Stephen Birch

Maddie evidence in the hands of the PGR [Attorney General's Office], 31 July 2012

Maddie evidence in the hands of the PGR [Attorney General's Office] Correio da Manhã (paper edition) South African calls for the reopening of the case Office of the Attorney General Pinto Monteiro is looking at the new lead in Murat's backyard By: João C. Rodrigues 31 July 2012 Thanks to russiandoll for the original translation A report with new data which suggests that Madeleine McCann is buried in the backyard of the house of Robert Murat, a few hundred metres from the Ocean Club holiday village, where the British child disappeared in May 2007 in Praia da Luz, Lagos, was delivered last week to the Attorney General's Office. In the document prepared by the Birch Organisation, following the use of geo-radar on the site, the attorney general has been asked to give instructions to proceed with the excavations, in order to clarify what is buried in the rear access of the property. "The report reveals two aspects that are new. First, the Portuguese authorities did not investigate the property of Robert Murat how they should have done. And second, there is something underground, as evidenced by the images of the geo-radar," said the businessman and researcher Stephen Birch to CM yesterday. The South African further calls on Pinto Monteiro to order "a monitoring site to prevent the crime scene being compromised or tampered with." Contacted yesterday by CM, an official source of the PGR said that "the attorney general's office actually received a document from the Birch Organisation and the data received will be examined by competent judges." However, the same source added that "the process will only be reopened if any new facts, credible and relevant are received, which until now has not yet happened." Stephen Birch also sent the report to the British authorities, but says he turned out to be investigated: "They just asked where I had arranged the radar." Birch also questioned why nothing had been done since he showed, a month ago, that there was the possibility of Maddie being dead and buried there. "They need to shovel?" he asks. INVADED PROPERTY To use the geo-radar, Birch invaded the land of Robert Murat at night, when the British man left. He only released the results when he returned to his country. PARENTS ACCUSED After Robert Murat, Maddie's parents were made arguidos in September 2007 on suspicion of hiding the corpse of the girl. CASE ARCHIVED The inquiry was closed in July 2008. It can only be reopened on the initiative of the prosecutor.

'No one's listening' on Maddie, 04 August 2012

'No one's listening' on Maddie The Witness Brett Horner 04 Aug 2012 A SOUTH African man is convinced he has solved one of the world's most enduring mysteries — the 2007 disappearance of Maddie McCann. Now all Stephen Birch needs is for the world to take him seriously. And to do that he needs Portuguese authorities to dig up a property he believes holds the remains of the missing English girl, who was nearly four when she vanished on May 3, 2007. So far his efforts have been met with indifference at best, and in the case of Maddie's mom Kate, scorn. "There's no credibility to it, I mean, who is this person at the end of the day?" Kate told a morning show on British TV channel ITV last month after the astonishing claims were made public. But the sceptics have failed to deter Birch. Last week he upped the ante and sent a copy of his findings to Portugal's attorney-general, insisting authorities authorise an excavation of Casa Liliana, a private property in Praia da Luz where Maddie and her family were on holiday when she disappeared. The Weekend Witness was unable to get confirmation from the attorney general, but did see a courier report showing the dossier had been received on July 26 in Lisbon. Local media, which have lapped up the story and put enormous pressure on officials to excavate, also quoted the attorney general's office promising a response in a week. Birch's problem, however, is the fact that he used illegal means — by his own admission — to obtain parts of his "evidence". "I am thinking of going back to Portugal to be arrested," Birch said, saying he was prepared to risk prosecution if it meant somehow forcing officials to endorse a dig. Birch, a commercial realtor from Cape Town, spent more than a year of his life and R500 000 of his own money privately investigating the case. This entailed reading thousands of pages from the case files, studying maps of the resort town and finally travelling to Portugal and hiring ground-penetrating radar to scan a location on the property. Problematically, he entered the grounds without the permission of owner Jenny Murat, whose son Robert was named as the first official suspect or aguido in the case in 2007. He was cleared a year later. The Murat property, about 130 m away from the McCann's holiday apartment, was subjected to a comprehensive search by police, including their own use of a ground radar. But Birch furnished the attorney-general with apparently strong evidence showing one location on the property that lay untouched for the duration of the police search. "How can that be?" he asked in his report. The area has since been paved over to create a secondary driveway, according to Birch, which is where he used his scanner. Images obtained from the machine were examined by "experts" who, Birch says, were convinced they showed evidence of a cavity beneath the surface and the possible presence of remains. The Weekend Witness asked four independent experts to analyse one scan supplied by Birch, without revealing where it came from. All said there was insufficient data to come to a conclusion, adding that additional scans were needed to produce a more accurate interpretation of the image. Birch has vowed to continue with his quest, even if it means petitioning the Portuguese parliament to order a dig. "The attorney-general is sitting on the document and stalling on a decision. I can't believe diplomatic relations are more important than justice. If I have to, I'll petition parliament."

Maddie investigator writes to Passos and Cavaco, 08 August 2012

Maddie investigator writes to Passos and Cavaco Correio da Manhã Maddie disappeared in 2007 Stephen Birch is sure that the child is buried in the yard of Robert Murat Stephen Birch, the South African researcher who analyzed the property of Robert Murat with geo-radar and is sure that Madeleine McCann is buried in the backyard, has written a letter to the President, Cavaco Silva and Prime Minister, Passos Coelho, calling for political intervention in the case of the disappearance of the British girl in Lagos in May 2007. By J.C.R. 08 August 2012 "It's simple. Just digging to see if Maddie is buried there. But it seems that nobody cares and it is affecting the image of Portugal abroad," Birch said to CM. The researcher also sent a letter to the opposition parties. Two weeks ago, the 'evidence' was sent to the Attorney General's Office, which is reviewing the document.

