The purpose of
this site is for information and a record of Gerry McCann's Blog
Archives. As most people will appreciate GM deleted all past blogs
from the official website. Hopefully this Archive will be helpful to
anyone who is interested in Justice for Madeleine Beth McCann. Many
Thanks, Pamalam
Note: This site does not belong to the McCanns. It belongs to Pamalam. If
you wish to contact the McCanns directly, please use
the contact/email details
campaign@findmadeleine.com
Interior of the 5-star luxury hotel that Gerry stayed in whilst in Lisbon, paid by Madeleine's Fund
On 13 January 2009, Gerry McCann made a surprise two-day trip to Portugal, with Edward Smethurst, to meet with British
Embassy officials in Faro - before travelling on to Lisbon to meet with his Portuguese legal team, led by lawyer Rogério Alves.
Destak: 'He's back', 14 January 2009
Complete video and transcript of Gerry McCanns' interview on 13 January 2009
Madeleine McCann's father Gerry has returned to Portugal to continue the
search for his missing daughter. He said he and his wife Kate and their two other children would never give up the search
for Madeleine.
(00:03:08)
*
Transcript:
By Nigel Moore
Gerry McCann: Ahhh, well...
I came back today really to meet with our adviser's, errr... including Rogério, errr... Alves to really discuss what can still
be done in the ongoing search for Madeleine.
Obviously we think there's a very, very good chance that Madeleine's still
out there and can be found alive and well and, you know, obviously we wa... we want the search to go on really.
I think there's, errr... information goes to, you know, different sources
of potential sightings, they go to, errm... the British police, they go to foreign police, some people call us and I would
ho..., you know, like any parent of a missing child, if information came through, all you would hope is that that information
is followed up. If any information comes to us then clearly we... we follow it up and alert the authorities, errr... where
appropriate.
I won't talk about any, errr... any specific detail, to be honest, I think
there's been far too much detail of the investigation in the media but, errr... you know, what we're really here to discuss
is, errr... how we can work with the authorities to explore areas where other things can still be done that... that might
make a difference and I think, errr... you know, this is the first visit that I'm here in, errr... Portugal but I expect it
will be the first of, you know, several over the next few months.
Q:
Do you plan to cooperate with the Portuguese authorities?
GM:
Of course.
Q: Do you,
errr... maintain contact with them, with the Portuguese police, for instance?
GM:
Well, I think that the way, errr... we do that, certainly within the Portuguese system, is to do it through our... our lawyers. Errr...
We've obviously had a meeting with the, errr... officials from the British Foreign Office today and we've had ongoing
contact with, errr... you know, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, errr... since, you know, we're British and this
occurred in Portugal and we've had, errr... ongoing contact with the... the British authorities as well, so,
of course, we'll, you know, we'll do everything that we can to work with the authorities and that's what we very much
want to emphasise, we want to work with the authorities as much as possible... in the ongoing search.
Q:
Are you going... are you going to meet with, errr... Portuguese authorities...
GM:
Uhhh, we haven't...
Q:
... this time?
GM: ... we haven't got anything specific planned at this point. This is very much my, errr... you know, the
first visit over here and just to look and... and to try and get a scoping, errr... of what we can still do...
really.
Q:
Do... do you plan to... to take any legal actions, errr... against, errr... Portuguese authorities or
Portuguese... any Portuguese media, for instance?
GM:
I
think, you know, we want to make it absolutely clear what's gone on in the past is, by and large, done and we very, very much
want to focus on what can still be done for the seach and that's... that's what our priority is and... and it always has been
really so any of these things are just, you know, they're not really relevant at the minute.
The purpose of this visit was to, errr... really look at
what can still be done in the search, we want to be, you know, looking positively, not backwards - looking forwards. 'Cause,
you know, we want to find our daughter. It's pretty simple really.
Madeleine's father back in Portugal, 13 January 2009
Missing Madeleine McCann's father flew back to Portugal
for the first time since returning to the UK.
Gerry McCann made the journey
to meet his Portuguese lawyers to discuss what more could done to help find his missing daughter, family spokesman Clarence
Mitchell said.
It is understood that Mr
McCann's wife Kate did not travel with him, and that he will not see any Portuguese officials during his short trip.
Mr Mitchell said: "I can
confirm that Gerry McCann returned to Portugal for a brief visit to meet his lawyers to see what more can be done to help
find his daughter."
Mr McCann, 40, from Rothley,
Leicestershire, flew into Faro Airport in the Algarve and was met by British officials. He then travelled to Lisbon for talks
with his legal team, led by Rogerio Alves.
Madeleine was nearly four
when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz on May 3 2007 while her parents
dined with friends nearby.
Despite a massive police
operation and huge publicity worldwide, she has not been found. Four months after she disappeared, Portuguese police made
both Mr and Mrs McCann "arguidos", or formal suspects, in the case.
Two days later, on September
9 2007, they returned to Britain with their two other children, twins Sean and Amelie.
Last July the Portuguese
attorney-general shelved the investigation and lifted the arguido status of Mr and Mrs McCann.
The couple insist they will
continue to believe Madeleine is still alive until presented with firm evidence to the contrary, and have vowed to keep looking
for her for as long as it takes
Page last
updated at 20:21 GMT, Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Gerry McCann, father of Madeleine,
has flown back to Portugal for the first time since returning to the UK after the disappearance of his daughter.
He will meet his Portuguese
lawyers to discuss the search, family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said.
Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire,
was nearly four when she vanished from a holiday flat in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, on 3 May 2007.
Mr McCann, who left Portugal
in September 2007, will leave Wednesday.
