Appeal to Authority




Appeal to Authority:
Authority is evoked as the last word on an issue.
Appeals to authority cite prominent figures to support a position idea, argument, or course of action.

This sort of reasoning is fallacious when the person in question is not an expert. In such cases the reasoning is flawed because the fact that an unqualified person makes a claim does not provide any justification for the claim. The claim could be true, but the fact that an unqualified person made the claim does not provide any rational reason to accept the claim as true. Since people have a tendency to believe authorities, this fallacy is a fairly common one.
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Goncalo Amaral - Fired, Sacked, Kicked-off, Booted etc.


In keeping with the excellent *balanced* reporting the media has given the McCann case...here is a list of examples of the headlines related to Goncalo Amaral - describing his transfer from the Madeleine case in one or more of the following terms: "FIRED, SACKED, BOOTED-OUT, KICKED-OFF, AXED" (etc.)

I have studied these as I've compiled the lists, and must admit that there has been absolutely NO evidence of unbiased reporting in the case of Madeleine McCann.  It is, in my opinion, an insult to the British public that journalists do not have enough respect for their readers to stick to the facts and to avoid sensationalism or spin.  Apparently ethics no longer exist in the news media.  (Thank God for the Internet.)

Headlines follow:


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Transcripción y Vídeo de “Reme” - Goncalo Amaral & The Truth of the Lie


Please see original translation and video here:
Transcripción y Vídeo de “Reme”
Traducción de Mercedes
With thanks to "Himself"for English grammar


Concha García Campoy: Tenemos novedades en el caso “Maddie”.
El libro “Maddie: La Verdad de la Mentira” que fue escrito por el ex-policía Gonçalo Amaral, seguirá prohibido en Portugal como aquí les hemos contado.

00:55 - Concha Garcia Campoy: We have news in the "Maddie" case. The book "Maddie: The Truth of the Lie" that was written by former Police Coordinator Gonçalo Amaral, will remain prohibited in Portugal as we informed here previously.
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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.

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Madeleine McCann


The British Government Involvement in the case of Madeleine McCann
(NOTE: This is a work in progress - more information to follow.)

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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.
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Gordon Brown FSS Lab 17 June 2008


The PM visits the Forensic Science Service London Laboratory
17 June 2008

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Brown 'puts up shutters' as McCanns plead for help


Dec 9, 2007
Sunday Times
Mark Macaskill

A businessman helping to fund the hunt for Madeleine McCann has accused Gordon Brown and David Miliband of ignoring her parents' plight. Stephen Winyard, who owns a Scottish health spa, said the "shutters had gone up" after Portuguese police named Gerry and Kate McCann as suspects. He said the only offer in response to a request for a ministerial meeting was to see a junior official. "Our request to meet with ministers -the prime minister, the home secretary and the foreign secretary -has still not been met," said Winyard.
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Friend of McCanns 'scared to tell truth'


Nov 13, 2007
Daily Mail
Vanessa Allen

A friend of Kate and Gerry McCann wants to 'reveal the whole truth' about the case but is frightened of the couple's political allies, a lawyer claimed yesterday. One of the so-called Tapas Nine wants to help Portuguese police with the six-month investigation but 'feels obliged to keep silent', according to the unnamed source.  

The lawyer attacked the intervention of 'certain politicians' in the case and said they had prejudiced the hunt to discover what really happened to Madeleine McCann. Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband both spoke to the couple directly before the McCanns were made official suspects in the case.  Direct contact stopped when they were made arguidos in September but the Premier has been briefed on the case since then and raised it with his Portuguese counterpart last month.
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Does the spy satellite called Moonpenny hold the key?


23 September 2007
The Express on Sunday
Gordon Thomas
Searchers in the sky

Madeleine's fate could be resolved by the giant golf ball-shaped objects towering over the windswept coast of North Yorkshire.  Almost a thousand miles from where the four-year-old was last seen alive in Portugal, the objects, known as radones, could answer in seconds the questions that have tantalised the world. But only Gordon Brown has the authority to mobilise the radones – the word means "stony ground" in ancient Saxon – at RAF Menwith Hill.
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Judge won't tell McCanns to return


Sep 18, 2007
Daily Mail
Simon Cable

The judge presiding over the case against Kate and Gerry McCann has refused to order the couple to return to Portugal for more questioning, it was revealed yesterday. Portuguese detectives are understood to have wanted Madeleine McCann's parents and their seven holiday friends to return to the Algarve. But judge Pedro Anjos Frias is said to have ruled that the evidence is not substantial enough to warrant such a move.
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Kate and Gerry McCann go straight to Gordon Brown in search for more powerful backers


September 18, 2007
The Times
David Brown, Steve Bird and Patrick Foster
Original article
WebCite archive

Gordon Brown has been updated on the investigation into Kate and Gerry McCann by the couple’s advisers, who told him that Portuguese detectives had no proof that they killed their daughter. The Prime Minister, who has been an influential supporter of the couple, has previously persuaded the Portuguese authorities to release details of their investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance from an Algarve holiday apartment 138 days ago.
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PJ forced to investigate abduction track


PJ forced to investigate abduction trackAugust 12, 2007
José Carlos Marques

Alipio Ribeiro, national director of the Judicial Police received a telephone call from John Buck, the British ambassador in Portugal, on the night Madeleine disappeared from the Ocean Club, May 3.

GOOGLE TRANSLATION:

At about 23:00, about two hours after he was involved the child's disappearance, Alipio Ribeiro had to stop a private dinner to hear the diplomat. The phone call was the first sign that the British were very interested to follow closely the action of the PJ and push towards the abduction investigations.

"The PJ has lost too much time investigating the abduction," said a source close to the CM research. The pressure of British diplomacy will only be slowed when they arrived in Portugal British police officers who supported the redirection of research for the hypothesis of murder. The biological evidence found in the apartment were decisive to change the course of the investigation, or at least for the PJ to admit publicly that change.

The decision to deepen the hypothesis of the death of the child at the Ocean Club - and the consequent re-evaluation of the testimony of Maddie's parents and friends of the couple - was taken into account the views of the British police.

The interview Olegario Sousa - the chief inspector of the Judiciary which has served as a spokesman for police in this case - given yesterday to the BBC and ITN television was agreed with these agents.

