Madeleine "Showdown"?

Question

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/07/13/madeleine-showdown-89520-19448456/

From Sol....With thanks to Astro for this:


author: Margarida Davim
translated by: Astro

At the entrance of Ocean’s Club in Praia da Luz, the journalists who participated in the press conference that was held by Madeleine’s parents for the portuguese media, encountered a plastic box to collect donations. A small text, signed by Kate and Gerry McCann, invites everyone who enters the resort to contribute. This gesture was not appreciated by the members of staff, who claim that the resort “is full of collection boxes”.

A fund for Maddie

This box is just one of many ways that Maddie’s parents found to collect money for the ‘Leaving no Stone Unturned’ fund – which counts with almost 900 thousand pounds already (one million three hundred thousand euros).

Justine McGuinness, the McCann’s new public relations, guarantees that the collected money “is being managed by a group of independent persons”, and subject to “very rigorous rules that are imposed by british law to al

all charities”. Still, McGuinness refuses to explain who are the “highly qualified lawyers and managers” that are managing the fund, just highlighting they are not remunerated, and offered as volunteers.

On the findmadeleine.com site there is an online store, where Gerry and Kate sell yellow rubber bracelets and textile bands, to help finance the cause. Callum McRae, the author of the site, says it was the couple’s idea. Speaking to SOL, McRae explains that the child’s aunt, Philomena McCann, asked him to create the internet page, just two days after the girl went missing. “She knew exactly what she wanted”, says Callum McRae, who created the contents in just one day.

The McCann’s internet page also publicizes several fundraising events, all taking place in the UK, and some planned over 60 days ahead.

To SOL, McRae, who was a student of Madeleine’s aunt in highschool, did not want to specify whether his work on the site is paid by the fund or not: “I’m not authorized to spe

“I’m not authorized to speak about that”. According to the site, the fund’s purpose is to “support Madeleine’s family financially” and to make sure she is found, and her kidnappers brought to trial. After reaching these targets, the collected money shall be used to help solving “similar cases in the UK, in Portugal and elsewhere”.

Twins at the creche

This week, Kate and Gerry moved into a villa outside the Ocean Club, but are still visiting the resort. “They come here every day to drop the twins at the creche”, a member of staff reports.

Kate and Gerry, who are now staying at a villa with a pool, never had to pay for their stay at the resort. “They were not even handed a bill”, the same employee of the Ocean Club says, noting the couple’s detached and somewhat “arrogant” attitude.

Reactions to SOL

Reactions to SOL

Last edition’s article on the McCann case (A pact of silence), has livened the discussion in the UK. Fully translated into english, it has prompted approximately 20 pages of reactions in the forum of the Daily Mirror. Among the comments, there is criticism of the alleged censorship that this work was subject to in the forums of other british media

I've just read this on another forum posted by a Portugese lady who is really helpful and straight talking:

''The question is when some witnesses and an arguido are called to an "acareação" (article #229 Portuguese Process Penal Code) - confrontation - it really means there are discrepencies between the testimonies and obviously someone is lying, or better said "not telling exactly the truth". This action is made in order to trying to get the truth (if that is possible). However, direct confrontation generally brings some light on an investigation.

But there's another thing. Under the Portuguese Process Penal Code, someone with "arguido" status can lie to the Police during an investigation. The only thing that person needs to speak the truth is about her/his name and the criminal records he/she had before [if there's (are) one (some)].
Obviously that's not a good thing to lie! Only in the Court, during the Trial the "charged" must speak (is obliged) the truth in order to "pro

"produce evidence", which is going to be pondered with all the other evidence Police gets during the investigation.

A witness status is different. A witness can never lie to the Police. A person with that status has to speak always the truth. If at any time Police finds out, a witness has been lying, that same person will have the "witness" status, converted to the "arguido" status.

Hope this helps to clarify this situation.''

It leaves me feeling that if any of the Tapas crew have lied to the plod, they are now in BIG trouble.