He and his wife Kate insist
they will continue to believe Madeleine is still alive until presented with firm evidence to the contrary.
Prosecutors in Portugal
initially placed "arguido" - or formal suspect - status on the couple but this was lifted in July when the case was shelved
as detectives stopped actively searching for the youngster.
Mr and Mrs McCann have since
had thousands of pages from the police files translated into English.
They continue to painstakingly
go through them and it is understood they are being assisted by a small team of retired senior British police officers.
Father of Maddie is back in Portugal to try new diligencies, 13
January 2009
Father of Maddie is back in Portugal to try new diligencies Lusa/SOL
Madeleine McCann's dad arrived
today in Portugal [Lisbon], in what is believed to be the first of "many visits" to define new diligences to search for his
daughter, hoping to count with the help of the Portuguese authorities.
In an exclusive interview to the Portuguese
News agency Lusa, Gerry McCann stated that he has no intention, at least for now, to promote any process against the Portuguese
state or any other entity, namely media outlets, highlighting the fact that the important thing is to forget the past and
try to keep searching for his missing daughter disappeared in the Algarve in 2007.
Madeleine McCann, then three-years-old,
disappeared on the 3rd of May of 2007 from the room where she slept along with her twin siblings, in an apartment in the
tourist resort of Praia da Luz, district of Lagos in the Algarve, while the parents had dinner at a nearby restaurant.
On
the 7th of September in the same year, the child's mother, Kate, and the father, Gerry McCann, were constituted as arguidos,
after another interrogatory at the DIC, but on the 21st of July of 2008 the Attorney General's Office [PGR] officially announced
the closing of the investigation and the archival of the suspicions against Gerry and Kate McCann.
The PJ initially
pointed towards the kidnap theory, but later admitted the death of the child, however the authorities were never able to really
establish what happened to Madeleine McCann.
Maddie's father has returned to Portugal, 13 January
2009
18:25 Lisbon - Gerry McCann arrived in Portugal today where he met the
lawyer Rogério Alves. Maddie's father also had talks with various people linked to the Portuguese government, notably thanks
to the intervention of the British diplomatic authorities in Lisbon.
He
assured journalists that it is the first of, "many visits," to set up new operations in the search for his daughter, but he
refused to explain what operations and why he had not considered it appropriate to cooperate with the PJ in the past.
Gerry and Kate McCann left Portugal in September 2007 after being constituted
arguidos by the Portuguese authorities, since when the couple have always refused to return to Portugal and to cooperate with
the Policia Judiciaria, notably in the reconstruction of the events of the night of May 3rd 2007.
According
to a Home Office source in London, Madeleine McCann's father, before undertaking his journey to Portugal, obtained every guarantee
that he would not be bothered by the Portuguese authorities.
The investigation into the disappearance and death of his daughter Madeleine has been placed
on hold awaiting better evidence on the decision of the Public Minister, who has refused since then to reopen it, this in
spite of requests introduced in that direction, bringing new elements.
Gerry McCann has allegedly discovered the desire to work with the
Portuguese authorities
On arrival at Faro airport for a two day visit without the company of his wife Kate, Maddie's
father today expressed his intention to cooperate with the Portuguese authorities in the search for his daughter who disappeared
in May 2007, considering that there was still, "a good chance that Maddie could be found alive and well."
Without explaining why the couple did not, themselves, request the reopening of the investigation
while there was time, Gerry McCann wanted to stress his, "willingness to work with the authorities, as much as possible."
According to Maddie's father, he discussed with his lawyer, Rogério Alves, the best way to collaborate
with the Portuguese authorities with, "the objective of seeing what could still be done in the search for Maddie," because,
he states, the British police and the police of many other countries continue to receive information from different sources,
"about what happened to Madeleine," as well as reports of, "possible sightings."
In an interview, Gerry McCann stated that, for the moment at least, he had no intention of taking
legal action against the Portuguese State or any other body, including the media, stressing wanting to, "move forward and
not back."
Maddie's father is in Portugal, 13 January 2009
Gerry McCann travelled to Portugal without Kate
Maddie's father is in Portugal IOL Diário(contains
link to video)
13 January 2009 - 21h14
Transcript by Nigel Moore
Gerry McCann:
The purpose of this visit was to, errr... really look at what can still be done in the search, we want to be, you know, looking
positively, not backwards - looking forwards. 'Cause, you know, we want to find our daughter. It's pretty simple really.
What we're really here to
discuss is, errm... how we can work with the authorities to explore areas where other things can still be done that... that
might make a difference and I think, errr... you know, this is the first visit that I'm here in, errr... Portugal but I expect
it will be the first of several over the next few months.
Q:
Do you plan to cooperate with the Portuguese authorities?
GM:
Of course, you know, we'll do everything that we can to work with the authorities and that's what we very much want to emphasise
we want to work with the authorities, as much as possible, in the ongoing search.
I think, you know, we want
to make it absolutely clear what's gone on in the past is, by and large, done and we very, very much want to focus on what
can still be done for the seach and that's... that's what our priority is and... and it always has been really so any of these
things are just, you know, they're not really relevant at the minute.
Gerry McCann: Errr... I came back today really
to meet with our adviser's, errr... including Rogério, errr... Alves to really discuss what can still be done in the ongoing
search for Madeleine.
Obviously we think there's
a very, very good chance that Madeleine's still out there and can be found alive and well and, you know, obviously we
wa... we want the search to go on really.
