General discussion about the latest news (not search related)

[Sunny]

Portugal resident is reporting funding not granted.


http://portugalresident.com/plug-pulled-on-maddie-funding

Operation Grange - the controversial British police investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann - has reached the ‘official closure’ of its funding.
At least this is the version of reports circulating in Portugal this week.
In UK, the Home Office line is that expenses on any future operations “could be paid retroactively” - intimating the probe is still active.
There are even reports that a final decision on funding is still being considered.
But it seems largely an issue of semantics.
Here, tabloid Correio da Manhã leads on the ‘bottom line’ which is that “after seven years and over €13 million spent, the investigation by British authorities is approaching its end without producing any result”.
CM stresses that Grange has followed various leads “but never the possibility of involvement of Maddie’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, in the (child’s) disappearance.
“The couple and friends with whom they spent holidays at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz in 2007 never made any statements within the scope of Operation Grange”.
CM questions former Portuguese minister for Internal Administration Rui Pereira, himself a well-known commentator and indeed critic on this case.
Pereira stresses that in his opinion Grange has always been politically directed. It’s a suggestion that has come from multiple sources, not least former Metropolitan police detective chief inspector Colin Sutton, and former ambassador Craig Murray (click here and click here).
Meantime, in UK mainstream papers have been focusing on Madeleine’s father Gerry’s latest interview with BBC Radio 4, centering on the incredibly special relationship that he had with his missing daughter (click here)
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com

So we still don't know..  This is new isn't it. The Sun going out to say funding continues in the paper version but it not going online. No other Uk media picking up this story and then this from Portugal.

Thanks barrier for the information 

[jassi]

I guess we'll have to wait and see who else picks up on the story.
If true it'll be interesting to see OG's end of term report.

[Sunny]

I guess we'll have to wait and see who else picks up on the story.
If true it'll be interesting to see OG's end of term report.

If it is the end of the investigation what will Scotland Yard say?   

[jassi]

If it is the end of the investigation what will Scotland Yard say?   

Scratches head " Sorry guv, can't solve this one"

[faithlilly]

Scratches head " Sorry guv, can't solve this one"

I don’t see how the Met can ever justify the amount of money spent on OG if, as we are lead to believe, the involvement of the parents was never considered.

The archiving report did not clear the parents, a fact made clear in the SC’s judgement, and of course we don’t know what leads the PJ have been following. Is the pulling of Rowley’s statement claiming the parents guilt had been dealt with by the first Portuguese investigation significant ? I suppose only time will tell.

[Alice Purjorick]

I guess we'll have to wait and see who else picks up on the story.
If true it'll be interesting to see OG's end of term report.

Fat chance of that! The dog will eat it on the way home.

[Eleanor]

Just think, this could run and run for years and years no matter what happens.

[faithlilly]

I can’t find the Operation Grange remit on the Met site. Could someone please post the link ?

[Montclair]

I don’t see how the Met can ever justify the amount of money spent on OG if, as we are lead to believe, the involvement of the parents was never considered.

The archiving report did not clear the parents, a fact made clear in the SC’s judgement, and of course we don’t know what leads the PJ have been following. Is the pulling of Rowley’s statement claiming the parents guilt had been dealt with by the first Portuguese investigation significant ? I suppose only time will tell.

We don't know what OG is investigating and we can't rule out their looking at the parents. They obviously have their reasons to keep everything under wraps. What's the use of a criminal investigation if the police are going to give the public a running commentary, especially if any suspects are still walking free. Also, it seems that the PJ asked that the UK authorities keep things secret.

[Alice Purjorick]

I can’t find the Operation Grange remit on the Met site. Could someone please post the link ?

The Met site appears to have changed its search function or removed certain items.
The remit said this:

Op Grange Remit

The support and expertise proffered by the Commissioner will be provided by the Homicide & Serious Crime Command - SCD1.

The activity, in the first instance, will be that of an ‘investigative review’. This will entail a review of the whole of the investigation(s) which have been conducted in to the circumstances of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

The focus of the review will be of the material held by three main stakeholders (and in the following order of primacy);

• The Portuguese Law Enforcement agencies.
• UK Law Enforcement agencies,
• Other private investigative agencies/staff and organisations.

The investigative review is intended to collate, record and analyse what has gone before.

It is to examine the case and seek to determine, (as if the abduction occurred in the UK) what additional, new investigative approaches we would take and which can assist the Portuguese authorities in progressing the matter. Whilst ordinarily a review has no investigative remit whatsoever- the scale and extent of this enquiry cannot permit for such an approach. It will take too long to progress to any “action stage” if activity is given wholly and solely to a review process.

The ‘investigative review’ will be conducted with transparency, openness and thoroughness.

