Madeleine McCann Police To Interview Suspects, 30 June 2014

Madeleine McCann Police To Interview Suspects Sky News (with video) 8:43pm UK, Monday 30 June 2014 British detectives are back in Portugal to speak to a key witness and several suspects as part of the second phase of their probe. British police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have returned to Portugal to question a number of suspects. They will be speaking to a key witness, as well as several individuals suspected of carrying out burglaries, as part of the second phase of the Scotland Yard probe on the ground in The Algarve. The same team of British police who were involved in the digging of several sites outside the resort of Praia da Luz earlier in June arrived back in Portugal on Monday. A Scotland Yard detective in a forensic suit during the first dig on June 2 Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "They will be joining their Portuguese colleagues and sitting in on a series of interviews with, I'm told, first a key witness, and then a number of people who are being described as aguidos (suspects). "We think that this includes the three or more former workers from the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz where Madeleine vanished who are suspected of carrying out a series of burglaries in the months leading up to Madeleine's disappearance. "Scotland Yard have made it clear for a while, if not publicly, that they are interested in talking to these suspects. "Now it may be just a question of eliminating them, but they have certainly been flagged up during the Scotland Yard review of the original police investigation by the Portuguese, people of interest who need to be interviewed, who may become, in a sense, more official suspects, but certainly people that Scotland Yard believe could have vital information about Madeleine's disappearance." Police searched scrubland near Praia da Luz on June 11 Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007 while her parents Gerry and Kate, from Rothley in Leicestershire, dined with friends nearby. An area of scrubland to the west of the resort was sealed off by Portuguese police and excavated by the British team on June 2. Searches of a second and then third site were similarly carried out, with the use of sniffer dogs from South Wales Police, of an area between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant on June 11. Sky News also learned an object recovered from the initial searches was sent away for analysis. Scotland Yard has refused to reveal what intelligence led them to carry out the digs - and to give any updates on their progress. -------------- Transcript By Nigel Moore Martin Brunt: Errr... I understand that the... what's been promised as the second phase of the Scotland Yard investigation, actually on the ground in Portugal, errr... is about to begin. Errr... The Scotland Yard team of officers who were involved in the digging, errr... exercise that finished, errr... two or three weeks ago, are back in Portugal. They arrived back on the Algarve today and I understand that tomorrow they will be joining their Portuguese colleagues and sitting in on a series of interviews, errm... with, I'm told, first a key witness and then, errr... a number of people who are being described as 'arguidos', or 'suspects', errm... and we think that this includes the three, or more, former workers from the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine vanished, errm... who are suspected of carrying out a series of burglaries, errr... in the months leading up to Madeleine's disappearance. Scotland Yard have made it clear, errm... for a while, errr... if not publicly, that they are interested in talking, errr... to these, errr... 'suspects', for want of a better word. Now, it may be simply a question of eliminating them but they've certainly been flagged up, errr... during the Scotland Yard, errr... review of the original police investigation by the Portuguese of, errr... people of interest who need to be interviewed, errr... who may become, in a sense, more official suspects but certainly people that Scotland Yard believe could have vital information about Madeleine's disappearance. So, this is the start of phase two of the Scotland Yard operation, on the ground in Portugal

Four arguidos in the Maddie case are going to be questioned, 30 June 2014

Four arguidos in the Maddie case are going to be questioned Diário de Notícias By Miguel Ferreira 30.06.14 With thanks to Astro for translation Four persons that are suspected of involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will start to be questioned tomorrow by Scotland Yard inspectors, jointly with the Polícia Judiciária. As far as DN [Diário de Notícias] was able to establish, the suspects have already been made arguidos, according to the same source. The questioning will take place in Faro, in the Algarve. Eight other persons will equally be heard tomorrow, as witnesses. Scotland Yard inspectors have been investigating in Portugal, jointly with the PJ, the case of the little British girl that disappeared from the apartment that her parents rented for a holiday in Praia da Luz in 2007.

Sergey Malinka is one of the 4 arguidos to be questioned in the scope of the English rogatory request, 30 June 2014

Maddie: Four people constituted arguidos tvi24   30 June 2014 With thanks to Joana Morais for transcript TVI News anchor - There are new developments in the Madeleine McCann case: At the request of the British authorities four people will be constituted as arguidos. The interrogations are going to take place tomorrow in the Judiciary Police headquarters in Faro, and they [the police interrogations] are going to be attended by the Scotland Yard detectives. There are at least 11 people who are also going to be questioned under a witness status. These steps were requested in the letters rogatory, and have solely to do with the British investigation. --------------- Scotland Yard return to the Algarve to continue investigations in the Maddie case SIC Notícias 30.06.2014 20:39 With thanks to Joana Morais for transcript SIC News journalist - The step will be fulfilled by the PJ, and is confined to an English request made via letter rogatory; three Portuguese and one Russian are from this moment formally arguidos within the scope of the English investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance. In the case of the Russian citizen, it's already the second time that his name has appeared connected to the case. In 2007, at the time of the initial Portuguese investigation he was also constituted as an arguido [sic, he was not constituted as arguido - Robert Murat, Kate and Gerry McCann were the only arguidos of the PJ 2007/08 investigation] and was target of house searches which came to nothing. Nonetheless, the Metropolitan police, after reviewing the whole process, officially requested for Sergey Malinka to be questioned again as an arguido. There are three other suspects of the British investigation, residents in Praia da Luz, who, from this moment on, are also arguidos following the analyses of the mobile communications of phone calls done on the night the child disappeared. The fact that all of these men live near to one of the sites where Scotland Yard believed that Madeleine could have been buried, was another one of the justifications used by England [sic] to substantiate their suspicions. These four arguidos and about eight witnesses are going to be questioned by the Judiciary Police as soon as this Tuesday, in the presence of Scotland Yard officers. Between inquiries and interrogations, these proceedings are likely to be prolonged until Friday. All these steps have exclusively to do with the English investigation, which has not found any echo on the investigative line of enquiry being followed by the Judiciary Police.

Madeleine McCann cops to quiz four suspects including Russian businessman, 30 June 2014

Madeleine McCann cops to quiz four suspects including Russian businessman Daily Mirror Jun 30, 2014 22:59 | By David Collins The four individuals have been given "arguido" status, making them formal suspects in Portuguese law, and Scotland Yard detectives will sit in on the interviews Missing: Maddie Scotland Yard detectives will on Tuesday help question four new suspects in the Madeleine McCann investigation – one of them a Russian businessman. Officers are due to begin a series of interviews on Tuesday as the four individuals are given "arguido" status, making them formal suspects in Portuguese law. Detectives from Operation Grange, the British arm of the investigation, are to sit in on interviews led by their ­Portuguese counterparts. One of the four suspects is understood to be a Russian businessman who runs a computer business, the Mirror has learned. Eight key witnesses are also set to be questioned as the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine reaches a new phase following searches carried out at the Praia da Luz resort on the Algarve. British police earlier this month travelled to the town to examine scrubland close to the Ocean Club holiday apartment where the McCann family were staying when three-year-old Madeleine went missing in 2007. They also carried out searches on two sites on the outskirts of the resort. It has taken six months to gain access to the four prime suspects since Scotland Yard's initial request. Sources said up to eight individuals could be on the full interview list. Three are thought to be burglars who may have carried out raids in Praia da Luz. Most suspects on the list are thought to still live in Portugal and interviews will be carried out at a Faro police station. Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, said: "It is a matter for the Metropolitan Police what they do and when they do it." Scotland Yard refused to comment.

Madeleine McCann suspects face questioning as Met arrive in Portugal, 30 June 2014

Madeleine McCann suspects face questioning as Met arrive in Portugal The Guardian Interview process to take place over number of days using some questions prepared by British detectives Brendan de Beer in Portimão Monday 30 June 2014 23.32 BST British detectives have arrived in Portugal before the questioning of several suspects by Portuguese police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The suspects, who have been identified by investigators from Scotland Yard, include Russian-born citizens who have acquired Portuguese nationality, sources close to the case told the Guardian. The interview process will take place over a number of days starting on Tuesday, using some questions prepared by the Metropolitan police, and has to be concluded within a predetermined timeframe agreed by both the British and Portuguese forces. All the suspects who will be questioned in the coming days are thought to be Portuguese nationals. "The suspects were all identified by the Metropolitan police. Questioning will be conducted by Portuguese Polícia Judiciária (PJ) detectives. The suspects have all been notified and will be appearing before police on Tuesday and in the coming days," one source said. Those who have been asked to come for questioning have been identified as "arguidos", a Portuguese term for someone who is a suspect, but which also garnered infamy when Madeleine's parents, along with a British expatriate called Robert Murat, were given the status by Portuguese authorities. All three were cleared by a prosecutor in 2008. "Questioning will be conducted solely by the PJ", the source explained, "but British detectives will be allowed to make suggestions during questioning, though they will not be allowed to direct them at the suspects." When questioned over whether the questioning could take days or weeks, the source replied: "Definitely days." A team of British police officers ended an unprecedented ground-level operation on 11 June after scouring 60,000 sq metres of wasteland in Praia da Luz, the holiday resort where she was last seen alive seven years ago. In a statement issued at the time, Scotland Yard said the meticulous searches were based on the hypothesis that Madeleine was murdered and buried locally, with sources saying on Monday night the latest round of questioning is connected with searches that suspects face took place in Praia da Luz last month.

Police will interrogate suspects in Maddie case, 30 June 2014

Police will interrogate suspects in Maddie case Renascença The PJ will comply with the interrogations, but not on the basis defended by Scotland Yard, Renascença found out from a source close to the investigation. 30-06-2014 23:16 by Liliana Monteiro With thanks to Ines for translation On Tuesday the PJ will hear four people within the scope of the case of Maddie, the English girl who disappeared from the Algarve in 2007. This will be one step further in complying with the letter of request sent by the English authorities. Following the land and sewerage system searches made by Scotland Yard in Praia da Luz, interrogations of persons suspected of being involved in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, will now take place. On Tuesday, the director of the Portimão PJ will initiate the interrogations requested of four persons, all of Portuguese nationality – some of Russian origin whom have since been made Portuguese citizens. They will be questioned about what happened on the night of 3rd May 2007 in the Ocean Club tourist resort where Madeleine McCann was asleep in a bedroom. Scotland Yard has already defined this thesis: These persons were responsible for the girl's death and would have buried her body in the grounds where searches were carried out at the beginning of June. According to Renascença's source, the PJ will comply with the interrogations, but it does not share Scotland Yard's theory.

Scot Yard officers arrived in Portugal today for second phase of investigation - interviewing suspects, 30 June/01 July 2014

Scot Yard officers arrived in Portugal today for second phase of investigation - interviewing suspects Martin Brunt - Twitter [Text version of above] 7:18 PM - 30 Jun 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #madeleine Scot Yard officers arrived in Portugal today for second phase of investigation - interviewing suspects. ------------ 10:55 AM - 1 Jul 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #madeleine Local paper in Portugal reports police are to resume dog searches at some stage. ------------------- 11:18 PM - 1 Jul 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #madeleine Scot Yard cops in Faro sitting in on first of a dozen interviews with suspects and witnesses. Suspect arrived without a lawyer. [Note: A person interviewed without a lawyer can't be an arguido/suspect.] ------------------ 1:25 PM - 1 Jul 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #madeleine One suspect has been given 253 questions to answer. Scot Yard joint theories: sex motive or robbery that went wrong.

'MI5 know what happened to Maddie': Ex-cop claims spies know truth as police quiz suspects, 01 July 2014

'MI5 know what happened to Maddie': Ex-cop claims spies know truth as police quiz suspects Daily Star MI5 agents know but will not reveal what happened to Madeleine McCann, a former Portuguese detective claims. By Tom Rawle / Published 1st July 2014 Goncalo Amaral, 56, who ran the investigation into the tot's disappearance from May 3, 2007, claimed the truth will only be known when confidential MI5 case files are released. His wild accusations were aired on a Portuguese TV documentary, where he told the programme: "When MI5 opens the case files, we will find out. "Don't forget that the British secret services followed the case right from the beginning. I don't know if that information will be made available but if it's like the United States, it takes years to have access to confidential information." The retired officer, who is now a writer, was kicked off the case in September 2007 for criticising the way Scotland Yard were dealing with the investigation. He is currently being sued for £1million by Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry McCann for libel after claiming in his book The Truth Of The Lie that their daughter died in the holiday apartment in the Praia Da Luz resort, where the three-year-old went missing in May 2007. The disgraced detective, who sacked his legal team at the last minute, is due to face the family in a civil court in Lisbon next week. In his recent interview, he said: "Someone has the information, so make the information available." He claimed that he now expects the British police to wind down the investigation with no results. He said: "Nobody has proved the house was broken into, that there was a theft, there are no traces of a break-in. No money, cameras or anything else was taken." "They are getting to the point of saying that she is dead. "They will reach the point of saying that the cadaver can't be found and the case can't be solved." Mr Amaral's claims come as Scotland Yard prepare to question four suspects and as many as eight witnesses linked to the case. Met Police will interview four petty burglaries who targeted homes in the Praia Da Luz resort. The suspects are thought to have broken into homes just weeks before Maddie went missing. Her parents said they are pleased with the progress of the case. They said: "It is gratifying to know a substantial amount of work is taking place with the co-operation of British and Portuguese authorities."

British police in Faro as McCann suspects to be quizzed, 01 July 2014

British police in Faro as McCann suspects to be quizzed ITV News 8:57am, Tue 1 Jul 2014 British Police have arrived at Faro police station, as officers are set to question four suspects in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. ITV News Correspondent Neil Connery is in Portugal:   [Text version of above] Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 8:52 AM - 1 Jul 2014 British police arrive at Faro police station as questioning of four suspects in McCann case due to begin.   --------------- Subsequent tweets Neil Connery - Twitter [Text version of above] Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 9:01 AM - 1 Jul 2014 Dci Andy Redwood and colleagues investigating McCann case arrive with folders to Faro police station. ------------------- [Text version of above] Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 9:10 AM - 1 Jul 2014 #McCann questioning of four suspects due to begin at 10am here at Faro police station. [Text version of above] Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 9:17 AM - 1 Jul 2014 Media gathering outside back entrance to Faro police station awaiting arrival of #McCann case suspects ----------------- 9:33 AM - 1 Jul 2014 9:48 AM - 1 Jul 2014 10:22 AM - 1 Jul 2014 11:07 AM - 1 Jul 2014 1:44 PM - 1 Jul 2014 1:46 PM - 1 Jul 2014 [Text version of above] Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 9:33 AM - 1 Jul 2014 British police will sit in on the questioning but authorities here will be asking the questions and taking the lead. ------------------ Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 9:48 AM - 1 Jul 2014 #McCann suspects will be given Arguidos status - meaning they are deemed to be persons of interest to the investigation. -------------------- Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 10:22 AM - 1 Jul 2014 For clarification - Arguidos is the status given to a formal suspect of a crime here and grants them certain rights. ---------------------------- Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 11:07 AM - 1 Jul 2014 ITV News understands British police sniffer dogs are in Portugal and on standby if required by investigation. ----------------------- Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 1:44 PM - 1 Jul 2014 ITV News understands delay to questioning of first suspect because the man did not have a lawyer with him. ------------------ Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 1:46 PM - 1 Jul 2014 In total three suspects are understood to be inside Faro police hq as part of questioning process now.