Father of Madeleine McCann returns to Portugal to rekindle search for missing daughter, 14
January 2009
Father of Madeleine McCann returns to Portugal to rekindle search for missing daughter Daily Mail
By MATTHEW DRAKE
Last updated at 12:44 AM on 14th January 2009
Gerry McCann has made an emotional return to Portugal in an bid to build bridges with authorities and rekindle the search
for his missing daughter Madeleine.
It was his first time back in the country since he and his wife, Kate, flew home from the Algarve on September 9 2007,
four months after their daughter disappeared.
Mr McCann, 40, met with lawyers in Lisbon acting on his family's behalf in a bid to determine what can still be done
to trace his child.
Speaking to a Portuguese news agency, the doctor from Rothley, Leicestershire, told how he wished to 'work with the (Portuguese)
authorities as much as possible in the ongoing search'.
'We think there is still a very good chance Madeleine could be found alive and well, and that's why we want the search
to continue,' he said.
'We want to stress our desire to continue to work with the authorities as much as possible.'
Mr McCann confirmed he had no plans mount legal action against the Portuguese media or the police who named the distraught
couple as 'arguidos' or formal suspects in the investigation in September 2007 before clearing them last July.
He said: 'I want to make it clear that what happened in the past stays there, and we really want to focus on what can
be done to continue the search.
'That is our priority and always has been.'
Madeleine was just three when she vanished from her parents holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3 2007.
Still hopeful of a positive outcome, her father said he still hopes to find her alive and was determined to 'focus on
what can still be done for the search.'
Mr McCann was met in the Algarve by officials from the British Embassy then flew to the capital Lisbon for a meeting
with the Portuguese authorities.
He said it was important 'not to duplicate steps that have already been taken and not to waste resources'.
In an interview with Portuguese press agency Lusa he added: 'It is the first visit to Portugal, but I hope it´s
the first of many over the coming months.
'The aim is to see what can still be done in the search for Madeleine.'
British and Portuguese police continue to receive 'information' and 'possible sightings' from different sources he said.
He added: 'Like all parents of missing children, we want all the information to be investigated.'
Mr McCann said he was unaware of how much money remained in the Find Madeleine Fund but admitted his family had 'scarce
resources and did not want to waste them.'
Last night a close friend of the McCann's said Madeleine's father, who will return to the UK today felt the visit had
been 'very positive'
The friend said: 'Gerry is very pleased with his trip and in future, when the time is right he may well return with Kate,
as a couple together.'
The case was shelved by police in Portugal last July as detectives suspended any search for the youngster.
Mr and Mrs McCann have since trawled thousands of pages from the police files that were painstakingly translated into
English.
They continue to analysis them and it is understood they are being assisted by a small team of retired senior British
police officers.
GERRY McCann flew back to Portugal yesterday for the first time since returning to Britain
16 months ago — and said he still hopes to find Maddie alive.
The doctor, who flies home today, said: "We think there is still a very good chance Maddie could be found alive, and
that's why we want the search to continue.
"The purpose of this visit was to look at what can still be done in the search.
"We want to be looking forward because we want to find our daughter."
Gerry was met in the Algarve by British Embassy representatives and then went to the capital Lisbon to see Portuguese
authorities.
He also met his lawyer Rogerio Alves "to explore steps that have yet to be taken and that could make a difference".
It is the first time he has returned since he and wife Kate were named "arguidos" — or formal suspects —
in the investigation in September 2007.
He added: "I hope it's the first of many (visits) over the coming months."
Maddie's dad resumes search in Portugal, 14 January 2009
Maddie's dad resumes search in Portugaltheagecom.au
January 14, 2009 - 3:44PM (04:44AM GMT)
Gerry McCann, the father of missing British toddler Madeleine, has returned to Portugal one-and-a-half years after her
disappearance to continue the search for his daughter.
McCann, 40, told Portuguese journalists late Tuesday that he returned to speak to his legal team and to develop new strategies
to rekindle the search for Madeleine.
Madeleine "Maddie" McCann, then aged almost four, disappeared on May 3, 2007, from the family's apartment at an upscale
holiday resort in Praia da Luz, while her parents were dining with friends.
Portuguese authorities shelved investigations in July 2008, saying that they found no culprit responsible for the girl's
disappearance.
"It is the first visit to Portugal, but I hope it's the first of many over the coming months," McCann told the Portuguese
news agency Lusa on Tuesday.
"The aim is to see what can still be done in the search for Madeleine."
McCann and his wife, Kate, both doctors, insist that they believe their daughter is still alive and will continue to
search for her.
At one stage, Portuguese police suspected them of involvement in the disappearance. Police also dropped accusations against
a third suspect, a British businessman living close to the holiday resort.
"Gerry is not interested in procedures. He wants to continue to search as a father, and that is well within his rights,"
Rogerio Alves, McCann's Portuguese lawyer, said on Tuesday.
McCann asked the British embassy in Lisbon for assistance and was planning to leave the country again on Wednesday.
Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said Maddie's parents were planning a series of events in Portugal "so that the people
won't forget Madeleine."
People from all across the world donated about one million dollars to the family following an unprecedented media campaign
after Maddie's disappearance.
*
Report subsequently re-written:
Maddie's dad resumes search in Portugal theage.com.au
January 14, 2009 - 8:04PM (09:04 AM GMT)
The father of missing British girl Madeleine McCann has returned to Portugal in an attempt to reinvigorate the 20-month
search for his daughter.
Gerry McCann says he still hopes to find Maddie alive and wants to resume working with Portuguese authorities in the
ongoing search for his little girl.
It is the first time the 40-year-old doctor has returned to Portugal since he and his wife Kate flew back to their home
in England in September 2007, four months after Maddie disappeared from their holiday flat.