The work will be overseen through the Gold Group management structure, which will also manage the central relationships with other key stakeholders and provide continuing oversight and direction to the investigative remit.

End

[Miss Taken Identity]

We don't know what OG is investigating and we can't rule out their looking at the parents. They obviously have their reasons to keep everything under wraps. What's the use of a criminal investigation if the police are going to give the public a running commentary, especially if any suspects are still walking free. Also, it seems that the PJ asked that the UK authorities keep things secret.

That is absolutely correct Monclair.  That is the reason SY stepped in and told them to shut up at the anniversary- because if they wanted any assistance from the PJ they would have to abide by their terms and conditions.
Hence why we have been getting 'friends of the family' or those close to the investigation' BS.

Nice move to have a BBC radio show 'invented' for Gerry- to get your story retold the way you want it told. Are we going to hear from mums who have lost daughters? Oh No not Kate...

[faithlilly]

The Met site appears to have changed its search function or removed certain items.
The remit said this:

Op Grange Remit

The support and expertise proffered by the Commissioner will be provided by the Homicide & Serious Crime Command - SCD1.

The activity, in the first instance, will be that of an ‘investigative review’. This will entail a review of the whole of the investigation(s) which have been conducted in to the circumstances of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

The focus of the review will be of the material held by three main stakeholders (and in the following order of primacy);

• The Portuguese Law Enforcement agencies.
• UK Law Enforcement agencies,
• Other private investigative agencies/staff and organisations.

The investigative review is intended to collate, record and analyse what has gone before.

It is to examine the case and seek to determine, (as if the abduction occurred in the UK) what additional, new investigative approaches we would take and which can assist the Portuguese authorities in progressing the matter. Whilst ordinarily a review has no investigative remit whatsoever- the scale and extent of this enquiry cannot permit for such an approach. It will take too long to progress to any “action stage” if activity is given wholly and solely to a review process.

The ‘investigative review’ will be conducted with transparency, openness and thoroughness.

The work will be overseen through the Gold Group management structure, which will also manage the central relationships with other key stakeholders and provide continuing oversight and direction to the investigative remit.

End

Thanks Alice. It seems the remit and Rowley’s 10th anniversary interview has disappeared.

[Sunny]

The Met site appears to have changed its search function or removed certain items.
The remit said this:

Op Grange Remit

The support and expertise proffered by the Commissioner will be provided by the Homicide & Serious Crime Command - SCD1.

The activity, in the first instance, will be that of an ‘investigative review’. This will entail a review of the whole of the investigation(s) which have been conducted in to the circumstances of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

The focus of the review will be of the material held by three main stakeholders (and in the following order of primacy);

• The Portuguese Law Enforcement agencies.
• UK Law Enforcement agencies,
• Other private investigative agencies/staff and organisations.

The investigative review is intended to collate, record and analyse what has gone before.

It is to examine the case and seek to determine, (as if the abduction occurred in the UK) what additional, new investigative approaches we would take and which can assist the Portuguese authorities in progressing the matter. Whilst ordinarily a review has no investigative remit whatsoever- the scale and extent of this enquiry cannot permit for such an approach. It will take too long to progress to any “action stage” if activity is given wholly and solely to a review process.

The ‘investigative review’ will be conducted with transparency, openness and thoroughness.

The work will be overseen through the Gold Group management structure, which will also manage the central relationships with other key stakeholders and provide continuing oversight and direction to the investigative remit.

End

It seems the investigative review was as transparent as Madeleine's fund. Wonder why the Met haven't updated the information as it is a full investigation now and has been for years.

[sadie]

IMO we should also consider though,  how many other cold cases are not being investigated by Scotland Yard or other police forces, possibly at the expense of Madeleine's case. How many other families who have a member either missing or murdered and who have no chance of finding out the truth about their loved ones. 

They may begrudge Operation Grange getting nearly £12 million as there loved ones get nothing or next to nothing,  IMO.

I can understand that,

1)   but had SY got as many clues on those cases as in the Madeleine case?
So many witnesses to strange sightings etc

2)   Did the police in those cases behave in a similar manner to the way that the chief, Amaral, behaved ?

3)   Did the country where the various children went missing have so many extraordinarily bizarre findings in the cases as in Portugal?

4)   Did they have any thoughts about trafficking as seems to have been the case here?  Investigating that would cost a fortune.

4)   Did any of the other cases have an old woman come and give them a huge number of thought provoking opinions, and ensuing ideas, as happened in this case.  Bringing them a completely fresh outlook on the case, the likes of which nobody had thought of before?


Think about it, Sunny

[misty]

It's now the 2nd of October. This date was significant in 2007 - will it be significant in 2018?