Maddie case: Four arguidos questioned by PJ on behalf of Metropolitan Police, 01 July 2014

Maddie case: Four arguidos questioned by PJ on behalf of Metropolitan Police TVI - Jornal da Uma   Broadcast on July 1st, 2014 at 13pm With thanks to Joana Morais for transcript/translation Report by Marisa Rodrigues | Text by Cláudia Rosenbusch | Image by Jorge Belo | Video Edition by Pedro Madeira TVI news anchor Paulo Salvador - The Judiciary Police started today questioning the suspects of the Maddie McCann case, the English child who disappeared in Praia da Luz in May 2007, when she was 3 years old. The formal request was done by the British police, who have identified people they wish to see questioned. TVI news reporter Cláudia Rosenbusch [Voice Over]- Four people with arguido status in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The request came from Scotland Yard. This morning the PJ of Faro called them in for questioning. Among the suspects, TVI knows, is Sergey Malinka, a Russian citizen who was investigated by the PJ back in 2007. Malinka is a friend of Robert Murat, a former arguido who the English Police leaves out of the investigation. The British detectives also target a former Ocean Club driver, and a resident of Praia da Luz, a man with psychiatric problems who wasn't seen in the days following Madeleine's disappearance. Finally, the fourth suspect is a young man, resident in Praia da Luz. In common is the fact that all the suspects reside in Praia da Luz and had contact with each other by phone in May 2007, when Maddie disappeared. They are suspects for the British police, but considered irrelevant to the Judiciary Police, who had already questioned them during the investigation in 2007. Besides the four arguidos, the letter rogatory from the English police also requests the questioning of 11 witnesses. Most are former employees of the Ocean Club. Some have already been questioned in the Portuguese investigation. The Portuguese Public Ministry authorized these proceedings, and sent the letters to the PJ in Faro so they would fulfil what was requested. Scotland Yard is back in Praia da Luz, with them also came sniffer dogs but it is unclear in what kind of searches they'll be used. TVI news anchor Paulo Salvador - Following these questionings is the journalist Marisa Rodrigues. Good afternoon, Marisa, to whom I ask, how did the questioning during the morning go? TVI news journalist Marisa Rodrigues [in Faro] - Good afternoon, the information that we have is that the questionings are still taking place. Today we observed the arrival of the four suspects to the Judiciary Police headquarters, where they were constituted, formally, as arguidos, as well as the 11 witnesses who will make statements. By the sheer quantity of people that were called here we foresee that these questionings will take a number of days, we don't know yet how many days exactly. At least two arguidos arrived here to the Judiciary Police headquarters in Faro during the morning - in total there are four arguidos who have in common the fact that all of them are residents in Praia da Luz, they have contacted each other by phone at the time of the disappearance, some just a few hours before and others after the event - and this is what makes them to be considered as suspects by the English investigation. Among these four arguidos - they are all Portuguese except one who is Russian - there is a former Ocean Club worker, the driver who used to pick up tourists from the airport to the Ocean Club resort. The Russian was also a witness in the Portuguese authorities' process [2007/08], was questioned, the Judiciary Police searched his house, his computers were seized for forensic examination, he was thoroughly investigated and nothing was detected. The third arguido, TVI knows that is a person with a psychiatric disorder, suffers from schizophrenia, is a 51-year-old man and was allegedly identified by a witness, who said he had similarities to one of the numerous e-fits divulged by the English Police. This man arrived accompanied by a friend who told us - though he didn't want to be filmed - and guaranteed that this man, who is now a suspect, stayed all night in his own house on the 3rd of May 2007 and that he isn't involved in this case in anyway. TVI news anchor Paulo Salvador - A case that we will also follow at TVI24 [sister TV channel to TVI with 24 hour news], thank you Marisa. ------------------ Online report, which accompanies a shortened version of the video report above: Maddie case: Murat's friend is amongst the suspects heard by the PJ tvi24 (with video) Four suspects heard by the Faro PJ have in common the fact that they resided in Praia da Luz at the time of the disappearance. 2014-07-01 13:37 With thanks to Ines for translation Screenshot: Sergey Malinka in archive footage from 2007 Four persons made arguidos in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann were heard this Tuesday by the Faro PJ. The request came from Scotland Yard. TVI knows that, amongst the suspects, is Sergei Malinka, a Russian citizen who was investigated by the PJ in 2007. Malinka is a friend of Robert Murat, ex–arguido whom the English police have excluded from the case. The British investigators are also pointing their guns at an ex–driver of the Ocean Club as well as a Praia da Luz resident, a psychiatric patient who was no longer seen during the days following Maddie's disappearance. Finally, the fourth suspect is a young resident of Praia da Luz. The common factor between the suspects is the fact that they live in Praia da Luz and contacted each other in May 2007, at the time Maddie disappeared. Although they may be suspects for the British police, they are irrelevant for the PJ which heard them during the 2007 investigation. In addition to the four arguidos, the letter of request from the English police also asks for the questioning of 11 witnesses. The majority of whom are ex–Ocean Club employees. Some have already been heard during the Portuguese investigation. The Public Ministry authorised the inquiries and sent on the letters to the Faro PJ in order to comply with the request. Scotland Yard is present in Praia da Luz again. Sniffer dogs will accompany the SY team. It is not yet known whether this is for undertaking new search actions.

Madeleine: Search Dogs Return To Portugal, 01 July 2014

Madeleine: Search Dogs Return To Portugal Sky News 1:02pm UK, Tuesday 01 July 2014 Sky sources say a new search in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007 is set to begin. Search dogs are back in Portugal as part of the search for Madeleine McCann and it is thought a new search is set to begin, Sky sources say. British police have already returned to the country to question a number of suspects as part of the investigation into her disappearance from the resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. They will speak to a key witness, as well as several individuals suspected of carrying out burglaries, as part of the second phase of the Scotland Yard probe on the ground in the Algarve. Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt has said he understands this will include former workers from the Ocean Club where Madeleine vanished. The same team of British police who were involved in the digging of several sites outside Praia da Luz earlier in June arrived back in Portugal on Monday. At the start of June an area of scrubland to the west of the resort was sealed off by Portuguese police and excavated by the British team. Searches of a second and then third site were similarly carried out, with the use of sniffer dogs from South Wales Police, of an area between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant on June 11. More follows... ----------------- Update to body of text: 1:09pm UK, Tuesday 01 July 2014 Search dogs are back in Portugal as part of the search for Madeleine McCann and it is thought a new search is set to begin, Sky sources say. British police have already returned to the country to question a number of suspects as part of the investigation into her disappearance from the resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. They will speak to a key witness, as well as several individuals suspected of carrying out burglaries, as part of the second phase of the Scotland Yard probe on the ground in the Algarve. Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt understands this will include former workers from the Ocean Club resort where Madeleine was staying with her parents Gerry and Kate. Up to a dozen suspects and witnesses could be spoken to this week, he added. He said: "It's not clear what role they're going to fulfil this time or when indeed they'll be put back to work, but we know that interviews this morning have begun, with a number of people, up to a dozen over the next few days, of suspects and witnesses. "It may be that police are waiting for information from those people being questioned that might lead to the new searches or these are potential searches that were already planned to carry on." The same team of British police who were involved in the digging of several sites outside Praia da Luz earlier in June arrived back in Portugal on Monday. At the start of June an area of scrubland to the west of the resort was sealed off by Portuguese police and excavated by the British team. Searches of a second and then third site were similarly carried out, with the use of sniffer dogs from South Wales Police, of an area between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant on June 11.

Madeleine: Search Dogs Return To Portugal, 01 July 2014

Madeleine: Search Dogs Return To Portugal Sky News 2:03pm UK, Tuesday 01 July 2014 Sky sources say a new search in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007 is set to begin. Police dogs are ready to begin the latest search for Madeleine McCann in Portugal, Sky sources say. British detectives have returned to the country as the questioning of a number of suspects over the disappearance of the three-year-old from Praia da Luz in 2007 begins. It is thought the UK officers are sitting in on the interviews but will not ask questions themselves. Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said up to a dozen people could be spoken to this week, eight potential witnesses and four suspects. He added three of the suspects are former employees of the resort where the McCanns were staying and are suspected of carrying out burglaries in the months before Madeleine disappeared. The interviews form part of the second phase of the Scotland Yard probe on the ground in the Algarve. South Wales Police have confirmed two of its search dogs and their handlers have returned to Portugal to help with searches. Last month, two of the force's victim detection dogs, English Springer Spaniels Tito and Muzzy, travelled to the Algarve to help. Police search for evidence in Praia da Luz last month Brunt said: "It's not clear what role they're going to fulfil this time or when indeed they'll be put back to work, but we know that interviews this morning have begun, with a number of people, up to a dozen over the next few days, of suspects and witnesses. "It may be that police are waiting for information from those people being questioned that might lead to the new searches or these are potential searches that were already planned to carry on." Neither the Metropolitan Police nor officers in Portugal have made any official comment on the reports. The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry will simply not comment on any operational aspect of the Metropolitan Police work. "What the police do and when they do it is a matter for them." The same team of British police who were involved in the digging of several sites outside Praia da Luz earlier in June arrived back in Portugal on Monday. At the start of June an area of scrubland to the west of the resort was sealed off by Portuguese police and excavated by the British team. Searches of a second and then third site were similarly carried out, with the use of sniffer dogs from South Wales Police, of an area between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant on June 11.

Four suspects arrive at Portuguese police station for questioning before British police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, 01 July 2014

Four suspects arrive at Portuguese police station for questioning before British police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann Daily Mail The suspects have now arrived at Faro Police Station on the Algarve Said to be three Portuguese nationals and a Russian computer expert Will be questioned by local police in presence of British officers Scotland Yard officers arrived at the police station earlier today Questioning in the case is expected to last until Friday By GERARD COUZENS PUBLISHED: 17:27, 1 July 2014 | UPDATED: 18:52, 1 July 2014 Four suspects have arrived at Faro Police station on the Algarve for questioning over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The suspects, set to be quizzed by local police in the presence of Scotland Yard officers, are said to be three Portuguese nationals and Russian computer expert Sergey Malinka, whose Praia da Luz home was searched by police shortly after Madeleine went missing in May 2007. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood arrived just before 9am today to lead a team of around half a dozen Scotland Yard officers in.   Suspects who are to be questioned over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann arrive at the police station in Faro ------------------   The suspects are set to be quizzed by local police in the presence of Scotland Yard officers ---------------------   The police questioning of the suspects and witnesses is expected to last until Friday -----------------------   Madeleine, then aged three went missing from the Ocean Club resort in May 2007 --------------------- He declined to make any comment as he walked the short distance from his rental car to a back entrance into the station near the town marina. A transit van with colleagues inside drove straight through the back gate into a covered car park sealed off from public view. Mr Malinka, one of the suspects, told a Portuguese paper which named him today as one of the four so-called arguidos: 'I'm going to have to talk first with my lawyer.' Eight other people, thought to be mainly former workers at the Ocean Club holiday resort where Madeleine McCann vanished during a family holiday, are also due to be questioned as witnesses. The police questioning is expected to last until Friday.   British police officers, pictured, are also in Faro where they will observe the questioning being carried out by local police ------------------------------   Scotland Yard are working on the theory burglars killed Madeleine during a bungled break-in while her parents ate tapas nearby with friends ---------------------- It comes less than three weeks after police dug up waste land near the Ocean Club and inspected sewers using a hi-tech camera over nearly a fortnight in a grim search for Madeleine's body. The search and this week's police quizzes have happened at the request by Operation Grange detectives leading the British hunt for Madeleine. Scotland Yard are working on the theory burglars killed Madeleine during a bungled break-in while her parents ate tapas nearby with friends - and then buried her body on waste ground in the resort. Portuguese papers claimed this morning the witnesses and suspects identified by the British police are of no interest to the Portuguese police, who believe Madeleine was snatched by a foreigner no longer in the country. Daily Jornal de Noticias said British police had brought sniffer dogs used in the Praia da Luz ground searches earlier this month back to Portugal with them - but it was not clear if new searches would be conducted.   British Police officers who have arrived in Faro. This week's police quizzes have happened at the request by Operation Grange detectives leading the British hunt for Madeleine --------------------------- Mr Malinka was quizzed first time round but not made an arguido at that time. He has previously denied any role in the youngster's disappearance. He is an acquaintance of Robert Murat, who had also been an arguido but ceased to be a suspect in July 2008. Mr Malinka said in 2007 when computers and computer disks were taken from his home during searches: 'The disappearance of a child is always difficult. No parent would want any of that to happen to anyone. 'So I wish and truly hope that Madeleine will be found and returned to her parents. 'I have a clear conscience. I have nothing to worry about.'

Madeleine McCann inquiry: Two suspects questioned, 01 July 2014

Madeleine McCann inquiry: Two suspects questioned BBC News 1 July 2014 Last updated at 19:13   Scotland Yard detectives arrived to witness the questioning Two suspects have been questioned in Portugal in the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The BBC understands one of them is Sergey Malinka, who was questioned as a witness in 2007 after the three-year-old went missing. A total of four "persons of interest" - or arguidos - will be quizzed in the latest development in the case. Interviews are being carried out by Portuguese officers with Scotland Yard detectives present. Mr Malinka and the other suspect left the central police station in Faro after they were interviewed. The Russian-born computer expert, who has Portuguese nationality, is likely to face more questioning on Wednesday. Portuguese citizens A third person, who is said to be suffering from severe schizophrenia, remained in the police headquarters after the other two had left. It is not clear when the fourth individual will be interviewed. All of those being questioned are Portuguese citizens. They have all been summoned to be interviewed; there have been no arrests.   British police carried out searches in Portugal last month in the Madeleine McCann inquiry   No evidence relating to the case was found but there will be further investigations The searches were the most intensive since Madeleine went missing seven years ago The status of arguidos in the Portuguese judicial system refers to individuals whom police may reasonably suspect are linked to a crime. Local Briton Robert Murat - who was himself named as an arguido in the case before being cleared of any involvement - said it was "ridiculous" that Mr Malinka had been questioned as a suspect. Mr Murat had worked with Mr Malinka in 2006 and 2007 setting up a property website. He told the BBC: "It's absolutely ridiculous. It makes no sense. "They've talked to him before, in 2007, so why are they talking to him again? He's a good professional and a hard worker. I don't know Sergey that well, but he is a nice lad." Renewed activity In June, Portuguese and British police searched three sites in Praia da Luz but found no evidence relating to the case. Scotland Yard said at the time that "more activity" had been agreed with Portuguese police and the searches were the "first phase" of a major investigation ---------------------- At the scene Jeremy Cooke, BBC News at Faro Police Station Outside the Policia Judiciaria headquarters in Faro a small group of reporters and TV crews is gathered on the pavement. There is little sign of activity inside the unassuming white-rendered building, which is set in a quiet cobbled street. But it is believed that, just before 09:00 local time, the first of several suspects in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann arrived to be questioned. Several suspects or "arguidos" have been identified following the latest investigations by Scotland Yard detectives. Each is expected to appear voluntarily before police in the coming days. The interviews are being conducted by Portuguese police officers with British detectives observing proceedings. Sources close to the case in Portugal told the BBC that at least one of the arguidos is of Russian extraction. ------------------------- The searches were the most significant in the local area since Madeleine went missing seven years ago. Madeleine was staying in an apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz in Portugal with her family when she was last seen. Her parents had been at a restaurant near their apartment when the three-year-old went missing. The developments come after the Met launched Operation Grange - a fresh investigation into Madeleine's disappearance - last July.