McCann discussed the search with his Lisbon-based lawyers on Tuesday and plans to return to Britain on Thursday.
"We think there is still a very good chance Madeleine could be found alive and well, and that's why we want the search
to continue," he told the Portuguese news agency Lusa.
"We want to stress our desire to continue to work with the authorities as much as possible."
"I want to make it clear that what happened in the past stays there, and we really want to focus on what can be done
to continue the search.
"That is our priority and always has been."
McCann and his wife were named arguidos, or formal suspects, by the Portuguese police searching for Maddie in September
2007.
However their arguido status was lifted by the police in July 2008 after Portugal's attorney-general decided to end the
investigation into Maddie's disappearance.
Maddie was three years old when she vanished from the McCann family's holiday apartment in the village of Praia da Luz
on May 3, 2007 as her parents dined with friends at a nearby tapas bar.
A massive police search and worldwide publicity about her disappearance have so far failed to lead the McCanns to their
missing daughter.
Meanwhile, the McCanns have reportedly hired a new team of former police officers and secret agents in Britain to help
with the search for Maddie.
Madeleine, a yacht and the Yard connection, 14 January 2009
Madeleine, a yacht and the Yard connectionSky News Blogs
Martin Brunt
January 14, 2009 9:08 AM
Sounds like the McCanns have given up all hope of any help from the Portuguese authorities in the continuing search for
their daugher Madeleine.
Gerry McCann flies home today from Portugal after meeting his Lisbon lawyers and British consulate officials, but no
cops.
Apparently, the family has a new team of private investigators which includes ex-Scotland Yard detectives and former
spooks.
Intriguingly, I've been sent a port document which appears to show that a British Navy yacht was docked in the Algarve
at the time Madeleine vanished in May, 2007.
Among those sailors listed on board is a name of a very senior Yard officer.
Of course, the yachtsman's recorded middle name is not the same as the top cop, but that hasn't stopped a frenzy of excitement
among those Madeleine-watchers who continue to look for an establishment cover-up.
Gerry wants English help in the search, 14 January 2009
Almost one and a half years after leaving Portugal in a hurry – 48 hours after having been made an arguido –
Gerry McCann returned. He was at the English embassy yesterday, in the Estrela area, in Lisbon, to ask for help to restart
the searches for his daughter.
Nevertheless, Gerry McCann didn't contest the archiving of the process. He could have
requested the opening of the instruction phase – given the fact he had a legitimate interest – which he didn't
do within the legal deadline. The result: in terms of the process, it's practically impossible for the authorities to restart
the searches into the little girl's whereabouts, unless Maddie's parents supply a new solid element concerning what really
happened to the child.
"Gerry wanted to know about the possibilities to continue to search for his daughter. His purpose
is for the search not to stop, no matter what the process issues are. He asked the ambassador for help in the sense of understanding
what mechanisms are at his disposal to continue to search for his daughter", Rogério Alves told CM – the lawyer who
accompanied Madeleine's father to the embassy yesterday.
Clarence Mitchell, the couple's spokesman, also confirmed
that the McCanns' intention is to find the child. "Gerry and Kate continue to search for Madeleine and they don't intend to
give up. This visit to Portugal is part of the strategy that we have to continue that search. I assert that during this visit,
Gerry had no encounter with policemen, the Attorney General or members of the government. He just went to meet his lawyer."
DETAILS
EVENTS IN PORTUGAL
The McCanns are preparing a series of events for the media, mainly the Portuguese, not to forget about Madeleine. Clarence
Mitchell didn't explain exactly what initiatives are foreseen.
FUND WITH MONEY
Clarence Mitchell asserts that the fund to search for the child continues to have money. "We have 800 thousand pounds,
which is 880.170,36 euros. We don't have money problems. People continue to help us", he stated.
"IT'S PAINFUL
TO RETURN TO PRAIA DA LUZ": Gerald Patrick McCann, Madeleine's father
Correio
da Manhã – What did you come to do in Portugal?
Gerry McCann – I came exclusively to speak
with my lawyers to define strategies and to analyse other possibilities to continue to search for Madeleine.
- Is this a short visit? Did you come alone?
- It's a short visit, but I'm counting on
making others. I arrived this morning [yesterday] and I leave tomorrow morning [today]. I didn't come alone. I came with an
English lawyer who has been working with Rogério Alves in the process.
- Do you plan to
visit the Algarve, Praia da Luz?
- Maybe. I don't know, it's painful to think about that.
- Are you preparing anything for Madeleine's birthday, in May, which coincides with the two years of her disappearance?
-
We are preparing many things, but I hope to find my daughter before that date arrives.
-
Have you read the process yet?
- No. It's too long. There are approximately ten thousand pages. We
are finishing the translation. I hope to read everything by February. Kate has also been helping with that analysis and
she reads as it gets translated.
- What exactly are you looking for?
-
We are going to analyse if in fact everything was done to find Madeleine. If the authorities acted correctly. And, more importantly,
to find out if there is any lead that we can explore.
BOOK IN ENDLAND BEFORE SUMMER
The book
by Gonçalo Amaral, the former PJ coordinator who directed the investigations into the little girl's disappearance, should
be launched in the English market before the summer. "We already have a reliable translation of the book into English. We
are negotiating with several editors, whose lawyers are analysing the book. The couple's spokesman has been threatening with
lawsuits since the beginning, but they've had plenty of time to read 'The Truth of the Lie'. If there was anything that would
give them a motive to sue us, I believe they would have done that by now", CM was told by Mário Sena Lopes, who guaranteed
that the English version will be identical to the one that was sold in our country. "The book reaches the same conclusions
that the investigators did. Are they going to sue the investigators over that? The book is based on an investigation. We are
not going to authorise any change that alters the fundamental contents of the book."