The choice of these two television channels was motivated by outrage that the British police themselves felt in the Algarve on the objections that have been made by the British press to the PJ. The BBC and ITN have treated the case with more coolness and impartiality, reason for their privileged access to the interview.

Olegario Sousa admitted for the first time in public the possibility of Madeleine being dead. A position that leaves the McCanns in the center of investigations, a situation that has been managed 'with tweezers' by Portuguese police.

The couple has relied on the help of powerful friends. The former spokesman for the McCanns, Clarence Mitchell, who organized the trips of Maddie's parents to several European countries, is currently adviser to Gordon Brown, the current British prime minister.

Brown supported the cause of Maddie from the beginning, because that is not alien Jill Renwick, a friend of the couple's longtime neighbor John Brown, brother of the British prime minister. According to The Guardian, Jill approached John on the street, and this he brought the message to the brother.

SUPPORT

Father Haynes Hubbard, who celebrated his homily yesterday in Praia da Luz, has expressed its support for the McCanns in the decision to stay in Portugal: "If it were my daughter, I would not leave here." Hubbard stressed that the ceremony served to make Kate and Gerry feel that "we are with them in their grief."

"WE WILL NOT GIVE UP"

"We will not give up looking," he said Gerry, voice breaking, during the homily held yesterday morning in the church of Praia da Luz, which marked the hundred days after Madeleine's disappearance. The girl's parents could not hide the emotion in the religious ceremony celebrated in English and chaired by Anglican priest Haynes Hubbard.
Kate and Gerry intervened twice each, confessing that they are living the "darkest days" of their lives, but have faith in the return of her daughter. At the end were applauded by dozens of people. Inside and outside the church.

SPOKESMAN ADMITS THE JUDICIAL DEATH OF CHILD

The spokesman for the Judicial Police in the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has admitted in an interview on BBC public television, the possibility that the girl was dead. Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa also ensured that the child's parents are not suspects, are victims and witnesses.

Source close to the McCann family said that "after a tough week, it was nice" Gerry and Kate hear from official sources that are not suspects. But the couple said nothing about whether her daughter was dead. The parents said in recent days, the police presented no evidence to that effect them. "Portuguese law does not allow to put everything on the table, even for the people involved," cautioned the inspector told the BBC.

The spokesman says PJ "developments occurred in the last days and found some clues that may point to the possible death of the child." It adds that all lines are open and that laboratory tests are awaited. "But this line [the child's death] is now taking place with greater intensity," concluded the inspector.

BBC interview

"We have found clues that might point to the child's death" Olegario Sousa

"We are waiting for test results to the evidence gathered." Olegario Sousa

"All lines are open. But it is now taking place with greater intensity. "Olegario Sousa

"The couple is not suspected. They are victims because they lost their daughter, and they are witnesses in the case." Olegario Sousa

THE CASE SEEN IN ENGLAND

'DAILY MAIL'

This paper points out that when the parents of Maddie mark the hundred days of his disappearance, the chief inspector and spokesman PJ, Olegario Sousa, said in an interview to British television, admitted for the first time that Maddie may be dead.

SKY NEWS

In addition to statements of the chief inspector of the PJ, Sky News is a photographic montage about one hundred days of the girl's disappearance. In Glasgow, where is the natural father of Maddie, a song was played at the opening of the international festival of flute.

'THE TIMES'

Gerry, Maddie's father, said he had no doubt about the friends that were and are with him and Kate in Praia da Luz Gerry's statements follow on from the interrogation of him, his wife and friends were subjected by PJ stresses The Times.

'DAILY MIRROR'

"Show us the proof" is the title of this newspaper article, which states that the parents of Maddie asked the Judicial Police for them to reveal the evidence they have collected and that lead them to believe that the girl is dead. "Prove to us that she is dead."

NOTES

MOTHER ASKS PRAYERS

"Please keep Madeleine in your thoughts and prayers," urged the girl's mother. Kate prayed a Hail Mary and thanked the support of the community.

JUDICIAL AND JOURNALISTS

In his homily was only made a speech in Portuguese. Served to ask God to bless "the efforts and dedication" of the Judicial and "enlighten the media."

MADDIE REMEMBERED IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

There were many players in the Premier League who used sweaters with little Maddie's face on the opening day of the race. George McCartney (West Ham) was one of them.


ORIGINAL PORTUGUESE:

PJ forçada a investigar pista de rapto
Alípio Ribeiro, director nacional da Polícia Judiciária, recebeu uma chamada telefónica de John Buck, embaixador britânico em Portugal, na noite em que Madeleine desapareceu do Ocean Club, a 3 de Maio.
12 Agosto 2007
José Carlos Marques / P.M.

Por volta das 23h00, cerca de duas horas depois de ter sido participado o desaparecimento da criança, Alípio Ribeiro teve de interromper um jantar privado para ouvir o diplomata. O telefonema foi o primeiro sinal de que os ingleses estavam muito interessados em acompanhar de perto a acção da PJ e a empurrar as investigações no sentido do rapto.

“A PJ perdeu demasiado tempo a investigar o rapto”, contou ao CM fonte ligada à investigação. A pressão da diplomacia inglesa só terá abrandado quando chegaram a Portugal agentes da polícia britânica que apoiaram o redireccionamento da investigação para a hipótese de homicídio. Os indícios biológicos encontrados no apartamento foram decisivos para mudar o rumo do inquérito, ou, pelo menos, para a PJ admitir publicamente essa mudança.
A decisão de aprofundar a hipótese da morte da criança no Ocean Club – e a consequente reavaliação dos depoimentos dos pais de Maddie e dos amigos do casal – foi tomada tendo em conta a opinião dos polícias ingleses. A entrevista que Olegário Sousa – o inspector-chefe da Judiciária que tem servido de porta-voz da polícia neste caso – concedeu ontem às televisões BBC e ITN foi concertada com estes agentes.

A escolha destes dois canais televisivos foi motivada pela indignação que os próprios polícias ingleses no Algarve sentiram em relação às acusações que têm sido feitas pela imprensa britânica à PJ. A BBC e a ITN têm tratado o caso com mais frieza e imparcialidade, razão pela qual foram privilegiados no acesso à entrevista.

