11 Feb 2009

GONCALO AMARAL WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION FOR CRIMES OF FRAUD AND CONFIDENCE ABUSE

So I believe I am perfectly correct to say the British are investigating this aspect and there was simply no point in forwarding financial information to the Portuguese Police about this but in our usual wish to deal with such investigations in the utmost confidence we may well have caused suspicion and offence. Facts about the McCann case were undoubtedly being leaked to the Portuguese press by someone and very accurate facts as we now know. This would be more than enough of a good reason for Stuart Prior to be very evasive about what he was prepared to disclose.

I believe this most certainly was the motive planned and quite deliberate for the crime the McCanns committed and I still believe it is highly likely Gerry McCann carried her off alive and she may still be alive. The investigations against them are not going well for them, they are going very quiet and he has recently been back to Portugal to see his lawyer. He says he now wants to co-operate with the authorities and is certainly no longer talking in terms of actually suing the Portuguese Police. What for failing to find where he put her!! Metodo 3 are being investigated embezzlement and money laundering. People may not choose to believe it but the writing is on the wall for Team McCann and Goncalo Amaral was clearly on the right track it is just that he could not have dealt with it, it is a matter only UK can deal with and it will be! There is even one who claims (thelastphotographer) that Madeleine did not have a colomboma and he demonstrates all the emails and writings of Philomena McCann stating how this could go all over the world. I have not been able to verify myself whether that is true from looking at pictures but it certainly figures, as a marketing ploy. What I most certainly have been able to see when looking at pictures of Maddie is there is one that is downright sexually provocative and there are many others where she is quite clearly wearing eye liner and mascara. There is something sick, grasping and quite shocking about Gerry, Philomena and John McCann in particular, I do not know what happened in their upbringing but it is there, no doubt about that and as for Kate, well as a mum myself I just struggle for the right words. There are a whole bunch of people involved in this and there is only one place they belong and that is prison, for a long time.

I have said it before and I will say it again, Goncalo will see all the justice he needs to see, we just need patience, recovering little Maddie, if that is possible, just has to come first.

Thanks to Luz on 3 As for this post although I do not quite interpret things as she does, I can understand her suspicions about UK authorities, it is just I understand better how they work.

Viv xx
Post subject: FRAUD or CONFIDENCE ABUSE - will UK investigate it?
New postPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:08 am
Luz on 3 As.

NOTE: By the suggestion of a poster I decided to change the initial title of this thread. What this observations on Gonçalo Amaral's book suggest is the possible existence of UK authorities interference, but what this thread intended at first was to point out that there was a certain disconfort among the British police in the Algarve about the possibility that they might have to intervene directly, opening an investigation on fraud concerning the FUND, if it was proved that the McCann were aware that Madeleine was dead.

I don't agree with the multiplication of the threads, and I translated these pages in response to a poster in another thread, but then I decided I should isolate it because it brings back matters that have been highly discussed, but without a "document" support:

Amaral, G. (2008: 191-193)
The interrogations of the McCann and the nervousness of the British police


Stuart’s presence, as the timing for the interrogations to the McCann as arguidos became closer, increased constantly, he appeared anxious and nervous. He wanted to know how everything was going to happen. We tried to explain how everything would go. One big worry was the rogatory letter that we wished to send to the British authorities. The first priority was the realization of the cynothecnic exams to the residences of the McCann friends and holiday mates, and on their own, with the aim to examine the clothing and possessions of those persons, in an attempt to locate cadaver scent or human blood. For us these exams should be effectuated by the same cynothecnic team, with the same dogs EVRD and CSI, Eddie and Keela, and for such and with Stuart’s agreement, we send a letter applying for that team. We didn’t know which clothes the McCann had used on the night of May the 3rd. At the beginning of the investigation we had solicited every photograph and film of that and the previous days, but they only supplied us daylight photographs; it’s as if the at night and on the famous Tapas dinners they never took any pictures, although some of the guests had their photo machines. This lack of night pics was something we never digested very well. With reference to the rogatory letter, we wanted to search and apprehend photos and film/videos of the holiday nights at the Ocean Club. At the McCann’s home we wanted to verify the existence of a board that pointed to the existence Maddie’s problems with sleeping. This had been mentioned by Kate and, according to the mother, had been used until April 2006, the time at which Madeleine started to sleep regularly during the night without interruptions. We wanted to apprehend the original of the diary that Kate Healy started writing from the May 3rd onwards. It was our intention to re-interview the whole group of friends due to the inconstancies about their children’s surveillance scheme during the dinner periods at the Ocean Club. We wanted answers to our request formulated to the British authorities on the first day of our investigation, through the liaison officer, in Portugal, about the McCann family and their friends. Since, as incredible as it may seem, we hadn’t received any answer at that time to our insistent requests [note o.T.: late August], we were going to indicate these diligences through the rogatory letter. We questioned Stuart about that. He responded that “they were gathering elements about the couple and their friends”, and they had already sent a first answer. This one was related to the social economic situation and on it, strangely the British police stated that it was not known that the McCann possessed any credit cards.

(…)

We were conscious about what we were asking. A credit or debit card allows one to know a lot of things: for instance, where they were, what they payed for, and for what. With the analysis of the movements of such cards we can reconstruct the life of its titular and in some way reach certain conclusions. We understood immediately that very hardly would we obtain the information we needed. Stuart made another request. He thought that it would be advisable that two rogatory letters were emitted, one for the friends of the McCann and another for the McCann. This we didn’t understand.

Fraud or abuse of confidence?


In a relaxing moment of one of these reunions I may have committed a slip or, maybe, I was a little inopportune or less diplomatic. Worried with the possibility that the McCann were, in any way, involved in the disappearance of their child, and while I reasoned about the sort of crimes in which the same could be involved, I concluded a fact. If, really, it became confirmed any sort of responsibility on the part of the McCann, then it would put in cause the existence of the Fund created for searching for Madeleine, which was up to 2 million pounds, a crime of fraud and confidence abuse. A debate opened up, and in fact, with the forwarded premises, this crime of fraud and abuse of confidence could exist, but Portugal wouldn’t have jurisdiction to investigate and trial such a case. This belonged to the United Kingdom, because the Fund was registered in that country. Then the British partners became aware of a tough reality: a strong possibility that they had a crime to investigate in their country, having as eventual suspects the McCann couple, a thing that didn’t seem to please them very much. Just got aware of a sudden paleness on the faces of the british present. »

It has been discussed many times the cooperation PJ-LP, it has also been stated by many people that the British police must be keeping an ongoing investigation, specially concerning fraud around the FUND.

I am a bit skeptic about it, mostly based on what has arisen from the news but also from what Amaral says on his book.


LETS SEE A BIT MORE.... In order to keep it in context, I'll translate the previous 2 pages, because it is revealing about how and the why of Amaral's removal and also the deepness (hypothetical) of the Government interference.