Madeleine McCann case: Portuguese police question four suspects, 01 July 2014

Madeleine McCann case: Portuguese police question four suspects The Guardian Questioning is being conducted by Portuguese detectives with their British counterparts sitting in Brendan de Beer in Faro Tuesday 1 July 2014 19.42 BST Portuguese police have begun questioning four suspects identified by Scotland Yard detectives as being able to assist them in their investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann seven years ago in Praia da Luz. Sources close to the case named one suspect as Sergey Malinka, a 29-year-old Russian-born IT engineer who was first questioned by police in 2007. The law office representing Malinka confirmed that he had appeared at a police station in Faro on Tuesday morning and was being questioned. The firm said the questioning had been "complicated and was likely to continue into Wednesday". Malinka, who now holds Portuguese citizenship, was questioned by Portuguese police as a witness shortly after Madeleine's disappearance but was never declared a suspect. At the time, it was thought he had been brought in for questioning by Portuguese police due to his association with Robert Murat, a British expat with whom he had some business dealings. Murat was declared a suspect 10 days after Madeleine's disappearance but was later cleared, and received £600,000 in libel damages from 11 British tabloid newspapers in 2008. Malinka was also awarded undisclosed damages. The other suspects, all confirmed to be Portuguese citizens, were seen entering the police building in Faro on Tuesday morning. One was later seen leaving in the company of two detectives in an unmarked police car, and two other suspects departed in a private car in the company of a lawyer. The questioning is being conducted by Portuguese detectives with their British counterparts sitting in. While Scotland Yard detectives are not allowed to direct any queries to suspects or witnesses, they can ask Portuguese police to pursue different lines of inquiry during questioning. Murat told the Guardian he had had only limited dealings with Malinka since 2007. He described him as "hard-working and a nice guy", and said his status as a suspect was "disgusting and ridiculous". "Back in 2007, police questioning of Sergey was very thorough and meticulous and I can't see any reason why he has been brought in again", Murat said. "My heart goes out to him and his family because I know exactly what they will be going through right now." Police sources said the current phase of inquiries was bound by time constraints and Friday was given as the deadline. British police sniffer dogs arrived in Portugal this week with Scotland Yard detectives. Sources close to the case were unclear as to their purpose, but told the Guardian: "We believe they could be used in the inspection of cars." Police sources said the current round of questioning of suspects and witnesses was linked to scrubland searches conducted in Praia da Luz at the beginning of June, and had been scheduled and approved for some time. The regional police chief Mota Carmo, who oversaw a seven-day search in the resort last month, was not present during questioning. Police said he was currently on leave.

The four arguidos - one was 16 years old at the time, 01 July 2014

The four arguidos - one was 16 years old at the time TVI - Jornal das 8 Broadcast on July 1st, 2014 at 20h00 With thanks to Joana Morais for transcript/translation TVI news anchor Pedro Pinto - Scotland Yard returned to the Algarve, this time to question 4 arguidos and 11 witnesses, they are fulfilling the letters rogatory. The four suspects reside in Praia da Luz. [From 0:18 until 1:37 is the same news piece that was broadcast at lunch time with different footage already translated] TVI news anchor Pedro Pinto - Marisa Rodrigues is in Faro, good evening. Have the questionings already ended? TVI news journalist Marisa Rodrigues [in Faro at 8 pm] - Good evening, the information that we have is that not yet. The Judiciary Police intended to question throughout the day these four arguidos, and that is precisely what happened. Some of the arguidos have already left the PJ headquarters premises, others still remain inside, one of them is Sergey Malinka. These men, as far as we were able to find out, have all agreed to answer the questions the English police wished to ask them. At least one of the arguidos, according to what one of his family members said here earlier on, faced 253 questions, from which one can infer that the questionings will be time-consuming and will take more hours until they are concluded. What is the line of investigation being pursued now by the Scotland Yard? The British detectives believe that three of these men, in other words the other arguidos including Malinka, masterminded a plan to burgle the apartment where Madeleine McCann was spending her holidays with her parents, and that the child woke up and surprised them during the robbery. For that same reason they decided to murder her and leave the apartment carrying her body, one of the men carrying her on his arms and then conceal it in Praia da Luz. In common, these four arguidos have the fact that they all reside in Praia da Luz and that they have made phone calls to each other on the night of the disappearance and from what is known, they have little else in common. One of these arguidos is a young man, who at the time was only 16 years old and is somehow given the profile of a burglar, a theory followed by the English police. It was precisely on the request of Scotland Yard that these proceedings are now taking place. Today the four arguidos were questioned, tomorrow the witnesses will start to give their statements. Sniffer dogs are also here in Praia da Luz, who are likely going to do searches in the cars owned by the arguidos. TVI news anchor Pedro Pinto - Marisa Rodrigues, live from Faro, following the questionings regarding the Madeleine McCann case.

What do you know about Madeleine McCann? First 'formal suspects' quizzed, 01 July 2014

What do you know about Madeleine McCann? First 'formal suspects' quizzed Daily Mirror Jul 01, 2014 20:04 | By Paul Byrne Portugese police refused to say if any of the men being questioned had criminal records   Probe: Two suspects arrive in car Police investigating the mystery disappearance of Madeleine McCann have began questioning "formal suspects". Scotland Yard detectives flew into the Algarve and were allowed to sit in on the interviews. Two "persons of interest" - or arguidos in Portuguese law - had been quizzed by local detectives. The Metropolitan police officers were not allowed to ask questions, although sources close to the investigation say UK officers have over 250 questions for one of the men. Two more people remained at Faro police station waiting to be interviewed by the Policia Judiciaria. One of them is said to be suffering from severe schizophrenia and his interview may be postponed as he has not yet been assigned a lawyer. It is not clear when the fourth individual will be interviewed. All of those being questioned are Portuguese citizens, one is believed to be Russian computer expert Sergey Malinka whose home was searched by police shortly after Madeleine went missing. "Formal suspects" have a special legal status in Portugal which is similar to being questioned under caution in England & Wales. Mr Malinka told a Portuguese paper which named him today as one of the four said: "I'm going to have to talk first with my lawyer." They were all invited in to be interviewed, though there have been no arrests. Portugese police refused to say if any of the men being questioned had criminal records. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood arrived just before 9am on Tuesday to lead a team of around half a dozen officers. He declined to make any comment as he walked the short distance from his rental car to a back entrance into the station near the town marina. British police have returned to Portugal to help interview suspects in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann A transit van with colleagues inside drove straight through the back gate into a covered car park sealed off from public view. The Operation Grange chief worked through lunch while the rest of his police team left the building for a quick snack in the town marina without making any comment. There was no sign of Russian computer expert Malinka said to be among four new suspects due to be quizzed although a Portuguese police source said he was expected to be questioned. Malinka was questioned a fortnight after Madeleine vanished from her Praia da Luz holiday complex, and two computers seized from his nearby home, but he was never charged. Scotland Yard are working on the theory burglars killed Madeleine during a bungled break-in while her parents ate tapas nearby with friends - and then buried her body on waste ground in the resort. But a Portuguese police source quoted in local papers insisted the witnesses and suspects identified by the British police are of no interest to them. Policia Judiciaria officers now believe Madeleine was snatched by a foreigner no longer in the country, although they have still not ruled out the involvement of a ex-junkie burglar who died in a tractor accident in 2009 three years after being sacked from the Ocean Club over a financial dispute. British police have returned to Portugal British police have also brought back to Portugal sniffer dogs used in the Praia da Luz ground searches earlier this month. It is thought they want to have them available if this week's police quizzes, throw up any new evidence. Madeleine was three years old when she went missing in the resort. British police carried out searches at three sites in the resort last month in the inquiry No evidence relating to the case was found but there will be further investigations The searches were the most intensive since Madeleine went missing seven years ago. Scotland Yard said at the time "more activity" had been agreed with Portuguese authorities and the searches were just the "first phase" of a major investigation. Madeleine McCann It is expected the Scotland Yard officers will be in Portugal until Friday. Eight other people, thought to be mainly former workers at the Ocean Club holiday resort where Madeleine vanished are also due to be questioned as witnesses. A spokesman for the Policia Judiciaria declined to make any official comment. Kate and Gerry McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry will simply not comment on any operational aspect of the Metropolitan Police work. "What the police do and when they do it is a matter for them." The couple are expected to return to Lisbon next week to attend their ongoing court case against former police chief Goncalo Amaral, whom they are suing over claims made in his book 'The Truth Of The Lie'. Last month the couple accused the former detective of a "blatant and cynical" attempt to hold up the trial after he sacked his lawyer on the day they were due to deliver personal statements about the effect allegations in his book had had on them.

Gallery: Wednesday's National Newspaper Front Pages, 02 July 2014

Gallery: Wednesday's National Newspaper Front Pages Sky News The Daily Star reports on the ongoing investigation into the death of British child Madeleine McCann. Police in Portugal are questioning four suspects in the investigation over the death of Madeleine McCann, the Daily Mirror reports.

The Maddie 2, 02 July 2014

The Maddie 2 The Sun (paper edition, page 19) By CHRIS POLLARD Wednesday, July 2, 2014 TWO suspects in the Madeleine McCann case cower in their lawyer's car as they arrive for questioning over her disappearance yesterday. One hid behind a hoodie and the other tried to cover his face with his hands in the Portuguese city of Faro before dropping their guard inside. Scotland Yard detectives arrived just before 9am yesterday for a day of interrogations. A foreigner said to be among four new suspects emerged from the station at 8.30pm. He was questioned a fortnight after Madeleine, three, vanished in Praia da Luz in 2007, but was never charged. A fourth man was identified as a Portuguese schizophrenic called Paulo, 51. The interviews, requested by Scotland Yard, are due to finish Friday.

Did you kill Maddie, 02 July 2014

Did you kill Maddie Daily Star (paper edition) First pics of suspects grilled by Brit cops British police finally began quizzing the new Madeleine McCann suspects yesterday, and asked them straight: "Did you kill Maddie?" A team of Scotland Yard detectives have drawn up more than 250 key questions to ensure each of the four men is put through the wringer in Faro, Portugal. Full story & pictures: P9 --------------------- Online header: Madeleine McCann suspects grilled by British cops Daily Star THE first pictures of the Madeleine McCann suspects emerged yesterday. By Marc Walker & Jerry Lawton / Published 2nd July 2014 The four latest men to be named "persons of interest" by the Portuguese police were asked more than 250 questions about the youngster's disappearance. The "arguidos" – official suspects, were ferried in the back of cars to a police station in Faro, on the Algarve, where Scotland Yard detectives are sitting in on the interviews. A man standing outside the police station claimed to be the "surrogate father" of one of the men and said his schizophrenic "son" faced a total of 253 questions from Brit officers. The man claimed it was "inhuman" to quiz him as he was "a sick man". He said the 51-year-old was only pulled in because he bore a resemblance to a British police E-fit. Officers were given 96 hours to speak to the men, with the interviews expected to finish on Friday. The Yard is working on the theory burglars killed Maddie in a bungled break-in at the Praia da Luz apartment in May 2007 while parents Kate, 46, and Gerry, 45, ate tapas in a nearby bar with friends. But Portuguese detectives believe Madeleine, then aged three, was snatched by a foreigner who is no longer in the country. Yesterday Gerry told locals in his home village of Rothley, Leics: "The Met Police are chipping away and there is new evidence. "We are going to continue hoping we get a happy outcome." A further eight people, thought to be mainly ex-workers from the resort, are also due to be quizzed as witnesses. Two of the suspects rushed in for questioning yesterday were seen to duck down in the back of the vehicles. All four are Portuguese but one is thought to be a businessman with connections to Russia. --------------------- Page 9, of paper edition: Maddie Suspects: The first pictures [see below for image] They face 253 questions by MARC WALKER & JERRY LAWTON Wednesday, July 2, 2014 THE first pictures of the Madeleine McCann suspects emerged yesterday. (...) [Text continues as per online version]

Maddie Suspects: The first pictures - Daily Star, paper edition, 02 July 2014

Daily Star, 02 July 2014

English ask for DNA of the arguidos at all costs in the Maddie case, 02 July 2014

English ask for DNA of the arguidos at all costs in the Maddie case Jornal de Notícias Published at 00:28 MARISA RODRIGUES The British Police even asked the Judiciary Police to start collecting fingerprints and DNA profiles of the four suspects now constituted as arguidos. Even if it was done in a sneaky way. The request appears in a letter rogatory dated of July last year, but was challenged by the PJ, since it is an illegality. At the request of Scotland Yard, and with the endorsement of the Portuguese Public Ministry, the suspects were formally constituted arguidos, this Tuesday, by the PJ inspectors of the Southern Directorate in Faro. Read more in the e-paper version or in the print edition ------------------ English ask for DNA of the arguidos at all costs Jornal de Notícias (paper edition, page 11)   Marisa Rodrigues 02 July 2014 With thanks to Joana Morais for translation/image • They even suggested illegal means • Suspects have started to be questioned The British Police even asked the Judiciary Police (PJ) to start collecting fingerprints and DNA profiles of the four suspects now constituted as arguidos. Even if it was done in a sneaky way. The request appears in a letter rogatory dated of July last year, but was challenged by the PJ, since it is an illegality. At the request of Scotland Yard, and with the endorsement of the Portuguese Public Ministry, the suspects were formally constituted arguidos, yesterday, by the PJ inspectors of the Southern Directorate in Faro. At least two arguidos didn't take lawyers with them, lawyers who were meanwhile appointed so the questionings could take place. Waiting for them was a list of over 250 questions. Most have agreed to answer them. The questions were made by the Judiciary Police officers in the presence of British detectives who could not intervene. JN knows that the questionings were concluded in the early evening and that the arguidos aren't expected to return to the PJ Directorate. The last to come out, about 8:30pm, was Sergey Malinka, a Russian with Portuguese citizenship who had already been investigated in 2007 during the Portuguese investigation. At the time his computers were seized and his house was target of searches, however nothing relevant was found. He was a friend of Robert Murat, a former arguido in the Portuguese case. The other arguidos are José da Silva, a former Ocean Club driver, Paulo Jorge Ribeiro, unemployed who suffers from schizophrenia, and Ricardo Jorge, who was at the time 16 years old. They are all residents in Praia da Luz, some live close by one of the sites where searches took place last month. It is Scotland Yard's belief that they planned a robbery at the apartment where the McCanns where staying for their holidays. That Madeleine woke up and was murdered, and her body was carried away, on the arms of one of the men, between those streets packed with tourists. This is a theory that makes no sense whatsoever to the PJ. From today on, the 11 witnesses will begin to be questioned, also at the request of Scotland Yard. Sniffer dogs to search cars The English authorities brought sniffer dogs from the United Kingdom, in the eventuality that they are needed in the sequence of the police interrogations and constitution of arguidos, for example, to search the arguidos cars. The dogs are the same that recently took part in the searches of the fields in the Algarve. During the initial investigation, in 2007, two dogs of the same breed (Eddie and Keela) were used in the recovery of vestiges. Arguidos - The facts that have lead the English to consider them suspects Sergey Malinka, businessman, 30 years old In 2007 he was thought to be a possible suspect and was target of house searches. Now, he is a suspect again because he threw away a sofa that was analysed by forensic experts, where similar hairs to others that were found in the McCann's apartment were discovered. There is also a hearsay conversation that allegedly took place near the vicinity of Malinka's house about a body that needed to disappear. The English valued the fact that the Russian man's car was set on fire at the time and that someone wrote "Fala" [Speak] on the sidewalk. José Silva, former driver, 38 years old He used to work in the Ocean Club and is pinpointed by the English as being the person who would select the apartments to be burgled at the tourist resort and would be the man in charge of monitoring the tourists movements. According to Scotland Yard, he is compromised by phone calls that he made to other arguidos on the night of the disappearance and in his similarity to one e-fit that was made based on the description of an Irish family that were staying in Praia da Luz for their holidays. He would be, according to them, the famous man that was seen carrying a child on his arms. Paulo Ribeiro, unemployed, 51 years old He became a suspect to the English police because foreign tourists described his erratic behaviour and reported his presence near by the McCanns apartment before the disappearance. He suffers from a mental disorder and he was also denounced for his similarities with another e-fit based on other witnesses statements who identified him as being a beggar and also for being connected with another one of the arguidos [Ricardo Rodrigues] with whom he spoke on the phone in the day the crime took place. Ricardo Rodrigues, unemployed, 23 years old He was 16 years old at the time of the disappearance and the English connect him to the case because of mobile phone calls he made before and after that fateful event including a phone call to Paulo Ribeiro. Another one of the arguments alleged to incriminate him is the fact that he fits with a description made by witnesses who identified him as one of the two beggars [the other was Paulo Ribeiro] and of being a suspect of robberies in the area of Praia da Luz. He has also against him the fact that he also lives close by the other men that were constituted as arguidos at the request of the English police.

