Strange Witness Statements

[pathfinder73]

It is therefore strange & confusing that the PJ did not investigate that sighting & connect it to the facts back in 2007. It's almost as though it was invisible.

Amaral was planning it when he was removed.

Martin Smith new Sept 2007 statement:

"When we receive this information, at the end of September, we think we finally have the piece that will allow us to complete the puzzle." (TOTL)

[Brietta]

Amaral was planning it when he was removed.

Martin Smith new Sept 2007 statement:

"When we receive this information, at the end of September, we think we finally have the piece that will allow us to complete the puzzle." (TOTL)

So what did Paulo Rebelo do with this very last piece of the puzzle the rest of which Goncalo Amaral had studiously ignored in the time it had been in his hands since May?

[pathfinder73]

So what did Paulo Rebelo do with this very last piece of the puzzle the rest of which Goncalo Amaral had studiously ignored in the time it had been in his hands since May?

He was looking for fresh new evidence.

Oct. 13th 2007

PORTUGUESE police were reported today to have begun a new search of the apartment Madeleine McCann vanished from.

Officers were said to have started combing the two-bedroom flat at 7am, in a fresh hunt for clues. They are believed to have stayed there for at least five hours.

The reported search comes as a new policeman was appointed to lead the inquiry in Portugal.

Paulo Rebelo has been brought in from Lisbon to replace Goncalo Amaral, who was sacked last week after being caught briefing a journalist against the McCanns.

Oct 15th 2007

DETECTIVES will scour a ten-mile area around Praia da Luz and a reservoir surrounded by forests as the search for Madeleine McCann gains new intensity this week.

In the first large-scale searches for more than three months, Paulo Rebelo, the new head of the investigation, has not ruled out using divers at the 2.5 mile wide reservoir.

Mr Rebelo has overseen a fresh look at the McCann holiday apartment and has ordered a root-and-branch review of the five-month investigation.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/PAULO_REBELO.htm

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LETTER_KATE_MCCANN.htm

Meanwhile the McCanns were doing

http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/2009/09/mark-hollingsworth-investigates-mccann.html

Born in Belgium in 1951, Exton had been a highly effective undercover officer for the Manchester police. A maverick and dynamic figure, he successfully infiltrated gangs of football hooligans in the 1980’s. While not popular among his colleagues, in 1991 he was seconded to work on MI5 undercover operations against drug dealers, gangsters and terrorists, and was later awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for ‘outstanding bravery’. By all accounts, the charismatic Exton was a dedicated officer.

While Exton, however flawed, was the genuine article as an investigator, Halligen was a very different character.



Exton confirmed last week that the fund had silenced his investigators for years after they handed over their controversial findings. He said: “A letter came from their lawyers binding us to the confidentiality of the report.” He claimed the legal threat had prevented him from handing over the report to Scotland Yard’s fresh investigation, until detectives had obtained written permission from the fund.

[faithlilly]

So what did Paulo Rebelo do with this very last piece of the puzzle the rest of which Goncalo Amaral had studiously ignored in the time it had been in his hands since May?

Studiously ignored ? Amaral brought several of the Smiths back to PDL and conducted a reconstruction with them. I believe they were also included in the people to be interviewed again through the rogatory process although there was some mix up and this didn't inthe end happen.

Recently I watched the Panorama programme screened in November 2007. It was interesting to note that it was reported in this :

'BILTON: Now what follows is the crucial part of the story. The police have told Panorama that the timeline, the chronology of the events of the night of May 3rd, are still at the heart of this investigation. They say that there are many inconsistencies in what the group who were having dinner with the McCanns the so-called 'tapas night' have said in their witness statements.'

So in November 2007, many months after Amaral had left the case, the investigation being lead by his successor Rebelo was still focusing on the same elements identified by Amaral during his tenure ie inconsistencies in the tapas timeline.

[Carana]

Studiously ignored ? Amaral brought several of the Smiths back to PDL and conducted a reconstruction with them. I believe they were also included in the people to be interviewed again through the rogatory process although there was some mix up and this didn't inthe end happen.