Its not my intention to reveal too much about the book, and by doing so killing the interest on reading it, but let me add this extra bit that reinforces what this thread meant to illustrate.

Amaral, G. (2008:215-217)

I receive a silly phone call from a journalist to which I gave an almost irrational answer


By night fall, already out of the police and again going in the direction of the eastern Algarve, I receive a phone call from an anonymous number that made the cauldron of my despair to boil. A journalist of a daily newspaper wanted to talk about an e-mail that eventually had been received in the British Royal Palace. In a very quick and almost irrational manner I answered that the e-mail was unimportant and that the British police should worry on accompanying the Portuguese investigation. Maybe because I was going east, under a violent rainy storm, I lost my north. As soon as I hang up my mobile I realized how unfair I was being to the British police. This is not made by one or two individuals, but by an assembly of competent and professional women and men that had helped us a lot. This was the worst day to receive such a call, some people seem to be able to guess our state of mind. I kept on driving, with the certainty that a diplomatic incident had been launched, but of easy resolution. In the way that things had been, very hardly would I keep directing the Portimão’s Department of Criminal Investigation as soon as those words became public.

I finally got home. Despite the bad weather, next day I had to leave early morning to Huelva, Spain, where, in the company of Guilhermino Encarnação, I was going to assist and participate on the commemorations of the day of the National Police. When visiting by neighbors, I found out the reason to the restlessness of my dog, two nights ago. Unknown people, taking advantage of my absence, had realized a burglary at their residence. They didn’t take anything valuable, leaving behind more valuable goods; they just cared to steal a briefcase with personal documents. I think, but I don’t tell them, maybe the house to b burgled was another one.

The rain and the storm continued in the morning. Before getting near Guilhermino I got to see the front page of the paper to which the authoress of the call belonged. A single phrase was now converted into a two pages interview. I remembered, then, an old director, that used to say that from a sardine you make a fishing boat. Here we had the miracle of the multiplication of the sardines, there it was the miracle of the multiplication of the words. I finally got to Guilharmino and explained to him the stupidity I had done. Immediately Guilhermino tries to reach the National Director to attempt to explain to him the impossible, he is non reachable during the whole morning.

We got to the Cathedral of Huelva in time to assist to the homily by the bishop of the diocese, that , as if by chance, was about the role of the police and the security of the children. Accompanying the ceremony there was a choir that interpreted in a sublime form the Avé Maria, of Charles Gounod. It was an hour of peace, sheltered from the storm that could be felt outside that monumental and beautiful temple. From there we went to the Iberian American Forum de La Rabida, near to the convent with the same name, were Cristovão Colombo waited for news from Isabel, The Catholic, before leaving to the discovery of the New World.

On the way, we didn’t get news about the discovery of new worlds, but we discovered the verticality and the rightness, of men that embraced the law and the cause of justice as a supreme good. Linked back to reality, due to the new technologies, Guilhermino receives a phone call from a magistrate of the Public Ministry to which was attributed the responsibility to direct the inquiry. The illustrious magistrate had watched on the previous night a TV program on a British channel that descredibilized the PJ investigation. Unconformed, aware of the injustice of such program and aware about the work the Portuguese investigators had conducted (shaped into an inquiry, very well structured and conducted) he wanted to show his disagreement, saying that we deserved praises and thanks.
The news about a removal: the outcome of a campaign of defamation and slander


It was a thread of light in the middle of the bad weather that insisted on keeping on, but the expected was about to happen. At the Forum we assisted to the ceremony presided by the delegate of the Government of the Province of Huelva, and there I reencountered colleagues and friends. After 14:00h, while lunching, I received the news. It had been sent to the Portimão Department a Fax, by which the national director ceased my service commission, ordering my return to the Faro Directory. On this day, October the 2nd, I completed 48 years of age, it was not the present I wished, but it was expected. In the end it was the outcome of a campaign of defamation and slander, conducted against the operational coordinator of the investigation of Madeleine’s case, orchestrated and developed by the British Media, almost from the moment that the investigation began. The strategy was simple, the investigation is attacked, discrediting it’s operational, and at the same time Portugal is considered a Third World country, with a judicial and police system totally outdated due to its Middle Age methods. From the United Kingdom other news arrived. The British Prime Ministre had called Prior Stuart, responsible for the Leicestershire Police, asking if he could confirm the demission of the operational coordinator of the investigation. We don’t know the reason for such an interest about such a humble Portuguese public servant, on the part of the British Prime Minister. We don’t even want to believe what occurred on the backstage of the Lisbon Treaty about the necessity to confirm the dismissal of the investigation operational coordinator, before being in the disposition to sign such treaty.

Rumors, most certainly, and nothing else. It just remains the smooth feeling that, for the first time in the history of the Polícia Judiciária and of our public administration, a simple employee was removed, from his post, by external influence. Far are the sage words of the Marquis of Pombal, it was the year of the grace of 1759, to his English ally: «I will never concede you more but what I owe you
».



Last edited by Luz on Sat Sep 27, 2008 1:07 am, edited 3 times in total.











8 Feb 2009

STMT SILVA BATISTA, GERRY GOT ON KNEES AS GNR ARRIVED..









Gerry's fund raising Director of Finances, John McCann who promptly gave up his own job to take on the role. Similar personalities, these two brothers, so it would appear! The more studious Michael Wright another major family member and Fund Raiser stands by..observing the gesticulating spectacle





Volume II

Pages 355 - 356

Silvia Maria Correia Ramos Batista

Date/Time: 2007/05/07 11H20
Maintenance Services Director
Portuguese

(Intro deleted)
She is aware of the events that occurred in the Ocean Club resort, having had knowledge of the girl's disappearance, by 22H.30 on 03/05/2007, through
a telephone call from the administrator George Robin Crosland .
She immediately went to the Ocean Club resort where later arrived the GNR. A search started immediately throughout the village. Many residents and employees of OC participated.
On the 03/05/2007 she started working by 09H30, having entered the Ocean
Club through the area of the Club, having walked through the swimming pool area and later having checked the other swimming pools.

During the day 03/05/2007 she did not detect anything unusual or different.
No strange situation was reported to her.
After the events and in conversation with other employees and heads of the Ocean Club, nothing was reported or commented concerning odd situations, such as the presence of strangers close to the resort.
She states that the Ocean Club Resort has no system of video surveillance.
Ratifies and will sign. ..........................


She's here as a witness. She is responsible for maintenance in the Ocean Club Resort located in Praia da Luz - Lagos. Because of her profession she knows many people of the English community, who live in Praia da Luz.
She knows the Morat (sic !) family, who has been there for about 30 years. In particular Mr. Morat and his wife (error mother) Jenny. Mr. Morat was linked to building business and development of tourism enterprises, in Salema in her opinion. Mr. Morat died some years ago.
The Morat live in a house named "casa Liliana", near the Ocean Club.
Asked, she said not to remember whether the Morats have any child.
Asked, she said that on the night when Madeleine McCain (sic...) disappeared (03-05-2007), she was called by her boss, at about at 22:30. As she lives in Lagos she arrived shortly after at the resort. Close to the apartment A-5 of the OC there were already about 60 people to look for the girl.

