The stuff specifically relating to her DNA in the apartment doesn't seem to be saying much other than there was traces of blood which was likely to be from Madeleine in the apartment and supposition as to how it got there.

Portugal Newswatch


Reflections on current affairs in Portugal by journalist and author Len Port.


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Madeleine McCann: so what's new?


In the massive publicity campaign, viewers had been promised a ‘revelation’ but the only revelation during the BBC’s special Crimewatch programme on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was how slow Scotland Yard detectives seem to have been in getting up to speed on the case and how shallow the BBC was in its reporting.

Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said that in their investigation he and his team were going back to the very start of the case and “accepting nothing,” meaning taking a wholly fresh look at things. Yet not once during the programme did the police or the presenters consider anything other than the abduction theory for which there is no evidence except the say-so of the parents and their holidaying friends.

The Chief Inspector highlighted what he called “significant changes” to the timeline and “accepted version” of events. He explained that Scotland Yard had ruled out the sighting by Jane Tanner of a man carrying a child closely resembling Madeleine outside the McCann’s apartment at 9.15 that fateful evening. The man turned out to be another holidaymaker carrying his own child home from a crèche.

While the Jane Tanner sighting has been central to the widespread acceptance of the abduction theory up until now, those who dismiss the abduction claim rejected years ago the sighting as very unreliable.

Scotland Yard has now shifted its emphasis to the well-documented sighting by an Irish family near the centre of the village at 10pm. Praia da Luz visitors and residents have now been asked to cast their minds back to 3rd May 2007 to see if they can identify the person portrayed in two newly released e-fit images.

The images were produced five years ago and they show two significantly different versions of the same man who may be a kidnapper – or he may not. He may be another entirely innocent person with nothing whatsoever to do with Madeleine’s disappearance.

If this really was a well-planned abduction as is being suggested, would a kidnapper carry his victim in his arms a considerable distance through the centre of the village towards the beach with all the attendant risk of being spotted? The question was not asked on Crimewatch.

The so-called “reconstruction” performed by actors, supposedly of events shortly before the disappearance, was notable for what it glossed over or did not reconstruct at all.

Bearing in mind the respectful nature of the programme towards the parents, it was perhaps not surprising there was no attempt to explain, for example, evidence found by two British cadaver dogs, or the many unanswered questions and conflicting statements made to the Portuguese police.

What will have been most disturbing for many viewers familiar with the McCann saga was the absence of journalistic balance and lack of rigour shown by the British media in the pre-broadcast propaganda and in the programme itself.

The show presented nothing new. It has merely added to the media circus that has blighted this tragic case from the very beginning.

Scotland Yard has apparently been inundated with calls as a result of the programme. British tabloids are already reporting that “police may have made a major breakthrough in the hunt for Madeleine.” Wishful thinking might be closer to the truth.

Madeleine deserves better.

Can't understand why people aren't examining the obvious scenario.

Kidnapper in surveying the resort notices the children are left home alone every night.

On the night in question, it would take no less than a minute to get in, give the girl an injection so she won't wake up and walk out. Especially if he/she knows the windows open form the outside or that the doors are unlocked.

A car takes them away.

What I would like to know more about is if child trafficking rings being known to target tourist resorts? If so, what are the advantages of this?

There is no way the McCanns are guilty. Let alone hiding the body and whatever evidence they left behind that night, it's inconceivable to think they have remained consistent with their versions of events since, especially in the face of such a high profile, media led case. On top of that, they are the ones pursuing this and keeping it in the media spotlight.

Other than to highlight how negligent parents the mccanns are you are spot on SYT

*inconclusive

What scientific results are you talking about SYT? Link please.

I believe at the time of the investigation, samples were taken from the boot of the McCann's car. They were sent to the UK for analysis. Results proved inconclusive but Portuguese interpreted a "maybe" as a "definitely".

My original argument is that if the dogs found something why did no one think to take a swob or two and send them off for analysis. Anything the dogs can detect, I am fairly sure can be detected by science too - probably with a fair higher degree of certainty.

I thought the Cadaver dogs detected the smell of decomposition? Not sure how "science" detects that.

yeahyeahwhatever, that's a very good theory you came up with.

I don't know the full details of the case but the actions of the parents after the event have always appreared to me to go against everything most parents would do. And why would they hinder the investigation by not answering any and all questions no matter if those questions pointed suspicion on them. The only answer is they don't want the truth to come out.

I don't think all the other tapas crowd could be involved in a cover up. But the theory of just one being involved in a cover up is very plausible. Maybe he acted on impulse in the way yeahyeahwatever says. Afterwards he could not change his story as things had went too far. How would he ever be forgiven by people for doing what he did.

The theory about hiding the body somewhere overnight is the only plausible one I could think of too although he would have had much time given the fact the other people in the tapas bar must have testified honestly how long he was away for.

I'll have to go through the statements they made but the blood in the apartment was proven to be a match to their daughter, their response was she'd cut her leg on a previous day and had to wipe it up.

Typing error.

did the tapas 9 have mobile phones ?



the sighting at 9.15 was questioned, and thought suspicious yet now seems to have been genuine and explained,
indeed the person has been traced and eliminated from enquiries.....surely thats more of a breakthrough than anything else
we were shown last night

i was in a hotel in the UK for THREE WEEKS. Hated it. But there were only a few people that had access to the room - hotel staff? Laundry baskets and vans would be my guess. i saw a laundry guy haul sacks out of the hotel that could carry a full grown man, never mind a child. Access to the room seems to be the hurdle. Anybody looked into past employees of the hotel?

also - past users of the room - copying the card? or pass key.

Breadnbutters point about the hire car reminds me of the time Columbo caught the killer by placing him at the scene of the crime by checking how many miles his car had clocked up after he discovered it had been in for a service the day before and the miles were clocked then.
He solved another case when he knew it had been raining at the time of the murder so he knew the killers car had been moved.

I think the Smith guy has revised his level of certainty downwards. No one could say for certain when they had no reason to be looking out for anything in particular when he passed the man with the child. Had for anyone to say it was Gerry McCann with 100% certainty when they know how important this unformation would be to implicating the parent.

bdj it's from Martin Smith's statement to the police

The theory about hiding the body somewhere overnight is the only plausible one I could think of too although he would have had much time given the fact the other people in the tapas bar must have testified honestly how long he was away for.

Google Gerry Mccann missing blue bag

this smith evidence is the only possible evidence that can be used against the mccanns............everything else is innuendo and circumstantial. there is no other evidence.

if it was gerry then the Q must be asked..........if he was disposing of her body then would he have to be away from the tapas bar long enough for teh others to have to cover for him.

also, why are the british press not re stating the smith statement about it probably being gerry?