The Portuguese Association of Missing Children has been set up
18-06-2007 0:29:00


The Portuguese Association of Missing Children is being set up, on the initiative of the family of Rui Pedro, who disappeared in 1998 aged 11, and it already has 158 members.


The aim of the association is to “assist with the investigations into missing children and organise events which are relevant to the situation of those children”.

Rui Pedro disappeared at the age of 11 on 4th March 1998 in Lousada, it is thought while he was riding his bicycle on wasteland behind his mother’s office, and he was never found.

The formalisation of the association, which already has 158 members, as was announced on the website created to help to find Rui Pedro, is already at the National Register of Organisations for approval of the name of the association, and the statutes are already being drawn up.

Rui Pedro’s uncle and godfather Carlos Teixeira, is behind the initiative, whose aim is to acce

Rui Pedro’s uncle and godfather Carlos Teixeira, is behind the initiative, whose aim is to accept the participation of anyone who wishes to help define the objectives and find the right people who want to participate in and direct the association on a voluntary basis.

Rui Pedro’s family think that it should not be the parents of missing children who lead the Portuguese association, owing to the situation they have to face, but the statutes of the association provide for them to participate in a consultative council with a role in the definition of the association’s performance strategy.

Subscriptions to the association should not be more that 2.50 euros, and contact has already been made with the families of other missing children in Portugal who have expressed their willingness to help.

To date, these do not include the family of Madeleine McCann, the four-year-old who disappeared in Lagos, and whose parents have conducted one of the biggest media campaigns in their search

To date, these do not include the family of Madeleine McCann, the four-year-old who disappeared in Lagos, and whose parents have conducted one of the biggest media campaigns in their search for her, supported by a foundation that has received millions of euros in donations.

Rui Pedro’s uncle is meanwhile appealing for the support and involvement of public figures, who, in addition to promoting the association, could also give support in publicising the images of the children, and should always be aware of this problem in the areas where they work.

In an interview published by the daily paper Primeiro de Janeiro, he said that any person or public or private body who identifies with the statutes could become a member.

The case of Rui Pedro, which his family always complained was not given the proper attention by those responsible for the investigation, again became the focus of media attention after the case of Madeleine McCann.

On the website http://www.ruipedro.net/, which has meanwhile been created, there are photographs of an eleven-year-old boy, as well as a projection of his growth and a portrait showing his possible appearance today at the age of 20, another attempt by the family to find him again, as a consequence of the high profile in the media of the case of Madeleine.



Conceição Branco

exactly what I thought, its NOT a charity!!

Also, notice that the McCanns have not offered ANYTHING in the way of financial help to the Portugese Missing Children Fund, NOT EVEN THE 2.5 EUROS...

2 different versions of events about if the Lawyers are being paid for out of the fund or not..

Justine McGuinness, the McCann’s new public relations, guarantees that the collected money “is being managed by a group of independent persons”, and subject to “very rigorous rules that are imposed by british law to all charities”. Still, McGuinness refuses to explain who are the “highly qualified lawyers and managers” that are managing the fund, just highlighting they are not remunerated, and offered as volunteers.

From the latest Sol article. Bit in bold is mine. So what is the 'fund' paying for if the lawyers and managers are volunteers ?

and then this... great-uncle Brian Kennedy (in the Mercury, I) said that the lawyers were being paid for out of the fund? Or is that a DIFFERENT set of lawyers being paid to do something else?

BBC media pages - ''McCanns to keep searching'' - wherein Gerry tells us exactly what the fund money is being spent on:
Legal Team
Running the website
Campaign Manager's salary
Huge administration costs
.
so are the lawyers being paid, or not?

the fund whose total we see displayed on http://www.bringmadeleinehome.com/ can not be the only fund.

There is a report which states that there are corporate donors who have given millions of pounds, and the site traffic revenue must run into the tens of millions of pounds. These amounts do not appear in that "Donations of £901,234.89 have been received to the fund to date" total.

from ioltechnology.co.za

Multinational companies, including British Petroleum, Shell, Esso, Texaco and Total have launched a massive poster and text messaging campaign as millions have been poured into a fund to help the search.

