Scotland Yard about to commence digs in and around Praia da Luz.

[Mr Gray]

What is reality?

Its absurd to suggest bringing maddie back to bury near the apartment under full view of the press...absolutely absurd

[Alfred R Jones]

Can we - why?

Are you serious?!

[valeria]

I doubt they were selected randomly.  Randomly would indicate that no thought whatsoever had been given to where to dig and might have included the swimming pool area, the local mini market, and the police station back yard.  I should think that Scotland Yard have used a modicum of intelligence when deciding where an abductor might have hidden evidence and/ or a body, don't you?

I agree. I would also like to remind you that excavations had been made in Ben Needham case, two years ago. The search was not based on a specific information but the area was not selected randomly. Police had use some intelligence when decided where to dig. Eventually nonthing was found.

[misty]

Somebody went to a lot of trouble to take Madeleine & foil the search. In the circumstances it is highly unlikely she has been buried anywhere near the original crime scene if she is indeed dead, unless someone planned for her body to be found at a later date.

[Silkywhiskers]

Somebody went to a lot of trouble to take Madeleine & foil the search. In the circumstances it is highly unlikely she has been buried anywhere near the original crime scene if she is indeed dead, unless someone planned for her body to be found at a later date.

I just love how Team McCann can just DISMISS anything that hints that Madeleine may never have left PDL.

The dogs are wrong, the DNA is wrong, now apparently OPERATION GRANGE IS WRONG TOO.

[misty]

I just love how Team McCann can just DISMISS anything that hints that Madeleine may never have left PDL.

The dogs are wrong, the DNA is wrong, now apparently OPERATION GRANGE IS WRONG TOO.

The Met are working through a number of scenarios, a process of elimination.
Perhaps they may find a few shovels along the way.

[Silkywhiskers]

The Met are working through a number of scenarios, a process of elimination.
Perhaps they may find a few shovels along the way.

Yet again I remind you that this has been described as a "substantial phase" of Operation Grange.

They aren't digging because they expect NOT to find anything.

Tra la la, SY just sent a gazillion ILOR's because they are on a wild goose chase, they have just crawled through Portugals labyrinthine legal processes to do so, called up the world's media to say "watch this guys. we are going to dig a big empty hole in PDL", then spent HOW MUCH bringing in military helicopters and other equipment, just for "elimination"?

Honestly.  What planet are these people on?

Digging in PDL = SUBSTANTIAL PHASE OF A 4 YEAR OPERATION=not wasting time or money on side shows.

[misty]

Yet again I remind you that this has been described as a "substantial phase" of Operation Grange.

They aren't digging because they expect NOT to find anything.

Tra la la, SY just sent a gazillion ILOR's because they are on a wild goose chase, they have just crawled through Portugals labyrinthine legal processes to do so, called up the world's media to say "watch this guys. we are going to dig a big empty hole in PDL", then spent HOW MUCH bringing in military helicopters and other equipment, just for "elimination"?

Honestly.  What planet are these people on?

Digging in PDL = SUBSTANTIAL PHASE OF A 4 YEAR OPERATION=not wasting time or money on side shows.

They will only dig if ground radar or the cadaver dogs give them reason to. You seem to be under the impression they will be digging willy-nilly.
273 ILOR's is hardly a statement which says " we believe she is buried in PDL".

[Silkywhiskers]

THEY HAVE TOLD US this is a "substantial phase".

But carry on, they are just digging up PDL and ruining the tourist season, just for the HECK of it!

[misty]

THEY HAVE TOLD US this is a "substantial phase".

But carry on, they are just digging up PDL and ruining the tourist season, just for the HECK of it!

You seem to be overlooking the 8 or so witnesses they still wish to interview. I'd place a few bets on who 4 of those witnesses are.

[pegasus]

I doubt that the backhoes are just to provide an interesting backdrop for interviewing people.