Olegário Sousa admitiu pela primeira vez em público a hipótese de Madeleine estar morta. Uma posição que deixa os McCann no centro das investigações, situação que tem sido gerida ‘com pinças’ pela polícia portuguesa.
O casal tem contado com a ajuda de amigos poderosos. O primeiro porta-voz dos McCann, Clarence Mitchell, que organizou as viagens dos pais de Maddie a vários países europeus, é hoje assessor de Gordon Brown, o actual primeiro-ministro britânico.

Brown apoiou a causa de Maddie desde o início, facto a que não é alheio Jill Renwick, amiga do casal de há longa data, ser vizinha de Jonh Brown, irmão do primeiro-ministro britânico. Segundo o ‘The Guardian’, Jill abordou John na rua, e este fez chegar a mensagem ao irmão.
APOIO
O padre Haynes Hubbard, que celebrou ontem a homilia na Praia da Luz, manifestou o seu apoio ao casal McCann na decisão de permanecer em Portugal: “Se fosse minha filha, eu não sairia daqui”. Hubbard frisou que a cerimónia religiosa serviu para fazer sentir a Kate e a Gerry que “estamos com eles na sua dor”.

"NÃO IREMOS DESISTIR"

“Não iremos desistir de a procurar”, garantiu Gerry, de voz embargada, no decurso da homilia realizada ontem de manhã na igreja da Praia da Luz, que assinalou os cem dias sobre o desaparecimento de Madeleine. Os pais da menina não conseguiram esconder a emoção na cerimónia religiosa, celebrada em língua inglesa e presidida pelo padre anglicano Haynes Hubbard.

Kate e Gerry intervieram duas vezes cada um, confessando que estão a viver “os dias mais difíceis” das suas vidas, mas têm fé no regresso da filha. No final foram aplaudidos por dezenas de pessoas. Dentro e fora da igreja.

PORTA-VOZ DA JUDICIÁRIA ADMITE MORTE DA CRIANÇA

O porta-voz da Polícia Judiciária no inquérito ao desaparecimento de Madeleine McCann admitiu, em entrevista à televisão pública britânica BBC, a possibilidade de a menina estar morta. O inspector-chefe Olegário Sousa garantiu ainda que os pais da criança não são suspeitos; são vítimas e testemunhas.

Fonte próxima da família McCann disse que, “após uma semana difícil, foi simpático” Gerry e Kate ouvirem de fonte oficial que não são suspeitos. Mas o casal nada comenta sobre a possibilidade de a sua filha estar morta. Os pais disseram, nos últimos dias, que a polícia não lhes apresentou provas nesse sentido. “A lei portuguesa não permite colocar tudo em cima da mesa, mesmo para as pessoas envolvidas”, ressalvou o inspector à BBC.
O porta-voz da PJ diz que “nos últimos dias aconteceram desenvolvimentos e foram encontradas algumas pistas que podem apontar para a possível morte da criança”. Acrescenta que todas as linhas estão em aberto e que são aguardados testes laboratoriais. “Mas esta linha [morte da criança] está agora a verificar-se com maior intensidade”, conclui o inspector.

ENTREVISTA À BBC

"Foram encontradas pistas que podem apontar para a morte da criança” Olegário Sousa

“Estamos à espera de resultados de análises às provas recolhidas.” Olegário Sousa

“Todas as linhas estão em aberto. Mas está agora a verificar-se com maior intensidade.” Olegário Sousa

"O casal não é suspeito. São vítimas, porque perderam a filha, e são testemunhas no caso.” Olegário Sousa

O CASO VISTO EM INGLATERRA

'DAILY MAIL'

Este jornal destaca que, quando os pais de Maddie assinalam os cem dias do seu desaparecimento, o inspector-chefe e porta-voz da PJ, Olegário Sousa, em entrevista às televisões britânicas, admite, pela primeira vez, que Maddie possa estar morta.

SKY NEWS

Além das declarações do inspector-chefe da PJ, a Sky News faz uma montagem fotográfica acerca dos cem dias do desaparecimento da menina. Em Glasgow, de onde é natural o pai de Maddie, foi tocada uma música na abertura do festival internacional de flauta.

'THE TIMES'

Gerry, pai de Maddie, afirma não ter dúvidas sobre os amigos que estiveram e estão com ele e Kate na Praia da Luz. As declarações de Gerry surgem na sequência do interrogatório a que ele, a mulher e os amigos foram sujeitos pela PJ, sublinha o ‘Times’.

'DAILY MIRROR'

“Mostrem-nos a prova” é o título do artigo deste jornal, que refere que os pais de Maddie pediram à Polícia Judiciária para lhes que revelarem as provas que recolheram e que os levam a crer que a menina esteja morta. “Provem-nos que ela está morta.”

NOTAS
MÃE PEDE ORAÇÕES
“Por favor, mantenham Madeleine nos vossos pensamentos e orações”, pediu a mãe da menina. Kate rezou uma ave-maria e agradeceu o apoio da comunidade.
JUDICIÁRIA E JORNALISTAS
Na homilia foi apenas feita uma intervenção em português. Serviu para pedir que Deus abençoe “o esforço e a dedicação” da Judiciária e “ilumine os mass media”.
MADDIE LEMBRADA NA PREMIER LEAGUE
Foram muitos os jogadores da Premier League que utilizaram camisolas com o rosto da pequena Maddie na jornada inaugural da prova. George McCartney (West Ham) foi um deles.
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The Hunt For Madeleine


The Hunt For Madeleine
10 July 2007
Press Association National Newswire
Aislinn Simpson, PA


The search for Madeleine McCann continues. Here are the key events around her abduction in the Algarve:

Thursday May 3

Kate and Gerry McCann leave their daughter Madeleine and her two-year-old twin brother and sister Sean and Amelie in bed in their apartment and head for dinner at a nearby tapas restaurant.

The couple check on them regularly and at around 9pm, Mr McCann finds nothing amiss when he returns to their room in the seaside resort at the Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz.

His wife Kate goes to check on them again at 10pm and finds the shutter slid up, the bedroom window open and Madeleine gone.

They carry out their own quick search for Madeleine but find nothing and inform the police.

Fellow holidaymakers, staff at the resort and police spend most of the night searching frantically.

Friday May 4

Sniffer dogs are brought in, the Spanish and border police and airports are notified and volunteer teams continue to comb the village, resort and beach for clues.

Fears grow that Madeleine has been taken against her will and her parents accuse the Portuguese police of not doing enough to find her.