RE ROBERT MURAT

She remembers, although she is not absolutely certain, given the time already elapsed, that an individual of about 1,70m, short light brown hair, with thin framed and light brown glasses, wanted from the start to help finding the child Madeleine McCann.
She doesn't remember at what time she saw him.
She doesn't remember how he was dressed up.
She doesn't remember who was with him, whether he came walking or in some vehicle. That same individual, she was told later, is the son of Morat, his first name is ROBERT.(So it would appear this is very unfortunate, it was not Murat but she was later told that it was, it would be interesting to know who by, David Payne looks just like him)


Robert speaks fluently English and Portuguese. He helped the GNR of Lagos and later the PJ, translating the testimony of some British persons.
She admits as possible that Paul and June of the bar "Duke of Holland" and Mr. Byron of the firm JNB (management of properties in PDL) should be able to confirm if Robert Murat was there when Madeleine disappeared, and eventually other details.

She states that she spoke for the first time with Robert on Saturday (05-05-2007) or Sunday (06-05-2007) or may be on Monday (07-05-2007), during the breaks between the interviews in which he participated as a translator.
She describes him as a very sympathetic and direct guy. RM was very communicative and extrovert during the conversations they had together. He didn't mention any personal subject.
She ratified and will sign...............................

RE DISAPPEARANCE OF MADELEINE

THIRD PAGE BATISTA
She made already statements concerning this process several times and remembers what she stated earlier, repeating here what the content of previous statements.
She is here because, with the passage of time since Madeleine disappeared she has remembered a few details on the testified facts that she believes may be somehow of interest to the investigation.
As she said earlier she was alerted about the disappearance of Madeleine between 22.30 and 23:00. She was at home and was informed of the event via a telephone call.
She drove immediately to the Ocean Club where she arrived a few minutes before elements of the GNR popped in.
After she arrived she went immediately to the apartment A5 where she found several people inside the apartment and outside of it. (CLEARLY DAMAGING ANY FORENSIC EVIDENCE)

She entered in the flat but soon left without having spoken with anyone, because she was informed that elements of the GNR were in the principal reception. She went there to meet them.
When she came close to the elements of the GNR she found that behind her was
Gerry, Madeleine's father, accompanied by another man whose identity she doesn't remember. Then Geny kneeled down, hit the floor with both hands, positioning himself as if he were a praying Arab, and screamed twice of anger, what he said being impossible to understand. Then Gerry stand up and accompanied her (the witness) and the other man in the car of the GNR to the apartment A5.
SO IT WOULD APPEAR GERRY PUT ON A FIT OF HISTRIONICS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GNR

She entered the apartment and asked for the passports of all elements of the family, and also photographs of the missing girl. She went with Gerry to the GNR car to hand over the requested documents. SO IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH PHOTOGRAPHS OF MADDIE WERE IMMEDIATELY HANDED OVER, HOW COME HE HAD THOSE?

She mentions she did this, as well as other tasks, at the request of the GNR Commandant, because she could translate their questions and the missing girl's family's answers.
She remembers Gerry gave the Commandant of several photographs of the missing girl. They were postcard-like pictures, taking into account their size and shape and seemed all the same to her.


She understood also that since the very beginning either Gerry or the others insisted on stating that Madeleine had been snatched, all using the word "abducted" instead of missing, and all showing much interest in informing the press of the situation.

She also recalls entering in the room where Madeleine should be sleeping and remembers now that the door was closed. The room was dark. The blinds were down, some light entering through their holes. The windows were closed and the curtains slightly open. Gerry, who followed her and the elements of the GNR, said he did close the window because of the babies sleeping in the room, a fact she confirms.
Gerry said that when he discovered the disappearance of Madeleine he noticed that the window and the blinds were open and the curtains fluttering.
She recalls that the beds which were in the middle of the room and used by the babies
were aligned and therefore found it strange that someone had taken Madeleine from the bed where she would be sleeping and had gone to the window because there was no space to pass.

She opened the wardrobes of that room in order to confirm that Madeleine wasn't eventually hiding there.
Then everyone left the room and someone shut the door. She remained for some time in the living room, near the GNR elements, Gerry and other elements of the group
who got in and out and spoke on their cellular phones.


She observed that none of the elements of the group including the father and mother of the child was concerned with looking for her.

The mother was sitting on the bed of her room, the father was with her (the witness) and the elements of the GNR, and other elements of the group got in and out
and spoke on the phone, anxious, in her opinion, to tell the press what happened.

She thought that the child's mother was devastated, the father was worried and
also asked to notify the press and to get dogs to search.

About the others she only remembers that Fiona and her husband, Payne, were hysterical with the situation.


At a certain time, after the arrival of the PJ elements, the parents removed the twins from the beds in which they were still sleeping and took them to the first floor flat.

At the request of Kate she (the witness) to remove their puppets (CUDDLECATS??) drink and a blanket that she took to the first floor flat. Only the mattresses remained.

She wanted to mention that around 3h00 Madeleine's parents asked for a priest to be present. They didn't explain why they wanted a priest but she (the witness) was amazed, because there were no indications that the little girl was dead and only in these circumstances is usually asked the presence of a priest. ONE CAN SERIOUSLY UNDERSTAND GONCALO AMARAL'S THINKING HERE!



At some point she translated the statement of one of the ladies who belonged to the group and that she describes as a brunette one. This lady said to the GNR elements, and she (the witness) translated, that she had seen a man on the road who might have carried a child. JANE TANNER I PRESUME INTERESTINGLY NO TIME GIVEN, I BELIEVE IF SHE SAW THIS AT ALL IT WAS MUCH LATER THAN 9/15 WHEN SHE WENT TO "RELIEVE" RUSSELL HER PARTNER (IF THAT IS EVEN TRUE) AS SHE SO CHARMINGLY PUTS IT AS WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE STATEMENT OF WAITERS THE WOMEN DID NOT DO CHECKS ON THE CHILDREN THE ONLY PERSON THEY RECALL GETTING UP AND THEN COMING BACK SCREAMING WAS KATE MCCANN


This situation surprised her because she (the witness) was convinced that when the lady saw the man, the lady was in a place from where she had no angle of vision for the place where she saw the man.

She doesn't know exactly what was the position of the lady when she saw the man, but she knows that the lady said she saw the man in the street in front of the Madeleine's bedroom window, walking in the direction of the street that then leads to the Baptista supermarket.


Asked about the way the members of the group were dressed up in that night, she only remembers that Fiona was wearing a green blouse, that Geny was wearing a dark shirt
and the husband of Fiona wearing clear pants, beige she thins.
And more she did not say. Read the self as the thought, ratified and will sign.