Recently I watched the Panorama programme screened in November 2007. It was interesting to note that it was reported in this :

'BILTON: Now what follows is the crucial part of the story. The police have told Panorama that the timeline, the chronology of the events of the night of May 3rd, are still at the heart of this investigation. They say that there are many inconsistencies in what the group who were having dinner with the McCanns the so-called 'tapas night' have said in their witness statements.'

So in November 2007, many months after Amaral had left the case, the investigation being lead by his successor Rebelo was still focusing on the same elements identified by Amaral during his tenure ie inconsistencies in the tapas timeline.

Back in November 2007, the Tapas group (and others) hadn't been interviewed by the UK police - all they could go on was what appeared in the summary statements noted by PT officers, with the help of whoever was around to help interpret.

[faithlilly]

Back in November 2007, the Tapas group (and others) hadn't been interviewed by the UK police - all they could go on was what appeared in the summary statements noted by PT officers, with the help of whoever was around to help interpret.

I think by 'the police' Bilton meant the PJ.

[Brietta]

He was looking for fresh new evidence.

Oct. 13th 2007

PORTUGUESE police were reported today to have begun a new search of the apartment Madeleine McCann vanished from.

Officers were said to have started combing the two-bedroom flat at 7am, in a fresh hunt for clues. They are believed to have stayed there for at least five hours.

The reported search comes as a new policeman was appointed to lead the inquiry in Portugal.

Paulo Rebelo has been brought in from Lisbon to replace Goncalo Amaral, who was sacked last week after being caught briefing a journalist against the McCanns.

Oct 15th 2007

DETECTIVES will scour a ten-mile area around Praia da Luz and a reservoir surrounded by forests as the search for Madeleine McCann gains new intensity this week.

In the first large-scale searches for more than three months, Paulo Rebelo, the new head of the investigation, has not ruled out using divers at the 2.5 mile wide reservoir.

Mr Rebelo has overseen a fresh look at the McCann holiday apartment and has ordered a root-and-branch review of the five-month investigation.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/PAULO_REBELO.htm

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LETTER_KATE_MCCANN.htm

Meanwhile the McCanns were doing

http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/2009/09/mark-hollingsworth-investigates-mccann.html

Born in Belgium in 1951, Exton had been a highly effective undercover officer for the Manchester police. A maverick and dynamic figure, he successfully infiltrated gangs of football hooligans in the 1980’s. While not popular among his colleagues, in 1991 he was seconded to work on MI5 undercover operations against drug dealers, gangsters and terrorists, and was later awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for ‘outstanding bravery’. By all accounts, the charismatic Exton was a dedicated officer.

While Exton, however flawed, was the genuine article as an investigator, Halligen was a very different character.



Exton confirmed last week that the fund had silenced his investigators for years after they handed over their controversial findings. He said: “A letter came from their lawyers binding us to the confidentiality of the report.” He claimed the legal threat had prevented him from handing over the report to Scotland Yard’s fresh investigation, until detectives had obtained written permission from the fund.

Of course he was looking for evidence.  That was his job being a well respected police officer.  What evidence implicating Madeleine McCann's parents in her vanishing did he find?

It would be worth noting from the cite you have posted that Rebelo found it impossible just to take up the investigation from the point that Goncalo Amaral left off ... like the PJ and SY after him ... he found it necessary to return to the very beginning.
The initial information from the crime scene was so compromised and botched it had to be looked at again but interestingly without the assistance of dogs.

Do you know offhand how often Goncalo Amaral visited the crime scene ... the only photographic evidence I have seen is from his documentary where for some reason he was illustrating that the front door lock could not be slipped with a credit card.
Now that we know the situation regarding the keys ... wonder why he did that?

[Carana]

"Exton confirmed last week that the fund had silenced his investigators for years after they handed over their controversial findings. He said: “A letter came from their lawyers binding us to the confidentiality of the report.” He claimed the legal threat had prevented him from handing over the report to Scotland Yard’s fresh investigation, until detectives had obtained written permission from the fund."

That doesn't make sense to me, I'm afraid.

Was this "confidentiality" agreement anything more than the blurb in a standard contract / termination notice of one?