NOTES
THREAT:
ENGLISH BOOK
Clarence Mitchell threatens to sue Gonçalo Amaral. "if he publishes the book in England he'd better be aware that the
British legislation is different from the Portuguese", he says.
HOTEL: D. PEDRO PALACE
Gerry McCann was lodged at the D. Pedro Palace, in Amoreiras, a hotel that is relatively close to lawyer Rogério Alves'
office.
KATE: STAYED WITH THE CHILDREN
Gerry guarantees that Kate stayed with their children Sean and Amelie, and therefore didn't accompany him in the return
to Portugal. "She's trying to deal with all of this", he stated.
Visit. Gerry
McCann arrived yesterday in Portugal to discuss with his lawyer the possibility of reopening the process. The couple want
to use the elements gathered by their private investigation.
Maddie's father
met with English ambassador in Portugal
He arrived yesterday morning at
Faro airport, rented a car and made his way to Lisbon, where the lawyer Rogério Alves and the British ambassador awaited him
for a meeting. Gerry McCann doesn't want the process over the disappearance of his daughter to remain in the archives of the
courts. He talked with Rogério Alves about the hypothesis of reopening it in order to make Portuguese and English police unite,
again, their efforts to look for the child.
"Gerry is a parent that
does not give up looking for his daughter. And that is why we are analysing the chances of restarting that search," Rogério
Alves, one of the Portuguese lawyers that represents the McCanns, told DN. They, according to Rogério Alves, talked about
the progress of the McCann's private investigation and with the data obtained they could lead to the reopening of the investigation.
According to the Portuguese law, only if there are new facts can the process be reopened.
Yesterday, in an interview to the agency Lusa, the
father of Madeleine McCann has expressed the wish to cooperate with the Portuguese authorities in the search of his daughter,
who disappeared in the Algarve in May 2007, believing that there are steps that can still be made in the investigation. "We
think there is a very good chance that Maddie can still be found alive and in good health and therefore we want to continue
the search. We want to emphasise our desire to work with the authorities as much as possible," said Gerry McCann, who returns
to England this morning.
Gerry McCann confirmed the version given to DN by Rogério Alves, claiming
that the couple want to "explore steps that have not yet been taken and that could make a difference." For this, he said it
is important to analyse the process and all the research so far "not to duplicate steps that have already been undertaken"
and "not to waste resources."
"It is the first visit to Portugal, but I hope it is the first of many
over the coming months (...). The goal is to see what can still be done in the search for Maddie," he said, and already he
could return again in February. According to Gerry McCann, the British police and police from several other countries continue
to receive "information from different sources" about what has happened to Madeleine, as well as reports of "possible sightings."
"Like all parents of missing children, we want any information being investigated," said the father of Maddie.
In the same interview, the father of the child rejected the chance to
proceed with a case against the Portuguese. "I want to make it absolutely clear that what's gone on in the past is done and
we very much want to focus on what can still be done to continue the search. That is our priority and always has been.
So, these things are not really relevant at the minute," he said.
Madeleine McCann, three-years-old, disappeared on 3rd May 2007 from the
room where she slept with her two twin siblings in an apartment in a resort in Praia da Luz, Algarve, while her parents had
dinner in a nearby restaurant. Kate and Gerry were made suspects, but the suspicions were filed.
Madeleine's Dad Back In Portugal, 14 January 2009
Gerry McCann with Edward Smethurst outside the D. Pedro Palace hotel in Lisbon
The father of Madeleine McCann has flown back to Portugal for the first time since the police
investigation into her disappearance was shelved.
Gerry McCann made the journey to meet his Portuguese lawyers to discuss how to move forward with the search for his missing
daughter, family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said.
Madeleine's mother Kate is not believed to have travelled with her husband.
Mr McCann, 40, from Rothley, Leicestershire, flew into Faro Airport in the Algarve on Tuesday morning where he was met
by British officials.
He then travelled to Lisbon for talks with his legal team, led by Rogerio Alves.
Mr McCann was not expected to meet any Portuguese officials before he flies back to Britain.
Madeleine was three years old when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007,
while her parents dined with friends nearby.
Four months after she disappeared, Portuguese police made both Mr and Mrs McCann "arguidos", or formal suspects, in the
case.
Two days later, on September 9, 2007, they returned to Britain with their two other children, twins Sean and Amelie.
Portugal's attorney-general shelved the investigation in July 2008 and lifted the arguido status of the McCanns.
The couple insist they will continue to believe Madeleine is still alive until presented with firm evidence to the contrary,
and have vowed to keep looking for her.
As readers will recall, since Madeleine McCann's abduction in May 2007, The Evening Standard
has covered the story extensively and reported developments in the police investigation and search for Madeleine.
During the last few months of 2007 we, along with much of the media, published a number of articles which may have been
understood to suggest that Kate and Gerry McCann may have been involved in Madeleine's disappearance. We regret this and wish
to make clear, for the avoidance of any doubt, that we fully accept that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Kate
and Gerry were involved in the disappearance of their daughter.
We continue to support Kate and Gerry in their search for Madeleine. There is no evidence that Madeleine has come to
any harm and clearly there are people out there who know where she is.
Therefore we are today calling on Evening Standard readers to redouble their efforts to find Madeleine. We have now made
a very substantial donation to assist with the search and are continuing to run adverts in the foreign editions of our sister
paper, the Daily Mail, asking for information which might lead to Madeleine being found.