7 Feb 2009

RUSSELL O'BRIEN - THERE IS NO EVIDENCE AGAINST US

McCann Case: Russell James O’Brien Rogatory Interview Part IV


Rogatory Interview Courtesy Of Duarte Levy


RECORD OF TAPE RECORDED INTERVIEW
Police Exhibit No
AJG225A
Person Interviewed:
Russell James O'BRIEN
Number of Pages
8
Place of Interview:
Force Headquarters Enderby
Signature of Interviewing

Date of Interview:
10/04/08
Officer producing exhibit

Time Commenced:
1623 hours

Time Concluded:
1642 hours
Duration of Interview:
19 minutes

Interviewing Officer(s)
DC 1578 GIERC
Tape Reference nos:
AJG225

Other Persons Present
None









Tape counter times
Person speaking
Text





00.00.02
1578
“Okay. The time is four twenty-three pm and that is on Thursday the tenth of April two thousand and eight. We are in an interview room at Leicestershire Police Force Headquarters. I am Detective Constable, one, five, seven, eight, Andrew GIERC from the Leicestershire Major Crime Unit. Could you give me your full name and date of birth please?”

Reply
“Yeah, it’s Russell O'BRIEN, sorry, Russell James O'BRIEN, twenty-six, eleven, seventy”.

1578
“Thank you. This is the fourth interview of today Russell. I have one final question to put to you. Just to reiterate, you are here voluntary as a significant witness”.

Reply
“Yeah”.

1578
“To assist the Portuguese Authorities in their investigation of the disappearance of Madeleine McCANN on the third of May two thousand an seven”.

Reply
“Uh hu”.

1578
“And the final question is whether or not you would be available to travel to Portugal between either the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth of April or the fifteenth and sixteenth of May two thousand and eight in order to re-enact the events that occurred between five thirty pm and eleven pm on Thursday the third of May two thousand and seven?”