Something had been handed over to LP and the PJ, either directly or via the Fund ... was it a complete report, or a partial one?

If it was complete, I see no reason why the Met didn't get a copy from either police force or the Fund. If what had been handed over was a partial report, then I could understand that the Met was seeking whatever was potentially missing.

The Met did apparently send off letters of request to the authorities of numerous countries. Obtaining a full report may or may not have been the object of one of them if the contents were held outside of the UK and required judicial intervention.

[faithlilly]

Of course he was looking for evidence.  That was his job being a well respected police officer.  What evidence implicating Madeleine McCann's parents in her vanishing did he find?

It would be worth noting from the cite you have posted that Rebelo found it impossible just to take up the investigation from the point that Goncalo Amaral left off ... like the PJ and SY after him ... he found it necessary to return to the very beginning.
The initial information from the crime scene was so compromised and botched it had to be looked at again but interestingly without the assistance of dogs.

Do you know offhand how often Goncalo Amaral visited the crime scene ... the only photographic evidence I have seen is from his documentary where for some reason he was illustrating that the front door lock could not be slipped with a credit card.
Now that we know the situation regarding the keys ... wonder why he did that?

Interesting that after that 'root and branch' review in October by Rebelo Panarama were  reporting in November that 'inconsistencies in the tapas statements' were still at the centre of the investigation.

[Carana]

Amaral was planning it when he was removed.

Martin Smith new Sept 2007 statement:

"When we receive this information, at the end of September, we think we finally have the piece that will allow us to complete the puzzle." (TOTL)

What was Amaral planning? I can't see any trace of correspondence in the files, but then I can't see any trace of him organising the rogatory intereviews, either, although I may have simply missed it.

[faithlilly]

"Exton confirmed last week that the fund had silenced his investigators for years after they handed over their controversial findings. He said: “A letter came from their lawyers binding us to the confidentiality of the report.” He claimed the legal threat had prevented him from handing over the report to Scotland Yard’s fresh investigation, until detectives had obtained written permission from the fund."

That doesn't make sense to me, I'm afraid.

Was this "confidentiality" agreement anything more than the blurb in a standard contract / termination notice of one?

Something had been handed over to LP and the PJ, either directly or via the Fund ... was it a complete report, or a partial one?

If it was complete, I see no reason why the Met didn't get a copy from either police force or the Fund. If what had been handed over was a partial report, then I could understand that the Met was seeking whatever was potentially missing.

The Met did apparently send off letters of request to the authorities of numerous countries. Obtaining a full report may or may not have been the object of one of them if the contents were held outside of the UK and required judicial intervention.

My understanding is that the efits were passed to the authorities a year after they were produced but the report was only obtained by SY once permission had been sought.

[pathfinder73]

Of course he was looking for evidence.  That was his job being a well respected police officer.  What evidence implicating Madeleine McCann's parents in her vanishing did he find?

It would be worth noting from the cite you have posted that Rebelo found it impossible just to take up the investigation from the point that Goncalo Amaral left off ... like the PJ and SY after him ... he found it necessary to return to the very beginning.
The initial information from the crime scene was so compromised and botched it had to be looked at again but interestingly without the assistance of dogs.

Do you know offhand how often Goncalo Amaral visited the crime scene ... the only photographic evidence I have seen is from his documentary where for some reason he was illustrating that the front door lock could not be slipped with a credit card.
Now that we know the situation regarding the keys ... wonder why he did that?

Just because Amaral was removed doesn't mean too much. The same detectives were working on the case and if you look at the images of Rebelo and his team at 5A they were investigating Eddie's findings.



Parent's bedroom window exit connects to wardrobe alert and Eddie sniffing intensively in that balcony location

[Carana]

Just because Amaral was removed doesn't mean too much. The same detectives were working on the case and if you look at the images of Rebelo and his team at 5A they were investigating Eddie's findings.

It was a good idea to check, IMO. But what did they find? Nothing.... Not even any synthetic fibres.

[pathfinder73]

It was a good idea to check, IMO. But what did they find? Nothing.... Not even any synthetic fibres.

They collected samples which were kept.