The Policia Judiciaria - the Portuguese CID - refuses to comment on the investigation into the girl's disappearance.

Relatives including Madeleine's grandparents start flying out to Portugal to offer support to her parents as they continue to wait for news.

The British Ambassador to Portugal, John Stephen Buck, and director of Mark Warner UK Operations, Craig Mayhew, also travel to the Algarve.

The McCanns later make an emotional plea, directly appealing to their daughter's abductors, and speak of their 'anguish and despair'.

With his wife at his side clutching Madeleine's favourite teddy, Mr McCann asks: 'Please, if you have Madeleine, let her come home to her Mummy, Daddy, brother and sister.''

Saturday May 5

Three Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) from Leicestershire Police arrive in Portugal to support the family.

Madeleine's aunt Philomena McCann criticises the Portuguese police, claiming they had played down her disappearance and were being 'uncommunicative'.

Detectives reveal they do now believe she was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a 'suspect'. Police also reveal they are considering she might have been abducted for sexual abuse.

Mr McCann makes a fresh appeal for help and thanks the police for their efforts.

A colleague of Madeleine's mother offers a £100,000 reward for help in finding the missing girl.

Sunday May 6

The McCanns attend an emotional Mother's Day service in Praia Da Luz and prayers are said for Madeleine and her family in both Portuguese and English.

Mrs McCann then breaks down with emotion as she addresses reporters to express her gratitude for the local community's support.

Questions arise about the police's sketch of a 'suspect'' with one newspaper reporting the image is based only on the rear view of a man seen with a child in the area.

Monday May 7

Police begin investigating a claim a man was seen dragging a girl towards a marina a short drive from the Portuguese resort where she went missing.

Portuguese media later report that police think the abductor may have been British but this remains unconfirmed by officers involved in the investigation.

Mrs McCann makes another personal plea to anyone holding her daughter, saying: 'Please, please do not hurt her. Please do not scare her. Please let us know where to find Madeleine or put her in a place of safety and tell somebody where.''

Portuguese police later hold a chaotic press conference where they say they cannot give Madeleine's family any firm assurance that she is still alive or still in the region.

Tuesday May 8

People in Madeleine's home village of Rothley, Leicestershire, hold a silent vigil for the family.

Portuguese reports claim detectives are investigating British paedophiles with links to the Algarve.

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo makes his own appeal for help in tracing the missing three-year-old, and is later followed by fellow footballers John Terry and Paulo Ferreira.

Portuguese police say an apparent sighting of the youngster is a false alarm, and also reveal that more than 350 suspicious incidents have been investigated.

British Ambassador to Portugal John Buck defends the Portuguese investigation after meeting with the McCanns.

Wednesday May 9

Gerry and Kate McCann say in a short statement they continue to 'remain positive'' and thank all those taking part in the search.

Police examine a CCTV tape from a service station just a few miles from Praia da Luz showing a woman with a girl fitting Madeleine's description.

An internet appeal in English, Portuguese and Spanish is launched while Crimestoppers also creates an international number for people with information.

Madeleine's grandmother says that mistakes could have been initially made in the police investigation due to 'inexperience'.

Thursday May 10

Kate McCann leads villagers and holidaymakers in prayer at the local church in Praia Da Luz a week after Madeleine disappeared.

Crimestoppers says it has passed on four pieces of 'very useful'' information from hundreds of calls made to the special number set up by the charity.

Reports say police are investigating the possibility that Madeleine was snatched by a group of three - two men and a woman.

The footage from the petrol station is also described as possibly holding the 'key'' to the investigation.

Police say in a press conference that the search for Madeleine is being wound down. They also issue an image of a pair of pyjamas identical to those which Madeleine had been wearing when she disappeared.

It is thought the McCanns may have been shown pictures of two suspects during a visit to a police station in Portimao.

Four other people, believed to be friends of the McCanns, are also questioned.

Friday May 11

Madeleine's father vows his family will leave 'no stone unturned'' in the search for her.

On the eve of Madeleine's fourth birthday, Mr McCann says he and his wife were grateful for the worldwide support.

Three British people are believed to have been taken in by police for questioning. It is believed they are potential witnesses rather than suspects.

A businessman offers a reward of £1 million for information leading to the return of Madeleine.

Owner of Scottish health spa, Stobo Castle, Stephen Winyard, 57, who lives in Monaco, said he was moved to come forward by photographs of Madeleine's distraught parents.

Former England captain David Beckham makes a television appeal for information from the public.

In the broadcast, shown on Sky News, he says: 'If you have seen this little girl please go to the local authorities or the police with any genuine information. Please, please help us.''

Saturday May 12

Madeleine turns four.

Residents in Rothley were considering baking a cake and holding a party to mark the milestone - but relatives say they would only want the celebration to take place when she returns and the birthday is postponed.

Her parents mark the day by calling for people to redouble their efforts to find her.

A group of business figures, celebrities and a national newspaper offer a reward of £1.5 million for information leading to Madeleine's safe return.

Entrepreneurs including Sir Richard Branson and Sir Philip Green are among those who join together to offer the huge sum, bringing the total amount of money now being offered in the search to more than £2.5 million.

Chancellor Gordon Brown expresses his sympathy for Madeleine's parents and says his thoughts are with them.

Sunday May 13

It emerges London lawyers from the International Family Law Group have flown out to Portugal to assist Gerry and Kate McCann, and are setting up a special 'fighting fund'' to allow members of the public to make their own financial contribution to the search.

Monday May 14

In a statement to the media, Mr McCann says that 'until there is concrete evidence to the contrary, we believe Madeleine is safe and is being looked after'. Mrs McCann says they cannot consider going home at the moment.

The home of a British man 160 yards from where Madeleine was snatched is searched by police. Robert Murat has been living there with his mother Jenny, who is believed to own it.

The Policia Judiciaria says two or three people are being questioned but stress no-one has been formally arrested.

Tuesday May 15

Robert Murat is officially classed as a suspect by police in Portugal. He claims he is being made a scapegoat in the investigation.

Robert Murat's family friend says the suspect's daughter could be the 'twin'' sister of missing Madeleine.

Tory Euro MP Struan Stevenson demands an immediate ban on the free movement of convicted child sex offenders across Europe and said Madeleine's disappearance 'highlighted the ludicrous loopholes in current legislation covering the movement of convicted paedophiles'.

