Wandering Off Topic

[misty]

Holy Moses - another sceptic mod? Do us mere mortals not even get a vote now?

[Eleanor]

Holy Moses - another sceptic mod? Do us mere mortals not even get a vote now?

The Moderation Team is evenly balanced at the moment, and I have no problem with it as it stands.

[Carana]

Thank you   

That request seems to be from John Clements for the Daily Mirror...

Whether or not a UK LE agency was requested - and was granted a warrant - to organise any form of covert surveillance on anyone, I don't quite see how it would be in the public interest - as opposed to the public's interest in the case - to reveal that to the media.

Quote:
Who was listening to Kate and Gerry McCann? Daily Mirror
 
By JON CLEMENTS
Feb 18, 09 02:55 PM
 
A few days ago I received an interesting letter from Leicestershire police about the Madeleine McCann investigation.
 
I had asked them, in July, if they had got any warrants (under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act) to use surveillance powers – such as phone tapping and email interception on behalf of the Portuguese police.
 
The force initially stalled saying it needed to “consult other Agencies” before replying.
 
After a six month delay, Leicestershire has now claimed it is exempt from Freedom of Information laws in this case due to “national security”.
 
I’ve put in dozens of FoI requests to police forces over the years, some you get and some you don’t but “national security” is a new one on me.
 
To make matters even murkier, Leicestershire claimed a second exemption because the information I requested could relate to “the Security bodies”.
 
A quick look at the FoI Act reveals “Security bodies” are MI5, MI6, GCHQ (pictured above), special forces (such as the SAS) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
 
Hmm.
 
Despite claiming these exemptions, Leicestershire seem at pains to neither confirm nor deny they hold any information relevant to my request anyway.
 
Check out (slowly I suggest) the tortuous conclusion to the three page letter explaining their stance.
 
“It is our decision that the Leicestershire Constabulary must maintain a position of neither confirming nor denying that any relevant information is held and that this response, which neither confirms nor denies that information is held, should not be taken as conclusive evidence that the information you have requested exists or does not exist”.
 
Thanks, but I think that is a rather long-winded way of saying Foxtrot Oscar.
 
However, it does beg the question just who was bugging the McCanns after they returned from Praia da Luz?
 
And what has the answer got to do with national security?

     
Kate and Gerry McCann, and national security – update, 18 February 2009
     
Kate and Gerry McCann, and national security – update Daily Mirror
 
By JON CLEMENTS
Feb 18, 09 03:39 PM
 
I’ve just spoken to the McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell who has declined to comment.
 
Quite sensible, really.
 
After all, you never know who’s listening do you?

     
The McCann national security documents, 20 February 2009
     
The McCann national security documents Daily Mirror
 
By JON CLEMENTS
Feb 20, 09 10:45 AM
 
Thanks for taking so much interest in my post about the McCanns and “national security”.
 
I have to say I’m a bit surprised that some of you think this proves that much about what happened to Madeleine, though.
 
From my point of view, it suggests Kate and Gerry may, I stress may, have been subjected to an unusual – perhaps unprecedented – degree of surveillance after the returned to the UK.
 
I’m not sure it indicates that much about what has happened to her and where she may be now.
 
I’ve made some more inquiries and it it would appear that the most likely agency involved in any bugging would be the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).
 
They provide a lot of “technical assistance” to small police forces who don’t have the skills or equipment to mount a major surveillance operation.
 
As some of you have pointed out, they work closely with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP) who carry out some very complicated and delicate operations against paedophiles.
 
If you click below you can see the letter from Leicestershire police.
 
Thanks
 
McCanns FoI request PDF

Freedom Of Information Request Reference No: 1092/08, page 1

Freedom Of Information Request Reference No: 1092/08, page 2

Freedom Of Information Request Reference No: 1092/08, page 3

/ Quote

http://madeleinemccann.org/blog/2014/04/20/freedom-of-information/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_of_Investigatory_Powers_Act_2000

[jassi]

I've been on my hols - any news about the McCann ECHR business ?

[misty]

I've been on my hols - any news about the McCann ECHR business ?

Hope you had a good time.
No, no news. Still waiting for the piccy of Amaral handing over his cheque, for a substantial amount, to a children's charity too.

[jassi]

Maybe he ticked the 'no publicity' box.

[G-Unit]

Hope you had a good time.
No, no news. Still waiting for the piccy of Amaral handing over his cheque, for a substantial amount, to a children's charity too.

If he sets up a new one he can use the money he raises to sue people so long as it's aims allow it.

[misty]

 

Maybe he ticked the 'no publicity' box.

  I can't quite see that happening, can you?

[sadie]

Hope you had a good time.
No, no news. Still waiting for the piccy of Amaral handing over his cheque, for a substantial amount, to a children's charity too.

That trip to Switzerland immediately after the ruling.

I am wondering if the lolly is stashed away in a place where no-one can get at it.   In a Swiss bank?

[misty]

http://portugalresident.com/human-remains-discovered-beside-aljezur-ruin

Does anyone know if these remains have been identified yet?

[Brietta]

http://portugalresident.com/human-remains-discovered-beside-aljezur-ruin

Does anyone know if these remains have been identified yet?

Posted by PORTUGALPRESS on March 03, 2017
Aljezur bones: “a woman”, says PJ as forensics now probe age
The mysterious bones discovered in a remote site near a ruined farm in the Aljezur hillside recently have been recovered by judicial police forensic experts and are now being tested for their age.

As a spokesman explained: “They could be six months old, six years or even 60. We don’t have the answers yet”.

All police appear to be sure of this far is that the bones belong to a woman.

As to any missing women in the area, our PJ source said this is not yet a matter under investigation.

“First we have to discover whether these are recent bones”, he explained. “Once we have that information, investigation into missing people may then go ahead”.
http://portugalresident.com/aljezur-bones-%E2%80%9Ca-woman%E2%80%9D-says-pj-as-forensics-now-probe-age

[ShiningInLuz]

http://portugalresident.com/human-remains-discovered-beside-aljezur-ruin

Does anyone know if these remains have been identified yet?

If you don't get the information on here I suggest you simply email Natasha.

I have sent a couple of emails to her, both answered.

[ferryman]

If you don't get the information on here I suggest you simply email Natasha.

I have sent a couple of emails to her, both answered.

Natasha Donn?

"Information"?

Isn't that an oxymoron?

[misty]

If you don't get the information on here I suggest you simply email Natasha.

I have sent a couple of emails to her, both answered.

Is there a particular reason you are not able to give us an update based on ND's replies?

[ShiningInLuz]

Is there a particular reason you are not able to give us an update based on ND's replies?

There isn't an update to give.

I asked for a meeting some time back and she agreed.  For various reasons it hasn't happened yet.

I was merely pointing out that thus far my emails have received replies.

Since she wrote the original article, there is a good chance she will know whether or not more has been established.