Stephen D. Birch - 'Portuguese Police planted Madeleine McCann's DNA', 27 August 2012

Stephen D. Birch - 'Portuguese Police planted Madeleine McCann's DNA' Facebook Stephen D. Birch 27 August near Cape Town, Western Cape So the Portuguese Police planted Madeleine McCann's DNA in the McCann hire vehicle, after they were unable to convict Madeleine McCann's parents, causing potential diplomatic ructions between England and Portugal. Both country's got together and shut the case prematurely. Now Madeleine lies buried under Robert Murats driveway !!!

Stephen D. Birch comments on Robert Murat, 01 September 2012

Stephen D. Birch comments on Robert Murat Facebook

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Stephen D. Birch - 'This is how I found the body of Madeleine McCann', 04 September 2012

Stephen D. Birch - 'This is how I found the body of Madeleine McCann' Facebook

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Stephen D. Birch - More radio appearances, 13 September 2012

Stephen D. Birch - More radio appearances Facebook Stephen D. Birch 12 September near Cape Town, Western Cape On Cape Talk Radio tomorrow morning 8.20am ---------------- Stephen D. Birch 13 September near Cape Town, Western Cape PREPARING TO GO ON 567 RADIO @ 8.20AM THIS MORNING- making notes ----------------------- Stephen D. Birch 13 September near Cape Town, Western Cape Listen to me LIVE today via the internet on 2 oceansvibe radio at 4.15pm South African time, I,ll be talking about the cover-up of the MADELEINE MC CANN case.

Update - man claims to have found remains of Madeleine Mcann [sic], 13 September 2012

Update - man claims to have found remains of Madeleine Mcann 567 CapeTalk Radio KIENO KAMMIES 13 September 2012 8:20 AM About a month ago, John spoke to Stephen Birch, who claims that after a 15-month independent investigation that he has found the remains of British toddler Madeleine McCann. Birch, a Cape Town businessman made international headlines with these claims, five years after McCann inexplicably disappeared while on holiday with her family in Portugal. He told John that he travelled to London, met with his lawyer and hired a ground penetrating imaging device. He then travelled to Portugal and from the scans he "illegally" took of the area believed to be the ground in which her remains are buried, he says there is proof that it is indeed true. Birch joined John on the line from his Cape Town offices with an update. He says that there is progress and that there is a major cover-up by both the British and Portuguese police. He says that DNA evidence was planted in the vehicle hired 24 days after McCann's disappearance to frame her parents. He says that he has been liaising with investigators and investigative reporters in Lisbon and that together with them, he still believes that they have significant evidence to determine. He says that he has a letter from the Portugese Prime Minister stating that they have checked the piece of land Birch claims Madeleine is buried under, however, he claims that even the Prime Minister is involved in the cover-up. Guest: Stephen Birch Position: Property Developer

Madeleine McCann Conspiracy Theorist Live On 2oceansvibe Radio This Afternoon, 13 September 2012

Madeleine McCann Conspiracy Theorist Live On 2oceansvibe Radio This Afternoon 2oceansvibe By silverstreak 13 Sep 2012 Some of you may remember this guy, Stephen Birch. He's a South African, who claims to have found Madeleine McCann's grave, and – get this – the Portuguese government know about it too, but choose not to act on it. Birch will be live on Mark Bayly's show at 16h15 this afternoon. Make sure you tune in, but only if awesome entertainment disguised as news is your thing. ------------------- 2 comments Sky Birch is a liar, he stole the investigation from van Wyk, an "investigation" that was based on a vision by a psychic. His reasons to steal a friend and illegally trespass a property in Portugal are obvious, firstly he is after the money, a reward supposedly to be paid by the McCanns if he frames Murat, and he is after the fame that this high profile case can bring him. He is a fantasist, a liar and I hope he gets arrested for scaring the eighty year old lady that lived in the house he illegally trespassed. He should also be sued for wasting the Portuguese Judiciary Police and Portuguese Attorney General's time and for defaming them. MJ This man is a lunatic!

Stephen Birch's LinkedIn page, 13 September 2012

Stephen Birch LinkedIn Screenshot: 13 September 2012 - Extract - Stephen Birch has also been acknowleged worldwide for solving the International Madeleine McCann abduction case. (see Youtube Stephen Birch Madeleine)

Madeleine McCann: Has There Been A Government Cover-Up?, 14 September 2012

Madeleine McCann: Has There Been A Government Cover-Up? 2oceansvibe By Simon Gerber 14 Sep 2012 Yesterday the world's most prominent Madeleine McCann conspiracy theorist, Stephen Birch appeared on 2oceansVibe radio. If you missed his incredible story, don't fret, we have it all here. It's a fantastic tale, one in which the South African property developer swears he has found Madelein's body buried in a driveway in Portugal. Birch tells all in the podcast below, including how he first got involved in the McCann story, how he got his scanning equipment to Portugal, why he believes the Portuguese government planted DNA evidence, and that there may be a massive government cover-up. It's a lengthy but fascinating podcast, and worth a listen:

More Theories Emerge About Madeleine McCann, 17 September 2012

More Theories Emerge About Madeleine McCann 2oceansvibe By Simon Gerber 17 Sep 2012 Our recent article on Stephen Birch and his theory on the location of Madeleine McCann's body has been a hot topic of discussion lately. Many people took to the comments section of this article, offering many new viewpoints on what exactly has happened. Stephen Birch's podcast has been listened to almost 300 times – which is quite something seeing it's over 30 minutes long. It's clear that there are two camps: Those who believe that Madeleine is still alive, and residing somewhere in the world (such as her parents); and then those who believe that she died the night of her disappearance. 2oceansVibe has been contacted by several people in relation to Madeleine, who for the sake of our sources will remain anonymous. One source, a British man, believes that he is sitting on a collection of evidence that strongly points to the fact that Madeleine McCann is still alive – this evidence having been sent on to all the major security and investigative bodies worldwide, including Homeland Security, who he alleges has a file on her. He strongly opposes Stephen Birch's claims, but has nevertheless informed us that he has sent a copy of the podcast to the US Secretary of Homeland Security. Our second source tells a completely different story. He sides on the Stephen Birch side, but says that all of Birch's information has been stolen from him. He further alleges that Birch wanted to partner up with him, but that he keeps messing up a very delicate investigation. He also says he knows exactly where she is buried. I wonder what it is about this little girl that drives everyone to these theories? Why all these conspiracy theorists find her so fascinating. Will the truth ever come out?

Judiciary discard the backyard, 17 September 2012

Judiciary discard the backyard Correio da Manhã Algarve: Prime Minister responds to Stephen Birch's appeal The location where Stephen Birch, the South African researcher, says Madeleine McCann is buried - in Robert Murat's backyard, a few hundred metres from the Ocean Club, where the English child disappeared in May 2007 - will not be inspected by the authorities. By João C. Rodrigues 17 September, 2012 In a letter sent from the office of the prime minister, Passos Coelho, in response to Stephen Birch's appeal, the Judiciary Police assure that the area was searched "with a Ground Penetrating Radar on the 4th and 5th of August 2007 without any success" as stated in the process. Stephen Birch, who between the 16th and 27th of June this year searched the same location with a geo-radar (see infographic) says that "the place hasn't been properly searched" because "it was covered by vegetation and debris material from construction". "Someone is covering up something. I believe that the investigation was prematurely closed due to diplomatic issues between Portugal and England," said Stephen Birch to CM.

Madeleine McCann May Be Buried Under Driveway; Authorities Seem Unwilling To Investigate, 20 September 2012

Madeleine McCann May Be Buried Under Driveway; Authorities Seem Unwilling To Investigate Huffington Post (US version) By David Lohr Posted: 09/20/2012 10:54 am EDT Updated: 09/20/2012 1:57 pm EDT A South African business man claims he has found the grave of Madeleine McCann. The mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance may lie under a driveway just outside a holiday villa in Praia da Luz, the oceanside Portuguese resort town where the 3-year-old child was last seen in May 2007. Stephen Birch, a South African real estate developer and self-styled investigator, says he has found what could be a burial site below the surface using a ground-penetrating radar. Birch, who has invested $50,000 of his own money investigating the case, has asked Portugese authorities to excavate the area, and three experts contacted by HuffPost Crime agreed that this would be the appropriate action. Nevertheless, Portuguese authorities refuse to act on the information. The controversy began in June, when Birch first examined the driveway. The property is owned by the mother of a former suspect, Robert Murat. -------------------- PHOTOS: (Article continues below) Girl missing in Algarve The GPR image that Stephen Birch believes shows a grave. A photo of the May 15, 2007 search of the property in Praia da Luz where Stephen Birch believes he found a grave. The black box indicates the rubble pile he claims police never searched. An October 2007 photo of the same location. Stephen Birch said this photo indicates the rubble pile had not been touched during the May 2007 search. An overlay of the two photos. ---------------- "The scans indicate that the ground beneath the gravel driveway was disturbed and something lies buried underneath the driveway," Birch told The Huffington Post. The location of the property is not far from the apartment where Madeline disappeared. Madeline was 3 years old when she went on a trip from Britain to Portugal with her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann. The couple was dining with friends at a nearby restaurant when the little girl vanished from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz. There have been no solid leads in the case since that time. Scotland Yard detectives and Portuguese police were provided with hard copies of Birch's radar scans. The agencies examined them and thus far have declined to probe or excavate the location. The office of the Prime Minister of Portugal sent Birch a letter on Sept. 10, which included a response from Almeida Rodrigues, head of Portugal's judicial police. According to the letter, authorities examined the same location with a ground-penetrating radar device in 2007 and did not find any areas of interest. "Therefore, we are of the opinion that this does not justify the realization of the desired diligence by the advocate," they wrote. A similar statement was made by Murat in July, during an interview with the Algarve Resident. "Every single part of the house, inside and out, was checked in 2007 by more than 20 police officers, who found absolutely nothing. They used ground-penetrating radar equipment, which was brought by a civil protection team, to search the grounds of the property and the area surrounding Casa Liliana," Murat said. Speaking with the same newspaper, former police inspector Gonçalo Amaral described the 2007 searches as "thorough." Birch contends that the location where his suspicious scan was taken was not searched properly. He claims it was covered with vegetation and debris from construction materials and it would have been impossible to conduct the scanning on the rubble. "I am in possession of photographs taken on May 15, 2007, during the initial search of the Murat property, together with a photo taken five months later of the same yard. When comparing the two photos, one can clearly see a pile of building rubble with a wooden plank lying on top of it. Both photos show the same pile of rubble, in exactly the same condition, in the rear of the Murat yard, substantiating the claim that the Murat property was not searched properly," Birch said. Three out of four GPR (ground-penetrating radar) specialists who were shown Birch's scan agree authorities should excavate the area in question. "There are anomalous features in the GPR data that may be due to [human] remains, but whether or not the data indicate the presence of remains cannot be determined solely from the GPR data. You must dig to find out," said Gary N. Young, senior vice president of operations and development for Underground Imaging Technologies, LLC. Michael Wolmarans, of Imbila Location Services CC, agreed. "After scrutinizing various scans emailed to me, there is a strong possibility of ground disturbance ... At the 3-meter mark, at a depth of 250-300mm, there is a distinct sign of a void. This suggests that the ground has been disturbed by digging. Below the void there is an object, though it is not possible to say what it is without excavating. If this were my own investigation, I would have little doubt that an excavation of the area would be required and this is what I would do," Wolmarans said. Ralph Baird, a geophysicist from Houston, also suggested a dig. "What is shown in one GPR profile and in a local area is just that there are objects in the box/dirt-filled area. The process needs to just dig and remove the dirt. The area is small enough for that to happen under professional or videoed supervision ... dig it up or probe it and see what is there; it's a small task -- the digging," Baird said. Bryan Bacheller, president of Digital Concrete Imaging in Tampa, Fla., had a slightly different opinion. "There isn't enough for me to compare typical soils to. However, there are minor disturbances that can be interpreted as human remains. With that said, I think the area is too shallow and 100 mm below the surface is a tar layer. Highly unlikely that a criminal would dig through such hard materials and in the open space of a driveway. My opinion is that this is not a crime scene," Bacheller said. The Huffington Post notified the Office of the Prime Minister and Portugal's judicial police about the experts' opinions. Neither agency responded to a request for comment. Carter-Ruck, the law firm representing Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, said they stand behind the decision of the authorities not to dig. "Mr. and Mrs. McCann are guided by the expertise of the British and Portuguese police, both of which have studied the information provided by Mr. Birch and both of which have concluded it is not credible," Isabel Martorell, a partner at the firm, told HuffPost. There is, as Birch points out, only one way to settle the controversy. "Dig. If you think I am wrong, then I am going to ask you one simple question, a question millions of people are asking: why haven't they dug or put probes down there?"