The National Missing Persons Helpline says that more than 450 children have gone missing in the UK since Madeleine was snatched.

Gerry and Kate McCann pray for police leading the search at a low-key private church service in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Wednesday May 16

Madeleine's aunt Philomena McCann travels to Westminster to lobby for support.

Gordon Brown pledges to help 'in any way he can'.

A fighting fund is officially launched at Leicester's Walkers Stadium to support Madeleine's family and 'bring her abductors to justice'.

New video images of Madeleine are broadcast at half-time during the Uefa European cup final between Sevilla and Espanyol in Glasgow.

Detectives in Portugal swoop on the home of 22-year-old Russian computer expert Sergey Malinka, who designed a website for suspect Robert Murat, in Praia da Luz.

In an interview with the BBC on Robert Murat's behalf, his cousin Sally Eveleigh says he claimed: 'I am totally, totally innocent.''

Thursday May 17

Portuguese police investigate telephone calls between Sergey Malinka and Robert Murat on the night Madeleine was abducted.

More than 25 million people visit the official website set up to help find missing Madeleine McCann.

A relative of the McCanns, Michael Wright, pays tribute to the McCanns' determination. He revealed details of the scope of their campaign and says: 'This is just the start'.

Posters protesting the innocence Robert Murat appear around the Norfolk village where he lived.

At the first Test match against the West Indies at Lord's, England cricket captain Andrew Strauss and his team all wear yellow ribbons in support of efforts to find the four-year-old.

Thursday May 24

The last photograph known to have been taken of Madeleine before she was snatched is released by her family.

The happy family snap, taken seven hours before she was abducted exactly three weeks ago, shows carefree Madeleine laughing in the sunshine, dangling her feet in the swimming pool.

It also emerges that the Catholic bishop of the Algarve, Manuel Neto Quintas had offered to become a go-between with any kidnapper.

In a Portuguese radio discussion, it was reported, he said he would make himself available if Madeleine's abductor chose to contact him.

A fighting fund for their campaign reaches almost £300,000 and 125 million people have clicked on the www.findmadeleine.com website.

Thousands of green and yellow wristbands symbolising the plight of missing Madeleine McCann go on sale sale across Leicestershire for a minimum donation of £1.

The bands - coloured yellow to reflect the ribbons used to mark Madeleine's disappearance and green, the Portuguese symbol of hope.

Friday May 25

The first detailed description of a possible suspect is issued by police.

The man is described as white, approximately 35 to 40-years-old, of medium build and 5ft 10ins tall. He was wearing a dark jacket, light beige trousers and dark shoes.

He was seen walking in the area of Praia da Luz at around 9.30pm on the night Madeleine was snatched.

A 'witness'' reported seeing a man carrying 'an object that could have been ... a child'' around that time, sources said.

A previously unseen picture of Madeleine playing happily on holiday shortly before she was snatched was released by her family.

The snap, taken by a family friend, shows Madeleine in bright pink trousers, a white T-shirt and pink top, smiling as she plays in a garden.

Police in Portugal speak of an attempt to snatch a girl similar to Madeleine McCann last year.

Three-year-old Carolina Santos, who is blonde with blue eyes, was found being led away by a man from the family cafe near the town of Silves, just half an hour from Praia Da Luz.

The European Commission marked International Missing Children's Day with a plea not to forget the plight of Madeleine McCann and her family.

Tuesday May 29

The last moving pictures of Madeleine are released.

The Mobile telephone images show Madeleine excitedly clambering up the steps to the aircraft for her holiday.

She is clasping her pink Barbie rucksack and holding hands with another little girl. She loses her footing and slips, grazing her shin on the third step. She cries for a few seconds and carries on.

Wednesday May 30

Kate and Gerry McCann attend an audience with the Pope at the Vatican.

Thursday May 31

Portuguese police say they are trawling through two dossiers, 8cm thick, of emails and messages from clairvoyants who say they know where Madeleine is and trying to find out if any of the messages could be from her kidnapper.

Saturday June 2

The parents of Madeleine McCann pledge to stay in Portugal to look for their daughter until there is 'absolutely no hope'.

Wednesday June 6

Madeleine's parents are forced to deny any involvement in her abduction when asked by a German journalist, while in Berlin, if they had anything to do with her disappearance.

Thursday June 7

A mystery phone call from a man claiming to know Madeleine's whereabouts is received.

The caller provides such detail that Kate and Gerry McCann put their European search for their daughter on hold in case they need to act.

The call is later traced to a mobile phone registered in Argentina.

Wednesday June 13

An anonymous letter sent to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claims Madeleine's body is buried in deserted scrubland only nine miles from where she was abducted.

Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa says the information was being taken seriously and 'everything necessary'' was being done to validate the allegation.

Friday June 15

Portuguese police with sniffer dogs search scrubland just north of the village of Arao where Madeleine's body was reported to be but the hunt is called off after just four hours.

Sunday June 17

Portuguese police say Madeleine's friends and family may have unwittingly destroyed vital evidence in the first few hours after her abduction, during their search for her.

Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa says their well-meaning actions could prove 'fatal'' for the investigation.

Tuesday June 19

Gerry McCann returns to the UK for the second time since his daughter was kidnapped for a series of meetings about the campaign to find the four-year-old.

Friday June 22

Detectives in Malta say they are investigating two fresh claims of sightings on the island and reveal they have received details of 11 sightings in total, dating back to May 27.

Madeleine's parents declare that they 'convinced'' she is still alive in an open letter, thanking British news organisations for their help.

Hundreds of balloons bearing her picture are released across the world as a tribute to mark the 50th day of her disappearance.

Monday June 25

Malta Police say they have received eight fresh reports in the past two days from people claiming to have seen the four-year-old.

Thursday June 28

Spanish police arrest an Italian man and a Portuguese woman suspected of trying to extort money from Madeleine's parents by offering them information about the missing girl.

They are not believed to have anything to do with her disappearance.

Tuesday July 10

The only named suspect in the case, Robert Murat, returns to the police station for questioning.
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Portuguese police good at clearing up crime but let down by lack of experience


Portuguese police good at clearing up crime but let down by lack of experience
Missing Madeleine; Factbox
Thomas Catan
29 May 2007
The Times

Hard-pressed officers are not used to dealing with the media's unrelenting attention, Thomas Catan writes

Britons have been aghast to learn that it took Portuguese police more than three weeks to release a description of a man seen carrying a little blonde girl away from the flat where Madeleine McCann was abducted -and then only after the intervention of Gordon Brown.