We wish Kate and Gerry all the best and will continue to work with them to help find their daughter.
*
Of interest to the timing of this apology/payout:
Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev to buy London Evening Standard Guardian
Luke Harding in Moscow and Mark Sweeney
Wednesday 14 January 2009 20.59 GMT
The billionaire and former KGB agent
Alexander Lebedev is to buy London's Evening Standard tomorrow, in a dramatic move that would see him become the first Russian oligarch to
own a major British newspaper, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.
Under the terms of the deal Lebedev will purchase 76% of the newspaper, with the Associated Newspapers group retaining
24%. His son Evgeny, who lives in London, is due to sign the deal with Daily Mail & General Trust tomorrow. The agreement
will make Lebedev the paper's controversial new proprietor.
A source close to DMGT admitted: "The deal is still very much alive." DMGT failed to comment.
(article continues...)
Another "substantial donation" to Madeleine's Fund, 14 January
2009
Another "substantial donation" to Madeleine's FundSOSMaddie
The British newspaper, 'The Evening Standard,' has
just swelled the already long list of media in the UK who have been obliged to offer their apologies to Madeleine McCann's
parents.
The announcement
of this about-face by 'The Evening Standard' was made on the same day as Maddie's father told the Portuguese media that he
wished to be "looking positively, not backwards" and that he had no intention of taking legal action against the media.
To the Portuguese
journalists, Gerry McCann stated that he wished to "make it absolutely clear what's gone on in the past is, by and large,
done," claiming, according to him, to focus, "on what can still be done for the seach".
"That's what our priority is and it always has been
really, so any of these things (possible legal actions) are not really relevant at the minute," Gerry McCann stated.
In spite of Madeleine McCann's father's statements,
that the couple were not concerned with possible legal action against the media, the British newspaper was obliged to make
"a substantial donation" to the fund created after Maddie's disappearance, and to "publish announcements in foreign editions
of another newspaper in our group, the Daily Mail, requesting information which might lead to finding Madeleine."
In its online edition,
the 'The Evening Standard' newspaper writes that during the last months of 2007, "like a large part of the media," it
published various articles which "could be understood as suggesting that Kate and Gerry McCann might be involved in Madeleine's
disappearance."
"We regret
this fact and we wish to clarify, to avoid any doubt, that we totally accept that there is no proof to suggest that Kate and
Gerry were involved in their daughter's disappearance," writes the newspaper.
An editorial source at the daily, contacted by SMM,
confirmed that this announcement is the result of an agreement between the publication and lawyers for the couple in order
to avoid a protracted action in the courts where, "given the McCanns' enormous political and legal support, there would be
very little chance of success." The same source further states that this announcement, "has changed nothing of the view various
journalists have about the case and the possible responsibility of the couple," but that in future "it will be impossible
to publish a single line that might implicate the couple."
In its online edition,
'The Evening Standard' further writes that there "is no evidence that Madeleine has come to any harm," thus ignoring all the
evidence, and honest logic of this kind of case, that indicates that the little British girl will be dead.
Ex-KGB at the head of the Evening Standard
In the next
few days, the millionaire and former KGB agent, Alexandre Lebedev, could become the new owner of the Evening Standard, which
could see a hypothetical change in the editorial policy of the newspaper. At least, this is what many journalists are expecting,
unhappy with the direction followed by the newspaper and worried about its financial situation.
If the sale is confirmed, the former spy will be the
first Russian to become majority owner of a major British newspaper: according to the terms of the sale agreement, Lebedev
will hold 76% of the newspaper, the remaining 24% remaining the property of the Daily Mirror & General Trust, the current
owner.
This is not the first time a major English daily has
become the property of foreigners. An Australian bought The Times, The Sun and the News of The World, and a Canadian had,
at one time, been the owner of The Telegraph.
Gerry McCann returns from Portugal, 14 January 2009
Madeleine McCann's father returned to Britain after making his first visit to Portugal in 16 months.
Gerry McCann had a "positive" meeting with his Portuguese lawyers about the search for his missing daughter, family spokesman
Clarence Mitchell said.
Mr McCann, 40, from Rothley, Leicestershire, said his brief trip to Portugal would be "the first of several" over the
next few months. He also indicated a willingness to improve relations with the Portuguese authorities, which were strained
after police named him and his wife Kate as suspects in Madeleine's disappearance.
In an interview with news agency Lusa, Mr McCann pledged to work "as much as possible" with officials in Portugal to
look for Madeleine.
He went on: "We want to make it absolutely clear what's gone on in the past is, by and large, done and we very, very
much want to focus on what can still be done for the search. That's what our priority is and it always has been."
Mr McCann flew into Faro Airport in the Algarve on Tuesday morning and was met by British Embassy officials. He then
travelled to Lisbon for talks with his legal team, led by Rogerio Alves, before returning to Britain.
Mr Mitchell said: "He said it was a positive meeting and he is pleased with the way it went."
Madeleine was nearly four when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the Algarve village of Praia da
Luz on May 3 2007 while her parents dined with friends nearby. Despite a massive police operation and huge publicity worldwide,
she has not been found.
Four months after she disappeared, Portuguese police made both Mr and Mrs McCann "arguidos", or formal suspects, in the
case. Two days later, on September 9 2007, the couple returned to Britain with their two other children, twins Sean and Amelie.
Last July the Portuguese attorney-general shelved the investigation and lifted the McCanns' arguido status.
