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Original Source:
Express 11 May 2007 [Now removed from internet] |
Friday May
11,2007
By Geoff Marsh |
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THE
DESPERATE father of missing Madeleine
McCann insisted today his family would
leave "no stone unturned" to be reunited
with their daughter.
Gerry McCann, who was questioned by
police yesterday and into the early
hours of this morning, also said he had
seen at first hand the resources being
poured into the investigation.
He said that he and his wife Kate, who
was standing by his side, were very
grateful for all the efforts and offers
of support they have received.
He said the couple had been moved by
people’s willingness to do all they
could to find the three-year-old, whose
fourth birthday is tomorrow. More than a
week after she was snatched from their
Portuguese holiday apartment in the
Algarve village of Praia Da Luz, he said
the family continued to pin their hopes
on a positive outcome.
His words of hope came after it was
announced that the search efforts would
be coming to an end. Volunteers have
been told by police, who are organising
the search mission, that police teams
were being stood down.
After intense criticism of the
Portuguese police in the British media,
Mr McCann acknowledged the “strong
desire” that officers had to find
Madeleine.
Speaking briefly to reporters just a few
metres from the spot where his daughter
was abducted, we said: “We have now seen
at first hand how hard the police are
working in the search for Madeleine and
their strong desire to find her.
“We have also seen the resources being
put into the investigation.
“We are doing absolutely everything to
assist the police with their
investigation and will leave no stone
unturned in the search for our daughter
Madeleine.
“We are very grateful for all the
efforts and offers of support that we
have had from home and from around the
world.
“We have been moved by the enormous
willingness of people to do all they can
to help find Madeleine.
“As we have said before, we remain
positive and focused on the
investigation.”
The couple were driven to the town of
Portimao at lunchtime yesterday to be
questioned.
While Mrs McCann arrived back at their
apartment in Praia Da Luz before 11pm,
her husband remained at the police
station, which was otherwise shuttered
down, continuing to work with police
into the early hours.
But at 9.15 this morning the couple were
already up and out, dropping off their
twins, Sean and Amelie, at a creche
nearby.
Four other people, believed to be
friends of the McCanns, were also
questioned yesterday.
It was reported in the Portuguese
newspaper Correio Da Manha that police
had two suspects in mind.
Although police said last night that
there had been no arrests, the newspaper
reported that the two suspects were at
the police station yesterday and the
McCanns had been shown them to see if
they could identify them.
While the McCanns were out, there was
intense police activity around the
apartments.
At one stage officers from Portugal’s
Guarda Nacional Republicana were seen
dramatically leaping between third-floor
balconies and climbing over rooftops,
apparently examining possible access or
escape routes for a child snatcher.
Local volunteers confirmed that the
search has now been called off.
Dave Shelton, who has been co-ordinating
volunteers and liaising with police,
said: “They called me last night about
9.30 and said we are standing down the
search.
“I’ve got to go and see some of the
searchers, I have a few more coming out
from England, but in all frankness I
don’t see any point in us wandering
aimlessly around without any
co-ordination.
“I’m not a professional, I don’t know
how long these things should go on for,
how many days.
“But again, you don’t know if it’s
because they have got other clues. They
might have something else they are
working on. I just don’t know and I
don’t need to know.
“I think they are satisfied that the
surrounding area has been scoured. She
may be a lot further away or maybe still
in this small area.
“Even the areas we were doing had been
searched before.”
He added: “You’ve got to try and remain
positive about it and just hope we’re
going to find her.”
Earlier today a businessman offered a
reward of £1 million for information
leading to the return of Madeleine.
Stephen Winyard, owner of Scottish
health spa Stobo Castle, made the offer
earlier this week through The Times.
Mr Winyard, a 57-year-old father of
three who lives in Monaco, said he was
moved to come forward by photographs of
Madeleine’s distraught parents.
He said: “When I saw their faces, I felt
frustrated that no one else had yet come
forward offering a substantial reward,
and so felt compelled to do so myself.”
It was not the first reward to be
offered in the case. On Saturday a
colleague of Madeleine’s mother offered
a £100,000 reward for help in finding
her. |
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