The abilities of Portuguese police have been doubted almost from the day the investigation began. But despite the confusion surrounding the search for the four-year-old girl, experts say that Portugal has a good record in clearing up crime.

The greatest difference between Portuguese and British police is that "Scotland Yard is technologically much more geared-up", says Francisco Moita Flores, a Portuguese law enforcement expert. "Aside from this, the English police work in a country with a massive amount of crime, (while) Portugal is one of the safest places in Europe."

Portugal does have one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, according to figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. But the country also has a series of overlapping police agencies, which can be confusing for foreigners.

The body investigating Madeleine's disappearance, the Policia Judiciaria (PJ), is the main police agency and is broadly equivalent to Scotland Yard. The Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR), a semi-militarised force operating mainly in rural areas, has featured heavily in the television coverage of the case, but is in fact merely playing a supporting role, guarding the crime scene and handling sniffer dogs. The Policia de Seguranca Publica (PSP) provides uniformed police officers for town and city work -the "bobbies on the beat" -while an alphabet-soup of other agencies have specialised functions, such as fighting terrorism or drug trafficking.

While the PJ has a good record in solving crimes, experts say it is often hampered by organisational problems. "The PJ is as good as Scotland Yard or the FBI," said Jose Vegar, a crime reporter. "The problem is that they don't have any co-ordination with other police forces and they don't share intelligence. They also lack the state-of-the art tools that police have in Britain."

When accused of being unco-operative, Portuguese police often point to a law that theoretically prevents them from divulging any information about a case.

Journalists say that the lack of official information is more a matter of style and that they have to rely on leaks from police contacts for information. One only half-joked when he said: "You know when the information you have printed is correct, because the police threaten to take action against you. Otherwise, rumours are almost never confirmed or denied."

Portuguese police are unaccustomed to such intense and extended public scrutiny, much less from the international media. "You have to remember that the police in Portugal have only about ten years' experience dealing with the media," Mr Vegar said. "They are still not very good at it. They also aren't used to the way the British media works."

At a recent press conference, one television reporter asked how police could justify dedicating such a large part of their resources to the hunt for Madeleine when there were Portuguese children missing. The families of two such children - Rui Pedro Mendonca and Rui Pereira -have expressed frustration that their cases did not receive the same attention from police.

The PJ is under enormous pressure to solve the crime, which is seen by Portugal's Government as a potential threat to their tourism industry. The British Ambassador in Lisbon, John Buck, has spoken directly with ministers and now Gordon Brown has become involved.

The officers at the centre of the investigation are certainly feeling the heat. An attendant at a car park in Portimao pointed to a car driven by one of the officers directing the case and said that it had not moved for days. "They sleep at the police station now," he said.

Portuguese detectives have said that criticism of their work is prompted by ignorance of their methods. "It's not going to affect our work," said Chief Inspector Olegario de Sousa. "It's natural for our officers to feel hurt by these criticisms, but it has just made us more determined. We shall work, remain calm and keep a cool head."

DETECTION RATES COMPARED

* Portuguese police solved 22.4 per cent of all cases in 2000;  in England and Wales the rate was 25 per cent

* English police are marginally better at solving rape cases (54 per cent compared with 46.3 per cent) and serious assault (66 per cent against 60.4 per cent)

* Only in murder cases are English police significantly more successful than Portuguese - they solve 90 per cent of killings, compared with 56.6 per cent


Source: Interpol
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Suspect's description made public after family pressure


Suspect's description made public after family pressure
MADELEINE DISAPPEARANCE: INFORMATION ROW 
Threat of legal action forced Portuguese police into releasing details of sighting
Torcuil Crichton
27 May 2007
Sunday Herald

PORTUGUESE police were forced into releasing a description of a suspect wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann after the parents of the missing girl held discussions with prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown and threatened legal action.

Last night, 23 days after their daughter went missing from a Portuguese holiday resort, the British couple welcomed news that police had released the description of a man seen carrying what was thought to be a child.

The McCanns were desperate to release the details but the Portuguese police, bound by national secrecy laws, have issued little in the way of details about the case and few appeals for information in the course of the inquiry.

The chancellor, Gordon Brown, has spoken to Gerry McCann on several occasions in recent days and pledged to do everything he could to support the family, who remain at the Ocean Club Mark Warner resort in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz where Madeleine was snatched from her bed.

The McCanns are now convinced that a white man aged around 35 to 40, spotted by a friend of the couple near their apartment at 9.30pm, was holding Madeleine. He was of medium build, about 5ft 10ins tall and wearing a dark jacket and beige trousers.

Portuguese police have known about the sighting for three weeks but because of laws which forbid the release of details of an investigation, details of the sighting could not be made public.

However, after a meeting between the McCanns and senior Portuguese officials, the police issued the physical description on Friday.

Although they have praised the efforts being made to find Madeleine, the McCanns were said to be increasingly frustrated in recent days at perceived delays and communication problems.

The family, whose lawyers have been in the Algarve recently, threatened legal action to push for the information to be released. On Friday night, after clearance was given by a public prosecutor, Portugal's Policia Judiciaria finally released the man's description, appealing for information.

In the UK, such a vital piece of the jigsaw would have been released early on in the investigation in the hope of witnesses coming forward.


The family had a series of meetings with British ambassador John Buck over the past three weeks, as well as with British and Portuguese police.

Yesterday Gerry McCann said that the talks were amicable and constructive, and insisted the sighting could prove "significant and relevant" in finding four-year-old Madeleine.

McCann said he and wife Kate wanted "more than anything" to get their daughter back safe and well.

Appealing for help, he said: "Any information, no matter how unimportant you think it could be, might be vital in helping the Portuguese and British police find our daughter." Kate McCann – who was still gripping Madeleine's pink Cuddle Cat toy – held her husband's hand as he urged the public to step forward if they had any information.

"Was this man seen anywhere else in or near the town with a child, or what appeared to be a child? Which direction was he heading in? Did he have a vehicle?" he asked.