PJ question witnesses in the Maddie case at the request of Scotland Yard, 02 July 2014

PJ question witnesses in the Maddie case at the request of Scotland Yard CMTV (video)   02 July 09:00 The inquiries of the Judiciary Police in Faro, as requested by Scotland Yard in the investigation of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, will continue on Wednesday. Following the four suspects, today will be heard witnesses requested by the British police. -------------- Note: It has been suggested that the picture above shows Scotland Yard officers putting up a wanted poster in Praia da Luz, on Tuesday this week. It doesn't. It shows Sun journalist Dan Sales putting up the poster produced by The Sun, in October 2013. Hunt ... The Sun's Dan Sales with poster

British police arrive at Faro police station as questioning of McCann suspects continues, 02 July 2014

British police arrive at Faro police station as questioning of McCann suspects continues Neil Connery - Twitter [Text version of above] Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 9:40 AM - 2 Jul 2014 British police arrive at Faro police station as questioning of #McCann suspects continues. -------------------- Neil Connery @neilconneryitv 3:49 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Sources close to #McCann inquiry tell ITV News all interviews with witnesses should be over by end of day.

Portuguese Press reporting that the UK search dogs brought back to the Algarve will start searching a number of vehicles, 02 July 2014

Portuguese Press reporting that the UK search dogs brought back to the Algarve will start searching a number of vehicles Martin Brunt - Twitter [Text version of above] 9:50 AM - 2 Jul 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #madeleine Portuguese Press reporting that the UK search dogs brought back to the Algarve will start searching a number of vehicles. ------------------- 5:01 PM - 2 Jul 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #Madeleine Suspect and witness interviews almost done, quicker than thought. Some Scot Yard cops already on way home.

Tweets from Faro, 02 July 2014

Tweets from Faro Dominic Hurst - Twitter - BBC television journalist. [Text version of above] 9:04 AM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst All quiet outside Faro police station so far this morning. #mccann ------------------ 9:43 AM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst British police just arrived at Faro police station via a rear entrance, followed by a car with person inside. #mccann ------------------------ 10:05 AM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Two Portuguese detectives were in unmarked vehicle arriving at Faro police HQ with a man in the back seat. #mccann --------------------- 1:36 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Source close to #MadeleineMcCann investigation: "Questioning of the four suspects was concluded yesterday evening." --------------------- 1:37 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Source: "Unfortunately the interviews have led to no new developments and we are back where we were seven years ago." #mccann ------------------------ 1:38 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Source: Two tracker dogs from UK could be used searching a vehicle thought to belong to one of the witnesses. #mccann -------------------- 1:39 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Source: Today police began the process of speaking to a total of 11 witnesses. #mccann ---------------------- 1:40 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Source: "arguido" status was given to protect them. It gives them legal rights to remain silent and have a lawyer. #mccann ---------------------- 1:42 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Source: They ware declared "arguido" after letter of international request sent by the British authorities. #mccann ------------------------- 2:49 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Portuguese Attorney General: investigation "pursued as planned according to the respective responsible parties." #mccann ----------------------------- 2:51 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst "the requests made by the British authorities is confidential..Attorney General's Office will not make any comments..." #mccann --------------------------- 2:52 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst Portuguese Attorney General statement says "judicial cooperation requested by the English authorities" #mccann ------------------------ 3:07 PM - 2 Jul 2014 Dominic Hurst ‏@dominichurst #MadeleineMcCann inquiry: Police finish questioning. #mccann bbc.in/1qlhtjT

Madeleine McCann detectives finish questioning suspects, 02 July 2014

Madeleine McCann detectives finish questioning suspects The Guardian Four Portuguese nationals were questioned for several hours by police investigating toddler's disappearance in Praia da Luz in May 2007 Brendan de Beer in Praia da Luz and Josh Halliday Wednesday 2 July 2014 14.02 BST Detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have finished questioning four suspects in Portugal. The four Portuguese nationals were quizzed for several hours on Tuesday in the presence of British police. It is not known whether the four men remain persons of interest – or arguidos – in the investigation. However, a source close to the case said: "Unfortunately we are back where we were seven years ago with regards to this case." It is understood that detectives will on Wednesday begin taking evidence from 11 witnesses over Madeleine's disappearance in the Algarve holiday resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007. Trained police sniffer dogs have returned to Portugal for the latest phase in the multimillion-pound investigation, which is being overseen by Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood. A source close to the case said there was a remote possibility that the police dogs might be used to search a car belonging to one of the witnesses. British and Portuguese police have declined to identify the four suspects, but they are understood to include Sergey Malinka, 29, a Russian-born IT engineer who was first questioned in 2007. Malinka, who now holds Portuguese citizenship, was questioned as a witness seven years ago but never declared a suspect. In 2007, it was believed he was questioned due to his links to Robert Murat, a British expat with whom he had business dealings. Murat was named as a suspect 10 days after Madeleine vanished but was later cleared. The latest phase of the investigation follows the end of major ground-level searches in Praia da Luz in early June, when detectives scoured a large patch of scrubland but failed to unearth new evidence connected to Madeleine. Scotland Yard declined to comment. The Attorney General's office in Lisbon said: "In the context of judicial cooperation requested by the English authorities, the investigation has been pursued as planned according to the respective responsible parties. We reaffirm that the content of the requests made by the British authorities is confidential and the Attorney General's Office will not make any comments on the matter."

Madeleine Suspect Quizzed For Second Day, 02 July 2014

Madeleine Suspect Quizzed For Second Day Sky News (with video) 3:12pm UK, Wednesday 02 July 2014 One of four suspects is being quizzed further in the latest phase of the investigation into the three-year-old's disappearance.   Portuguese police are questioning a suspect in connection with the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann for a second day. Sky News' Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said the suspect is one of four "persons of interest" being investigated. A further eight potential witnesses are also being quizzed. Scotland Yard is sitting in on the interviews, which were initiated by Portuguese authorities on Tuesday. The first suspect has been named as Russian-born businessman and IT specialist Sergey Malinka, who is 30 years old. He was spoken to as a witness, rather than a suspect, in the early days of the investigation. There is allegedly a forensic link between his apartment and the McCanns' apartment in Praia de Luz, where Madeleine vanished shortly before her fourth birthday in May 2007. In an interview with Sky News at the time, Mr Malinka strenuously denied any involvement. Sky's Martin Brunt said additional evidence thought to be against him includes a conversation overheard near his apartment shortly after Madeleine's disappearance which police think is suspicions.   Last month police conducted an eight-day search scrubland in Praia de Luz His car was also found burned out a year later and somebody had written the word "Speak" on a wall near his home. Police have also quizzed a 38-year-old former employee of the resort where the McCanns were staying who is suspected of carrying out burglaries around the holiday complex. The third suspect is a 50-year-old man reported to suffer from a mental health disorder who was reported to have been acting strangely when Madeleine went missing. The fourth man being quizzed is another burglary suspect, aged 23, who is thought to have been a beggar in the area. He reportedly made a number of suspicious phone calls at the time. It has not been revealed which of the four suspects was being questioned on Wednesday. The interviews form the latest phase of the Scotland Yard probe on the ground in the Algarve. Portuguese and British investigators excavated an area of scrubland to the west of the resort at the start of June but found no evidence related to the case. ------------------- Transcript By Nigel Moore Martin Brunt: Well, the process is, errr... continuing. We said yesterday when it began that Scotland Yard are likely to be involved there for the next two or three days. They're sitting in on these interviews, which are being done by the Portuguese authorities and there are 12 people, errr... 8 of them potential witnesses but more importantly 4 of them are suspects, and as the day has gone on, Kay, more details have emerged of exactly who, errr... those suspects are and some of the evidence that Scotland Yard believe they have against them. And, errr... the first suspect, errr... spoken to yesterday, errr... is a Russian-born man, Sergey Malinka, errr... he's a businessman; an IT specialist, who's 30-years old and it's alleged that there's a forensic link between his apartment and the McCann apartment. Errm... The second suspect is a... a burglary suspect; a man thought to have been involved in burglaries around the holiday complex. He's 38, he worked at the Ocean Club, errr... and one of a number of people suspected of those burglaries. Errr... The third suspect is 50; a man said to have some mental health disorder, who's said to have been acting oddly at the time of, errr... the, errr... the disappearance. And the fourth man, errr... again, a burglary suspect who's 23; he was 16 at the time and among, errr... the evidence Scotland Yard has against him is a number of suspicious phone calls he made at the time of Madeleine's disappearance. Now, let's go back to Sergey Malinka, errr... he's the Russian-born businessman. He was spoken to by police, not as a suspect but as a witness, in the very early days after Madeleine disappeared - within 2 weeks of her... her vanishing. His flat was raided, errr... but spoken to as a witness and we spoke to him at the time and asked him his reaction to his name being published in the local media. Sergey Malinka: I don't rape little kids, errr... I'm a normal man. I don't do any (inaudible) stuff. Third, my criminal record has been clean, always. Errr.. I'm a resident of this country so they would check that before they would give me card. Errr... And I simply feel hurt by... by media - the way they describe me, errr... as a tyrant, as a... as something inhuman. Martin Brunt: I'm told that among the evidence that Scotland Yard, errr... believes it has, errr... against this suspect, and it's putting to him, is, as I said, a forensic link between his apartment, which is in the resort of Praia da Luz and the McCann apartment; an overheard conversation near his home at the time, which police think is suspicious; and a year after Madeleine disappeared Mr Malinka's car was found burned out and somebody had daubed the word 'Speak' on a wall near his home. -------------------- Related reports from the archives: Russian: I Know Nothing About Madeleine Sky News 1:05pm UK, Friday 18 May 2007 The latest witness in the Madeleine McCann case has been speaking exclusively to Sky News about the missing four year-old. Russian computer expert Sergey Malinka insists he is innocent and has no idea where she may be. He claims he only has a professional relationship with the main suspect, Robert Murat. He also insists reports he has past convictions for sexual offences are lies. Portuguese police say they are investigating telephone calls between Mr Malinka and Mr Murat on the night Madeleine vanished. It is now 15 days since she was snatched from her family's holiday flat in Praia Da Luz. It happened while her mother and father, Kate and Gerry McCann, were having dinner in a nearby Tapas bar. Mr Malinka, 22, told Sky's Amanda Walker he wanted to clear his name and knew nothing about Madeleine's disappearance. He said the first time he heard about the youngster was "the following day of the tragedy". False information had damaged his name, he claimed, adding he would ask the media to leave him alone. "I want to get on with my life...and I want to clear my name," he said. He said he felt "hurt" by the media. He described his relationship with Mr Murat as "strictly professional". He said he had a clean record, adding: "I don't rape little kids. I'm a normal man." Madeleine's family have said they're overwhelmed by the support they've received and the scale of the international campaign to find her. More than 25 million people are said to have visited a website dedicated to raise the profile of the search. Many multinationals have also joined the effort. Oil companies such as BP, Shell, Texaco and Total have agreed to distribute posters of her at their garages across Europe. Banks such as Spain's Banco Santander and France's Credit Agricole are also displaying posters at their branches in France, Portugal and Spain. The McCanns, both doctors from Leicestershire, have vowed to remain in Portugal until Madeleine is returned to them. ---------------------- Sergey Malinka soundbite AP Archive Praia da Luz - 17 May 2007 ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sergey Malinka, man questioned by police: (when asked how he wanted to respond to media reports) "Well first of all I'm not 30 years old. Second I don't rape little kids, I'm a normal man, I don't do any of this stuff. Third my criminal record has been clean, always. I am a resident of this country so they would check that before they will give me the card. And I simply feel hurt by media the way they describe me as a tyrant, as something inhuman, without knowing, without asking, they assume things, the false information has been placed in journals, on the tv. It has damaged my name, (inaudible) harm I would say, and my career and those responsible to it will be held to answer."

Madeleine McCann inquiry: Police finish questioning, 02 July 2014

Madeleine McCann inquiry: Police finish questioning BBC News 2 July 2014 Last updated at 16:36   Three-year-old Madeleine McCann went missing in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in 2007 Questioning of four suspects in the Madeleine McCann investigation has concluded without any new developments, a source has told the BBC. The source close to the inquiry played down the significance of the interviews carried out in Portugal on Tuesday. Portuguese detectives in Faro were observed during the questioning by officers from the Met Police, which is conducting its own investigation. Madeleine disappeared aged three in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. Requests confidential The source told the BBC: "Questioning of the four suspects was concluded yesterday evening. Unfortunately the interviews have led to no new developments and we are back where we were seven years ago." The source added: "The 'arguido' [suspect] status was given to the suspects to protect them. It gives them legal rights including the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present during interviews. -------------------- Analysis Jeremy Cooke, BBC News in Praia da Luz It is clear that the latest developments in the Madeleine McCann case are the result of the detailed, painstaking work being done by British police officers working on Operation Grange. As their investigation continues, they formally request assistance from the Portuguese police. It is at the request of Scotland Yard officers that four potential new suspects - or arguidos - and 11 potential witnesses are being interviewed. Those interviews involve detectives from both countries; the Portuguese asking the questions, while the British monitor proceedings. It is not clear what potential link the British team believe may exist between the "suspects" and the disappearance of the three year-old. But clearly there are lines of inquiry they believe are worth following up. There are, however, clear tensions here. With one source close to the case saying that the investigation is going nowhere and "we are back where we were seven years ago". ---------------------- "They were declared arguido due to being identified as suspects in a letter of international request sent by the British to the Portuguese authorities." The Portuguese Attorney General's Office in Lisbon issued a brief statement about the questioning of the four suspects. It said that requests from the British authorities had been carried out but the content of these requests would remain confidential. No arrests Police have begun the process of interviewing 11 witnesses, which also relates to official requests from the Metropolitan Police. The source indicated that two tracker dogs from the UK could be used in searching a vehicle thought to belong to one of the witnesses. No time or location was given for this. One of the four "persons of interest" - or arguidos - questioned was Sergey Malinka. He has always denied any involvement. Mr Malinka, a Russian-born website designer with Portuguese nationality, was questioned as a witness in 2007 when Madeleine went missing. On Tuesday, Mr Malinka and another suspect left the central police station in Faro after they were interviewed. A third person, who is said to be suffering from severe schizophrenia, remained inside the police headquarters after the other two had left. All of those being questioned are Portuguese citizens. They have all been summoned to be interviewed; there have been no arrests. Scotland Yard detectives have been observing the interviews The status of arguidos in the Portuguese judicial system refers to individuals whom police may reasonably suspect are linked to a crime. In June, Portuguese and British officers searched three sites in Praia da Luz but found no evidence relating to the case. Scotland Yard said at the time that "more activity" had been agreed with Portuguese police and the searches were the "first phase" of a major investigation. The McCann family - from Rothley, Leicestershire - were staying in an apartment in Praia da Luz when Madeleine was last seen. Her parents had been at a restaurant near their apartment when she went missing.