Reply
“Well as we discussed on the, on the video on Tuesday, you know, we, as a group, do want to do as much as possible to help the investigation. Erm, you know, we have been crying out for, to, to have this opportunity for a long, long time. Erm, the trouble is, that the whole, the whole concept, even today, seems a little bit, you know, too little too late, I think that’s how, how it’s best described. Erm, you know, this is not, this is not a, well, at least, well from the point of view of Kate and Gerry and the rest of us, this is not a, a, a child manslaughter case or a child murder case, this is a child abduction case. But with everything that happened last Summer, so much has been, has sort of been lost, we have been exposed to, erm, a vast amount of, erm, bad press, intrusion of our privacy, erm, huh, over a, over an incessant, what feels like an almost incessant period of time, that has been to, you know, great detriment of our, of our own personal wellbeing, and that is clearly most true for Kate and Gerry, but also, you know, true to a lesser extent for the rest of us. Erm, we, you know, we had hoped that obviously invest, you know, this part, you know, the fact that we were back here now was the start, is potentially the start of, you know, more close lines of communication between the PJ, Kate and Gerry and the rest of us and I think that, you know, we, we completely welcome that and we think that a lot of, a lot of the problems that have arisen have been because there has been no lines of communication and the Press have just been able to, you know, play while the cat’s away really and so we have, you know, we were very pleased that this has, this has finally happened. Erm, I’m also conscious that, you know, for, for, for Kate and Gerry’s sake in the future, you know, that, you know, dialogue between us and the PJ, you know, as a group and between them and the PJ has to be re-established. Erm, but it’s fair to say that we know from our experiences on the night, I mean, we were only, only we can know, we can’t, we can’t prove anything, but we know that Kate and Gerry did not harm Madeleine in any way and would have had no part in her, in her, erm, you know, in her disappearance and we can also say, individually, as well, that we, that we’ve had no part of it as well. Huh, but, nonetheless, the making of Kate and Gerry, erm, into aguidos, although the process had already started in sort of July and August, put the icing on the cake of what has felt like a, a public demolition and a, and a concerted attempt to destroy Kate and Gerry and, to a lesser extent, but it still felt just as acutely, acutely true, the rest of us and, whether it’s true or not, it feels that this has actually come from the Police initially, now this may have been the old regime and clearly there’s been, you know, changes in, in who was leading the investigation. But our feeling is that in many, well, and I agree with the rest of the group, that given the nature of how we are continually, erm, what’s the word, huh, promoted is not the right word, but portrayed in the, in the Portuguese Press and this includes, you know, the documents that are brought in that, even Press yesterday that still say Jane is lying, that still quote unattributable sources in the Police, both here and in Portugal, mean that we would, we would, in many respects, feel it would be absolutely mad to fly to Portugal, not just from the point of view some relatively minor concerns that, huh, you know, twelve months on a re-enactment with the people involved, you know, is, is unlikely to change evidentially the Case, but just because it will open us up to a massive tide of, of, of unwarranted abuse, both, perhaps even on the ground, but certainly in the Press and I think, you know, we, huh, we, individually, have to look to the, you know, to our own, you know, our own sort of family life and our own security and privacy and this feels like a sure fire away of, of, of blowing it all to smithereens, you know. Personally I don’t feel as anti the re-enactment of some of, as some of the rest of the group and that is despite having perhaps some of the most, you know, some of the worst Press out of the, out of the lot of us, you know, I’ve, you know, I’m the male who was away from the room for the longest, you know, I didn’t ask for bed sheets and a whole range of other sort of associations with Exeter and Robert MURAT, you know, there’s, you know, I’ve got a lot more in many respects to, to be worried about travelling to Portugal. But, but, erm, I think that, we, as a group, and Kate and Gerry in particular, need some signal from, from the other side of this wall to say look this is, you know, this is a, this is a, we look at the investigation. I mean, we know that, you know, as a group, that that there is no evidence to convict Kate and Gerry, there never will be, we know that there is no evidence to convict any of the rest of us and there never will be, I mean, we, we don’t, we have no fear of that because we know what we know, erm, but we do have a great deal of fear for the privacy of our families, erm, the ability to go to work without Spanish news crews pissing around outside, you know, outside your window and, and a whole range of other things that have really turned, you know, turned on a personal level, a perfect life. I had a perfect thirty-six years life and I have, you know, we have all had a shit year and I don’t, I don’t want it getting any worse, if anything, in the last couple of months it’s just slightly starting to get better. The British Press have been, you know, dealt a very heavy, you know, a very heavy blow and, you know, where it hurts, in their wallet, I mean, the only place which it will hurt and I think we are going to have to do the same to the Portuguese Press as well. Erm, but what we, huh, in my mind, to get, to get us out there happily and safely, we need some assurances and not more than, and more than what’s happened so far, you know, that, that this is looking at the investigation with open eyes. It’s felt like a, it’s felt like a one directional investigation, from a personal point of view, this was to nail it on Kate and Gerry or nail it one of us and that’s fine, that’s how it’s felt. I’m sure that is not the perception of all the Officers and the PJ and I’m sure that is, that is not the full picture, but that’s how it’s felt. Erm, you know, I’d like to say again that, you know, when we were out there the Officers that, that interviewed me, you know, everyone was perfectly professional, but the, the collective targets of the PJ appears to be Kate and Gerry with no other, with no other avenue. Huh, in terms of kind of a, you know, a conciliatory statement, I, I am very aware that when parties are at odds with each other, and in this, you know, I, I’m, it breaks my heart that this is the situation that we’re in, erm, is that we are, we are inevitably at odds with the PJ and the Portuguese Police. But when parties are at odds and they reach a, an impasse or a stalemate, which is where we are, and we know that, that no, no further action, or should we say no further legitimate action can be taken against any of us or Kate and Gerry in terms of Madeleine’s disappearance because there is no, we were are not involved, that Kate and Gerry need a way out for, you know, just for, for the pure humanity of it, erm, they cannot remain under the degree of pressure and uncertainty and suspicion that they are now, that is true to all, for all of us, you know, to a much, much lesser degree, I, I, I take that. And I am also conscious that the other side of this, the PJ have not had it easy either, you know, they’ve had a very high profile investigation where the International Press have given them a few, you know, bloodied noses along the way as well, and that’s, and that, and so there’s two, there’s two very, very wounded parties. We want to help out. I think if, and I know, Stuart’s explained, you know, the legal system over there is not the same as here and it’s not a question of okay we can just lift it, let’s prosecute and all of this, but there has to be some control and some robust control of the Portuguese Press from the PJ to say, you know, these people are not under any more suspicion than anyone else as a witness in an unsolved case is, you know. You know, in an unsolved case it’s, you know, the innocent will suffer, isn’t it, I mean, it’s, it’s obvious that we’re going to be under a degree of suspicion, we knew that from the start. But we cannot fly into, erm, a hornets nest in Portugal and have our lives literally turned into further episodes of some shitty soap opera, you know, Jane has been portrayed as some kind of soap opera villain over in the Portuguese Press and the article I brought in this morning just illustrates that, I’m under, you know, a great deal of suspicion according to, you know, you know, unattibuted sources within the PJ. All of these are an enormous burden that I could never have imagined in, in all of my, you know, worst dreams that I could, you know, I’m saying I here, but clearly it’s the group, and Kate and Gerry are a lot worse, but that I could find myself under and, you know, I know Jane feels exactly the same. But, if, in some, in some way it could be made so that, even if this was before aguido status was removed from Kate and Gerry, which inevitably in the fullness of time it will be because it’s just not going to go anywhere short of a, of a, you know, of planted evidence, I mean, I am not suggesting that’s what is going to happen, but, you know, that’s the only way that that things will go further, but if the PJ can somehow, you know, bring their own National Press to order, erm, then it will appear that we are not actually just putting our whole livelihoods and privacy, you know, at jeopardy, but at the moment it just feels like it’s asking someone to walk to a cliff and say ‘Do you want to take your chances on the fall’. Erm, it is not because we don’t want to co-operate, I mean, we have come here, you know, I’ve come here for a second day, we would bust our gut if we thought if anything it would do that would actually help Madeleine. (AT LAST RUSSELL BUT WHY DO YOU NOT SAY HELP FIND MADELEINE)
And, to be honest, if there wasn’t this pressure I think we’d go and do the re-enactment anyway because we could see no harm from it, the problem at the moment is we can see, we can perceive, and I think it is there, there is genuine harm to our, to our private lives, to our working lives, to the, you know, to even to, you know, our children who are just going to be, you know, they’re kind of plastered over papers and they’re on internet sites and, you know, that, any, our kind of lives are pulled over by sort of sick individuals who have got nothing better to do. And I think we need to have the kind of mainstream Press treating this with the respect that it should do, this is a serious crime, evidence should not be soap opera, the British Press are just as bad, well have been just as bad as the Portuguese Press, but I don’t think we are going to see the same degree of, of, of wanton behaviour from them. But, you know, I know I’m going round in circles just like I did before, but we’d be idiots to go, erm, and on the flip side of that, if we don’t’ go I’m sure the Portuguese Press and maybe even the Police would use this as a rod for our backs as well, you know, ‘Oh they’re not cooperating’, that is not the intention, this is actually, this is actually at the level, you know, the, the unpleasantness of this last year is now at the level where we have to look to just maintaining, you know, some quality of life for us and our kids. Erm, I mean, that, from the outside that probably sounds, oh, you know, soft git, you know, grow up, you know, and maybe that’s, and that’s true, but I have no doubt that going there will, will create a complete whirlpool of, erm, of uncertainties, I can’t see it realistically finding Madeleine or, or us ascertaining any more detail than what our statements do as, as they, as they are now, and just at great, at great personal cost. And I hope the PJ don’t take our reluctance to do this, I hope they see it from a, as a point of view of another person rather than just a National Police Force, I hope they kind of don’t see this as a, as an opportunity to, to sort of harm Kate and Gerry any more, because I don’t think, in living memory, in Britain, two people have been more unnecessarily damaged after perhaps one of the most awful things happening to them. I mean, we have seen the best of, the best of nature and the worst of human nature in the last year, a wonderful amount of help and support when we were in Praia Da Luz at first, erm, but we have, we have witnessed the, the, you know, a really sick act and we’ve also witnessed the, the smarmy, the conceited and the opinionated kind of backlash as well. And, you know, for our own, our own families’ sake we have to, you know, we have to make sure that we are not put through a grinder. So, at the moment, I can’t, you know, as I say, if the situation relaxed even a little in terms of the kind of likely outcome, I mean, I don’t think realistically you could close the area off and keep the Press away, but if the, if there was some way of just, that this was treated with the respect it deserves, the Case was respected, you know, for the, you know, as an open case, an unsolved case and an ongoing one, erm, and I’d be there in a flash, and I think some of the other group might not even be there even if, even if there was something in place. But, at the moment it, phew, you know, the timing is poor, we’re sceptical that it would make a big difference at this late stage and I think, I think that’s true, I don’t think there’s any, any, I think that’s, that would be most peoples assumption a year on. Erm, I mean, it just seems that it would be almost reckless, at the personal level, given the articles that are written about us. That doesn’t, that is not, that is not an absolute no, it’s clearly, erm, the answer is I think we’d be mad to go now, it doesn’t mean we wouldn’t go at some stage. But with some management of the Press and maybe that needs to come from us, I mean, maybe, I mean, I’m seriously, seriously considering, well we’ve already looked into it in loose terms, taking the Portuguese Press to task over what they’ve written, but, you know, just like the PJ have had difficulties in International Law with us here, well that’s no, that’s no mean feat to achieve it. And, you know, we are not, we are not, you know, we are not people who have got, you know, certainly Jane and I aren’t somebody with disposable income to start, to try and fund international libel cases, but libelled we have been and many, many times. The only good thing about leaving the Press to do it is that they’re making a nice long bit of rope for their own neck. And there’s no doubt about it already that, that, you know, if the same thing applied in England, the papers, as soon as threatened, they just gave in, and I think that would happen in Portugal because there is no, there is no factual basis on, you know, a vast majority of some of the really nasty stuff they’ve written. And maybe that needs to come from us, maybe we need to have that in place, saying ‘You write this kind of shit about us and we’re going to, we’re going to hit you where it hurts financially’. We can’t expect morals out of the Press, we never could, erm, but if that attack was coming from us and the feeling that the, the Authorities in Portugal were prepared to back that up, then I would go back, but not before”.
00.18.15
1578
“Okay”.