Maddie hunt trip gives Gerry hope, 14 January 2009
Published: 15 Jan 2009 (appeared online 14 Jan 2009, 23:00 PM)
GERRY McCann returned home yesterday after "positive" talks in Portugal on the hunt for missing daughter Madeleine.
He had gone back to the Algarve for the first time in 16 months to improve strained relations with the authorities.
He said: "What's gone on in the past is, by and large, done.
"We very, very much want to focus on what can still be done for the search. That's the priority."
He pledged to work "as much as possible" with local officials — and said his trip was "the first of several" over
the next few months.
Gerry was met by British Embassy officials when he flew into Faro on Tuesday.
He later had "positive" talks with lawyers in Lisbon, said family spokesman Clarence Mitchell.
Relations with authorities were strained after cops named Gerry and wife Kate as suspects over Maddie's disappearance
in May 2007. Their "arguido" status was later lifted.
Maddie was nearly four when she disappeared from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents dined
with friends nearby.
Leads
The couple, both 40 of Rothley, Leics, returned home in September.
When the hunt was shelved by authorities last July after 14 months, they had thousands of pages of police investigation
files translated.
It is understood a team of former senior British detectives working for the couple are studying the files for new
leads.
Meanwhile, a book by Goncalo Amaral, the disgraced cop who first led the hunt, will be released in Britain this summer.
Amaral, 49, wrote The Truth About a Lie after he was thrown off the case for accusing British cops of being too close
to the McCanns.
The couple have vowed to sue if the book, a best seller in Portugal, is published in the UK.
Process will only be reopened if "new, credible and relevant facts" appear
- PGR, 14 January 2009
Process will only be reopened if "new, credible and relevant facts" - PGRLusa
Lisbon, Jan 14 (Lusa) – The Attorney General's Office (PGR) has stated today that the process concerning
the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in the Algarve will only be reopened if "new, credible and relevant facts" appear, in
a reaction to the statements of the child's father.
On Tuesday, Madeleine McCann's father expressed the intention to
cooperate with the Portuguese authorities in the process of the search for his daughter, who disappeared in the Algarve in
May 2007, believing that there are still steps to be taken in the investigation.
"We think that there are very good
chances of Maddie still being found alive and in good health, and therefore we want the search to continue. We want to stress
our wish to work with the authorities as much as possible", Gerry McCann, who arrived in Portugal on Tuesday for a visit of
only two days, stated to Lusa Agency.
When asked today to comment upon these statements from Gerry McCann, the PGR
replied in writing, stating that "the process can only be reopened if new, credible and relevant facts are presented", without
adding any further observation.
In an interview to Lusa, Madeleine McCann's father says he returned to Portugal now,
for the first time after September 2007, to discuss with his lawyer, Rogério Alves, the best manner in which to cooperate
with the Portuguese authorities in the sense of "exploring steps that have not been taken yet and which may make a difference".
For
that, he advanced, it's important to analyse the process and the entire investigation that was developed until now "in order
not to duplicate steps that have been taken already" and also "not to waste resources".
Madeleine McCann, then aged
three, disappeared on the 3rd of May 2007 from the bedroom where she was sleeping with her younger twin siblings, in an apartment
at the "Ocean Club" tourist resort, in Praia da Luz, Lagos, in the Algarve.
Her parents, both doctors (the father is
a cardiologist, the mother a general practitioner), were dining at that time with a group of English friends at a restaurant
within the resort, located approximately 50 metres from the apartment.
On the 14th of May 2007, Anglo-Portuguese citizen
Robert Murat was made an arguido in the process of the little girl's disappearance, after being questioned at the Criminal
Investigation Department (CID) of the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) in Portimão.
On the 7th of September that year, the child's
mother, Kate, and the father, Gerry McCann, were also made arguidos, after another round of questioning at the CID.
The
PJ initially pointed towards the possibility of abduction, but later admitted that the child was dead, however the authorities
never managed to determine what actually happened to Madeleine McCann.
On the 21st of July 2008, the Attorney General's
Office officially announced the closing of the investigation and the archiving of the suspicions against Gerry and Kate McCann
and Robert Murat.
The mystery of the child's disappearance and the apparent lack of solid clues to explain what happened
contributed to transform this case into one of the most media exposed processes of all time.
Madeleine's father and the English lawyer who accompanied him on the visit to Portugal, on Tuesday, were lodged at the
D. Pedro Palace, a five-star hotel and one of the most luxurious ones in Lisbon. Everything, of course, financed by the 'Find
Madeleine' Fund.
As far as CM was able to establish, one night at the D. Pedro, in a single room, may cost between
214 and 254 euros. This means that Gerry and the lawyer spent, at least, more than 400 euros for one night.
According
to Clarence Mitchell, Madeleine's parents' spokesman, Gerry stayed in a single room and the hotel was chosen not for being
five-star, but merely because it is located close to lawyer Rogério Alves' office and because it is discrete. 'We didn't want
to transform Gerry's visit into a media show'.
Concerning the fact that the Fund payed for this, Clarence merely recalled
the purpose for which it was created 'This type of travel obviously fits into the search for Madeleine which is the Fund's
purpose. That was what it was created for and Madeleine's parents will never use it for anything else apart from that', he
stated.
Beyond that, Mitchell guarantees that the fund to search for the child still has money: 'We have 800 thousand
pounds which is 880.170,36 euros. We don't have money problems. People continue to help us'. The Fund, which was created
in 2007, shortly after Madeleine disappeared from the resort at Praia da Luz, had two million euros at some point in time.