The PJ in Faro has questioned four suspects and started to quiz 11 witnesses about the disappearance of Madeline McCann, 02 July 2014

The PJ in Faro has questioned four suspects and started to quiz 11 witnesses about the disappearance of Madeline McCann RTP Notícias Lusa 02 Jul, 2014, 20:08 The Judiciary Police of Faro has already completed the questioning of four men, who are suspects in the English judicial inquiry into the disappearance of Madeline McCann, and begun to quiz 11 witnesses, a source connected to the process told Lusa. The source explained to Lusa today that the PJ is performing the steps of a letter rogatory issued by the British authorities, which was a request that the Portuguese police question four suspects and 11 witnesses, as part of the English inquiries into the disappearance, in 2007, of the British child Madeleine McCann. The same source explained that the officers of Scotland Yard, who have accompanied the interrogations, brought sniffer dogs to Portugal to be used in home visits, particularly in the car of one of the suspects, but that diligence has been refused by a judge due to a "lack of foundation". The men of Portuguese nationality are only suspects in the proceedings in the UK, the PJ merely questions them at the request of the British police, under the roof of judicial cooperation. According to the source, if the Portuguese police believed that the four people were suspected of involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann they would have made them arguidos [suspects] in the Portuguese case. Madeleine McCann disappeared a few days before her fourth birthday, on May 3, 2007, from the room where she slept with her younger twin siblings, in an apartment of a tourist resort in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve. Earlier this month, British forensics officers, the PJ and the GNR performed several searches with dogs, the focus being Praia da Luz and land at the entrance to the tourist resort of Aldeia da Luz. Altogether, an area of ​​about 60 thousand square metres was investigated, including electricity and gas ducts, sewage pipes and buildings in ruins, with the help of sniffer dogs and geo-radar.

Maddie suspects..The 8 secret links, 03 July 2014

Maddie suspects..The 8 secret links Daily Star (paper edition)   A gang of three suspects contacted each other EIGHT times as Madeleine McCann vanished, police have discovered. Detectives believe the men were deliberately targeting the McCann family and their holiday flat in Portugal. Full story: P7 ----------------- Online header:   Madeleine McCann suspects kept regular phone contact, police say Daily Star Three suspects were in phone contact with each other during Madeleine McCann's disappearance, police say. By Jerry Lawton / Published 3rd July 2014 Detectives believe they were targeting the family until the moment the alarm was raised about Madeleine vanishing. They have uncovered a series of eight calls and texts suggesting they were monitoring her parents, Kate and Gerry, before a raid on their apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May, 2007. Detectives are trying to discover if they intended to carry out a burglary or if they had a more sinister motive for watching the McCanns. The first call was placed by Suspect A, a 51-year-old heroin addict, to Suspect B, a beggar then aged just 16, at 12.08pm the day before Madeleine vanished. B then swapped four phone calls and texts with Suspect C, a 33-year-old ex-Ocean Club driver with convictions for theft, on May 3. The first was at 5.26pm, at the precise time when Madeleine was leaving the resort's crèche. A text message was exchanged at 9.25pm when two of the McCanns' holiday pals left their dinner in a tapas bar to check on the group's children who were asleep in the nearby apartments. The two suspects were in contact again at 9.38pm when one of the McCanns' pals Jane Tanner left the restaurant to check on her children. They were in touch again at 9.51pm as Madeleine's GP mum walked to her apartment to find her then three-year-old daughter missing. Later that evening, A made three calls from a public phone box in the resort to B. Police have still not traced a man seen carrying a sleeping blonde girl in pyjamas towards the resort's beach at 10pm. Yesterday Scotland Yard officers including Det Chief Insp Andy Redwood joined Portuguese detectives continuing to investigate the three men linked by the calls. Sources said suspicious hair had also been found that did not match Madeleine's DNA. According to Portuguese newspapers a request to obtain DNA and fingerprints from the three men was refused. They deny any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance and have answered more than 250 police questions. Yesterday Brit police sniffer dogs were brought in to examine the cars of suspects A and C. According to a Portuguese news­paper, thefts had tripled at the Ocean Club at the time Madeleine vanished. None of the men commented as they left a police station in Faro. A friend of Suspect A, whom a private detective hired by the McCanns said would "do anything for his next fix", insisted he was innocent. "He was indoors the night Madeleine disappeared," his pal said. "It's inhuman a sick man like him has been dragged before the police." A fourth suspect, a Russian, was also questioned. Yesterday police officers were quizzing eight people as witnesses.

Maddie sniffer dog bid, 03 July 2014

Maddie sniffer dog bid The Sun (paper edition, page 21) Suspect cars search By CHRIS POLLARD Thursday, July 3, 2014 SNIFFER dogs were last night set to sweep the cars of two suspects quizzed over missing Madeleine McCann. Cops hope to reveal fresh clues about what happened to the three year old. Madeleine vanished from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007. Four men have been quizzed this week in Faro as part of a massive new Metropolitan Police probe into the disappearance. The four have been given "arguido" status, making them formal suspects. South Wales Police dogs will search the cars of Jose Carlos Fernandes da Silva, an ex-worker at the resort where the McCanns were staying, and Paulo Ribeiro, who allegedly looks like a man seen near the apartment. The other two men are Russian Sergey Malinka, who was first questioned in 2007, and charity collector Ricardo Rodrigues, said to have exchanged emails and texts with Ribeiro. Each was asked a list of 253 questions including: "Did you kill Madeleine?" Portuguese police had stopped their search but are questioning the suspects on behalf of British cops.

Madeleine McCann officers 'will today use sniffer dogs to examine the cars of two official suspects quizzed this week', 03 July 2014

Madeleine McCann officers 'will today use sniffer dogs to examine the cars of two official suspects quizzed this week' Daily Mail South Wales police have sent two victim detection dogs to Portugal It is believed officers will use them to search cars of two official suspects Four persons of interest were quizzed in front of British police this week Sniffer dogs also searched waste ground near where Madeleine disappeared Police investigated three sites in Praia da Luz but found no new evidence By CHRIS PLEASANCE PUBLISHED: 09:20, 3 July 2014 | UPDATED: 10:00, 3 July 2014 Police sniffer dogs are being brought in to search the cars of two suspects questioned over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, it has been reported. South Wales police confirmed they have sent two victim detection dogs across to Portugal to help Metropolitan Police officers with their investigations. Four arguidos - or 'persons of interest' - were quizzed in Portugal on Tuesday as part of the latest stage of the Metropolitan Police’s multi-million-pound reinvestigation of the case.   Officers from Operation Grange are believed to be using sniffer dogs to search the cars of two suspects quizzed earlier this week (it is not known if the men pictured are the ones having their vehicles inspected) --------------------   Scotland Yard officers were present during the questioning of four men earlier this week at a police station in Faro (pictured) as part of a reinvestigation of Madeleine McCann's disappearance ---------------------   None of the suspects have been identified by police though three are believed to be Portuguese while another is originally from Russia ------------------------- The suspects are said to be three Portuguese nationals and Russian computer expert Sergey Malinka, whose Praia da Luz home was searched by police shortly after Madeleine went missing in May 2007. A spokesman for South Wales police told MailOnline: 'I can confirm that two South Wales Police specialist dog handlers, and victim detection dogs, have been deployed to assist with the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. 'The officers are working as part of a small team of team of British police officers, led by Metropolitan Police Service, in conjunction with the Portuguese authorities. 'They can be deployed in a wide a variety of locations such as buildings, open areas and vehicles.' According to the Daily Mirror, the animals will search cars belonging to two of the suspects being quizzed by officers from Operation Grange. The dogs, 7-year-old English Springer Spaniels named Tito and Muzzy, were used in the search for April Jones in 2012. The four men emerged as key suspects after analysis of mobile phone records suggested they were close to the scene of her disappearance when she went missing.   Madeleine, then aged three, went missing from the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz in May 2007 ----------------------------   Sniffer dogs were earlier used by officers to search waste ground near to the site where Madeleine vanished -------------------------- Officers from Operation Grange scoured three sites in Praia da Luz but found no new evidence ---------------------------- All of those being questioned are Portuguese citizens, while one is believed to be of Russian origin. They have all been summoned to be interviewed but there have been no arrests. In June, Portuguese and British police searched three sites in Praia da Luz but found no evidence relating to the case. Scotland Yard said at the time that 'more activity' had been agreed with Portuguese police and the searches were the 'first phase' of a major investigation. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Metropolitan Police inquiry, was among those present at the interviews earlier this week. The new round of questioning comes less than three weeks after police dug up waste land near the Ocean Club where the McCann family were staying at the time of their daughter's disappearance. Officers inspected sewers using a hi-tech camera over nearly a fortnight in a grim search for Madeleine's body. The search and this week's police quizzes have happened at the request by Operation Grange detectives leading the British hunt for Madeleine. Scotland Yard are working on the theory burglars killed Madeleine during a bungled break-in while her parents ate tapas nearby with friends - and then buried her body on waste ground in the resort.

Cops apparently have examined a car used by one of four suspects at the time Madeleine McCann vanished. Witnesses being quizzed, 03 July 2014

Cops apparently have examined a car used by one of four suspects at the time Madeleine McCann vanished. Witnesses being quizzed Martin Brunt - Twitter [Text version of above] 11:23 AM - 3 Jul 2014 martinbrunt ‏@skymartinbrunt #Madeleine Cops apparently have examined a car used by one of four suspects at the time Madeleine McCann vanished. Witnesses being quizzed

Still in the Maddie case, 03 July 2014

Still in the Maddie case Correio da Manhã (paper edition) The case reveals a good dose of subservience, with damages to our penal sovereignty. Opinion article by Rui Pereira 03.07.2014 With thanks to Astro for translation The Portuguese authorities – and especially the Polícia Judiciária – have been used and "abused", within international judiciary cooperation, to perform diligences that have been ordered by the British counterparts. From booked flights with Air Force helicopters (to spot, from up above, graves that were opened seven years ago) to the return of the famous sniffer dogs, passing through the questioning of "arguidos and witnesses", everything has been done to satisfy the pretensions of our oldest allies. Is such deference justified? The first question that occurs to me is simple: would the British police do the same under identical circumstances, obeying orders from the Portuguese authorities, to fulfil the principle of reciprocity that is consecrated in article 4 of Law 144/99? Of course not! It is necessary to keep in mind that the Portuguese law applies (the crime was committed on national territory) and that in Portugal a process with the same purpose is ongoing – in fact, it was reopened under article 279 of the Penal Process Code, because "new evidence" appeared. Here lies the nonsense of the situation in its entire splendour: in Portugal, a criminal investigation is open with the same purpose, but our authorities work, in "outsourcing" mode and exclusively, for the "competing" investigation from another country. Precisely to avoid this type of paradox, article 18 of Law 144/99 authorises the refusal of cooperation when the fact that prompts it is subject to an open investigation in Portugal. In any case, if the investigation hadn't been reopened in our country, the cooperation would be impossible, under article 8 of the same Law. This legal impossibility leads us to one final, quite uncomfortable question: given that international judiciary cooperation is impossible when there has been an absolving sentence or an archiving, is it possible that the reopening of the process had the only (deviating) purpose of rendering cooperation viable and placing the Portuguese police at the British authorities' "service"? If this is the case, then the process was "manipulated". Nevertheless, without making conjectures, we can conclude that the case reveals a good dose of subservience, with damages to our penal sovereignty.

Madeleine latest: British police "back to where they were seven years ago", 03 July 2014

Madeleine latest: British police "back to where they were seven years ago" Portugal Resident By NATASHA DONN Posted on July 03, 2014 British police are said to be "near the end" of their latest efforts ongoing in Faro to uncover the truth behind Madeleine McCann's disappearance. And this end, like all the others, seems to have brought them right back to the beginning. "We're back to where we were seven years ago," a police source is quoted by British tabloid the Daily Mirror. The various "arguidos" (suspects) and witnesses interviewed over the last couple of days have not, apparently, revealed any new evidence - and have certainly not in any way corroborated the Metropolitan Police theory that Madeleine was taken in a botched burglary and then murdered, with her body buried close to the apartment in Praia da Luz from which she disappeared on May 3, 2007. As commentators point out, it is almost too much to expect that anyone who was involved in the child's disappearance would have stayed in the area for seven long years. Less likely even that they would have kept hold of any vehicle used to transport a dead body. But if newspapers are to be believed, the arrival on Tuesday of Welsh sniffer dogs was designed to give the suspects' cars a thorough sniffing. SIC TV news carries a short report today showing Met officers walking through the streets of Faro with their packed lunches in plastic bags on Wednesday, and reports that the British diligences took much less time than they had expected. Almost the entire 10-man team was reported to have returned to their hotel, with some officers already said to have returned to UK. The time allowed for this latest stage of the long-running Met investigation, which has so far spent at least €7 million, runs out tomorrow, and it is understood that a bid to get DNA from all four "arguidos" to match it with hairs found in the McCanns' holiday apartment has run aground as it did not satisfy the requirements of Portuguese law. According to the Daily Mirror, Portuguese police "rejected the request because it had not been sanctioned by a judge". Judicial issues were highlighted in Portugal's popular tabloid, Correio da Manhã, today which claimed that the country's authorities have been "used and abused" by British police. "From chartered Air Force helicopter flights (to unveil graves dug seven years ago) to the return of the famous sniffer dogs and interrogation of 'arguidos' and witnesses... Can this all be justified?" queries university professor Rui Pereira, who adds that it is almost impossible to believe that the British police would do the same for Portuguese counterparts if the situation was reversed. Pereira concluded that the whole case "shows a large dose of subservience" on the part of Portuguese authorities, with resulting "damage to our penal sovereignty". And as the Daily Mirror points out: A Portuguese source close to the investigation has claimed the interviews have produced no new leads. He added: "We're back where we were seven years ago."

Inquiries reveal nothing, 03 July 2014

Inquiries reveal nothing tvi24 (video) 03 July 2014 In the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the questionings to suspects and witnesses did not produce any results. The car of a relative of one of the arguidos was inspected by the sniffer dogs but nothing was found. -------------------- Transcript With thanks to Joana Morais for translation/transcript Marisa Rodrigues [Voice Over] - The sniffer dogs were used in an inspection to a car of a close relative of Sergey Malika, one of the arguidos, since the car that he owned at the time of the child's disappearance was set ablaze. No relevant indicia were found to the English investigation. This morning, Scotland Yard returned to the PJ headquarters in Faro for more witness questionings. The proceedings are practically concluded, but so far, and despite the new developments, it is still unknown what happened to Madeleine McCann. An investigation that has four arguidos, four men all residents in Praia da Luz. The most well-known is Sergey Malinka previously investigated and cleared within the Portuguese process, who is now considered a suspect, mainly because hairs were found in a sofa similar to the ones that were discovered in the apartment from where Madeleine disappeared. Vestiges that were forensically examined at the time, whose results did not enable the identification of whom they belonged to, nor if they belonged to the same person or not. The other three arguidos are a man that suffers from schizophrenia, a former Ocean Club driver and a young man, who was only 16 years old at the time, the latter similar to a beggar who was allegedly seen in Praia da Luz. And these were the trump cars that Scotland Yard played in the letter rogatory to support the theory that these suspects planned via mobile phones to burglarize the apartment, Madeleine woke up and with the fear that she would recognize them later on, they murdered her and concealed her body. Marisa Rodrigues [in Faro] - An hypothesis that the Judiciary Police totally dismisses. The Portuguese PJ inspectors have nothing whatsoever to do with these proceedings, they are only fulfilling the requests of the letter rogatory because the Portuguese Public Ministry has ordered them do so. Image by Jorge Belo, Marisa Rodrigues, TVI.