Madeleine McCann: Is Missing Toddler Buried Under Driveway Close To Abduction Site?, 21 September 2012

Madeleine McCann: Is Missing Toddler Buried Under Driveway Close To Abduction Site? Huffington Post (UK version) By Sara C Nelson Posted: 21/09/2012 12:12 BST Updated: 21/09/2012 14:47 BST A self-styled investigator hunting for Madeleine McCann says he has found a burial site under a driveway in the Portuguese town where she went missing in five years ago. Stephen Birch, who invested £30,000 of his own money investigating the case, says the site in question is on a property not far from where the toddler was last seen. Birch, a South African property developer has asked Portuguese authorities to excavate the area after making ground radar scans, but the request has been refused. Birch told the Huffington Post: "The scans indicate that the ground beneath the gravel driveway was disturbed and something lies buried underneath the driveway." Birch received a letter from the Portuguese Prime Minister's office on September 10, which included a response from Almeida Rodrigues, head of Portugal's judicial police. According to the letter, authorities examined the same location with a ground-penetrating radar device in 2007 and did not find any areas of interest. "Therefore, we are of the opinion that this does not justify the realisation of the desired diligence by the advocate," they wrote. Carter-Ruck, the law firm representing Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, said they stand behind the decision of the authorities not to dig. In July Birch said he had passed radar scans to Scotland Yard, who are conducting an investigative review of the case. He told Sky News: "All I want to do is solve the mystery and bring closure to Madeleine's family. I am convinced she lies where I have scanned. "I've had the scans analysed and they show digging, a void and what could be human bones." Madeleine was nearly four-years-old when she vanished in 2007 from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents dined with friends at a tapas bar nearby. Her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, continue their search, claiming: "There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Madeleine has been harmed." A spokesman for Scotland Yard told Huffington Post UK he was "not prepared to discuss specific lines of inquiry."

Is Madeleine McCann Buried in Portugal?, 21 September 2012

Is Madeleine McCann Buried in Portugal? news.gather.com By Chelsea Hoffman September 21, 2012 04:05 AM EDT Is Madeleine McCann buried in Portugal? Claims made by a South African real estate developer indicate that she is buried on property owned by Robert Murat -- a man once suspected along with the parents in the disappearance of the tot. What's disappointing is that these are pretty valid suggestions in the search for the missing child, but authorities in Portugal aren't interested in checking out the lead. It's also disappointing that the family of Madeleine McCann isn't speaking up and demanding that officials search. How much could be involved in digging up some property and checking for human remains? Of course, with the detail being given worldwide attention it's probably safe to say any remains that could have been there were moved by someone who doesn't want to get caught. Duh, right? There are some people who genuinely believe that little Maddie McCann is still alive somewhere, but so much evidence points directly to otherwise. If Portuguese officials dig up the property of Robert Murat and find the missing child, what will happen next?

Experts defend searches for Maddie, 13 October 2012

Experts defend searches for Maddie Correio da Manhã Investigation: Searches undertaken by Judicial Police questioned South African researcher insists that it is necessary to investigate the place where, he assures, Maddie may have been buried. Read in CM By João C. Rodrigues 13 October, 2012 Three experts in soil analysis with georadar argue that the images collected by the South African researcher Stephen Birch, in the backyard of Robert Murat, indicate that a human being could be buried at that location, just metres from the apartment where Madeleine McCann disappeared on 3 May 2007. They all say that the Portuguese authorities "should dig" the site to determine what is buried there. Birch also assures to CM that the photos taken in May and October 2007 show that "the searches with georadar [requested by the Judicial Police of the University of Aveiro] were never done correctly." "There are anomalous features in the georadar data that may be due to human remains, but this cannot be determined solely from the georadar data. You must dig to find out," says Gary Young, the president of North American Underground Imaging Technologies. This opinion is shared by the head of the South African company Imbila Location Services, Michael Wolmarans. "After reviewing several pictures sent to me I conclude that the soil has been disturbed. If this were my investigation, I would have little doubt that the next step would be to dig to find out what is buried there," says the expert. "The georadar shows that there are objects in the area. Simply remove the earth to see what is there," argues geophysicist Ralph Baird, president of Baird Petrophysical International. Stephen Birch, remember, analyzed the property of Robert Murat with a georadar earlier this year and has since started a campaign that aims to convince the authorities to order an excavation of the site. In vain. "It's simple. Go and dig and see what's buried there. What are they afraid of?" questions Birch.