After making their plea, the couple spent the afternoon with their two-yearold twins, Sean and Amelie, and took them swimming. They say they are determined to make life as normal for the children as they wait for news of their elder sister.

The discussions with Gordon Brown were an added boost to the McCanns after all other leads appeared to have gone cold.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the family, said: "I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown. He offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private." A Treasury spokesman refused to confirm that Brown had personally intervened to get the Portuguese police to change their minds on releasing the information.

Already there have been reports of a possible second sighting of the man carrying what appeared to be a child in Praia da Luz that night.

Although the reports have not been confirmed, a friend of the family said yesterday: "This is why the family were pushing to get that [sighting information] out there early, because they are hopeful that a number of other people might have seen her." As the police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance continued, the cordons around the McCann's apartment were narrowed. Telephone experts from the UK have travelled to the resort to examine all landline and mobile calls made on the night of the abduction, May 3, according to local newspaper Jornal de Noticias.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall yesterday said they had been following Madeleine's case "closely and with deep concern" and they "fervently hoped" she would be reunited with her family.

The couple's remarks were made in a statement from Clarence House and are the latest in a series of high-profile messages of support for the family.

The McCanns are currently planning trips to Spain, Germany and Holland to raise the profile of their daughter's case.
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Brown urged police to give more details


Brown urged police to give more details:
Chancellor acts after parents voice their concern at the lack of disclosure by Portuguese detectives
Brendan de Beer Praia da Luz
27 May 2007
The Observer


GORDON BROWN has personally intervened in the search for missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann after her parents became frustrated by the lack of progress in the police investigation.

After a series of telephone conversations with Madeleine's father, Gerry McCann in recent days, the Chancellor requested assistance from the Foreign Office and the Home Office. He asked that pressure be brought to bear on the Portuguese authorities to allow more information about the inquiry to be made public.

Gerry and his wife, Kate, have been desperate for a description of a man seen carrying what appears to have been a child on 3 May to be made public, but Portuguese police refused for three weeks because of the country's laws, which forbid the details of an investigation being released.

The Observer understands that Brown gave the McCanns an assurance he would do 'anything he can' to help. The British embassy duly applied pressure on the Portuguese authorities to find more flexibility in their secrecy laws. British ambassador John Buck visited the Algarve last Thursday. A day later Portuguese police made a U-turn and issued a detailed description of the man, said to be white, 35 to 40, 5ft 10in and of medium build, with hair longer around the neck, wearing a dark jacket, light beige trousers and dark shoes.


Asked whether Brown had influenced the decision, Clarence Mitchell, a Foreign Office spokesman for the McCann family in the Algarve, said: 'Draw your own conclusions.' He said in a statement: 'I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown. During them, Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private.'

Although they have praised the efforts being made to find their daughter, the McCanns were said to be increasingly frustrated in recent days at delays and communication problems. The family have met lawyers in the Algarve and threatened legal action to push for the information to be released because of the exceptional circumstances.

The Observer can confirm that a top law firm in London had been asked late last week to seek legal avenues through which the McCanns could be kept up to date on the latest developments in the investigations.

It also emerged yesterday that The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall had been following the case 'closely and with deep concern'.

The McCanns yesterday emerged from their apartment to say that they had had an 'amicable and very constructive' meeting with police. 'We very much welcome the decision of the police authorities to release details of a man seen by witnesses here in Praia da Luz on Thursday, 3 May, the night of Madeleine's disappearance,' Gerry said in a statement.

'The release of this important information followed an earlier meeting we had with senior police officers. We feel sure that this sighting of a man with what appeared to be a child in his arms is both significant and relevant to Madeleine's abduction.'

It emerged that the couple plan to widen their search across Europe. The McCanns are expected to visit Seville and Madrid before moving on to Berlin and Amsterdam. A source said that the reasoning behind the visits is that, 'after Britons, Spanish, Germans and the Dutch are the most frequent visitors to the Algarve', and the most likely to have seen something suspicious.

The campaign fund is now well over pounds 300,000, according to Mitchell. He stressed that the McCanns 'never asked for a single euro'.

In a new interview yesterday the McCanns spoke about their feelings since the night they left their three children asleep in a holiday complex apartment while they dined with friends in the complex's grounds, returning to find Madeleine had been abducted, and their refusal to give up hope of welcoming her back with 'a very big hug'. Asked if she forgets for even one second that her daughter is missing, Kate said: 'Madeleine is such a huge personality it is obvious when she is not there.'

Gerry, wearing yellow and green ribbons on his wrist to accompany those his wife has tied to her hair for more than three weeks, said: 'My waking thought is that the phone by the bedside has not rung. And that means Madeleine has not been found.'

Kate added: 'I am better in the morning, it seems like a fresh start. Evenings are harder. '

The McCanns are drawing strength from their twins, two-year-old Sean and Amelie. Kate said: 'The twins are so young they just get on with things, but obviously we don't want them to forget about Madeleine. We are hoping to see a child psychologist to explain what has happened to Madeleine to the twins.'

She added: 'They help us to get through this. We are a strong family and they were so close to Madeleine, only 20 months apart.'

Gerry said: 'We could have lost the twins too. There were three children in the room. That's the worst nightmare. . . This is so rare. It's a million to one. We really have to make sure it doesn't affect the twins growing up and their normal childhood. 'This is not a time for grieving. We believe she is still alive, so grief is not the appropriate emotion. We are absolutely determined to get her back. It's a bit like we are waging a war. It's a backs-to-the-wall thing.' His eyes welled up with tears when asked the first thing he would do if Madeleine returned home.

'I think we will be having a very big hug. Hope, strength and courage are our motto. There is nothing more I would like than to see Madeleine walk in, so we could use the fund to help find other missing children.'
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Police Forced Into U-Turn In Missing Madeleine Hunt


Police Forced Into U-Turn In Missing Madeleine Hunt
26 May 2007
Press Association National Newswire
Caroline Gammell and John Bingham, PA in Praia da Luz

Portuguese police were forced to make an embarrassing U-turn after the parents of missing Madeleine McCann held discussions with prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown, it emerged today.

The Chancellor spoke to Gerry McCann on several occasions in recent days and pledged to do everything he could to support the family.

The McCanns were desperate to release details about a man seen carrying what was thought to be a child on the night Madeleine went missing and had threatened legal action.

But after a meeting between the couple and senior Portuguese officials, the police relented and a physical description was issued.