Maddie Case: Car of Malinka's family member searched by two sniffer dogs, 03 July 2014

Maddie Case: Car of Malinka's family member searched by two sniffer dogs Jornal de Notícias (paper edition, page 13)   The same sniffer dogs that were used a month ago in Praia da Luz searches were brought to Portugal again | Photo by Roland Leon By Marisa Rodrigues 03 July 2014 With thanks to Joana Morais for translation The car of a relative of Sergey Malinka, one of the arguidos in the English police investigation, was inspected yesterday by sniffer dogs. The inspection took place at the Judiciary Police premises in Portimão, and it was done to verify if the car had been used to carry the body of Madeleine McCann. JN knows that nothing relevant was found. The owner is one of the 11 witnesses indicated by Scotland Yard and has already given statements at the Judiciary Police headquarters in Faro, yesterday. The Audi that Sergey, of Russian descent and now naturalized as Portuguese, drove in 2007 was set on fire, at a time when he was being investigated. At the site of the arson the word "Fala" [Speak] was written. This is one of the arguments used by Scotland Yard to constitute him as an arguido. The proceedings were practically concluded at the end of day, with some elements of the British delegation returning ahead of schedule to the UK. On Tuesday four men were constituted as arguidos. JN found out that one of the man that has agreed to answer to the more than 200 questions was José Carlos da Silva, the former Ocean Club driver, who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour. He didn't follow his doctor and his lawyer advice and decided to speak up to refute the accusations. He is a suspect in the English investigation, along with the other arguidos - a 51 year old man and a young man who was at the time 16 years old, who looked like a "beggar" spotted near the Ocean Club - of having planned to burgle the apartment where the McCanns were staying. Maddie would have surprised them and been killed for that same reason.

The last witnesses in the Maddie case were already questioned, 03 July 2014

The last witnesses in the Maddie case were already questioned SIC (video) Broadcast by SIC, July 3, 2014 at 8 pm Transcript With thanks to Joana Morais for transcript/translation SIC journalist - On the third day of the proceedings and on the eve of their return home, the British inspectors left the Judiciary Police premises of Faro without making any statement regarding this new stage of their investigation. Cut to DCI Andy Redwood walking and an English journalist keeping up pace with him Unknown English journalist - "Sorry, your departure is linked to my departure, I hope it will be quite soon. Can you give us any guidance at all?" DCI Andy Redwood - "I can't sorry, sorry." Unknown English journalist - "Okay. That's alright." SIC journalist - Without ever explaining publicly, while in Portugal, the line of investigation of the British police, Andrew Redwood has however followed every step of the proceedings taking place in the Algarve that were requested within the scope of the Madeleine McCann case. This Thursday morning, while half of the British team remained at the hotel in the Vale do Lobo area, five Scotland Yard officers including the coordinator of the investigation [Andy Redwood] - who should retire this year - returned to the Judiciary Police headquarters to hear the last witnesses of a group of eleven people, considered as of interest to the investigation. Seven years later after the disappearance of the little girl, neither the witnesses inquiries nor the questionings to the four arguidos have produced any significant results. The same is applied to the searches that took place on Wednesday to the car of the mother [other media reports spoke of the father] of the arguido Sergey Malinka. A car that the British authorities wished to inspect in the eventuality of finding vestiges of Maddie. It remains to be confirmed if further investigative efforts will take place, such as an inspection to the premises of a commercial business where someone has allegedly seen a man entering with a child similar to Madeleine at the time of the disappearance. An investigative step that could be done without a judicial search warrant if the owners would authorize it. Half of the Metropolitan police team returned home by the end of the afternoon. The coordinator Andrew Redwood didn't embark on the flight to London. The green light given to the Scotland Yard investigation in Portugal ends this Friday.

Arguidos answered to 250 questions, 03 July 2014

Arguidos answered to 250 questions tvi24 (with video) Scotland Yard holds on to burglary thesis but the new investigative efforts came to nothing and so far there has been no arrests By MR/CF | 2014-07-03 20:57 With thanks to Joana Morais for translation   The new investigative efforts of the British police to find out what happened to Maddie McCann continue in Faro. Four arguidos and eleven witnesses have been questioned within the scope of Scotland Yard's investigation. TVI know that the arguidos have agreed to speak up in order to refute the suspicions of being involved in the child's disappearance. They have answered to more than 250 questions. Among these, they were asked if they had murdered the child or if they had burgled the apartment. Until now, nothing relevant resulted from this new stage of the Scotland Yard investigation nor there has been any arrests. As to the sniffer dogs that came from the United Kingdom, they were used in an inspection to a car owned by a relative of one of the arguidos, without success. Madeleine McCann disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, seven years ago, just a few days before her fourth birthday. -------------------- Transcript With thanks to Joana Morais for transcript/translation Marisa Rodrigues [Voice Over] - After the disappointment of the searches and the excavations in terrains in Praia da Luz, Scotland Yard had invested heavily on the questionings of the four arguidos. All of them faced over 250 questions: - "Did you murder the child?" and "Did you burgle the apartment?" were some of the questions that were on the list. The arguidos agreed to talk in order to make it clear that they had nothing whatsoever to do with the disappearance of the child, a conviction, which in any case, is shared by the Judiciary Police who do not consider these men as suspects. No arrests were made as a result of the questionings, nor has anything significant come out of the investigative steps for the British investigation. The same happened with the eleven witnesses the PJ started to question on Wednesday in Faro. It is known that the sniffer dogs that were brought from the United Kingdom were used at least in one inspection to a vehicle that belongs to a close relative of one of the arguidos, Sergey Malinka. Another investigative step without any results. The thesis that motivated the return of Scotland Yard to the Algarve is that the arguidos planned to assault the Ocean Club apartment and would have murdered the child. What happened to Madeleine McCann? To this question, none of the ongoing investigations, the Portuguese and the British, was able to provide an answer. The child disappeared seven years and two months ago. Could this be a perfect crime? ------------------------- Screenshots

Madeleine McCann UK cops slammed by Portuguese politician for ''using and abusing'' his officers, 03 July 2014

Madeleine McCann UK cops slammed by Portuguese politician for ''using and abusing'' his officers Daily Mirror Jul 03, 2014 21:24 | By Paul Byrne Former Portuguese Home Secretary Riu Pereira claimed Portuguese authorities have been 'subservient' to the UK   Long search: Maddie's parents Gerry and Kate are desperate to find out what happened to her A former Portuguese Home Secretary has launched an astonishing attack on the UK police hunt for Madeleine McCann. He claimed Portuguese police had been "used and abused" and ordered to work for the British. His incredible outburst came as Scotland Yard detectives wound up the latest phase of their £5million probe into the little girl's disappearance. Four suspects and 11 witnesses have been quizzed this week by Portuguese police in Faro, watched over by the Met team from Operation Grange. Specialist sniffer dogs from south Wales have also searched cars linked to the investigation. Sources on the Algarve say the four-day operation has failed to produce new leads. And now former government minister Riu Pereira has blasted the operation, calling it 'absurd' and claiming Portuguese authorities have been 'subservient' to the UK. He said his country's police officers had been used as "outsource workers". View Gallery In a newspaper column on Thursday he wrote: "The Portuguese authorities, especially the Policia Judiciaria, have been used and abused in the ambit of international judicial cooperation, to carry out work ordered by their British counterparts." He added: "From chartered Air Force helicopter flights, to search from above for holes opened seven years ago, to the return of the famous sniffer dogs, as well as quizzes of 'suspects and witnesses', everything has been done to satisfy the aims of our oldest allies. Is such deference justified?" He asked: "The first question that occurs to me is simple. Would the British police do the same in identical circumstances?" Before adding: "Of course not." He said Portuguese police were capable of conducting their own inquiry. "This, therefore, is the the absurdity of the situation in all its splendour. In Portugal there's a criminal investigation with the same objective, but our authorities are working, as exclusive outsource workers, for another country's ongoing investigation." And he added: "Could it be that the reopening of the case in Portugal was simply designed to facilitate the cooperation of Portuguese police at the service of British police. "If that is true, then there was 'manipulation' of the case. We can conclude, without making conjectures, that it reveals a good helping of subservience which prejudices our national sovereignty as a penal state." The article in Portuguese daily newspaper Correio da Manha by the former minister, who is now a university lecturer, followed claims by a source close to the investigation that this week's four day operation in Faro had failed to produce a new lead. He said: "We're back where we were seven years ago." All four men who were interviewed this week are being treated as "persons of special interest" or arguidos. They were invited to be interviewed but there have been no arrests. Among those quizzed is a man whose car was torched near his flat nearly a year after Madeleine went missing just before her fourth birthday in May 2007. Police have also searched at least one of the suspect's homes. It is understood the four men were each asked more than 250 questions, which were drawn up by the the Met officers. They were quizzed about their movements, phone calls and text messages on the night Madeleine vanished at Praia da Luz in May 2007. The UK's Operation Grange team of up to a dozen officers is being led by Det Chief Insp Andy Redwood. They are expected to return to Portugal later in the summer to resume their investigation. Last month three areas of scrubland close to the holiday resort where the McCann family were staying were searched. Further searches have not been ruled out. Operation Grange detectives believe burglars killed Madeleine during a bungled break-in at her family's holiday apartment and buried her body nearby.

Going through the motions, 03 July 2014

Going through the motions Unterdenteppichgekehrt By Johanna 3 July 2014 at 13:03 My take on the Arguidos and the alleged evidence based on the report by Marisa Rodrigues from JN to which I would like to express a very special thanks for a professional reporting. 1. S.M. 1.1. The sofa The alleged similarity between hairs found on the discarded sofa and in Apartment 5A is only theoretical. Since no DNA had been obtained in 2007 from S.M. the only comparison that could be done in the Lisbon lab was to extract and analyse the MtDNA from the hairs and place them in the relevant Haplotype groups. Haplotype X - apart. Ocean Club e sofa of 1-seat in the garage in Portimao Haplotype Y - apart. Ocean Club e sofa of 1-seat in the garage in Portimao Haplotype Z - Residencia Liliana e sofa of 1-seat in the garage in Portimao But since there are only a certain number of haplotypes it is of absolute no relevance if the same haplotype is found in two different spots. There was also a similarity of hairs in a completely unrelated apartment in Burgau and Apartment 5A. And if my hair was tested I am sure my haplotype would fit one of the hairs found in 5A as well. 1.2. The hearsay The statement concerning the alleged overheard conversation regarding a body that had to be disposed of was neither made to the PJ nor is it part of the original rogatory process and can therefore only have been made to one of the McCann's private investigators. How much credibility does this have if it was the then suspects PI's that "unearthed" this statement? The credibility of Metodo 3 (and I suspect it was them) has been at it's height when they promised Maddie to be back by Christmas and has since lost considerably... 1.3. The arson This was a crime directed at the Arguido, the burning of his car and the framing of him. Wouldn't it be a good idea to try and find out who did it and why, instead of turning the victim of a crime into a suspect of another crime because he had been a victim in the first place? Do we have to point out that this crime was committed during the reign of Metodo 3? 2. J.S. 2.1 The burglarizer In the list of employees of the Ocean Club there is the word "furto" attached to the Arguido's name, written by the PJ investigation which means "theft". But so it is with 2 other persons that are not being targeted by Scotland Yard. Of course it is normal that people that have been charged previously with some kind of offence should be investigated, but this had obviously been done by the PJ who came up with no connection. We should not forget that NOTHING was taken from 5A exept the body of a little girl. 2.2 The phonecalls The only phonecall relating to J.S. in the released PJ files is to the number allegedly belonging to R.R. at 21:51. Nothing else. 2.4. The residence J.S. lives in Edificio Luztur in Rua Primero do Maio. The Smith sighting was in Rua 25 de Abril roughly 350 metre away, in no way a suspicious distance in such a small town if you live in the centre and not in some ex-pat area. 2.5. The e-fit The person who allegedly helped to draw up this e-fit was 60-80% convinced that it had been Gerry McCann who he had seen. The fact that the e-fit had been hidden by the McCanns for years and the sighting covered-up weighs heavy against the possible similarity of somebody's face to an e-fit done by private investigators of the then suspects. 3. P.R. Acting strangely might be excused when you are suffering from schizophrenia. Apart from that we have the same MO of the then accused's PI's contacting witnesses and getting e-fits done. Not in any way an independent source. Phonecalls are not in the files 4. R.R. Having been only 16 years at the time of the "disappearance" he is supposed to fit the description of a witness who described a man 18-20 years of age as being a charity collector, which in itself is not a crime, at least not outside the Metodo world. This and the one phonecall that can be found in the files should be sufficient to drag this young man in front of the vicious british media? I think not. The whole "request" is in my opinion copied straight from a report of Metodo 3 that Scotland Yard found in the boxes they collected from their offices during a raid in Barcelona some years ago. Which leaves a couple of questions: Why was it approved by the Portuguese judiciary? And what was the purpose of this action? To prepare for shelving the case again, because no patsy will ever be found after this latest farce? Or to refute even the most ludicrous scenarios that entered the process when they were found inside the boxes of Metodo 3 and therefore have to be dealt with?

Scotland Yard returns home without news in the Maddie case, 03 July 2014

Scotland Yard returns home without news in the Maddie case Renascença (with video) Over three days, 15 persons were heard. As far as Renascença was able to establish, the British didn't find anything that the Portuguese investigation line hadn't eliminated already. 03-07-2014 22:30 by Liliana Monteiro With thanks to Astro for translation Scotland Yard has already packed their suitcases to return to England. The interrogations that had been requested by letter rogatory to the Portuguese authorities, concerning the Madeleine McCann case, have already ended. Over three days, 15 persons (11 witnesses and four arguidos, the suspects that had been pointed out by the British) were heard in Faro. The letter rogatory that had been sent to Portugal was fulfilled this Thursday and will now be returned. Returning home, Scotland Yard take the information that was collected during the interrogations and the questioning that was led by the Polícia Judiciária. As far as Renascença was able to establish, nothing new was found, nothing that the Portuguese investigation line hadn't already studied and eliminated during the investigation that took place in our country and ended with a shelving of the case. Now all that is left is waiting to find out what the English authorities will conclude from all this work, after counting on the cooperation from Portugal, that gave a positive response to the terrain searches and the interrogations, but always stood aside from the theories that are defended by the English. In our country, only the Portuguese case investigation, meanwhile reopened, goes on, an investigation that evolves step by step and apart from the events that took place in Faro over the last few days.

Portugal MP: Hunt for Maddie 'absurd', 04 July 2014

Portugal MP: Hunt for Maddie 'absurd' The Sun (paper edition, page 6) By CHRIS POLLARD in Faro, Portugal Friday, July 4, 2014 PORTUGAL'S former Home Secretary last night branded the British police hunt for Madeleine McCann "absurd". Rui Pereira accused Scotland Yard of "using and abusing" Portuguese hospitality - and "manipulating" local detectives into re-opening the case. He also blasted his own country's "subservience" in co-operating with the £5million new probe into the youngster's disappearance - doubting Britain would help Portugal in the same way. In respected journal Correio da Manha, Pereira wrote: "Would the British police do the same in identical circumstances, working at full speed for the Portuguese? Of course not. "This is the absurdity of the situation in all its splendour. Our authorities are working as exclusive outsource workers for another country." Met Police officers this week quizzed four suspects in Operation Grange - the new probe into Madeleine's disappearance. She was three when she vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in 2007. Ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral called the new hunt "irrelevant". Some of the 12-strong UK team jetted home from Faro yesterday. The rest are due back today.