Body of Maddie 'worth' 1.2 million, 14 October 2012

Body of Maddie 'worth' 1.2 million Correio da Manhã Search: Expert South African appeals for digging in the backyard of Murat If Maddie's body is found in the backyard of Robert Murat, as South African researcher Stephen Birch assures, having analysed the land, the McCanns risk losing the 1.2 million euros in the process moved against Gonçalo Amaral, for damages resulting from the book 'The Truth of the Lie', in which the former Judiciary Police inspector argues that Maddie died and her body was hidden. By João C. Rodrigues 14 October, 2012 "If Birch is right, then it follows that the case investigator [Gonçalo Amaral] was right from the beginning," says the lawyer Santos de Oliveira, who defends Amaral in the process which runs in Lisbon and whose trial begins in January, to CM. Asked if the discovery of the body of Maddie would have an effect on the process, the lawyer assures that "everything has an effect." "But it does not depend on it," he says. It is recalled that the legal battle of the McCanns has cost Gonçalo Amaral his assets and his income, which were seized after the publication of the book, which defends the thesis of the accidental death of Maddie. Now, he risks paying compensation of 1.2 million euros. "Dig the backyard of Murat," Birch continues to appeal.

Stephen Birch claims Robert Murat wants over £28,000 to dig at Casa Liliana, 22 October 2012

Stephen Birch claims Robert Murat wants over £28,000 to dig at Casa Liliana Facebook Stephen D. Birch 21 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Monday, 22 October at 18:23] NOTICE TO ALL MY FACEBOOK FRIENDS - Robert Murat has given me permission to excavate his driveway at a cost. - It's been 4 months since I discovered Madeleine's remains, do I go and dig in front of the World Press. Yes or No......your comments please -------------------- Question 21 hours ago via mobile Yes... But what does he mean at a cost..... --------------------- Stephen D. Birch 21 hours ago R400 000 cost -------------------- Note: R400 000 = 28,859.08 GBP / 35,467.71 EUR / 46,181.91 USD [Rate valid as of: 23/10/2012, Source: Expedia] -------------------- Update: Birch claims the McCanns want the 'dig to occur' Facebook Stephen D. Birch 3 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 23 October at 16:57] Just got off the phone with the McCann's Pr manager who telephoned me, they want the dig to occur............ ---------------------- Stephen D. Birch 3 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 23 October at 17:21] Cannot believe it, I just got a call from Kate, I am shocked...........wow ---------------------- [Note: The two posts above were subsequently removed (24 October 2012)]

Stephen Birch Facebook comments, 30 October 2012

Stephen Birch Facebook comments Facebook Stephen D. Birch 6 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 30 October at 07:03] Last night I received evidence to support my theory that the Portuguese Police (Policia Judiciaria ) found MADELEINE MC CANN's body in the Murat yard. Realizing that Murat had been framed, they then elected to plant the DNA in the Mc Cann hire vehicle, to solicit a confession out of the Mc Cann's. Unfortunately MI6 agents intervened and informed Mr Gordon Brown, who then proceeded to shut the case prematurely with Portuguese Prime Minister at the time, Mr Jose Socrates..... ----------------------- Stephen D. Birch 2 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 30 October at 10:16] The Uk government used a strategy similar to that used in the US, to pre-package news releases, paid for by the UK government, about Madeleine Mc Cann, to promote the country's agenda, which was to maintain a sound diplomatic relationship with Portugal, and in doing so, covered up a crime, and left a 3 year old girl, buried under a driveway in Portugal.

Stephen Birch Facebook comments, 04/06 November 2012

Stephen Birch Facebook comments Facebook Stephen D. Birch Sunday near Cape Town, Western Cape [Sunday, 4 November at 14:43] SAFM Radio have just confirmed they will have a podcast for you to click on, and listen to my interview coming up on Tuesday at 11am. The Topic Madeleine Mc Cann, the coverup and DNA planting. ------------------ Stephen D. Birch Yesterday near Cape Town, Western Cape [Monday, 5 November at 13:09] Blowing the Whistle tomorrow on the England- Portugal cover-up of the Madeleine Mc Cann case-----SAFM Radio at 11pm.....Don't miss it ----------------------- Stephen D. Birch 23 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Monday, 5 November at 20:35] Preparation now finished for my radio interview tomorrow SAFM 11.10 AM -------------------------------- Stephen D. Birch 15 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 6 November at 04:41] Up early for probably one of the most contraversial radio interviews that will take place in South Africa today at 11.10am. I am discussing how Portuguese Police planted Madeleine Mc Cann, blood and body fluids in the Mc Cann hire vehicle, hired 25 days after Madeleine Mc Cann went missing. SAFM this morning 11.10am ---------------------------------------- Stephen D. Birch 13 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 6 November at 06:41] SAFM Radio today 11.10AM - Madeleine Mc Cann Cover-up and corrupt governments ----------------------------------- Stephen D. Birch 8 hours ago near Cape Town, Western Cape [Tuesday, 6 November at 12:01] (SAFM RADIO WAS THREATENED TODAY WITH LEGAL ACTION IF THEY WENT AHEAD WITH INTERVIEWING ME, AT 11AM ON THE MADELEINE MC CANN COVER-UP, AND DNA PLANTING BY PORTUGUESE POLICE) - They pulled the interview........ Disappointing, but also nice to know I am on the right track. Sorry for that, would of loved to upload theinterview.

