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xmoneyx
02 Aug 14 13:28
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Date Joined: 12 Jul 11
| Topic/replies: 59,919 | Blogger: xmoneyx's blog
current affairs in Portugal by journalist and author Len Port.

Amaral hits back at McCanns’ claims

Gonçalo Amaral insists that the lawfulness of his book Maddie: A Verdade da Mentira is “indisputable” and has reiterated that he may file a counter lawsuit against Kate and Gerry McCann.

The lead detective in the original investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann revealed this in a Facebook message to supporters in which he gave an assessment of his position on the current libel action brought against him by the McCanns.

Mr Amaral said he was considering seeking compensation from the McCanns and others for the enormous damages he claims they have caused him on different levels.   

Both Kate and Gerry McCann were allowed to address the court in Lisbon’s Palace of Justice a fortnight before the long-running trial was adjourned yet again. The suspension meant that closing arguments on behalf of Mr Amaral could not be heard before the court went into summer recess.

In his Facebook statement, Mr Amaral began by saying: “Upon reading the news about the most recent trial session, I am certain that the vast majority of journalists don’t know what is being discussed in court, and have not reported correctly.”

He went on to itemise what he sees as being at stake in the trial.

The court must decide whether writing the book was a lawful or unlawful action, whether or not the McCanns have suffered damages and whether or not there are facts to prove it. Also at stake is whether or not it is possible to establish a causal nexus between the book and such damages, he said.

He insisted that the lawfulness of the book was indisputable because of a decision of the Appellate Court in Lisbon, which overturned an earlier ruling banning the book.

“With proof of the lawfulness of the book, the matter should rest here, without the need to investigate anything further, namely concerning the damages that the plaintiffs complain about,” he said.

“Nonetheless, we should note that even if the lawfulness may still be at stake, there is still the need to establish a causal nexus between the publication and the damages that the plaintiffs complain about, such as deep depression, social isolation, etc. And, of course, to prove that said damages, no matter where they originate from, really exist.”

Mr Amaral continued: “Concerning the social part, it seems obvious to me, if we pay attention to the countless social events that the plaintiffs have participated in, including speeches at the British Parliament, interviews on television shows like Oprah Winfrey’s, gala dinners with illustrious personalities, namely British, among others, that said social isolation is totally false.

“Concerning the depressions, although they are in no way proved within the case, in my opinion, in fact it would be very strange if they didn’t exist. The disappearance of a daughter, whether she is dead or alive, whether or not she was abducted, has to originate enormous consequences of that kind. How strange would it be if that wasn’t the case!

“But about this issue I won’t say anything further, given that the plaintiffs seem to attribute to me and my book all of their pain, as if said disappearance, followed by their arguido status and other circumstances that surround the case, were of no importance, or weren’t more than enough!”

Mr Amaral blamed the latest postponement of the case on “clearly dilatory manoeuvres” on the part of the McCanns. He wants the case to finish as soon as possible, he said, but fears it will drag on for a long time, exacerbated by a scheduled reorganisation within the judicial system in September following the end of the summer recess.

Despite this, “my trust in Portuguese justice remains steadfast,” Mr Amaral said.

In thanking those who have supported him, he said it would have been impossible to fight the McCann’s libel action without them.

Towards the end of his statement, he revealed that he is considering filing a lawsuit against the McCann couple and others, “in order to be compensated for the enormous damages that they have caused me already, on all levels, such as moral, professional and financial.”

Mr Amaral concluded: “The time to judicially react to all those who have put my privacy, my intimacy, my freedom of expression and opinion, and my survival conditions at stake is approaching.

“They have tried to assassinate me civilly, but due to the support and solidarity of all of you, they were not successful.”

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Replies: 70
By:
Ozymandius
When: 02 Aug 14 14:08
If I recall correctly, the way this guy chose to word the allegations in his documentary was scandalous and plain dumb.

