Latest news on the search for Madeleine McCann

[VIXTE]

They want a joint investigation because we know how slow the letters of request process is (plus the Met can't sit in on questioniong/vary the questions etc.).

Maybe they're hoping the press will turn something up to influence the Portuguese to agree to that?

Or maybe they're just desperate.

I think PT is weighting out what damage would it cause if the OC workers were really involved and they cannot agree on this between themselves.

[Lyall]

I think PT is weighting out what damage would it cause if the OC workers were really involved and they cannot agree on this between themselves.

Or maybe they just haven't seen any evidence yet. Lots of press hype, but evidence? Maybe not.

[Sherlock Holmes]

They want a joint investigation because we know how slow the letters of request process is (plus the Met can't sit in on questioniong/vary the questions etc.).

Maybe they're hoping the press will turn something up to influence the Portuguese to agree to that?

Or maybe they're just desperate.

That's the part I don't understand. A joint investigation means co-operation on several levels. Going of at tangents just for the sake of it does not seem to me to fit in with a co-ordinated approach and could damage relations.

SY are relying on the tabloids to do their homework for them you say? Are UK tabloid writers known for their diplomacy skills?

[VIXTE]

Or maybe they just haven't seen any evidence yet. Lots of press hype, but evidence? Maybe not.

If the letters were about the questioning there should be the evidence accompanying it. SY would not just blindly point their fingers at someone.

[Lyall]

If the letters were about the questioning there should be the evidence accompanying it. SY would not just blindly point their fingers at someone.

Sufficient evidence then, that's what I meant. Imagine if the Portuguese had asked British police to create a joint investigation in 2007/8: the British would need an awful lot of convincing wouldn't they - evidence would need to be substantial and compelling.

[VIXTE]

Sufficient evidence then, that's what I meant. Imagine if the Portuguese had asked British police to create a joint investigation in 2007/8: the British would need an awful lot of convincing wouldn't they - evidence would need to be substantial and compelling.

It is not the same. These teams are already working together.

[Sherlock Holmes]

If the letters were about the questioning there should be the evidence accompanying it. SY would not just blindly point their fingers at someone.

That's right. Must have some foundation.

And I agree with your point about the Ocean Club. They have managed to keep out of the limelight so far, but if these burglaries are found to be linked to the disappearance - even if only peripherally - it's going to reflect very badly.

[Lyall]

It is not the same. These teams are already working together.

So why do they want a joint investigation then?

[Lyall]

I think it is the same,Vixte. There are some British police with the Portuguese investigation I believe, but they can't deal with anything the police in London are working on: that can only be done through the letter of request process.

[VIXTE]

So why do they want a joint investigation then?

To not to hide from each other their findings. It is not the football game or a competition whose dad is stronger..

IMO the announcement on the end 'the joint teams of UK and PT polices have discovered... xyz' would sound much better in the eyes of the world..

And also it would give a good message to the criminals!

Police teams competing who's gonna solve it faster or better is a great playground for criminals.. and in these cases only the criminals win.

[VIXTE]

I think it is the same,Vixte. There are some British police with the Portuguese investigation I believe, but they can't deal with anything the police in London are working on: that can only be done through the letter of request process.

Imagine if in America the police forces between the California and Nebraska are in this kind of a 'working together while wearing white gloves' situation during a criminal investigation.. how good that would be for US criminals 

I think this setup in EU is a heaven for EU criminals.

[Sherlock Holmes]

To not to hide from each other their findings. It is not the football game or a competition whose dad is stronger..

IMO the announcement on the end 'the joint teams of UK and PT polices have discovered... xyz' would sound much better in the eyes of the world..

And also it would give a good message to the criminals!

Police teams competing who's gonna solve it faster or better is a great playground for criminals.. and in these cases only the criminals win.

That would sound wonderful, wouldn't it?

But what if something was discovered was something that reflected one 'side' in a better light than the other? Perhaps a show of unity is too ambitious here.

[John]

could you provide a link to the article you are relying on for your information

Sunday Times article as requested.

The McCann fund source said the Oakley report was passed on to new private investigators after the contract ended, but that the firm’s work was considered “contaminated” by the financial dispute.

He said the fund wanted to continue to pursue information about the man seen by Tanner, and it would have been too expensive to investigate both sightings in full — so the Smith E-Fits were not publicised. It was also considered necessary to threaten legal action against the authors.

“[The report] was hypercritical of the people involved . . . It just wouldn’t be conducive to the investigation to have that report publicly declared because . . . the newspapers would have been all over it. And it would have been completely distracting,” said the source.

www.miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=2794.msg115750#msg115750

[pegasus]

Probably irrelevant, but while we are talking on things omitted from statements, how come in statements to PJ all OC employees all gave their actual addresses, but a proportion of statements to PJ by other companys employees have in address box at top of statement only the vague address "accomodation provided by employer" why not put the real address down?

[Lyall]

Imagine if in America the police forces between the California and Nebraska are in this kind of a 'working together while wearing white gloves' situation during a criminal investigation.. how good that would be for US criminals 

I think this setup in EU is a heaven for EU criminals.

Well that's it. If there was substantial evidence against the subjects of the letters of request the Portuguese police presumably would have moved against them already (via Interpol or Europol or however they do it in cases of emergency). They do in drugs cases,or murder, or terrorism, and certainly would do in cases of kidnapping... if there was a need for urgency and sufficient evidence.

European police forces acted in 2007 on behalf of the Portuguese without waiting for letters of request didn't they. That must have been done via Europol or Interpol.