Stephen Birch: "Kate knows that her daughter is buried in the Algarve", 07 May 2013

Stephen Birch: "Kate knows that her daughter is buried in the Algarve" Correio da Manhã The South African researcher who went to Lagos, in connection with the disappearance of Maddie, has commented on the arrival in Portugal of the mother of missing child. 07 May, 21h45 "Kate McCann knows that her daughter is buried in the Algarve. It's for this reason that she is in Portugal for these days." That is the conviction of the South African Stephen Birch, one of the most active investigators in the Madeleine McCann case, the British girl who disappeared on May 3, 2007 from Praia da Luz, in the Algarve. The declarations of the investigator were made to CM, during the visit of Kate McCann to Praia da Luz, a few days after the completion of six years since the disappearance of their daughter. To learn more about this topic read the article 'Kate McCann is in Praia da Luz'.

Various suspects in the disappearance of Maddie are identified, 17 May 2013

Various Suspects in the Disappearance of Maddie are Identified Correio da Manhã English authorities reveal new developments a few days after the sixth year anniversary the girl's disappearance. Stephen Birch, a South-African private investigator, says that "it is all part of a staging". By: José Maria Pinheiro 17 May 2013 20h50 With thanks to Ines for translation Scotland Yard of the British police has identified a considerable number of potential suspects related to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, after the Prime Minister, David Cameron, ordered a review of the case, according to the British press. Details about the potential suspects have not been released, however their identification has led a team of almost 40 English officers to travel to Portugal on several occasions. "Our objectives are to investigate the case and to provide support to the Portuguese police," Andy Redwood stated to the British newspaper "The Guardian". Little "Maddie" disappeared on 3rd May 2007, from Praia da Luz in Portugal. The case was archived by the national authorities in 2008, a decision that was highly criticised at the time. STEPHEN BIRCH TALKS OF A STAGING "It is no more than a staging by the British government," says Stephen Birch, a South African businessman who carried out one of the main private investigations into the Madeleine McCann case. "It is rather a means of maintaining the bilateral agreement between the two countries, which translates into almost 8 million euros in the form of trade exchanges." Birch says that he is setting up an investigation page on the Internet, as he does not believe in the capacities of the British authorities: "The site will be in Portuguese and people will have the opportunity to send or publish information that they consider to be relevant to the case," the businessman told CM. Since last year Stephen Birch has claimed that "the girl is dead and buried in the grounds belonging to Robert Murat's house", although he admits that the owner "could be unaware of this". What is clear is that Birch, in spite of having been in Murat's property with a sonar device and having said that he the found the girl's remains, has never managed to make the authorities believe his theory and excavate the site.

Madeleine McCann is likely under Murat driveway -- Excavate immediately!, 29 June 2013

Madeleine McCann is likely under Murat driveway -- Excavate immediately! Chelsea Hoffman: Case to Case Written by Chelsea Hoffman 29 June 2013 ##note## I realize that some of you insist that it is "absolutely impossible" for Birch's theory to hold any weight, but I say that it has been over six years and this child still hasn't been found. Excavating this property won't hurt anything. If she's not under the driveway, fine, but Stephen Birch is very passionate about this and I think someone needs to throw this guy a bone. The worst case scenario is that Madeleine won't be found. The best case scenario is that she will. Many of you are aware of my strong suspicions that Madeleine McCann was murdered, and that she was never truly missing. Of course, I am not the only person who has this theory, but one man has sleuthed his way into a theory that is too frightening not to explore. Stephen Birch believes that Maddie is located under the driveway of Robert Murat -- a man who has already been cleared of suspicion in the abduction of the British tot. Stephen believes he found these remains during a search of the Murat property using specific equipment that showed anomalies beneath the surface. The big problem with this discovery, however, is that nobody appears to be willing to excavate the driveway. Why? Stephen Birch illegally examined the driveway belonging to Robert Murat -- something he admits to doing -- but he has good reason. He chose to leak his findings after returning to South Africa from Portugal. For that, he deserves a world of thanks. We need to push for this property to be excavated. Officials both in Portugal and with Scotland Yard need to stop ignoring the very obvious anomaly located beneath the surface of Murat's driveway. If the anomaly turns out to be something unrelated to the McCann case, then so be it, but until this driveway is excavated, we will likely never know. Please watch the video below for a better understanding of what Birch discovered:   The scan is certainly proof that there is something buried beneath the surface of the driveway -- and it's a chilling thought to consider that this anomaly could indeed be the remains of Madeleine McCann -- who Birch believes was killed and buried as early as May 3, 2007. As you have seen from the video, there appears to be a weak spot indicating a disturbance in the soil -- i.e. digging. This is conclusive with the soil disturbance that goes with digging and filling graves, but on a smaller scale. Considering little Maddie was a small tot at the time of her presumed death, it's easy to see how this could in fact be the final piece of the puzzle leading to her whereabouts. Please sign the petition to convince officials to excavate this property and locate Maddie's remains once and for all! If Madeleine McCann is beneath the surface of Robert Murat's driveway, then what does that mean? Who killed her? Who put her in the ground? Who all was involved? I can't offer any insight on this. I've long held onto the theory that Kate and Gerry McCann were either involved or complicit in the death of their little girl, but there is always just so much drama and confusion with this case, that I will admit anything is possible. Robert Murat has already been cleared as having no involvement, but if the child is encased beneath his driveway then how could this happen without at least his knowledge? Birch believes that Murat built the driveway to prevent dogs from digging up Madeleine's remains -- so that pretty much makes him involved, at least in the disposal of a corpse. It's downright suspicious that neither Robert Murat or the Portuguese officials will permit a probing or dig excavation of this site. If Robert Murat had nothing to do with this, then why would he at least want the closure of knowing she's not in the ground under his driveway? -- Unless of course, he suspects Stephen Birch is right. At this point, there is no need for speculation on who put Maddie in the ground (if she's there) or who killed her. Right now the heat needs to be put on Murat and the brass in Portugal to excavate this property. In the meantime, maybe someone should ask Kate and Gerry what they think of this. Please remember to sign the petition (linked above) to help push for justice for Maddie McCann. She could very well be under this driveway and with it being over six years since she vanished it's about time that someone stick up for this child and do what's right.