Madeleine McCann suspect's car found BURNT OUT with 'TALK' scrawled beside it, 04 July 2014

Madeleine McCann suspect's car found BURNT OUT with 'TALK' scrawled beside it Daily Star A CAR belonging to a Madeleine McCann suspect was found burnt out. By Jerry Lawton / Published 4th July 2014 The word "talk" was scrawled next to it. Police want to explore the theory that whoever set light to the Audi suspected its owner was withholding information about Madeleine. The arson attack happened a year after Madeleine vanished from her parents' holiday apartment in Portugal in May 2007. It is why Brit detectives had the man declared an arguido – formal suspect – and spent a day quizzing him earlier this week. Sniffer dogs examined a vehicle associated with him to try to find out whether it was used to move the youngster's body. But they did not pick up any scent, according to Portuguese police sources. The man is one of 11 pulled in for questioning. A Portuguese TV channel said the interviews with suspects and witnesses had finished earlier than expected and the Scotland Yard team is set to fly back to the UK later today. Last night it emerged the 12-strong Met team, led by Det Chief Insp Andy Redwood, has been staying at the five-star Ria Park Hotel & Spa, 24km from Faro police station where the suspects were interviewed. The £180-a-night hotel is on the trendy Vale do Lobo resort where England's footballers stayed while preparing for the World Cup. A source close to the Portuguese police said: "There are two very nice four-star hotels a stone's throw from Faro police station which would have been ideal. "For whatever reason the British officers chose not to stay there. Luckily it's the British taxpayer that is paying for these hotels not the Portuguese."

'Did you Murder Madeleine? Did you hide her body?', 04 July 2014

'Did you Murder Madeleine? Did you hide her body?' Jornal de Notícias (paper edition, page 40) R to L: DCI Andy Redwood, in charge of Scotland Yard's investigation and the head of the Policia Judiciaria in the Algarve, Luís Mota Carmo, after a search last month Arguidos were confronted with direct questions about the crime and all of them refuted it by Marisa Rodrigues 04 July 2014 With thanks to Joana Morais for translation "Did you murder Madeleine? Did you hide her body? Did you assault the apartment?". These were some of the questions put to the four men constituted as arguidos [formal suspects] at the behest of the Scotland Yard. They have all agreed to answer them to refute their involvement in the child's disappearance. The police interrogations did not result in arrests nor in information that would allow to support the English thesis that the girl was killed for allegedly having surprised burglars in the apartment where the parents left her alone with her twin siblings to go out and dine with friends. The same happened with the inquiries to the 11 witnesses that went on yesterday at the Judiciary Police(PJ) headquarters in Faro. A PJ source considers "inconceivable" the thesis that people with "humble and poor financial resources" would be able to keep a secret for seven years and recalls the big rewards that were offered to anyone who had information. "It would be far too tempting for some of them, at least for those who would have played a smaller role in the crime, such as monitoring the street, to contact the authorities or even the British newspapers to denounce the others", he added. These men are regarded as suspects only in the Scotland Yard investigation. The PJ has no doubts that they had no involvement in the case. However, it was the duty of the Portuguese inspectors to constitute them as arguidos, as ordered by the Public Ministry, since the British authorities classified them as "suspects" in a letter rogatory of July last year. The acceptance of the constitution of arguido was also motivated by the wording of the questions and also so the suspects could defend themselves. One of the arguidos is Sergey Malinka because hairs were found similar to the ones that were discovered in the McCann's apartment. The others are José Carlos da Silva, a former Ocean Club driver, a 51-year-old man, who is schizophrenic and a young man who was at the time 16 years old, who is similar to a "beggar" spotted near the Ocean Club.

Back to square one, 04 July 2014

Back to square one The Portugal News BY BRENDAN DE BEER · 03-07-2014 14:43:00 After eight days of scrubland searches in Praia da Luz, British detectives admitted upon their return to the UK that "no evidence relating to Madeleine McCann had been identified.” With questioning in the Faro's Polícia Judiciária police headquarters having drawn to a close, sources close to the case told The Portugal News: "Unfortunately we are nowhere nearer to solving the case than we were seven years ago" though it appears the investigation is far from over.   Sources explained this week that no new operations have been scheduled in the search for Madeleine McCann. This comes after the largest ever overseas deployment undertaken by British police last month in Praia da Luz, followed by a series of interviews conducted in Faro this week. But British police did indicate that new lines of inquiry could be pursued in the coming months. Metropolitan Police said in June that in addition to the activities which have now taken place "further requests are being compiled and will be submitted in due course." British police further explained that there was still "a substantial amount of work yet to be completed in the coming months." To date, Portuguese authorities have received four International Letters of Request. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Portuguese detectives posed a series of questions to four suspects and 11 witnesses at the request of Scotland Yard, with British detectives sitting in during these interviews. The stepfather of one of the suspects told reporters outside the police station his stepson had been faced with a total of 253 questions. All 15 persons of interest left the Faro PJ headquarters without any charges or restrictions being placed upon them. British police also brought two tracker dogs to Portugal, which sources close to the case had told The Portugal News could possibly be used in the search of a specific car, but this line of inquiry did not materialise. Following the questioning which took place in Faro this week, the Attorney-General's office in Lisbon sent a statement to The Portugal News reiterating the country's strict secrecy laws which govern ongoing investigations. "In the context of judicial cooperation requested by the English authorities, the investigation has been pursued as planned according to the respective responsible parties. We reaffirm that the content of the requests made by the British authorities is confidential and the Attorney General's Office will not make any comments on the matter" the statement read. Faro PJ police director Mota Carmo was not present at any stage during this latest phase of the investigation, police sources confirmed. Questioned over whether relations between the two police forces have become strained over the past few months, sources here said: "Portuguese police have provided total support of British detectives as is requested by law and will continue to do so in the future." ---------------- Back to square one The Portugal News Front page: 05 July 2014 | Edition 1276 Madeleine - Interviews of suspects and witnesses fail to produce new leads A photo taken outside the apartment from where Madeleine McCann went missing on 4 May 2014. More than seven years later, exhaustive work by both Portuguese and British police has so far failed to explain her disappearance while speculation is as rife as ever.

Madeleine McCann cops to send sniffer dogs into shop where suspect was seen with child, 04 July 2014

Madeleine McCann cops to send sniffer dogs into shop where suspect was seen with child Daily Mirror Jul 04, 2014 12:14 | By Paul Byrne Detectives are prepared to fight for a Portuguese court order which would allow them to sweep the building for clues British cops searching for Madeleine McCann are set to send sniffer dogs into a shop where a suspect was seen with a young child on the night the three-year-old vanished. And detectives are prepared to fight for a Portuguese court order which would allow them to sweep the building for clues. But Met officers in the Algarve hope the business owner will open his doors to their search dogs, rather than launch a long court battle. There were a number of sightings of a man seen carrying a child towards the beach away from the holiday apartments were Madeleine's family were staying in Praia da Luz in 2007. Now detectives are looking at a particular building, believed to be along the same route, where a new witness has said they saw a suspect going inside with a girl. It is understood the new information has been gathered by detectives working on Operation Grange, the UK probe into Madeleine's disappearance. The exact location and nature of the shop business has not been revealed. But up to a dozen UK officers from Operation Grange are still in Portugal today, together with two sniffer dogs. The team arrived early today at the Portuguese police headquarters in Faro where it is understood they are discussing the next stage of their investigation with local detectives. Portuguese TV station SIC broke the news of the shop search. Their report said: "Other work is still to be confirmed, including searches in a commercial premises in Praia da Luz where someone is said to have seen a man with a child similar to Madeleine entering around the time of her disappearance,  a procedure which may require judicial authorisation unless approved by the owner of the premises." UK police have been in Portugal since Tuesday, helping with the interviews of four suspects and 11 witnesses. They have all denied any involvement. Portuguese police are convinced the men are innocent. And today the Mirror told how Portugal's former Home Secretary launched an astonishing attack on the UK police hunt for Madeleine McCann. Rui Pereira claimed Portuguese police had been "used and abused" and ordered to work for the British. He has blasted the operation, calling it 'absurd' and claiming Portuguese authorities have been 'subservient' to the UK. And he said his country's police officers had been used as "outsource workers". A Portuguese source close to the investigation has also claimed that this week’s operation had taken the investigation no further forward. He said: "We're back where we were seven years ago." All four men who were interviewed this week are being treated as "persons of special interest" or arguidos. They were invited to be interviewed but there have been no arrests. Last month UK police with sniffer dogs searched three areas of scrubland close to where Madeleine was last seen.

Met Police to send sniffer dogs to shop where man with Madeleine McCann lookalike was seen, 04 July 2014

Met Police to send sniffer dogs to shop where man with Madeleine McCann lookalike was seen Daily Express SCOTLAND Yard detectives want to send sniffer dogs into a shop where a man with a Madeleine McCann lookalike was seen around the time she vanished. By: Gerard Couzens Published: Fri, July 4, 2014 They are seeking permission to search the premises near the spot where Irish holidaymakers saw a man carrying a sleeping child as Madeleine's mum raised the alarm. British Police say the new witness claims to have seen the mystery man enter the shop in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz with a youngster who looked like the missing girl. A judge will have to sanction the search if its owner refuses to cooperate. The shop is thought to lie near the spot Irishman Martin Smith and his family saw a child in a man's arms 500 yards from where Madeleine vanished around 10pm on May 3 2007. Police say the blonde-haired girl could have been wearing pyjamas. Most of the four suspects quizzed earlier this week are understood to have lived in the same area at the time. British police are working on a number of theories over Madeleine's disappearance - one possible line is that she was killed during a bungled-break in at the McCanns' Ocean Club holiday apartment by a gang of thieves who then buried her on waste ground near the scene. Around a dozen Scotland Yard officers returned for a fourth day today to Faro police station where they have been assisting Portuguese police quizzes of new suspects and witnesses. Officers fired off more than 250 questions at the four suspects, who include a 51-year-old heroin addict and 38-year-old ex Ocean Club worker. They asked them: "Did you kill Madeleine?", and "Did You Hide Her Body?" Afterwards two South Wales sniffer dogs similar to ones employed in ground searches in Praia da Luz last month swept one suspect's mum's car for any evidence Madeleine had been in it. No evidence linking the vehicle to Madeleine was found and the police quizzes are not thought to have yielded any bombshell information. All four suspects denied any involvement in her disappearance. Portuguese police sources said today they had no doubt the four men Scotland Yard suspects, could have kept such a grim secret for seven years if they were guilty. One source told respected Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias it was "inconceivable humble people with limited financial resources could keep quiet" so long. He added: "It would have been tempting for some of them, especially those with minor roles like acting as lookouts, to contact the authorities and even the British papers and rat on the others." TV channel SIC said a shop search in Praia da Luz could only take place with a judge's authorisation if the owner refused to play ball.

Cash strapped Maddy suspects 'would have grassed', 05 July 2014

Cash strapped Maddy suspects 'would have grassed' Daily Star THE gang accused of killing Madeleine McCann must be innocent because they would have snitched on each other to pocket the reward. By Jerry Lawton / Published 5th July 2014 At least one of the "skint" men would have broken ranks, Portuguese police believe. One was a heroin addict, the second a 16-year-old beggar and the third a driver who police believe organised thefts from apartments in Praia da Luz where the McCanns stayed. Police and UK newspapers offered rewards totalling more than £2.5million for information that cracked the case. Yet in the seven years since no-one has come forward to claim the cash. A Portuguese police source said it was "inconceivable that humble people with limited financial resources could keep quiet" for so long. UK detectives believe Madeleine was killed during a bungled break-in at the McCanns' apartment in May 2007 by a gang of thieves who then buried her on wasteground near the scene. The three suspects denied all knowledge of Madeleine's fate when quizzed by British detectives this week.

Just 875 yards from where Madeleine McCann disappeared – an abandoned well that police failed to search, 05 July 2014

Just 875 yards from where Madeleine McCann disappeared – an abandoned well that police failed to search Mail on Sunday Ex-Scotland Yard detective urges police to search scrubland used by gypsies Hidden from the nearby road, the well drops 30ft down to 12ft-deep water Mail on Sunday revealed a prime suspect may have worked at a water treatment plant just 220 yards from the well By ANDREW YOUNG IN PRAIA DA LUZ, PORTUGAL PUBLISHED: 22:01, 5 July 2014 | UPDATED: 01:55, 6 July 2014 A former Scotland Yard commander has urged British police to search an abandoned well just 875 yards from the apartment where Madeleine McCann vanished. The Mail on Sunday has established that the uncovered shaft is on scrubland used as a campsite by Roma gipsies – and has been overlooked by Portuguese police. Hidden from the nearby road, the well drops 30ft down to 12ft-deep water. 'It is clearly known to locals and possibly to local criminals as a place to discard evidence from petty crime, such as handbags and other unwanted stolen items,' said Roy Ramm, who served 27 years with the Metropolitan Police force and, as Commander of Specialist Operations, dealt with serious crime, from murder to rape and human trafficking. He added: 'Whoever abducted Madeleine knew the local streets, alleyways and scrubland and used that knowledge to avoid detection.' Three years ago British police began a new investigation into the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine – the daughter of Kate and Gerry McCann – who vanished from their holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007. Met officers recently searched scrubland near the resort, but they have not examined the well. Local authorities only allowed British police to check areas where ground anomalies picked up by aerial surveys might indicate a grave site. Location: An aerial photograph showing the McCanns' apartment in Praia da Luz, the abandoned well and the search area, which does not include the well ----------------- Mr Ramm said: 'If this had been a Yard-led inquiry from the outset, there is no doubt that the search would have been wider and more effective than that conducted by the Portuguese police. 'The well would have been searched thoroughly at the time, probably by using divers to get to the bottom of this very difficult and dangerous shaft.' Mr Ramm added: 'The Portuguese authorities have come a long way in letting the Yard conduct any inquiries, but they need now to take the final step and ensure the Yard team can conduct a really thorough search wherever they want. And in my experience that should include the well.' Both Scotland Yard and the Portuguese police declined to discuss whether the well had featured in their investigations. Local residents said they could not recall ever seeing any police activity in its vicinity. From where Madeleine was snatched, her abductor could reach the well by walking 400 yards through empty back streets, climbing a low metal gate and continuing the rest of the way over scrubland. The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that a prime suspect may have worked at a water treatment plant just 220 yards from the well. Heroin addict Euclides Monteiro, who died in 2009, was suspected of kidnapping Madeleine in a botched burglary after mobile phone records placed him near the McCanns' apartment when she disappeared. Last Tuesday, at the request of British officers, local police quizzed four Portuguese suspects – including Russian-born Sergey Malinka, 29, who was questioned as a witness in 2007. British police sat in on interviews, but sources suggest they led to no new developments. The well is on land owned by two wealthy British property developers, who were unaware of its existence until The Mail on Sunday contacted them last week. The plot includes a derelict farmhouse surrounded by rubble and litter, including a pile of English paperback novels. An old mattress inside the tumbledown building suggests someone once slept there. One of the owners, who asked not to be identified, said: 'If they want to search on the land we have got no problem with it. We are not going to stand in anyone's way, but no one has contacted us.' The McCanns' spokesman said yesterday: 'Kate and Gerry continue to have full confidence in the work being carried out by the Met Police but will not comment on it.'

Show some concern for Maddie, 06 July 2014

Show some concern for Maddie The Sun on Sunday (paper edition, page 13) Tony Parsons Sunday, July 6, 2014 PORTUGAL'S former Home Secretary, Rui Pereira, says it is "absurd" that Scotland Yard detectives are using Portuguese resources in their search for Madeleine McCann. No, what's absurd is that a senior politician can't show some respect, restraint and human compassion when talking about a little girl who was stolen in HIS country. Creep.