DETAILS
ATTORNEY GENERAL
The Attorney General's Office informed yesterday that the Madeleine process will only be reopened with 'new, credible
and relevant facts'. This is the reply to Gerry, who said that he'd come to Portugal to explore the best way to cooperate
with the authorities to 'explore steps that weren't taken yet'.
DETECTIVES IN THE ALGARVE
The McCanns desisted of hiring agencies, but as far as CM has established, they now have a restricted group of people
with a past that is linked to the police, willing to continue the investigation. The possibility of that team going to the
Algarve is being evaluated.
Heartbroken Kate McCann was too upset to go back to Portugal where her beloved Madeleine was snatched.
She couldn't face joining husband Gerry on a recent trip to the Algarve to revive the hunt for their missing daughter.
During his 24-hour visit Gerry, 40, met Portuguese lawyers and UK embassy officials in Lisbon.
A family source said: "At this moment, Kate doesn't feel strong enough. She is still too distressed to go anywhere near
where Madeleine was taken."
Kate, 40, stayed at home in Rothley, Leics, looking after the couple's twins. Maddy was nearly four when she went missing
from an apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007.
McCanns resort to spies to reopen the process, 15 January 2009
The investigation into the disappearance of Maddie is not finished. The McCanns have hired former secret agents to arrange
for new evidence and to force the Portuguese authorities to continue the inquiry
The McCann couple wants the Portuguese
authorities to resume the investigations into the disappearance of Madeleine. The case has been archived already, but according
to 24horas, the little girl's parents believe that it's still possible to find her, and that for that to happen the
case really has to be reopened.
In order to intensify the searches for Maddie, the McCanns have announced the hiring
of a reinforced team of private detectives. It includes, among others, former agents of the most specialised police forces
in Great Britain, namely prominent former elements of the powerful M15 and M16, the best secret services of British espionage.
"We
want new clues that may indicate the child's whereabouts to be studied. I'm not going to advance any specifics, but I can
say that there is new data that may be important", Clarence Mitchell, the McCann family's spokesman, asserted to 24horas.
A
source at the Polícia Judiciária guaranteed to the newspaper that until now "no new relevant piece of evidence" about Maddie
has been received. But the door is not closed on a new police intervention.
"That really can happen. But it has to
be taken into account that for the inquiry to be restarted we have to receive new facts that lead us to understand that it's
really useful to restart it", the same PJ source explained.
A millionaire at their disposal
Scotsman
Bryan Kennedy has been the McCann couple's financial guardian angel. This multimillionaire is responsible for the recent
money injections in the increasingly empty Fund for Madeleine, which is composed of donations from anonymous members of the
public and has been receiving increasingly less contributions.
Bryan Kennedy, aged 47, has supported Kate and
Gerry since the first hour. Accodring to 24horas, he even went as far as considering the suspicions that fell on
the McCanns concerning their eventual guilt in the disappearance of the child to be "incredible and torturing".
Therefore,
it has truly been Kennedy's benevolence that has permitted to proceed with the private investigations in the search of the
McCanns' eldest daughter, who disappeared in the Algarve on the 3rd of May 2007.
*
Note, re-mistakes in the SOL text: 'M15 and M16' should read 'MI5 and MI6' and 'Bryan' Kennedy should read 'Brian'
Kennedy.
Gerry McCann in fleeting Lisbon visit, 16 January 2009
The father of missing British
girl Madeleine McCann, speaking in Lisbon, has expressed his intention of cooperating with the Portuguese authorities in the
search for his daughter who went missing in the Algarve in May 2007, believing there are still leads which could be followed
up.
"We think there is a very good chance that Madeleine could still be found alive and in good health and so we want the
search to continue. We wish to stress our willingness to work closely with the authorities whenever this is possible," said
Gerry McCann who arrived Tuesday on a two-day flying visit.
In an exclusive Lusa News Agency interview Madeleine's father said he had returned to Portugal for the first time since
September 2007 to discuss with his lawyer Rogério Alves the best way of collaborating with the Portuguese authorities to "explore
steps that still haven't been taken and which could have made a difference."
Gerry McCann is also reported to have had discussions with the British Ambassador in Lisbon in the company of his lawyer
on Wednesday evening.
He added that is was important to study the case and the investigative process carried out so far "to avoid duplicating
steps already taken," and also "to not waste resources."
"It's the first trip to Portugal and I hope it will be the first of many during the coming months … The aim is
to see what can still be done in the search for Madeleine."
Gerry McCann added that he may return here in February.
He says the British police and their colleagues in various other countries continue to receive "information from different
sources" about what may have happened to Madeleine as well as reports of "possible sightings".
"Like all parents of missing children we want any leads to be investigated," stressed Madeleine's father.
Gerry McCann told the Lusa News Agency that he has no present intention of progressing with any legal case against the
Portuguese state or any other body, particularly the media, underlining that he wanted to "go forwards and not backwards".
"I want to make it completely clear that the past is in the past and we very much want to focus on what still can be
done to continue the search. This is our priority and always was. Therefore these issues (possible cases) are just not relevant
at this moment."
Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing on May 3, 2007 from the bedroom where she was sleeping with her two
younger twin brotherand sister in a tourist complex in Praia de Luz, Lagos, while her parents dined at a nearby restaurant.
On September 7 of the same year the child's mother Kate and her father were declared persons of interest to the investigation
(arguidos) in the case, but on July 21, 2008 the attorney general's office announced the closing of the case and the shelving
of the process. The couple's 'arguido' status was lifted.
The PJ Police originally suggested they were dealing with a possible abduction, but later admitted the child could have
died, although the authorities never managed to establish what happened to Madeleine McCann.