I hope they bankrupt the fecker.
By:
akabula
When: 02 Aug 14 18:01
Why? Because he told what he thinks is the truth.
By:
MisterBadger
When: 02 Aug 14 18:06
no, because he's an opportunistic chancer jumping on the let's-bash-the-mccanns gravy train, utter twunt
By:
akabula
When: 02 Aug 14 18:20
Social Services should have bashed the McCanns.
They put Maddie and her siblings at risk by leaving them unattended night after night. Selfish b*st*rds.
By:
A_T
When: 02 Aug 14 18:45
Amaral and his colleagues on the case believed Maddie died in the apartment following a fall and the death was covered up
By:
curious-cat
When: 02 Aug 14 18:58
.. with no evidence whatsoever.
By:
Crisp77
When: 02 Aug 14 19:03
If he wants to he could change the situation.
By:
Ivor
When: 02 Aug 14 20:02
Good man Goncalo : he's been 'wronged' big time.
By:
liamcol
When: 02 Aug 14 20:05
lol, usual chit chat know nothings.
google amaral torture about the cipriano case.
By:
Ivor
When: 02 Aug 14 20:15
Good effort but wholly, completely and totally irrelevant.
By:
naydam
When: 02 Aug 14 22:56
He has caused immense damage to the investigations. He is still attempting to continue. He has tried, quite successfully, to convince many people (particularly the local Portuguese) that HIS version of what happened is fact. It is NOT fact at the present time...it is a theory. A theory born in the mind of a vindictive, unprofessional police officer. He failed to conduct a proper investigation because he took a guess at what had happened and then failed to produce any supporting evidence.
It may well transpire that his theory was correct. It may also transpire that he was not. But even if he WAS correct, it was down to guesswork and nothing else. He must have been watching too much Columbo.
Personally, I think he was clueless(!). He closed his mind to any other possibilities and ended up with nothing to take to court.

And he is STILL insisting hat HIS version is true! STILL without evidence. It's no wonder that they are pi$$ed off with him.
By:
ebulGery
When: 02 Aug 14 23:25
Have not hear anything from our plod for a while,

They must be enjoying this weather at the moment, a few days in the sun
By:
naydam
When: 02 Aug 14 23:27
They would probably enjoy it more if they were on holiday.
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 00:18
Shocked

judging by the results I thought they were
By:
xmoneyx
When: 03 Aug 14 10:43
uk police are hoping they are raking in overseas overtime

when they release phot fit,granny maddie
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 11:14
Laugh
By:
1st time poster
When: 03 Aug 14 14:05
he,s still insisting his story is true without any evidence ,far more evidence to his scenario  than any evidence to back up the maccans abduction theory, Wink
By:
Wesdag
When: 03 Aug 14 16:15
There is zero evidence that Madeleine was abducted.

It appears the McCanns and their friends have very cleverly manipulated the media into swallowing this line hook, line and sinker.

Plod love it as well as it means limitless jollies and overtime to conduct new lines of enquiry and the occasional search.
By:
A_T
When: 03 Aug 14 16:23
The one thing the Met have done is eliminate the man the McCanns have always insisted was the abductor, seen carrying a child that evening.
By:
curious-cat
When: 03 Aug 14 16:25
the only reason for the lack of evidence has been the total ineptitude of the Portuguese police.
By:
GAZO
When: 03 Aug 14 16:27
very strange case and very hard to believe that the family had anything to do with it apart from the alleged reaction of the sniffer dogs in the apartment which points the finger towards them
By:
Steamship
When: 03 Aug 14 16:33
Why do you think it is hard to believe the family had anything to do with it GAZO?
By:
GAZO
When: 03 Aug 14 16:39
because them and most of there friends would have to be involved and its difficult to imagine none of them cracking or leaving some evidence
By:
scandanavian_haven
When: 03 Aug 14 16:52
whoever abducted her or hid her body done a very good job in leaving no traces, it's plausible either way, abduction, or accidental death, what someone believes is irrelevant without concrete proof, people have been in prison years on so called "sufficient evidence" and then later realised on appeal, take the amanda knox case for example, but unless it's beyond all doubt then I find it hard personally to say outright, "yes it was definitely them" but IMO, if they did accidently kill her, was it really worth the aggro not to just "we overdosed her to get too sleep and used to much anaesthetic" (as some suspect) one takes the blame, probably gerry and take a short prison sentence considering it was negligence rather than premeditated murder, rather than spend the next 7 whole years and then some on organising an intense propaganda machine by pulling the entire UK's media's strings? they get in the spotlight every chance they get, and look thoroughly worn out with it, you'd think if they were guilty they'd want much less publicity not more, you could say well they're keeping the lie going so people don't suspect and ask "why are they not doing anything" but remember they have one way or another still lost a 3 year old daughter, after that you'd think they'd just want to grieve properly instead of all this

If they are guilty of a huge cover up, they have done an unbelievable job, but always remember peados do and will always will kidnap, unfortunately the Portuguese completely screwed up the initial response at the crime scene, I'm pretty sure the UK police would have got to the bottom of it by now if this had happened in the UK, one theory is the Portuguese establishment have many paedo infiltrators who were in on it, and botched the investigative as a cover up. There is stuff on paedo Portuguese place in articles online, may have been taken down now though.

