sky. The Attorney General is the most senior Government Law Officer in the UK and I would imagine this is the same in Portugal. Following these reports he had decided to speak out to quash them. Sky has the reputation of being extremely Pro-McCann and if there were any truth in the suggestions the case is to be shelved, one could guarantee they would be running it. In addition the McCanns are just about to take on Leicester Police. They would have no need of such action if they were about to have their status as suspects dropped and both they and Murat confirm they have heard no such thing. As you all know, my own view is that it is very likely the McCanns will ultimately be prosecuted in the UK, but I would like to stress again, their friends could not be prosecuted for child neglect, we do not have the jurisdiction to prosecute less serious cases that happened abroad. We most certainly do have jurisdiction in relation to homicide and other connected and very serious offences including the conduct of O'Brien and Tanner. Goncalo Amaral has been on TV tonight and confirmed Madeleine died in the apartment on 3 May. I would appeal to people to use their common sense and accept what the officer who actually investigated the case says. Clearly he would say no such thing if this were not true, knowing the McCanns have constantly searched for someone to sue, even the PJ! and extracted a settlement in their action against Express Newspapers.

I firmly believe this case is not over yet, but ultimately the McCanns will face charges, we just cannot be clear when that will be. If they have arranged for false sightings of Madeleine this is very serious evidence against them in relation to homicide and certainly not something the police would shelve or ignore!

Viv x
'No decision' on Madeleine case

Madeleine was on holiday in the Algarve when she disappeared
No decision has been taken on the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Portugal's attorney general has said.
Fernando Pinto Monteiro said the case continued to be assessed, after Portuguese media reports that police will close it due to lack of evidence.
Parents Kate and Gerry McCann are both official suspects in the inquiry, along with a third man, Robert Murat.
Madeleine, of Rothley, Leics, went missing in Praia da Luz on 3 May 2007.
She was three-years-old at the time.
'Shelved' reports
Mr Monteiro's comments came after newspaper reports that the case would be "shelved", meaning police would no longer devote resources to investigating it.
He said the final report from the Policia Judiciaria had been received by prosecutors, and it "will be the object of careful analysis and consideration".

McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell gives his reaction
"Public prosecutors will proceed to the overall analysis to determine whether or not other action is necessary or whether the conditions are sufficient to rule that the investigation be closed and a final ruling made," he said.
The statement noted that the case remained covered by judicial secrecy until mid-August.
The Correio da Manha newspaper said on Tuesday that sources within Portugal's judicial police said they "do not have sufficient evidence to allow formal charges to be brought against the McCanns in the disappearance of their daughter".
The Jornal de Noticias said the police did not have enough evidence to charge either the McCanns or Mr Murat with any wrongdoing.
"The police have not found the guilty," the paper added.
One newspaper said the case had already been closed, another that the end of the investigation would be announced within the next few days.
Family 'suffered enough'
The McCanns were declared official suspects in the case - "arguidos" in Portuguese legal jargon - last September.
Earlier, their spokesman Clarence Mitchell told the BBC the family was awaiting confirmation of the latest media reports and if true, the Portuguese authorities "must lift their arguido status as a priority".
"If they are true, it's to be welcomed that Kate and Gerry are not to face any charges," he said.
What we don't want is that information to lie on a shelf somewhere gathering dust
Clarence MitchellKate and Gerry McCann's spokesman
Madeleine case begins to fade
Madeleine case timeline
"It's quite right. They are innocent of any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. They have suffered enough."
Mr Mitchell said the family wanted to know whether police planned to stop searching for Madeleine and if so, their information should be made public so the McCanns could continue their private investigation.
"What happens to all those leads, all those contacts? There are thousands of pieces of information in those files," he said.
"What we don't want is that information to lie on a shelf somewhere gathering dust.
"Surely it's only humane and decent that information that could help find Madeleine comes to the investigators, who will keep looking for her, even if the police feel they can't."
Mr and Mrs McCann are due to go to the High Court on 7 July to ask a judge to order police files on the disappearance of their daughter to be released.
Murat's status
Briton Mr Murat lives with his mother in Praia da Luz close to the apartment where Madeleine was last seen. He strongly denies any involvement in her disappearance.
His lawyer Francisco Pagarete said he had heard nothing from the Portuguese authorities about the case being closed.
Asked whether he would welcome such a development, Mr Pagarete said: "Yes, we will, but it depends on the way it's going to be dropped.
"If it's going to be dropped because there's not enough evidence connecting my client to this case or if it's going to be dropped because Robert hasn't got any involvement in this case.
"Only the second way will make us happy."