Post by King James I on May 18, 2007 12:06:46 GMT
Madeleine McCann, went missing from the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Algarve in Portugal, which she was staying in with her parents. Madeleine, who was in a bedroom with her two two-year old siblings, was initially thought to have only "wandered off" by Portuguese Police, but further investigation by Portuguese police suggested an abduction.
Madeleine disappeared from the apartment, where the family were staying, on the evening of 3 May. At the time her parents had put Madeleine and her siblings, two-year-old twins, to bed and were dining 100 yards away with friends at a restaurant near the Mark Warner Ocean Summer Club.[3] Kate and Gerry McCann were taking turns checking on their children and at approximately 21:00 Western European Summer Time Gerry checked on the children and they were all fine.[1] At around 21:45 the couple returned from the restaurant to find an empty bed and the apartment door and window wide open and reported the incident to the police at 22:00. Staff and Visitors at the complex searched until 04:30 whilst police on the Spanish border and all airports in Portugal and Spain were notified.
Portuguese police Polícia Judiciária (PJ) said on May 6 that they had a suspect in mind and believed the child is still alive in the area[5] and police with sniffer dogs searched the resort village, which has a population of about 1,000. However, on 8 May, 5 days after her disappearance, the Judiciária admitted they were unsure whether Madeleine was still alive.[6]
Portuguese media have reported that the PJ are pursuing two lines of investigation: an abduction by an international paedophilia network[7] or an abduction by an illegal adoption network.[8][9]
Experts from Britain were flown out to assist the Portuguese police experts and Leicestershire Police sent family liaison officers to help the McCann family.[10]
On 11 May the local search for the suspect was called off after it had produced no results.[11] Then on 13 May the Portuguese police admitted for the first time that they had no suspects in mind. The only tangible line of enquiry that they were prepared to disclose was that they were examining photographs taken by holidaymakers.[12]
Court hearings into the case began on 14 May.[12]
At 07:00 WEST on the morning of 14 May searches began at a villa Casa Liliana, owned by Jennifer Murat, a British citizen, near the apartment where the girl went missing.[13] Police and forensic teams sealed off the house, and at 16:00 the swimming pool was drained.[14] Three people, including her son Robert Murat, were questioned at the main police station in nearby Portimão. Robert, a frequent visitor to the villa,[15] had drawn the suspicion of Lori Campbell, a Sunday Mirror journalist, who informed the police. Former classmate Gaynor de Jesus said: "I do know that he has been the official translator for the police".[16] Murat had said he was deeply concerned about Madeleine’s case because he had recently lost custody of his own three-and-a-half year old daughter who looked like the missing girl. No arrests have been made.[17] Under Portuguese law arrests can only be made when a person has been given arguido (suspect) status officially; prior to being given this status persons are treated as witnesses. On May 15 Robert Murat was given this status but he has not been arrested or charged. It is not clear if Murat or the Police asked for the arguido status, it is thought that Murat might have asked for the status as it gives extra rights such as the right to remain silent. [18] Murat has since gone to an unknown destination.[16]
Chief Inspector Olegário de Sousa told a news conference on 15 May that a 33-year-old had been interrogated, but not enough evidence was found to justify arresting him. Sousa said police had searched five houses on Monday and seized "various materials" from the properties which were being subjected to forensic tests and had questioned two other people as witnesses. The suspect has signed an identity and residence statement which prevents him from moving house or leaving the country, and requires him to regularly report to police.[19] Though no names were mentioned in the conference, the 33-year-old is believed to be Robert Murat and the other two questioned to be Murat's alleged girlfriend Michaela Walczuch, a German, and her former husband Luis Antonio, a Portuguese.[20]
Despite Murat's reluctance to make a public statement,[21] he has stated, to Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt, that he believed the case to have "ruined his life" and that his only way of survival would be the capture of Madeleine's captor. Murat has stated that he is being made a "scapegoat" so that the Police can be seen to have found a suspect.[22]
On 16 May 2007, it was believed that two cars used by the Murats have been examined, and computers, mobile phones and several video tapes were taken away from their villa.[23] It also emerged that a British architect who built the villa where Murat lives was ignored when he called police about a hidden basement within the property.[24]The police were understood to have taken in for questioning Sergey Malinka, 22, a man of Russian origin, from whose property officers also took away a laptop computer and two hard drives. Malinka had set up a website for Murat.[25] According to the police, Malinka is said to be a convicted child sexual offender and a computer technician who is believed to be on good terms with Robert Murat, as the two exchanged frequent phone calls since Madeleine's disappearance—the reason the authorities started suspecting him.
15 Days on, and it appears the police are still no closer to the wear abouts of Madeline. I really cannot explain how upset I am about this, and I pray for the safe return of this little girl.
I know the chances of this are extremely slim due to our 'catchment' number of people, but I'd like to say it anyway -
Should anyone have seen any suspicious behavour that could be connected to this incident, please, please, please report it. Any such incidents should be passed on to the Portugese poilice -
00 351 282 405 400
I would also encourage you, (The european of you especially) to display the following posters - (www.findmadaline.com) Possibly as display pictures or signatures on all the forums you visit.
Display them where ever you can! The more people that are alert, the better! If we can alert one more person to the disappearance of Madeline McCann, it would be an achievement. After all it only takes one person to know something that could lead to the safe return of this girl.
