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Madeleine McCann went missing in May 2007 |
SCOTLAND
Yard detectives made a secret visit to Spain in the hunt for Madeleine
McCann, it was revealed.
Officers spent three days
in Barcelona for confidential talks with Spanish police and law
enforcement officials.
The Yard confirmed the
summit had taken place as it emerged detectives have so far made three
visits to Portugal in the hunt for new leads.
And police sources said
yesterday: “We are making progress.” Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry
McCann, praised the Yard yesterday and said: “We are pleased the review
is making progress.”
Madeleine was three when
she vanished from a holiday flat at the resort of Praia da Luz on the
Algarve, Portugal, in May 2007.
No trace of her has been
found and there is no clear picture about what happened.
But one line of inquiry was
that she had been kidnapped by a paedophile gang and was smuggled into
Spain by road or sea. Speculation that the key to the mystery lay across
the border was fuelled by several sightings in Spain in the days
following Madeleine’s disappearance.
It is a big
relief to us that our Government finally agreed for a review
to take place
Kate McCann
Website statement |
The three-man team from the
Yard’s Operation Grange squad spoke in detail about the sightings and
various theories with their Spanish counterparts.
The trip to Spain last
month and the visits to Portugal are believed to be “laying the ground
work” for future liaison between police in the three countries.
There is no question that
the trips either to Spain or Portugal have produced any major
breakthroughs. More liaison visits are planned for the near future.
Yesterday, a Yard
spokeswoman confirmed the three detectives spent three days in Barcelona
from November 23 to 25. She added: “The review continues. There has been
very good co-operation with Portuguese authorities and liaison will
continue.
“We are not prepared to
discuss specific details of these visits nor speculate about any future
deployments to Portugal or elsewhere.”
Portuguese police, assisted
by Leicestershire Police – the McCanns’ home force – carried out a
massive investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance. But the official
inquiry was formally shelved in July 2008.
The McCanns, both doctors
from Rothley, Leicestershire, are convinced clues were missed and
potentially vital leads never followed up.
In despair, the couple
hired a team of private investigators.
The Yard launched Operation
Grange in May following a request to the then Commissioner Sir Paul
Stephenson from Home Secretary Theresa May, backed by the Prime
Minister.
In August, police made
their first of three visits to Portugal for talks with the officers
involved in the original inquiry.
It is believed 30 officers
are working on the review under Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood,
who is thought to have taken part in the Spanish talks.
There was unease among some
politicians about the amount of resources dedicated to the review.
The Operation Grange team
is solely engaged on the Madeleine case while other squads handle
several murder investigations and cold case reviews at the same time.
Mrs McCann, 43, and Mr
McCann, 42, a heart specialist, are convinced a major breakthrough will
now eventually be made.
Kate McCann wrote on the
Find Madeleine website at the end of October: “It is a big relief to us
that our Government finally agreed for a review to take place. We are
grateful to them and to the Metropolitan Police Service for undertaking
this fundamental and highly valuable procedure.
“Although it will be a
lengthy and difficult process, it is definitely a major step forward for
Madeleine.”
The McCanns say they will
never give up hope of finding their daughter alive.
On the website they state:
“There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Madeleine has been harmed.
Madeleine is still missing and someone needs to be looking for her.
“She is very young and
vulnerable and needs our help. We love her dearly and miss her beyond
words.”
Portuguese files reveal
there have been reported sightings of Madeleine in the US, Hong Kong and
New Zealand as well as Portugal and Spain. |