Maddie McCann: Former Brit cop pleads for team to search abandoned well, 06 July 2014

Maddie McCann: Former Brit cop pleads for team to search abandoned well Daily Mirror Jul 06, 2014 15:35 | By Paul Byrne The uncovered shaft is on scrubland close to the Ocean Club complex she was staying in with her parents in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz Search: Cop has called for officers to look into a well A former Met Police top cop today urged British police looking into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann to search an abandoned well. The uncovered shaft is on scrubland less than 1,000 yards from the Ocean Club complex she was staying in with her parents in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz. Ex-Scotland Yard commander Roy Ramm served 27 years with the Metropolitan Police and was Commander of Specialist Operations, dealing with serious crime. He said yesterday: "Whoever abducted Madeleine knew the local streets, alleyways and scrubland and used that knowledge to avoid detection." Met officers have searched nearby scrubland, but not the deep well. Madeleine was almost four when she disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3 2007 as her parents Kate and Gerry dined at a nearby restaurant with friends. The Operation Grange team, led by Det Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, are expected to return to Portugal in the coming weeks. It is believed they want to send sniffer dogs into a shop where a suspect was seen with a young child on the night Madeleine vanished. Apartment: The 'Ocean Club Apartments complex,' showing apartment 5A, where Kate and Gerry McCann stayed in May 2007 Ex government minister Rui Pereira last week claimed Portuguese police had been "used and abused" and ordered to work for the British cops. He has blasted the operation, calling it 'absurd' and claiming Portuguese authorities have been 'subservient' to the UK. And he said his country's police officers had been used as "outsource workers". A Portuguese source close to the investigation also claimed that last week’s phase of the operation had taken the investigation no further forward. He said: "We're back where we were seven years ago." All four men who were interviewed last week are being treated as "persons of special interest" or arguidos. They have denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine. Meanwhile Madeleine's parents are due to fly to Lisbon tomorrow for their libel action against Goncala Amaral, the 56-year-old ex-police chief who led the initial investigation into their daughter’s disappearance. After his retirement, he published a book called The Truth of the Lie, in which he claimed that Madeleine died in an accident which was covered up by her parents. Cops: British officers, led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood at the police station in Portugal Kate, 46, and Gerry, 45, are suing him for £1million and hope to make a personal statement at his libel trial on Tuesday. The couple, from Rothley, Leics, have been left angry and frustrated at previous delays in the court process. Last month they flew to Lisbon only to find he had sacked his lawyer. He has now hired another solicitor but a source said: "Kate and Gerry have been told that Mr Amaral has appointed a new lawyer at the judge's request but he doesn't use email or phone. How he can operate like this in the modern era is beyond belief. "Kate and Gerry wouldn't be surprised if Mr Amaral pulls another stunt to try and stall the case yet again." Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry are planning to attend court on Tuesday as required by the judge. They believe they have a very strong case against Mr Amaral and they expect to win their claim." The former cop insists everything written in the book was already contained in public police and court case files.

Madeleine McCann: Angry backlash to British police presence as signs are daubed with graffiti, 06 July 2014

Madeleine McCann: Angry backlash to British police presence as signs are daubed with graffiti Daily Mirror Jul 06, 2014 21:00 | By Paul Byrne Dozens of road signs have been defaced since Scotland Yard detectives who were scouring Praia da Luz for clues returned home on Friday   Resentment: Maddie and one of the defaced Stop signs The British police hunt to find missing Madeleine McCann has sparked an angry backlash in the resort where she vanished. Dozens of road signs have been defaced since Scotland Yard detectives who have been scouring Praia da Luz for clues returned home on Friday. Stop signals have had the words "McCann Circus" stencilled on them as locals vent their fury at the searches being conducted just as the busy, ­lucrative holiday season began. And residents are angry that four men from the area were last week quizzed by the British officers. The graffiti appeared as Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry prepared to fly to Portugal for the next stage of their libel case against disgraced police chief Goncalo Amaral. One local said of the suspects ­questioned by Scotland Yard: "We know these people, they are innocent. "It is crazy. When will it end? We want to be left alone." Angry: Stop signs in Praia de Luz, near Lagos in Portugal The timing of the Met’s searches has caused dismay in Praia da Luz, which relies on tourism to survive. Mayor Victor Mata said: "The next three months are when the entire village earns its keep." The UK team, led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, is expected to return to Portugal soon. It is believed they want to send sniffer dogs into a shop where a suspect was seen with a child on the night Madeleine disappeared in May 2007, aged three. A former Scotland Yard commander yesterday urged Mr Redwood's officers to search an ­abandoned well which lies on scrubland 1,000 yards from the holiday apartment where the ­youngster was staying. Roy Ramm, who served 27 years with the Met and was the Commander of Specialist Operations, said: "Whoever abducted Madeleine knew the local streets, alleyways and scrubland and used that knowledge to avoid ­detection." Officers have searched nearby ­scrubland, but not the well. The widow of prime suspect Euclides Monteiro, 40, said yesterday she had not been quizzed by the British police while they were in the Algarve recently. But Luisa Rodrigues continued to insist the junkie and burglar, who worked at the Ocean Club where the McCanns were staying, was not involved in Madeleine's ­disappearance. The 40-year-old said: "My husband had nothing to do with it. The Portuguese police have already said that." Monteiro was sacked from the Ocean Club for stealing tips, a year before Madeleine vanished. He died in a 2008 tractor accident. Kate, 46, and 45-year-old Gerry, of Rothley, Leics, are due in Lisbon on Tuesday to continue their libel fight against Amaral, who claimed in a book Madeleine died in an accident which was covered up by her parents. The couple hope to make a personal statement tomorrow. Amaral, 56, has already delayed the hearing by sacking his lawyer last month. He has now hired another. But a source close to Kate and Gerry said: "They wouldn't be surprised if Mr Amaral pulls another stunt to try and stall the case yet again. "Kate and Gerry have been told Mr Amaral has appointed a new lawyer but he doesn’t use email or phone. How he can operate like this in the modern era is beyond belief." Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell added: "Kate and Gerry are planning to attend court on Tuesday as required by the judge. "They believe they have a very strong case against Mr Amaral and they expect to win their claim."

'Stop McCann circus': Furious locals spray graffiti demanding British police investigating Madeleine’s disappearance go home, 07 July 2014

'Stop McCann circus': Furious locals spray graffiti demanding British police investigating Madeleine’s disappearance go home Daily Mail Road signs in Praia da Luz have been altered to read 'Stop McCann circus' The graffiti has appeared in the Portuguese resort where Madeleine vanished Some locals are worried that the British police probe will affect tourism By TED THORNHILL and ANDREW YOUNG IN PRAIA DA LUZ, PORTUGAL PUBLISHED: 16:10, 7 July 2014 | UPDATED: 16:12, 7 July 2014 Locals in Praia da Luz have vented their anger at Scotland Yard's re-investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann by spraying road signs in the resort with graffiti. The words 'McCann circus' have been stenciled onto dozens of Stop signs in the Portuguese resort where Madeleine disappeared in May 2007, so they read 'Stop McCann Circus'. Four arguidos - or 'persons of interest' - were quizzed in Portugal last Tuesday as part of the latest stage of the Metropolitan Police's multi-million-pound probe.   Backlash: Locals in the Portuguese resort where Madeleine disappeared in May 2007 have sprayed graffiti onto road signs so that they read 'Stop McCann circus' ---------------------   Four arguidos - or 'persons of interest' - were quizzed in Portugal last Tuesday as part of the latest stage of the Metropolitan Police’s multi-million-pound probe --------------------- One resident told the Daily Mirror: 'We know these people, they are innocent. It is crazy. When will it end? We want to be left alone.' The mayor, Victor Mata, has expressed concern at the timing of the searches, as he fears it'll put tourists off visiting. He said: 'The next three months are when the entire village earns its keep.'   Anger: Some locals are fearful that the police investigation will harm the tourist trade -------------------- In June, Portuguese and British police searched three sites in Praia da Luz for clues but found no evidence relating to the case. A former Scotland Yard commander, meanwhile, has urged British police to search an abandoned well just 875 yards from the apartment where Madeleine vanished. The Mail on Sunday has established that the uncovered shaft is on scrubland used as a campsite by Roma gipsies – and has been overlooked by Portuguese police.   In June, Portuguese and British police searched three sites in Praia da Luz for clues but found no evidence relating to the case --------------------- Hidden from the nearby road, the well drops 30ft down to 12ft-deep water. 'It is clearly known to locals and possibly to local criminals as a place to discard evidence from petty crime, such as handbags and other unwanted stolen items,' said Roy Ramm, who served 27 years with the Metropolitan Police force and, as Commander of Specialist Operations, dealt with serious crime, from murder to rape and human trafficking. He added: 'Whoever abducted Madeleine knew the local streets, alleyways and scrubland and used that knowledge to avoid detection.' Mystery: Madeleine disappeared in May 2007 --------------------

Former Ocean Club driver is suspect in McCann case, 13 July 2014

Former Ocean Club driver is suspect in McCann case Sunday Express THE FORMER driver of the Ocean Club was made an arguido or suspect by Portuguese police following a request by Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine’s disappearance. Published: Sun, July 13, 2014 Jose Carlos da Silva, 28, used to drive guests to their apartments once they had been ferried to the Ocean Club headquarters in Luz from airports, writes James Murray. He formerly lived in an apartment block overlooking the Ocean Club but has since moved to a nearby run-down flat. Now he works as a dishwasher in a restaurant and is said by neighbours to suffer poor health because of a lung condition. The Sunday Express photographed him weeks before he was interviewed by Portuguese detectives in Faro on the Algarve where Scotland Yard officers listened intently to his every word. We understand that on May 3 2007 there was mobile phone communication between him and a second arguido, Ricardo Rodrigues, at about the time that Madeleine left a creche somewhere near 5.30pm. It is further alleged that at about 9.25pm he also sent a text to the younger man. Police say this was around the time that two of the McCann holiday group left the tapas bar at the Ocean Club to check on the children sleeping in apartments nearby. Further communication on their mobiles came at 9.38pm, around the time that another member of the holiday group went to check on the children. A short time later there was another mobile call between the men, around the time Kate McCann went to the apartment and discovered that Madeleine, then three, was missing. Mr Silva declined to speak to the Sunday Express. Friends said he is a popular man who was well liked and known in the community and would never do anything wrong. A woman friend said: "He lives alone and suffers with his health because he has problems with his lungs and he often goes to hospital for checks. He is always very polite and nice and pleasant. He is a very quiet man who leads a simple life." Little is known about Mr Rodrigues but he is part of a group of mostly young people in Luz who contribute to an internet site showing pictures of scenic spots in the area. Fresh faced and youthful he is said to resemble a photofit prepared by an elderly British couple of a man who came to their villa with an older man to collect money for a charity on May 3 2007. The older man is said to resemble Paulo Ribeiro, 51, another arguido. He lives in Luz and is said to be a schizophrenic. Sources say the police wanted further information from him about a call he allegedly had with Mr Rodrigues the day after Madeleine vanished. Operation Grange officers are hoping that the detailed questioning will help them to build up a clearer picture of events before and after Madeleine's disappearance. A fourth man questioned is believed to be Russian national Sergey Malinka, who ran an internet firm in Luz at the time. He has always denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance and, like the others, was reluctant to speak to journalists.

EXCLUSIVE: Maddie witness overheard sinister comment about disposing of a body, 13 July 2014

EXCLUSIVE: Maddie witness overheard sinister comment about disposing of a body Sunday Express A BRITISH woman has told Scotland Yard detectives seeking Madeleine McCann that she overheard a conversation in which a man said: "Why did you bring her here? Now we will have to dispose of the body." By: James Murray Published: Sun, July 13, 2014 The potential key witness has been interviewed several times in Britain and used to live almost opposite apartment 5a of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz on the Algarve, from where Madeleine, three, was taken on May 3, 2007. The Sunday Express understands the comment was heard several hundred yards from the Ocean Club in a residential area towards the seafront. The woman gave an interview to Portuguese detectives 13 days after the disappearance but the report on the informal interview does not mention her overhearing a conversation about disposing of a body. However, in April 2008 the woman made a further statement in which she recounted hearing the astonishing comment, saying she heard it days after the abduction. She also claimed that the owner of a pub in Luz was called by a woman shortly after the disappearance who said she had overheard the comment about getting rid of a body. The Sunday Express understands the owner of the bar has been interviewed but cannot recall the conversation. The woman has since returned to Britain with her child and is living in the Home Counties. When contacted by the Sunday Express, the woman, who we are choosing not to name to safeguard the investigation, said: "I do not want to say anything." Last month Scotland Yard detectives shadowed three searches of wasteland near the Ocean Club but no obvious clues were found. Some materials gathered in the search were sent for forensic examination but officers were not hopeful of a breakthrough in the investigation.

The McCann case: Well, well, well....., 16 July 2014

The McCann case: Well, well, well..... Portugal Newswatch Posted by Len Port at 12:14 PM Wednesday, July 16, 2014 With two futile weeks of ground searching and the questioning of four unlikely suspects still fresh in the memory, a former Scotland Yard commander had a new idea. In a report in the Mail on Sunday he urged detectives to examine an abandoned well "just 875 yards from the apartment where Madeleine McCann vanished." The newspaper carried an aerial view of the location and also a close-up photo of the supposed well. "The Mail on Sunday has established that the uncovered shaft is on scrubland used as a campsite by Roma Gypsies – and has been overlooked by Portuguese police," according to the paper. The aerial view indicated that the well was located on land behind the property of a well-known resident of Praia da Luz. He told us that in his 28 years of living there he had never seen Roma Gypsies camping in the area. But the Mail on Sunday's claim could not be lightly dismissed because the former commander had served 27 years with the Metropolitan Police and as Commander of Specialist Operations had dealt with serious crime, from murder to rape and human trafficking. "It [the well] is clearly known to locals and possibly to local criminals as a place to discard evidence from petty crime, such as handbags and other unwanted stolen items," said the ex-commander. The local homeowner was bemused by this. "Before they tossed the handbags into the well, I hope the Roma Gypsies checked to see if they were Gucci," he said. Of course the ex-commander was not just talking about petty crime. He quickly came to his main point: "Whoever abducted Madeleine knew the local streets, alleyways and scrubland and used that knowledge to avoid detection." Not one to shirk a challenge even on a formidably hot summer's day, our source in Luz went to check out the ex-commander's hunch. The first problem was a two-metre high fence. With difficulty he managed to find a hole in the wire only to be confronted by a six-metre wide boundary of thick vegetation. Eventually he emerged prickled, sweating and swearing into a recently mowed hay field. "I felt relieved that if I were now to be attacked by irate Roma bandits, at least I could see them coming and hopefully make a hasty retreat," said our intrepid explorer. "I walked all over the hay field but was not able to discover a well. I was relieved to be able to return to the gap in the fence and depart with no loss of either wallet or handbag." Asked about a circular object that can be seen in the middle of the area on Google Earth, our source in Luz  said, "it could be an alien landing pad, but more likely a flat round area for threshing corn. It's certainly not the well shown in the paper." He concluded with dismay that tourism-dependent Luz had once again been portrayed as a lawless place – and certainly not the sort of place to go on holiday. If Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood and his team decide to take the ex-commander's advice and go searching wells, they had better come prepared for a long stay. There are many hundreds of wells dotted all over the Algarve. Fortunately, most of the others are fairly easy to find. Meanwhile, the "Stop McCann Circus" street signs are still in place in Luz.