Reply
“Thanks very much. Sorry to waffle as usual”.

1578
“That’s fine. I think it just remains for myself Russell to, on behalf of the Portuguese Authorities, sincerely thank you for your efforts and time”.

Reply
“Well thank you”.

1578
“And attendance this week”.

Reply
“Well thanks to, you know, you and, and the visiting Portuguese as well for, you know, for coming over and doing this, it’s a big undertaking and a lot of time”.

1578
“Thank you”.

Reply
“Okay. Thanks a lot”.

1578
“The time is four forty-two pm and this interview is ceasing”.
SIGNATURE (Sgd)______________________________________________________
SM R J O'BRIEN 10.04.08

4 Feb 2009

MICHAEL WRIGHT BEHIND MASSIVE MONEY EARNER?


A rather useful compilation of super mummies who lost their kids I thought, sent to me by our Niki, thanks! I dont think these supermummies need any naming! Two down one to go...

Michael Wright, John McCann and Trish Cameron hold the family fort at Maddie's anniversary do in PDL which Kate and Gerry were indisposed to attend...
Michael Wright and Gerry engrossed in confidential discussions, away from any listening devices!
Michael Wright and Gerry have a confidential chat away from prying ears, and Gerry taps out one of his "texts". As ever, Wright, catches the camera pointing his way...


Michael Wright and Kate McCann on 9 May 2007, just 6 days after Maddie's "disappearance"
If you look at the early reports of who was rallying business, rugby and football clubs etc to make the Madeleine Campaign truly massive, there are two other names that constantly figure besides Gerry McCann, Michael Wright and John McCann.

Michael Wright is a relative of Kate's by marriage, his wife's mother is the sister of Kate's mother and lives in the Isle of Man, lots of people think this is Rosie? In the pictures above we see him walking breezily with Kate McCann on 9 May just 6 days after Maddie went missing, we see him eyeing the camera lens as he stands in the sea having a private chat with Gerry away from the prying ears of bugs and microphones, we see him with his fund raising pal, John McCann at the Anniversary event, complete with balloons of course, that Maddie's parents sadly could not manage to attend.

In his rogatory interview below we see him deny he was there on 3 May, clearly the police must have thought he might have been. He explains how he went over to assist Kate and Gerry on no less than 6 occasions. WE see him slyly suggest George from the Pizza place saw a man with a child. It is not surprising people view this man with intense suspicion and very much a major player in Team McCann.










Occupation: Director of Finance
This statement (consisting of 4 pages and signed by me) is true and in line
with my understanding. With evidence that, once proven otherwise,
be subject to be sued if you witnessed something voluntarily with
known to be false or does not correspond to the truth.
Date: April 16, 2008
Signature _____________________________________________
I am the person above refrenciada and live with my wife Anne-Marie and our children,
K (13 years old) and P(11 years of age) at the address previously provided to
police.
My wife is from the press and I know Kate McCann to Kate since their 8 years of age.
She used to spend holidays with their parents in Isle of Man where I lived. My wife and
Kate arrivals are quite familiar. I know Gerry McCann since 1997 when left with
Kate and the first to marry.
I have seen the Gerry and Kate very often, but always in encontravamo us
Festive family events such as weddings and christenings. Does not attend the wedding
them because the Anne-Marie was sick and also not attended the christening of children
because we were away on vacation. However, since the birth of twins Sean
Amelie and that we have found more frequently. In August 2006 visit came
in our home for a weekend and was very pleasant. For our part,
visited the Gerry and Kate in Rothley in November 2006 and they repeated the visit
Again in February 2007. The dynamics of the group works very well together and
It makes us all very well. We are planning a vacation in family in June 2007 to
Center Park.
I never was in Portugal on Thursday, 03 May 2007 at the height of
Madeleine's disappearance. Around the 23:00 that night, I received a phone call from the mother of
Anne-Marie told us very embarrassed that the disappearance of Madeleine. The aunt Nora
Canada was in Skipton and would return to Canada the next morning. My suggestion
Nora was lead to a return to Liverpool. All of us believe that Madeleine would appear in
hours, so that drove the Nora back to Liverpool in the early hours of Friday
Wednesday, May 04, 2007. I was in Liverpool. I talked on the phone with Kate between 10.00 and
the 11.00 that morning and confirmed that she wanted the presence of the mother, the father of Nora and next
her. The family got Liasion shape of the mother, the father of Nora and travel to Portugal

that same afternoon. I went with them to the airport in Manchester. Kate's mother asked me
who were in Portugal and I agreed on condition that the first talk with Gerry and Kate.
On Saturday, 05 May 2007 caught the plane at the airport from Leeds Bradford to Faro and
I caught a taxi from the airport to the complex of Mark Warner. Initially I was staying
in the same apartment complex where Kate and Gerry were. The first days were
very hectic, always surrounded by the media and the situation seemed very
transitory, relatives and friends slept where they could. On Friday, May 11, 2007,
back to home and spent the weekend with my family.
After that made five trips to Portugal on the following dates:
From Monday May 14, 2007 to Friday May 18, 2007. Traveled alone and
when it was helped in my power to campaign for Madeleine.
From Friday June 8, 2007 the day Wednesday June 13, 2007. Traveled with my
wife Anne-Marie. This movement aimed at taking care of twins Sean and
Amelie while Kate and Gerry did a brief passage by Morocco.
From Thursday July 12 2007 to Friday July 13, 2007. Traveled alone and returned
with Kate, and San Amelie to attend the baptism of my children. He had spoken with Gerry
before the phone and learned that was in the United Kingdom in meetings and asked me to
would help Kate and the twins so they could be present. Kate, Gerry, Sean and
Amelie returned to Portugal on Sunday morning of July 15, 2007.
From Wednesday August 22 2007 to Saturday 01 September 2007. Out with Anne-Marie
and our children, Katie and Patrick to replace Sandy and Trish CAMERON. During this
period previously spoken with Kate and Gerry about the best time to return to the Kingdom
Kingdom. Was provisionally established the second week in September and I contacted a
the removal firm in Lagos on my behalf and collected boxes and tape. We started
then to encase everything that could be saved, such as letters, postcards and so forth.
From Friday September 7 2007 to Sunday September 9, 2007. The Gerry called me
the night before and told me he would be interviewed the following day. Traveled alone and
Sandy Cameron met at the airport and get a taxi to the villa. Kate, Gerry and
twins, Sandy and Trish Cameron and Eileen McCann left Portugal on Sunday morning and
I returned alone to Britain that same evening after making a clearing to
villa.
During my first trips to Portugal I was staying in apartments in the complex
Mark Warner. In July, August and September is the villa rented by Kate and Gerry. No
I remember nothing strange in any of the places where they remained. Not tried
particularly anything suspicious or strange but I remember paying attention to
apartments of the complex of Mark Warner, and consider a hypothetical sites which
intruder could use as a hideout.
During my first two trips to Portugal, I remember that Kate and Gerry
went on a swing, but spent much time with them, particularly at night
meals. Often seen with the more mundane Sandy to things such as check the
correspondence. Received many emails regarding the campaign and there were many who