After the above there proceeded the collection of several branches of the climbing plant in the garden they having been encased in a paper package referenced as trace evidence number 21 and of possible fibres on a wall of the apartment garden, next to the climbing plant, using six Crystal-Tabs appropriate for this they having been referenced as trace evidence number 26.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/5A_EDDIE-KEELA.htm

Processos Vol XII


Page 3207

Delivery Guide nº 304B/2007 CRL

Delivery Guide of Vestiges Collected from the Crime Scene

Date of Delivery : 14 August 2007

Destination: LPC Physical Area

Forensic examination nº: 200711732 CRL

NUIPC: 201/07 GALGS

Date and Time of Collection: 020630 August 2007

Place of Collection: Wall of apartment 5 A, OC, P da L.

Scope: Disappearance of English girl

Requested by: PJ DIC Portimao

Vestiges Delivered:

Nº   Description

26 Crystal Tabs containing eventual fibres

Observation: This material is for preservation and to be kept for possible laboratory examination.

Lisbon 14th August 2007

Delivered   Received

Signature   Signature



Vol XIII

Page 3950


To The Director of the Police Scientific Laboratory

Date: 31 – 10- 2007

Subject: Request for forensic analysis

Within the context of the current investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine MCCann on 3rd May 2007.

As it is necessary for the abovementioned investigation and is of a VERY URGENT nature, I request that you proceed to analyse, as quickly as possible, the appropriate analyses of the six Crystal Tabs containing eventualfibres collected by Local Crime Scene Officers (examination 200711732-CR/L and delivery guide 304B/2007 – CR/L) on 1st August 2007 from a wall of apartment 5 A of the OC, these are preserved in the physical area of this laboratory (2007 11800-F1).

It is a case of searching and identifying the eventual fibres and comparing them to the fibres from a pair of pyjamas similar to those the girl was wearing when she disappeared.


For this purpose I am sending the pyjamas and request that the examination be carried out as quickly as possible and that subsequently the pyjamas be returned to this department in order to send them to theforensic laboratory in the UK.

Paolo Rebelo

Vol XIII

Page 3969

Fax to the Director of the Police Scientific Laboratory

From: The PJ

Date: 31-10-2007

Subject: Request for the delivery of samples to the INML


As it is necessary for the abovementioned investigation, and being of a VERY URGENT nature we request that you deliver, as quickly as possible, the different hairs collected from the wall of apartment 5 A by LocalCrime Scene Officers to the INML in order that the appropriate analyses be carried out (examination 200711732-CRIL delivery guide 304 A/2007) dated 1st August 2007. The samples are in the biology area of this laboratory (2007711865- BG).

Paolo Rebelo


286/2007-CRL (21) Fragments of bush/shrubbery
Insofar as it relates to this sample, the examination performed was aimed at the detection of the possible presence of blood, no trace thereof having been found. Particles from the superficial surface layer were recovered and preserved in a way similar to that of hairs and fibres. In my opinion, the capillary roots were not good quality as they were not adequate to perform DNA profile tests.

[pathfinder73]

Sunday - Matt stayed in

Monday - Russell stayed in

Wednesday - Rachael stayed in

All out at the tapas bar on crying Tuesday and missing Thursday.

"On Sunday I recall I checked Kate and Gerry’s apartment as well as Rachael and Matt’s. I had taken Matt’s keys and I believe that their door was deadlocked the same as ours and that I would have needed to turn the key two times.  We kept our shutters down, and the patio door was closed I am not sure whether theirs was the same.  I recall that Kate and Gerry’s apartment was accessed by the patios door which was left closed and unlocked.  I recall that their front door was accessed from the car-park access was easily gained to the apartment from the poolside." (ROB)

Matt said he stayed in on Sunday so Russell's statement makes no sense. And he stayed in on Monday according to him.

"I know that on one of the evenings either Monday or Tuesday I stayed in the flat with Evie as she wasn’t well Jane brought my meals over to me this was mentioned in my first statement.  I feel that this is more likely to have been Monday as I feel that we were all together as a group on Tuesday- nine adults.  I believe that this was when the Trivia quiz had taken place." (ROB)