Telecoms companies including Vodafone, O2 and Spain’s Telefonica are among those backing the phone text campaign

London - Scam artists have set up websites similar to the official site for missing 4-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann in an attempt to steal credit-card numbers and personal details from donors, British media reported Saturday.

The official website for McCann, who disappeared while on holiday in southern Portugal, had received more than 70 million hits in three days, the Daily Mail reported.

But gangsters had set up a series of similar bogus sites looking for donations, and some even had advertisements from well-known British brands, the report said.

Madeleine’s family was outraged: “It is a shame that people behave like this and they exploit the generosity of the general population ,” uncle John McCann told the Daily Mail.

“I am loth to use the phrase parasites, but unfortunately that is what it seems like,” he said.

(I had to add that last bit....Uncle Johns words made me choke on my coffee!)

Its just odd, the whole thing, isnt it?

And even if Murat WAS there by the pool "minutes after Madeleine went missing", (which I doubt he was), doesnt that point to his innocence anyway? How could he have taken her, disposed of her, cleaned himself up (if he needed to) and get back to the hotel that fast?

dolly, its me, lol, your hormones are playing you up, must be your pregnancy, lol

Hi bull_dog_george

No, I dont have any links to Portugal. You can e.mail me through here though?

Answer 1

So what your saying, is if you want to raise a million euro's, neglect your kids. This is starting to look a total pantomime. The parents should be in England and Scotland yard should be working with the Portuguese police. The whole thing leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth. Mick

Answer 2

I have no idea who is right and who is wrong with all this but it does make me wonder how they can say they saw someone outside just after Madeleine went missing when they have no idea about the time she went missing as they were all drinking and eating together and not checking on the children when they said they were. If they had not formed the pact of silence then I would believe what they are saying now. Why did they not come out with this 2 months ago? What a waste of time, valuable time in the life of a missing child. The first 24 hours are vital, the first few days are vital, any information, even if mistakes were made are vital. What a fiasco.

Answer 3

if these 3 witnesses saw Murat on the night of the disappearance , why didn't they say so at the time. Murat's photos were plastered all over the papers within days.

Also I seem to be missing something else hear. How come all 3 saw him when they were all dining with the McCanns. I thought the bar staff said nobody left the table.

Answer 4

Hi I love the posts especially from Sol they are really honest, but I cant add to whats already been said at moment.
Its just too much to absorb.
Although the fact that Murat and the "friends" were in this "showdown" makes me think it might be the friends the police dont believe, as all the other witnesses as you say, dont mention Murat being there.
I have my fingers crossed for an outcome soon.

Answer 5

They encourage open air debating for the truth in Portugal. Intimidation of a witness/suspect does not come into it, though maybe it will now.

Answer 6

'........Justine McGuinness, the McCann’s new public relations, guarantees that the collected money “is being managed by a group of independent persons”, and subject to “very rigorous rules that are imposed by british law to
all charities.......'

All charities.

All charities?

All CHARITIES ??????

Erm, hello, Justine...it's NOT a ******* charity!!!!!!!

Grrrrrrrrrr.


Edit:
Thanks CT - you'll have to type faster Dave...lol....then both CT and I could have put...'We agree with....lol'

Answer 7

Anyone told Justine McGuinness that the limited company the McCanns set up is NOT a charity and therefore not subject to the strict rules and regulations that registered charities are?

She doesnt seem the brightest spark this one ......

Answer 8

A bit like a merry-go-round...isn't it?
Look, wait & watch & let the truth unfold...
Playing Sherlock is fun but speculation & conjecture, however well put & entertaining, does get tedious after a while...

Answer 9

I agree with dteacher1.

Has anyone else seen this.
Madeleine's Father Cheered By Police

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91210-1275024,00.html

Answer 10

Absolutely pathetic,can you imagine? Let's put a load of people in a room,let them scream at each other and we're bound to find the guilty one?????