were grounds for discussion, but our meetings with Kate and Gerry during the day was
very irregular. During my stay in the villa, our time together was more
concentrate.
For the behavior of Kate and Gerry after the disappearance of Madeleine,
presence in its desperation first hand, how they cried and were destroçados
where they were not in official meetings or giving press conferences. Was
embarrassing to watch. They also saw how they remained organized and controlled in
meetings and in front of the media, and I felt proud and impressed with his power of
self-control at those times.
At the time I traveled with Anne-Marie on June 8, 2007, to Kate and Gerry had
a vehicle for hire. It was a car of seven seats, I believe that a Renault Espace. The Gerry
suggested putting me on the list of policyholders so that I could drive the car while
they would leave for Morocco, but I thought not necessary because would be
out just a few days. When I went to Portugal on July 12, 2007 was received in
by Kate airport that led the Renault Espace.
It was then on our trip to Portugal to August 22, 2007 that Gerry suggested that I was
added to the contract of rent a car and driver extra and I accepted. The Gerry and I
We went to Lagos and was included in the contract as additional drivers.
Drove the car regularly in August and September to make the purchases of
supermarket, take the trash the house and the garden area for recycling in Praia da Luz and
also take the twins to kindergarten and the beach, and trips to the airport. I was also passenger in
car on several occasions, especially during the months of June and July when Gerry or the
Sandy led.
There were several areas of dump / recycling of garbage in the area and we used the following:
Two containers of garbage in the ownership of the villa, one in the main entrance and another at the top of the
pile.
An area of dumping of garbage / recycling on the road from the cemetery, an area of
dump / recycling on the road above the complex of Mark Warner and an area of
dump / recycling on the road between the village and the church.
The waste was generated in the garden where the gardener visited us and usually consisted
by the palm leaves and grasses. Gerry and I used to take this garbage containers
at the top of the property.
I never noticed nothing strange in the vehicle when it traveled.
I noticed some unpleasant odors numerous occasions that I believe are caused by
diapers of twins. The diapers were placed in rubbish bags and waiting
to be discarded in containers, causing odor.
I am not aware of any spill of any articles or the cleaning of
vehicle after the hypothetical spill.
I know the twins traveled in space in more than twenty occasions. For example for
creche, beach at Sagres, airport and Burgau.

I am absolutely sure that Kate and Gerry were not able to hide the body of
Madeleine and then move it to dump.
For additional information and would like to add that on Sunday May 6
2007 went to Pizza in Praia da Luz and bought a large quantity of pizzas. I was
answered by a girl from Liverpool. Explained to him my relationship with McCann and her
told me that his father "George" had sighted a man to carry a child in the lap
early hours of Friday May 04, 2007 in the resort. I asked him if her father talk
with the Portuguese authorities. I do not know if this information was ever investigated.
I have no further information considered relevant or irrelevant.
On Wednesday, April 16, 2008, between 10h11 and 11h18 I was interviewed on the DVD
Dc xxxx Police in Leicestershire in FHQ. I am on my honor that the
I witnessed in the interview is true according to my knowledge.
This testimony was prepared by me is true and according to my knowledge


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miffed
Post subject: Re: Michael Wright Rog. Interview
New postPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:53 pm
Mafia Boss
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Processo pdf16 page68
Quote:
Email from Stuart Prior on 23 April 2008 to Ricardo Manuel Gonçalves Paiva

Synopsis re statement of Michael Terrence WRIGHT 16th April 2008

Michael's wife (Anne-Marie) is the cousin of Kate McCANN but has known her since she was about 8 years old when she used to holiday on The Isle of Man where he used to live. He has known Gerry since 1997 when he started to go out with Kate. They now generally meet up on key family events.
The families stayed together in each others homes in 2006 and February 20117 and were planning a family holiday in the UK in June 2007.
He received a phone call around 11pm on 3rd May from his wife's mother informing him that Madeleine had been taken from her bed. Between 10am and 11am that morning he again spoke with Kate who wanted her parents to join them in Portugal.
Michael went out to Portugal on 5th May and initially stayed above Kate and Gerry on the Mark Warner complex. He returned to the UK on 11th May but made five further trips to Portugal;
14th May to 18th May, 8th June to 13th June with his wife and they looked after the twins when Kate and Gerry, went to Morocco.
12th July to 13th July he returned with Kate and the twins to attend the christening of his own children while Gerry was already in the UK. The McCANN'S returned to Portugal on 15th July.
22nd August to 1st September to replace the CAMERON family. Here he assisted in arranging the return of Gerry and Kate by booking a removal firm in Lagos in his name. 7th September to 9th September. He helped clean up the villa as the McCANNS with the CAMERONS and Eileen McCANN returned home on 9th September.
In August and September he stayed in Gerry and Kate's rented villa.
Michael assisted with the running of the Madeline campaign and describes Gerry and Kate as distraught, and how they crumbled and sobbed when not out at official meetings or media conferences.
Michael was aware of the hire of the Renault Espace; he was collected from the airport by Kate on 12th July in it and drove the vehicle regularly in August and September. He used the vehicle for shopping, and to the rubbish/recycling area in Praia for the removal of gardening rubbish. He drove the twins to the beach and kiddies club and also for airport runs. Other times he would be a passenger when Gerry or Sandy Cameron would drive.
A number of refuse sites were used. Two areas on the villa estate, at the main entrance and at the top of the hill. A site on Cemetery Road, a site on a road above the Mark Warner complex and a site between the villa and the church.
On a number of occasions he noticed an unpleasant smell in the vehicle that he put down to the twins used nappies which had been discarded with the general waste. He was not aware of any spillages in the vehicle or anyone cleaning it.
Michael further stated that on 6th May he purchased a large quantity of Pizza's from the pizza shack on the beach at Praia da Luz. The girl serving him was from Liverpool and after introductions she said her father "George" had seen a man carrying a child in the early hours of 4th May in the resort. He is unaware if "George" has ever spoken to the authorities.

