'Agent' conned McCanns

22 November 2009 
The Sunday Times 

A businessman who pretended to be a secret agent has allegedly pocketed up to £300,000 from funds intended to pay investigators working on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Kevin Halligen, 50, a British security consultant, was paid to find Madeleine but allegedly failed to pass the money on to the private detectives who did the work on his behalf. A friend of Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, said they had become increasingly concerned about Halligen. "He acted as if he were a James Bond style spy," said the friend. "He promised the earth but it came to nothing."

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009, Find Madeleine Fund, Madeleine McCann

United Kingdom Man Indicted for Fraud

12 November 2009
Targeted News Service

The U.S. Department of Justice's U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia issued the following news release:

Kevin R. Halligen, 48, of Surrey, United Kingdom, was indicted today on charges of wire fraud and money laundering by a grand jury sitting in the District of Columbia, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009, Find Madeleine Fund

IRA terrorists were based in the Algarve

6 Nov 2009
Express
Hugo Franco

Google Translation (with apologies and request for more accurate translation. Original Article HERE)

Two operational Irish kept explosives in a restaurant in Alvor are on trial for murder in Belfast.

Panda Grill does not serve pints of Guinness or transmit games between Liverpool and Arsenal in the plasma display. Is a restaurant Algarve typical of bifanas and grilled fish, away from noisy pubs frequented by foreigners in the center of Alvor.

It was at that location that Paul Anthony McCaugherty , 43, and Michael Gregory, 41, two citizens of Northern Ireland, met to negotiate the purchase and sale of weapons between 2005 and 2006.

This week is being tried in Belfast, suspected of belonging to the Real IRA, a dissident faction of the Republican army (IRA).

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009, Donegal

John Buck and the Madeleine McCann case

AMBASSADOR JOHN BUCK
TIMELINE

British ambassador to Portugal from 2004 to 2007

Left office the day after the McCanns were made arguidos.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009, 2010, Ambassador John Buck, CEOP, Gordon Brown, Jim Gamble, Leicestershire Police, Madeleine McCann, Robert Murat

Madeleine McCann

The British Government Involvement in the case of Madeleine McCann

(NOTE: This is a work in progress - more information to follow.)

Continue Reading... Labels: Ambassador John Buck, Clarence Mitchell, Gordon Brown, Madeleine McCann

35 security agents set to appear in Real IRA trial

24 October 2009
Belfast Telegraph

Thirty-five service agents are to give evidence in the trial of three County Armagh men arrested after an MI5 sting operation against the Real IRA, a court has heard. As the trio pleaded not guilty to the charges at Belfast Crown Court yesterday, a lawyer for the prosecution revealed they have applied for a ruling that the agents can give their evidence anonymously and from behind screens.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009

Agents' identities hidden at trial of RIRA accused

24 October 2009
The Irish News

Thirty five security service agents are to give evidence in the trial of three Co Armagh men arrested after an MI5 sting operation against the Real IRA, a court heard yesterday. As the trio pleaded not guilty to the charges at Belfast Crown Court, a prosecuting lawyer revealed they have applied for a ruling that the agents can give their evidence anonymously, behind screens.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009

MI5 agents set to give evidence in RIRA 'sting' trial

24 October 2009
Belfast Newsletter

Thirty-five Security Service agents are to give evidence in the trial of three Co Armagh men arrested after an MI5 sting operation against the Real IRA, a court has heard.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009

MI5 agents to testify behind screens in Real IRA trial

23 October 2009
Guardian Unlimited
Henry McDonald
MI5 officers called to give evidence against three men accused of involvement in dissident republican terrorism

Thirty-five MI5 officers are to be called to court to give evidence against three Northern Irish men accused of dissident republican terrorism. The spies will be allowed to give their evidence behind screens to protect their identities, Belfast crown court heard today. The court heard that the security forces had amassed 90 hours of bugged conversations of the accused.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009

Satellite clue to Maddie kidnap

18 October 2009
Daily Express
James Murray

Home Secretary Alan Johnson is prepared to ask US spy chiefs for satellite images which may show the face of Madeleine McCann’s kidnapper, following intervention by the Sunday Express. Hope of new progress came after it emerged Leicestershire Police never made a formal request to the Home Office for views of Praia da Luz on Portugal’s Algarve at the time the little girl vanished in May 2007. The quality of pictures taken by satellites in space is now so good they can reputedly identify the colour of someone’s eyes.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2009, Gordon Brown, Leicestershire Police, Madeleine McCann