Today, Mr McCann said the talks were amicable and constructive and insisted the sighting could prove 'significant and relevant'' in finding the four-year-old.

It is 23 days since Madeleine was snatched from her bed at the Ocean Club Mark Warner resort in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz.

Mr McCann said he and wife Kate wanted 'more than anything'' to get their daughter back safe and well.

Appealing for help, he said: 'Any information, no matter how unimportant you think it could be might be vital in helping the Portuguese and British police find our daughter.''

Mrs McCann - still holding Madeleine's pink Cuddle Cat - held her husband's hand as he urged the public to step forward.

'Was this man seen anywhere else in or near the town with a child, or what appeared to be a child?

'Which direction was he heading in? Did he have a vehicle?''

After making their plea, the couple spent the afternoon with their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, and took them swimming.

They are determined to make life as normal for the children as they wait for any news of their elder sister.

The top level discussions with Mr Brown were an added boost to the McCanns after all other leads appeared to have gone cold.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the family, said: 'I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown.

'During them, Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private.

'The conversations took place against the background of the Chancellor's earlier offer to help when he met and spoke to other members of the McCann family in the UK.''

A Treasury spokesman refused to confirm that Mr Brown had personally intervened to get the Portuguese police to change their minds on releasing the information.

The McCanns are convinced that a white man aged around 35 to 40 spotted by a friend of the couple near their apartment at 9.30pm was holding Madeleine.

He was medium build, 5ft 10ins tall, wearing a dark jacket and beige trousers.

Portuguese police have known about the sighting for three weeks but because of extraordinary laws which forbid the release of details of an investigation the sighting could not be publicly released.

In other countries such a vital piece of the jigsaw would have been released early on in the hope of future witnesses coming forward.

The family, whose lawyers have been in the Algarve recently, had a series of meetings with British ambassador John Buck over the past three weeks as well as with British and Portuguese police.

Today it emerged that Mr Brown had spoken to Mr McCann by telephone more than once.

Last night, after clearance was given by a public prosecutor, Portugal's Policia Judiciaria (PJ) finally gave way and released the description, appealing for information.

Already there have been reports of a possible second sighting of the man carrying what appeared to be a child in Praia Da Luz that night.

Although the reports have not been confirmed a friend of the family said today: 'This is why the family were pushing to get that out there early because they are hopeful that a number of other people might have seen her.''

As the police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance continued, the cordons around the McCann's apartment were narrowed.

Telephone experts from the UK have travelled to the resort town to examine all landline and mobile calls made on the evening of May 3, the night of the abduction, according to local paper Jornal de Noticias.

And two former British soldiers who have volunteered to help in the hunt have been searching empty warehouses in the area.

The hunt for Madeleine has sparked interest across the world, including China, South Africa and the US.

The McCanns are currently planning trips to Spain, Germany and Holland to raise the profile of their daughter's case.
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Chancellor 'Spoke To Missing Madeleine's Father'


Chancellor 'Spoke To Missing Madeleine's Father'
26 May 2007
Press Association National Newswire
John Bingham and Caroline Gammell, PA, in Praia Da Luz


Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown has spoken personally to the father of missing Madeleine McCann to pledge support from the very top of the Government for the family's efforts to find her, it was confirmed today.

The Chancellor had a series of telephone conversations with Madeleine's father Gerry McCann in recent days.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the family in the Algarve, said today: 'I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown.

'During them, Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private.

'The conversations took place against the background of the Chancellor's earlier offer to help when he met and spoke to other members of the McCann family in the UK.''

Although details of the conversations have not been released it is thought they took place before a dramatic U-turn by the Portuguese police on whether or not to release details of a possible sighting of Madeleine being carried by her abductor in the Algarve village of Praia Da Luz on the night she was taken.

Mr and Mrs McCann have been desperate for a description of a man seen carrying what appears to have been a child on May 3 to be released.

A white man aged around 35 to 40 was spotted by a friend of the couple at 9.30pm on the night of Madeleine's abduction.

Her parents are convinced that it was Madeleine.

Portuguese police have known about the sighting for three weeks but because of extraordinary laws which forbid the release of details of an investigation the sighting could not be publicly released.

In other countries such a vital piece of the jigsaw would have been released early on in the hope of future witnesses coming forward.

Although they have praised the efforts being made to find the four-year-old, the McCanns were said to be increasingly 'frustrated'' in recent days at delays and communication problems.

The family, whose lawyers have been in the Algarve meeting them recently, threatened legal action to push for the information to be released because of the exceptional circumstances.

They had a series of meetings with British ambassador John Buck over the past three weeks as well as with British and Portuguese police where the issue may have been raised.

And today it emerged that Mr Brown had spoken to Mr McCann by telephone more than once.

Last night, after clearance was given by a public prosecutor, Portugal's Policia Judiciaria (PJ) finally gave way and released the description, appealing for information.

Already there have been reports of a possible second sighting of the man carrying what appeared to be a child in Praia Da Luz that night.

Although the reports have not been confirmed a friend of the family said today: 'This is why the family were pushing to get that out there early because they are hopeful that a number of other people might have seen her.''

The McCanns welcomed the police's decision to release details of the suspect.

They emerged from their apartment - Mrs McCann still clutching Madeleine's pink cuddles - to make a statement to the waiting media.

Mr McCann said they had had an 'amicable and very constructive'' meeting with police.

'We very much welcome the decision of the police authorities to release details of a man seen by witnesses here in Praia Da Luz on Thursday, May 3, the night of Madeleine's disappearance.

'The release of this important information followed an earlier meeting we had with senior police officers.

'We feel sure that this sighting of a man with what appeared to be a child in his arms is both significant and relevant to Madeleine's abduction.''

He urged anyone who may have seen the suspect to come forward to police.

'Any information no matter how unimportant it might be could be vital in helping the Portuguese police to find our daughter.

'We wish for nothing more than to bring Madeleine home with us safe and well.''
   
   
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Brown offers help over Madeleine


May 15, 2007
BBC NEWS
Excerpts:

Chancellor Gordon Brown has told relatives of missing Madeleine McCann he will help "in any way he can".
Philomena McCann, lobbying MPs for support in the search for her niece, four, said he was "extremely helpful".  A fighting fund will be launched later at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester, to help cover escalating legal bills.
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