Latest news on the search for Madeleine McCann

[Wonderfulspam]

They may be close thank we think, but things have to be done according to certain procedures.
The Met cannot operate in other countries, so must formally request assistance.

The thing is, when Maddie dissapeared the LP were on the ground in Portugal pronto, ok they had no powers of arrest but they must have been doing something...

So why now are there not Met officers assisting like they had in 2007?
They wouldn't have to be making arrests but could be assisting the investigation as they apparently did before.

[jassi]

The thing is, when Maddie dissapeared the LP were on the ground in Portugal pronto, ok they had no powers of arrest but they must have been doing something...

So why now are there not Met officers assisting like they had in 2007?
They wouldn't have to be making arrests but could be assisting the investigation as they apparently did before.

The LP were only Family liaison officers and were probably not closely involved in any investigation. other than perhaps making a few suggestions.

[Wonderfulspam]

The LP were only Family liaison officers and were probably not closely involved in any investigation. other than perhaps making a few suggestions.

So could they not be on the ground now communicating with the police back home & making a few suggestions?

[Eleanor]

They may be close thank we think, but things have to be done according to certain procedures.
The Met cannot operate in other countries, so must formally request assistance.
[/quote.



Correct.  Any arrest on  evidence  incorrectly acquired can be deemed invalid in a Court of Law.  And almost certainly will be.

This new letter leads me to suspect that it concerns a British Citizen no longer residing in Portugal.

[jassi]

I think there is probably a difference between making a few suggestions and directing the line of enquiry.

When the rogatory statements were made in UK, Portuguese police were present, but could not interfere or react with the process

[Victoria]

So could they not be on the ground now communicating with the police back home & making a few suggestions?

I'm not sure what good a family liaison officer would do at this stage!

[Wonderfulspam]

I'm not sure what good a family liaison officer would do at this stage!

Ok not Family Liason officers    but Detectives, why not?

They wouldn't have to direct enquiries but could still help to some degree couldn't they.

How is it possible in this day and age that 2 European countries are still faffing around with separate lines of enquiry and rogatory letters. It just sounds like a whole load of bureaucracy getting in the way finding a child whom the MET have said may still be alive.

[jassi]

Ok not Family Liason officers    but Detectives, why not?

They wouldn't have to direct enquiries but could still help to some degree couldn't they.

How is it possible in this day and age that 2 European countries are still faffing around with separate lines of enquiry and rogatory letters. It just sounds like a whole load of bureaucracy getting in the way finding a child whom the MET have said may still be alive.

Its just the way it is done.
I don't suppose the Home Office would be too happy for foreign police to operate freely on UK territory

[Wonderfulspam]

Its just the way it is done.
I don't suppose the Home Office would be too happy for foreign police to operate freely on UK territory

Imagine the scenario, Maddie is infact alive being kept in a secret Algarve bunker, her rescue is potentially being delayed by international red tape and doing everything by the book.

[jassi]

I believe Mrs May wants to opt out of many of the arrangements, including the European Arrest Warrant, which could make cooperation between countries even more difficult.

[Eleanor]

Ok not Family Liason officers    but Detectives, why not?

They wouldn't have to direct enquiries but could still help to some degree couldn't they.

How is it possible in this day and age that 2 European countries are still faffing around with separate lines of enquiry and rogatory letters. It just sounds like a whole load of bureaucracy getting in the way finding a child whom the MET have said may still be alive.

It is The Law.  Simple as that.  It is in place to protect anyone.  Even you.

[Wonderfulspam]

It is The Law.  Simple as that.  It is in place to protect anyone.  Even you.

So the law that is there to protect Madeleine could infact be harming her by delaying her rescue from the clutches of her burgling, paedophile captors. Tragic isn't it.

[Estuarine]

If they're not suspects by now, old chum, they're never going to be.

Try telling that to Peter Hogg, killer of Margaret Hogg.

[Eleanor]

So the law that is there to protect Madeleine could infact be harming her by delaying her rescue from the clutches of her burgling, paedophile captors. Tragic isn't it.
[/quote.



Possibly.  But there would be no point in accusing the wrong person.  Or even the right person if it cannot be proved.  The Perpetrator is hardly going to fall over and admit it, is he.  Especially after all of the shite on The Internet.

I would like to say that Amaral caused this, but I don't actually think that this is true.  Amaral was in a bad place himself, and just not competent.

The tragedy might well be his also.

[jassi]

So the law that is there to protect Madeleine could infact be harming her by delaying her rescue from the clutches of her burgling, paedophile captors. Tragic isn't it.
[/quote.

Possibly.  But there would be no point in accusing the wrong person.  Or even the right person if it cannot be proved.  The Perpetrator is hardly going to fall over and admit it, is he.  Especially after all of the shite on The Internet.

I would like to say that Amaral caused this, but I don't actually think that this is true.  Amaral was in a bad place himself, and just not competent.

The tragedy might well be his also.

I consider he was removed at a bad time for dubious reasons and the man who replaced him seemed to do little better. The  Portuguese judiciary system was completely outclassed and undermined  by the McCann PR machine and the UK media