DS 278 ADCOCK

---

He is not a director of the Fund however, they are:




* Peter Hubner; a retired consultant;
* Brian Kennedy, a retired head teacher;
* John McCann, a medical representative;
* Edward Smethurst – A Commercial lawyer;
* Doug Skehan, clinical director in cardiology at Glenfield Hospital;
* Jon Corner – Director of a media company;
* Michael Linnett, a retired accountant


So, we have a couple of doctors and friends of Gerry McCann, a salesman/his brother, a commercial lawyer, an accountant and a media and film man, Jon Corner. If the objects of the Fund were to make a lot of money, protect that money and the Funds interests and use the media etc to promote that Fund one could easily understand such people being chosen, including of course to protect Kate and Gerry McCann. But when we think of the title of that Fund Leaving No Stone Unturned to Find Madeleine it becomes clear what a farce this is.

Do accountants, lawyers, media and salesman have any expertise whatsoever in locating missing children? Would their approach be the right one, or would their approach only be the right one for Kate and Gerry?

Who is the main director of this Fund, Gerry's brother, the one, who with Michael Wright from the very outset was such a massive Fund organiser.

Has this ever been about finding little Maddie or just creating a Fund of massive wealth?

I would argue the intention was to make it even more wealthy than we have seen. The McCanns Arguido status from September 07 to July 08 clearly had a major impact upon the Fund's earning potential and the dismay this caused among Team McCann was only too clear.

Gone were their plans to court American film makers, Oprah Winfrey etc given they were told, this story has to have an ending and the McCanns have to be innocent.

But this has not entirely stopped them amassing a very wealthy Fund, just in the first ten months alone £1.8M and as the accounts reveal just a small percentage of this being spent on the purported "search for Maddie".

A search that as we have seen has been perpetrated by a bunch of crooks, Metodo 3 run by Mr Marco who is now being investigated for embezzlement and money laundering. Then there was his associate Mr Jimenez a former senior police officer, oddly enough on the anti kidnapping unit and now languishing in custody in connection with dealing in £25M worth of lethal crack cocaine. Along with the McCanns only remaining major benefactor, Mr Brian Kennedy, these two men arranged a meeting with Portuguese Police and presented their false evidence trying to implicate Michaela Walzchuch and Robert Murat in Madeleine's abduction.

There were far fetched stories about a bundle being seen by a lorry driver being passed over a wall, of course the lorry driver pointed out he was travelling at speed and certainly could not say that bundle was a child, let alone Madeleine.

It was worthless timewasting lies, designed to frustrate a major police enquiry into the disappearance of a little girl by a man who has his solicitor employee sit on the board of directors of the Find Maddie Fund.

Just like social workers, police officers have to follow up every piece of information they are given, no matter how worthless. So, they tell us they were desperate to have Maddie located whilst at the same time diverting the police in this disgraceful way whilst stockpiling a massive "Fighting Fund".

See below for an article about the sheer size of this planned Fund.



Multinationals get behind hunt for Madeleine

· Europe-wide poster and text messaging campaign
· Money pours into fund set up to help search

* Giles Tremlett in Praia da Luz
* The Guardian, Friday 18 May 2007
* Article history

The hunt for Madeleine McCann rolled out across Europe yesterday as some of the continent's largest multinational companies launched a poster and text messaging campaign and money poured into a fund whose website received 25m hits on its first day.

Donations were made at banks and sent by internet as Madeleine's Fund looked due for a spectacular start and the McCann family said they would hire professionals to run campaigns across Europe. "We want to make sure that if Madeleine isn't in Portugal that the rest of Europe is aware of the image of this little girl," family member Michael Wright told reporters outside the apartment complex in southern Portugal were the four-year-old girl disappeared 15 days ago.

Posters of Madeleine are to be put up in aircraft and at restaurants, petrol stations, supermarkets, banks, airports and car hire offices. From BP to McDonald's and the French supermarket chain Carrefour, Madeleine's face was set to be the focal point of an unprecedented publicity campaign. Telecoms companies such as Vodafone, O2 and Spain's Telefonica will also send out text messages to clients calling for help in seeking Madeleine.

Mr Wright said the campaign was being led by Madeleine's parents, doctors Gerry and Kate McCann, who have stayed in the Praia da Luz resort with their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie.

"Gerry and Kate are taking immense strength from the support and good wishes that they are receiving from all over the world," he said.

"Their purpose is to turn hope into action. We want everyone to have an image of Madeleine in whatever country in Europe they visit, which can only help in bringing her home," he added.

"Our target is to reach the saturation that we know has been achieved in the UK and certainly in the Algarve."

Mr Wright said the family had been overwhelmed by offers of help from individuals, small companies and multi-national corporations. "Whilst we are not experts in campaigning, the situation we have found ourselves in has galvanised us into action," he said.

The campaign was announced on the day that the Russian Sergey Malinka, whose home in Praia da Luz was raided by police on Wednesday, was released without charge. Police did not consider him to be a formal suspect and Mr Malinka insisted he had nothing to do with Madeleine's disappearance.

The only named formal suspect remains 33-year-old Briton Robert Murat, who was yesterday still inside his villa, Casa Liliana, just 150 metres from the site where Madeleine disappeared.

Mr Malinka confirmed yesterday that he had worked on a website for Mr Murat, but said that he was questioned because his name was in Mr Murat's phone. "They have been questioning everybody in his phone book," he said. Their relationship was "strictly professional", he said; he had been surprised to be questioned. "I've invested seven years of my life in this country trying to succeed, and suddenly in one hour it's all fallen apart," he said.

Posters protesting Mr Murat's innocence appeared yesterday pasted around the Norfolk village where his estranged wife, Dawn, and three-year-old daughter live. It is not known who put the posters up. One was placed on the front door of Dawn's home in Hockering and another at a nearby bus stop.

Mr Murat denies involvement in Madeleine's disappearance but friends said he risked jail under Portuguese law if he spoke out. "There is nothing Robert and Jenny [his mother] can do right now," said a friend, Tuck Price. "If they say something, they can be thrown in jail."

Police were yesterday reportedly still following other lines of inquiry, with residents of the nearby village of Burgau saying they had once more been shown photographs of a Polish man who was reported to have been photographing small children. He had been driving a car with false numberplates, according to the Publico newspaper.

A day after MPs in the Commons sported yellow ribbons to show their support for the McCann family, England's cricketers followed suit yesterday in the first Test match against the West Indies at Lord's.

Who's helping

The multinationals involved in spreading Madeleine's face across Europe include BP, Shell, Texaco, Esso and TOTAL/ELF, which will be distributing posters at petrol stations. France's Crédit Agricole and La Poste banks and Spain's Banco Santander will also put up posters and McDonald's will put up posters across Europe. Carrefour supermarkets will display posters in France, Spain and Portugal. British Airways, Budget Car Rental and BAA will have posters at airports, car hire centres and on flights. Text messages will be sent out by Vodafone, O2 and Spain's Telefonica.