Madeleine McCann Investigation Launched By Scotland Yard Slammed By Stephen Birch, 06 July 2013

Madeleine McCann Investigation Launched By Scotland Yard Slammed By Stephen Birch The Huffington Post (US) Michael McLaughlin Posted: 07/06/2013 9:14 am EDT | Updated: 07/08/2013 8:49 am EDT Composite photos showing three-year-old Madeine McCann, left, with a computer generated age progression image of the missing child as she might look now, right, issued Thursday July 4, 2013. British police say Thursday July 4, 2013 they have launched a full investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, and want to trace 38 "persons of interest" in the case. A real estate developer who's used his own wealth to investigate the disappearance of missing tike Madeleine McCann slammed Scotland Yard for announcing yesterday that she still might be found alive. The British police identified 38 "persons of interest" in the new search for McCann. She vanished at age three from a Portuguese resort during a family vacation in 2007. But Stephen Birch, a South African who's spent roughly $100,000 conducting his own probe, criticized the British police for relaunching the case while ignoring his report. Last year, Birch sent documents to Scotland Yard alleging that McCann was buried a few hundred feet from the Praia da Luz apartment her parents rented. "The question you need to ask is why are they not digging up a gravel driveway," Birch said to HuffPost in an email. "It is my opinion Madeleine McCann will never be allowed to return to her parents – dead or alive." Ground-penetrating radar scans of the property purportedly show evidence of digging and images that might be human bones, according to Birch. An online petition he created calls on the Portuguese government to order an excavation of the driveway. On July 5 there were just 383 signatures, but Birch ambitiously predicts it will snowball to more than one million names, because of the international hype around her case. The property in question is the home of Robert Murat. Murat was officially deemed a suspect early in the case by the Portuguese police. However, he was later cleared of an involvement. He's won hundreds of thousands of dollars in libel settlements against tabloid newspapers. Though Birch thinks McCann's body lies underneath the driveway, he's said that he doesn't think Murat or anyone in his family played a role in the girl's disappearance. "Anyone could have had access to the property," Birch told a Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha. The Portuguese prime minister's office informed Birch that they were unmoved by his claim that he'd found McCann's grave. In a letter last year, Portuguese officials said that they found nothing to warrant digging when they checked out the area in 2007. Sighting of McCann, who would be 10 now, filter in to to police departments around the world. Interpol got a report that she was spotted in Cyprus in March and Scotland Yard requested DNA samples of a lookalike in New Zealand that had the same eye defect as the missing girl. "She's under the driveway," Birch said to HuffPost. "The U.K. is bullshitting to maintain the cover-up.'

Maddie: Petition to dig in Murat's backyard, 23 July 2013

Maddie: Petition to dig in Murat's backyard Correio da Manhã The South African researcher Stephen Birch has created an online petition to excavate the courtyard in Robert Murat's home, in Praia da Luz By: Jorge Domingos | July 23, 17:40 It is this courtyard, built after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, that the South African businessman believes holds the key evidence to solving the case. Stephen Birch has not given up the investigation into the disappearance of Maddie and has created a petition 'Digging for Madeleine' (Digging for Madeleine) to press the governments of Portugal and England to take what Birch believes to be "a fundamental step to realising what happened on the night of Maddie's disappearance in Praia da Luz, in 2007." In the Algarve property of Robert Murat, called 'Casa Liliana', Birch believes that "there is a driveway that hides secrets that can be revealed," because, according to what he found, "there is something buried on that land." The entrepreneur alerted to this situation for the first time in 2012, stating the importance of carrying out excavations to discover what is buried there, "after more than two years of research on my own," with findings that are supported by experts. The courtyard referred to by the South African businessman and his team was built at the back of Murat's garden in 2008 - less than a year after the disappearance of Maddie - and "is currently used as a second entrance to 'Casa Liliana.'" According to Birch, "Kate McCann herself, Maddie's mother, knows that her daughter's body is buried in the Algarve." CHALLENGE LAUNCHED TO THE PJ's FIRST SUSPECT Since this discovery Stephen Birch has tried to "act with the Portuguese authorities and the Portuguese Attorney General to be carry out excavations on that site." At that time, he even made a video where he explained his findings and challenged Murat to allow excavations on the property, but without success. Now, the next step is to petition 'Digging for Madeleine McCann' worldwide. Robert Murat was the first suspect that the Judicial Police identified after the disappearance of Maddie, who then ended up being cleared during the Portuguese investigation. The businessman from South Africa said to CM that "despite the petition only having been created recently, the goal of one million signatories will not be difficult to achieve given the media coverage of the case." Available for everyone to sign the petition will be delivered to the Portuguese Government, the British Government, the Court of Justice of the European Union and even ... the Vatican. In Portugal, petitions must get four thousand subscribers in order to be discussed by the Assembly. At the time of publication of this news 630 signatures had been gathered for Maddie.

