Strange Witness Statements

[Eleanor]

Why is this important?  Can someone tell me?

[Carana]

Hi Carana,   If the gardener found nothing abnormal or new plants, I am sure that must have been the case.
I suppose that it had to be checked out, because the owner had mentioned it.

It's not clear how often the owner actually visited the garden. It's possible that someone from the family planted a few pots of kitchen herbs... If there had been a large, suspicious, mound of earth moved, I would have thought that that would have attracted the attention of the PJ / Harrison / Grime.

[Anna]

Why is this important?  Can someone tell me?

Hi Eleanor,
Not important, at all. Just another unimportant and irrelevant check that had to be done, because the owner thought there were new plants there. 
However it is a strange statement, made by the owner, which according to the gardener was unfounded because there was nothing abnormal in the garden.

[Eleanor]

Hi Eleanor,
Not important, at all. Just another unimportant and irrelevant check that had to be done, because the owner thought there were new plants there. 
However it is a strange statement, made by the owner, which according to the gardener was unfounded because there was nothing abnormal in the garden.

Thanks, Anna.  I thought for one ghastly moment someone thought The McCanns had buried Madeleine in the garden

[Carana]

Why is this important?  Can someone tell me?

It might have been important if there had been an unusual amount of recently moved earth with the pretext of planting new bushes... but there doesn't appear to be a record of the PJ noticing anything when they were there.

[Carana]

Thanks, Anna.  I thought for one ghastly moment someone thought The McCanns had buried Madeleine in the garden

That may well have been the reason for raising the point, but there doesn't appear to be anything more about it.

[Anna]

That may well have been the reason for raising the point, but there doesn't appear to be anything more about it.

If that was the point, Carana, would there not have been an area of the garden that was higher than the rest?
It would mean replanting and levelling the whole garden. Now when would they do that? People were in the Villa all the time and I'm sure the family were being watched.  A silly notion IMO.

[Carana]

If that was the point, Carana, would there not have been an area of the garden that was higher than the rest?
It would mean replanting and levelling the whole garden. Now when would they do that? People were in the Villa all the time and I'm sure the family were being watched.  A silly notion IMO.

I have no problem with the fact that it arose in a conversation with the owner... but there doesn't seem to be any corroboration of it, nor anything seen that looked suspicious. It may have been a throwaway comment in the context of a conversation about something else.

[Anna]

I have no problem with the fact that it arose in a conversation with the owner... but there doesn't seem to be any corroboration of it, nor anything seen that looked suspicious. It may have been a throwaway comment in the context of a conversation about something else.

I think you are spot on there, Carana. Not even worth mentioning....but it was. And it is something else that can be construed as something sinister.

[pegasus]

It's not clear how often the owner actually visited the garden. It's possible that someone from the family planted a few pots of kitchen herbs... If there had been a large, suspicious, mound of earth moved, I would have thought that that would have attracted the attention of the PJ / Harrison / Grime.

Possibly the owner is just over-imaginative, it's not like we are talking with an expert of any kind is it. Even Mr Amaral didn't mention it.

[DCI]

Possibly the owner is just over-imaginative, it's not like we are talking with an expert of any kind is it. Even Mr Amaral didn't mention it.

You appear to have missed or not read the first part of that report Peg.

11- PROCESSSO Vol 11 Page 2945 to 2952
In a letter direct to GA from DCCB dated 27 September 2007 (Vol 11; p2945):

The DCCB got wind of the possible arrival of certain Englishmen from an information gathering organisation (CRG) supposedly with an assignment to clean places and things associated with the family. Looking into this possibility, the following data was obtained:
- The 'flower' villa was occupied by the family from 2 July through 9 September 2007; the contract was effective from 1 July and the key was returned to the letting agent on 10 September by the wife of an Anglican 'pastor' who practised in Luz. 
- That lady later confirmed the delivery of the key and that while in her possession no-one had asked for it nor had she seen anything abnormal at the villa.
- A female journalist from ITV (UK) wished to rent the villa to make some films; her request was declined, the Dutch property owner, present in the property on 11 September, had already permitted Dutch friends of his to live there, and had authorised new shrubs to be planted in the garden.

[pegasus]

You appear to have missed or not read the first part of that report Peg.

11- PROCESSSO Vol 11 Page 2945 to 2952
In a letter direct to GA from DCCB dated 27 September 2007 (Vol 11; p2945):

The DCCB got wind of the possible arrival of certain Englishmen from an information gathering organisation (CRG) supposedly with an assignment to clean places and things associated with the family. Looking into this possibility, the following data was obtained:
- The 'flower' villa was occupied by the family from 2 July through 9 September 2007; the contract was effective from 1 July and the key was returned to the letting agent on 10 September by the wife of an Anglican 'pastor' who practised in Luz. 
- That lady later confirmed the delivery of the key and that while in her possession no-one had asked for it nor had she seen anything abnormal at the villa.
- A female journalist from ITV (UK) wished to rent the villa to make some films; her request was declined, the Dutch property owner, present in the property on 11 September, had already permitted Dutch friends of his to live there, and had authorised new shrubs to be planted in the garden.

The english you read is mistranslation (by one of us, not by PJ). See the original DCCB report in the files. It is a letter in portug language which the DCCB wrote on 27 Sept 2007 and sent to the Senior Investigating Officer. I can translate a sentence correctly if you want.

[pegasus]

" ... phoned LP to speak to DC Johnson ... they said they had ... no DC Johnson working for them"
SOURCE: "Madeleine" page 315

That's odd. Because according to the files there was a DC of that name at LP and working on this case.
SOURCE: Carta Rogatoria, various pages.

IMO it was a genuine police phonecall to Canada (not a journalist impersonating a police constable as claimed).

[pathfinder73]

Check this muppet out who was there in PDL at the time and was investigating the disappearance and hasn't got a clue about it. I've only watched the first few minutes.

[G-Unit]

Check this muppet out who was there in PDL at the time and was investigating the disappearance and hasn't got a clue about it. I've only watched the first few minutes.

Interesting. Kate and Gerry went on holiday with 16 friends, he said! There have been rumours that the group was larger than has been said. I wonder if that's where they originated? At the time he was working for CEOP and 'was sent out a few days after the abduction by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office'. He says that Madeleine is most likely dead. He also says that the Portuguese Police were somewhat resistant to being advised by all the experts from Britain. They felt insulted he said. No wonder.

The first UK specialists parachuted in to help Portuguese police find Madeleine McCann have left their jobs.

Det Supt Graham Hill and psychologist Dr Joe Sullivan helped the investigators narrow down a list of potential suspects and offered interview techniques.

They arrived in Praia da Luz within 48 hours of Madeleine's disappearance nearly four years ago, but diplomatic sensitivities delayed confirmation of their presence for several days.

They and colleagues later advised Leicestershire police who pursued British leads in the hunt for Madeleine.

The two men led the Behavioural Analysis Unit at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and are the latest in a small exodus of its staff.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/press/48april11/SKY_20_04_2011.htm