Will never know unless she is found dead or alive.
By:
1st time poster
When: 03 Aug 14 17:56
if the maccans were involved theyve done no greater job than the real perpetrators, if they wernt involved
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 18:12
curious-cat  • August 3, 2014 4:25 PM BST 
the only reason for the lack of evidence has been the total ineptitude of the Portuguese police.


that may or may not be so, but there was very little co operation from the McCans was there?

Also since our plod have been out there, I think it must be 4 years now, what exactly do they have to show for it?

How much thinking is required???, there is only finite number of options
I do not think even Sherlock Holmes sat in his chair smoking his pipe and thinking for 4 years about a case?


one theory is the Portuguese establishment have many paedo infiltrators who were in on it
that is real evidence isn't it...ffs!
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 18:13
sadly sometimes there is not enough evidence to close a case
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 18:25
The lack of co operation does not necessarily prove their guilt, they may have been worried about child
neglect charges

I believe they were guilty of these, because they were leaving Maddie every night, not just the one night
There was plenty of evidence from other people at the hotel to this, although it was not proved in court I accept
I believe it though

What happened to her still baffles me, an abductor is possible, the McCans, what did they do with body if they did
it?

All conspiracy theory are open
although claiming the Portuguese police themselves did it, does not seem very likely to me????????????????
By:
akabula
When: 03 Aug 14 18:32
.......... and this appears to be the case here ebul. Sad as you say.
The only certainty is that the mccanns selfishness placed their kids in danger.
If Maddie was abducted they made it easy for the abductor(s).
By:
Ivor
When: 03 Aug 14 18:40
Dont REALLY want this thread to regurgitate all the old arguments do we :(
By:
akabula
When: 03 Aug 14 18:48
No, not really. Other than the mccanns placed their kids in danger everything else is just speculation by amateur sleuths.
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 19:24
We have plenty of amateur sleuths on here

I would say the dogs evidence, a death in the apartment, body must have lain there at for least one hour, would make the McCans guilty
But this is not enough on its own...because of the possibility of a mistake by the dogs....and of course they cannot
be cross examined in court..because they are dogs.

I think Portiguese police accepted this and tried to find other evidence to implicate the McCanns but failed.

The McCanns complaint, is that by doing this, the Portuguese police did not look anything like hard
enough for an abductor. Hence this libel case.

I doubt whether this case can be solved except by a stroke of luck now.
If there was any evidence to definitively prove what happened, I think it would have been found by now.

Amateur DetectiveLaugh
By:
curious-cat
When: 03 Aug 14 20:47
because of the possibility of a mistake by the dogs....and of course they cannot
be cross examined in court..because they are dogs


Einstein reincarnated Laugh
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 20:59
Laugh
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 22:17
I don't believe the dogs lied

Somebody posted they would always wag their tail indicting yes just for a treat
but that would make them completely useless as sniffer dogs, they would be finding bodies all over the place

These dogs are intensively trained in both body and no body situations to only receive a treat when they give the right answer.
Their sense of smell is incredible...no machine can match it
By:
ebulGery
When: 03 Aug 14 22:24
I still doubt that for anyone but the McCanns..our plod would not be out there

Whatever theories our plod went out there with never led to anything

But if it is just a couple of officers who would be paid here anyway, the cost may not be exorbitant

I think they have been left out there to carry on digging myself just in case they may turn up something

just my own opinion of course
By:
tobermory
When: 04 Aug 14 04:58
He failed to conduct a proper investigation because he took a guess at what had happened and then failed to produce any supporting evidence

They spent 2 months looking for abductors . Thye didn't go down the route of bringing in the dogs til July .

There is evidence supporting his theory ( what the dogs apparently came up with ) . You can dispute the validity of it , but it is evidence . There is seemingly no evidence of an abductor .
By:
Ozymandius
When: 04 Aug 14 12:42
You need to ask yourself why he presents his theory as a fact rather than as a theory.
By:
xmoneyx
When: 04 Aug 14 13:16
waiter

"What we found really strange was Gerry, days after the little
girl disappeared, calmly playing tennis. He played with an old couple"
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