Petition: Digging 4 Madeleine McCann, July 2013

Petition: Digging 4 Madeleine McCann Avaaz.org Community Petitions Stephen Birch petition, screenshot taken 13 August 2013 Stephen Birch petition text Why this is important PETITION- "Digging for Madeleine Mc Cann under the Murat driveway" FACEBOOK SHARE In July 2012, South African businessman, Stephen D.Birch after 2 years of investigation and an intial cost to himself of £50 000, discovered something was buried beneath the Murat rear gravel driveway.The driveway was build in early 2008, and is the second driveway on a property called Casa Liliana. (YouTube: Madeleine Mccann Stephen Birch) -- The property owned by an initial suspect in the case Robert Murat, is located 130 meters/ 426 feet from holiday apartment 5A Ocean club, in Praia da Luz, Portugal. On the 3rd May 2007, three year old Madeleine Mc Cann disappeared from apartment 5A, and has never been seen since. Stephen's findings made "World Headlines" in 255 mainstream newspapers around the world. Despite the findings and photos also appearing 17 times in Portugal's largest newspaper Correio da Manha , and Stephen petitioning Portugal's Prime Minister, and Attorney General, the Portuguese government has to date refused to dig up the Murat driveway. 5 International experts, in the use of ground penetrating radar equipment, have all examined scans taken of the Murat driveway by Stephen using a Mala ground penetrating radar machine, and have recommended excavating the driveway immediately.Here are the expert opinions: Ralph Baird Texas EquuSearch (USA) "dig it up or probe it and see what is there; it's a small task- the digging." Gretchen E. Freund- UIT System (USA) "There are anomalous features in the GPR data that may be due to remains, but whether or not the data indicates the presence of remains cannot be determined solely from the GPR data. You must dig to find out." Michael Wolmarans, Imbila Location Services CC (South Africa) "there is a distinct sign of a void. This suggests that the ground has been disturbed by digging. Below the void there is an object, though it is not possible to say what it is without excavating. If this were my own investigation, I would have little doubt that an excavation of the area is required." PLEASE CLICK THE FACEBOOK SHARE BUTTON-----PLEASE

PRESS RELEASE: MADELEINE MCCANN, 23 September 2013

PRESS RELEASE: MADELEINE MCCANN Facebook - Digging for Madeleine McCann Monday, 23 September 2013 at 11:04 As of 10.30am this morning I received a call from Portugal advising me that Robert Murat has consented to me digging up his driveway to ascertain whether the remains of MADELEINE MCCANN lie buried beneath it. A formal letter will be emailed to me today. Mr Murats attorney has advised that as part of the negotiations, Mr Murat will undertake to withdraw all charges against me for trespassing. Legal documentation would need to be formalized. A third party is currently acting as an intermiadiary in the negotiations and will own the media rights to the entire operation. They have advised me that they will put a helicopter in the air above Murats house to protect the airspace from rival newspaper groups. It is estimated that the excavation of the Murat driveway will be viewed by over 1 billion people over a week...

Owner agrees that SA man can dig in his garden for missing child's body, 28 September 2013

Owner agrees that SA man can dig in his garden for missing child's body Rapport ­Stephen Birch (48) | Photo: Nasief Manie Jacques Steenkamp 2013-09-28 23:51 Since Madeleine (Maddie) McCann went missing six years ago in Portugal, there have been numerous clues worldwide in the search to find her. Now, 14 months after Stephen Birch (48) allegedly found her grave, the Cape Town businessman is to be given the opportunity to solve the mystery. Birch believes the British girl, who was three years old, is buried about 130 meters from where she went missing in the coastal town of Praia da Luz. The Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã has for the past eight months tried many times to get permission from Robert Murat to see if Maddie is buried in his yard as Birch claims. Murat was the police's prime suspect, but no evidence could be found linking him with Maddie's disappearance. He then began a civil claim of millions of euros against the media which was successful. Correio da Manhã informed Birch last week that Murat had agreed to the dig and they were negotiating with his lawyer. Murat will receive a few thousand euros for any damage that may occur. Rapport, in June last year, reported how Birch had claimed she was on the property of Murat's elderly mother, in Praia da Luz in the Algarve region, which he entered illegally. Birch apparently undertook scans of the ground in the yard. He claims the scans show an object like a child or an animal is buried in a secluded part of the yard. Photos owned by Birch show the police never did excavations in this area at that time. Birch, since he made ​​those allegations, has waged a continuous online campaign. It was aimed at the British and Portuguese authorities, and Maddie's parents, in the hope that his allegations would be investigated. The relevant authorities in Europe continue to ignore his representations. Kate McCann, Maddie's mother, speaking at the time on a British TV programme, sarcastically asked: "Who is Stephen Birch anyway?" He is not a reliable source, she said. In response, Birch said: "If it was your child and there was a chance that she was buried there, would you not do everything possible to ensure that the claim is false? "That is unless you have something to hide and don't want anyone close to that spot." The McCanns said at the time that Maddie had disappeared when she was left unattended in a holiday apartment while they ate in a nearby restaurant. The couple are currently embroiled in a civil action in Portugal against the country's former police chief Gonçalo Amaral. Amaral, in 2008, in a book The Truth of the Lie, claimed Maddie's parents had accidentally killed her and buried her body. Birch believes the civil case led to Murat allowing him to dig. He is concerned that the remains may have been removed, but said he was happy with the scans, photos and videos from the place where he believes Maddie is buried. If he is proved right, the Cape Town businessman would not only receive international fame, but also possibly millions of pounds as a reward. Kate McCann, whose daughter Madeleine has been missing since a holiday in Portugal in 2007. | Photo: REUTERS / Chris Helgren