Please feel free to leave messages of support for Madeline and her family. We shall pass on all the messages eventually.0 are
Madeleine disappeared from the apartment, where the family were staying, on the evening of 3 May. At the time her parents had put Madeleine and her siblings, two-year-old twins, to bed and were dining 100 yards away with friends at a restaurant near the Mark Warner Ocean Summer Club.[3] Kate and Gerry McCann were taking turns checking on their children and at approximately 21:00 Western European Summer Time Gerry checked on the children and they were all fine.[1] At around 21:45 the couple returned from the restaurant to find an empty bed and the apartment door and window wide open and reported the incident to the police at 22:00. Staff and Visitors at the complex searched until 04:30 whilst police on the Spanish border and all airports in Portugal and Spain were notified.
Portuguese police Polícia Judiciária (PJ) said on May 6 that they had a suspect in mind and believed the child is still alive in the area[5] and police with sniffer dogs searched the resort village, which has a population of about 1,000. However, on 8 May, 5 days after her disappearance, the Judiciária admitted they were unsure whether Madeleine was still alive.[6]
Portuguese media have reported that the PJ are pursuing two lines of investigation: an abduction by an international paedophilia network[7] or an abduction by an illegal adoption network.[8][9]
Experts from Britain were flown out to assist the Portuguese police experts and Leicestershire Police sent family liaison officers to help the McCann family.[10]
On 11 May the local search for the suspect was called off after it had produced no results.[11] Then on 13 May the Portuguese police admitted for the first time that they had no suspects in mind. The only tangible line of enquiry that they were prepared to disclose was that they were examining photographs taken by holidaymakers.[12]
Court hearings into the case began on 14 May.[12]
At 07:00 WEST on the morning of 14 May searches began at a villa Casa Liliana, owned by Jennifer Murat, a British citizen, near the apartment where the girl went missing.[13] Police and forensic teams sealed off the house, and at 16:00 the swimming pool was drained.[14] Three people, including her son Robert Murat, were questioned at the main police station in nearby Portimão. Robert, a frequent visitor to the villa,[15] had drawn the suspicion of Lori Campbell, a Sunday Mirror journalist, who informed the police. Former classmate Gaynor de Jesus said: "I do know that he has been the official translator for the police".[16] Murat had said he was deeply concerned about Madeleine’s case because he had recently lost custody of his own three-and-a-half year old daughter who looked like the missing girl. No arrests have been made.[17] Under Portuguese law arrests can only be made when a person has been given arguido (suspect) status officially; prior to being given this status persons are treated as witnesses. On May 15 Robert Murat was given this status but he has not been arrested or charged. It is not clear if Murat or the Police asked for the arguido status, it is thought that Murat might have asked for the status as it gives extra rights such as the right to remain silent. [18] Murat has since gone to an unknown destination.[16]
Chief Inspector Olegário de Sousa told a news conference on 15 May that a 33-year-old had been interrogated, but not enough evidence was found to justify arresting him. Sousa said police had searched five houses on Monday and seized "various materials" from the properties which were being subjected to forensic tests and had questioned two other people as witnesses. The suspect has signed an identity and residence statement which prevents him from moving house or leaving the country, and requires him to regularly report to police.[19] Though no names were mentioned in the conference, the 33-year-old is believed to be Robert Murat and the other two questioned to be Murat's alleged girlfriend Michaela Walczuch, a German, and her former husband Luis Antonio, a Portuguese.[20]
Despite Murat's reluctance to make a public statement,[21] he has stated, to Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt, that he believed the case to have "ruined his life" and that his only way of survival would be the capture of Madeleine's captor. Murat has stated that he is being made a "scapegoat" so that the Police can be seen to have found a suspect.[22]
On 16 May 2007, it was believed that two cars used by the Murats have been examined, and computers, mobile phones and several video tapes were taken away from their villa.[23] It also emerged that a British architect who built the villa where Murat lives was ignored when he called police about a hidden basement within the property.[24]The police were understood to have taken in for questioning Sergey Malinka, 22, a man of Russian origin, from whose property officers also took away a laptop computer and two hard drives. Malinka had set up a website for Murat.[25] According to the police, Malinka is said to be a convicted child sexual offender and a computer technician who is believed to be on good terms with Robert Murat, as the two exchanged frequent phone calls since Madeleine's disappearance—the reason the authorities started suspecting him.
15 Days on, and it appears the police are still no closer to the wear abouts of Madeline. I really cannot explain how upset I am about this, and I pray for the safe return of this little girl.
I know the chances of this are extremely slim due to our 'catchment' number of people, but I'd like to say it anyway -
Should anyone have seen any suspicious behavour that could be connected to this incident, please, please, please report it. Any such incidents should be passed on to the Portugese poilice -
00 351 282 405 400
I would also encourage you, (The european of you especially) to display the following posters - (www.findmadaline.com) Possibly as display pictures or signatures on all the forums you visit.
Display them where ever you can! The more people that are alert, the better! If we can alert one more person to the disappearance of Madeline McCann, it would be an achievement. After all it only takes one person to know something that could lead to the safe return of this girl.
Please feel free to leave messages of support for Madeline and her family. We shall pass on all the messages eventually.0 are