Kate McCann admits in her book that private criminal investigations in Portugal were illegal.

[Alice Purjorick]

I thought everyone here would do anything to find their missing daughter.  Or is that everyone except The McCanns?

How far does "do anything" extend ?.

[Alfred R Jones]

How far does "do anything" extend ?.

I'd kill if necessary.

[Eleanor]

How far does "do anything" extend ?.

I don't know.  Crawling around PdL on their hands and knees?  Knocking on doors and demanding entry?  Sitting in  the Police Station and refusing to leave? 
What would be your preferred choice?

[Alice Purjorick]

I'd kill if necessary.

If you did it the wrong country you might get your neck stretched for your efforts. As long as you are prepared for the long drop without screaming foul that's OK.

[Alice Purjorick]

I don't know.  Crawling around PdL on their hands and knees?  Knocking on doors and demanding entry?  Sitting in  the Police Station and refusing to leave? 
What would be your preferred choice?

So within the law then?
Me ? I am an all round a-moral nasty piece of work so I would probably go a lot farther but only in a very cold calculated manner. Red haze stuff is so naff.

removed surplus word 
This board is a stunner it converts a-moral without the hyphen into Amaral. wtf

[John]

The hypocrisy is quite astounding, it's ok for Kate to admit to technically breaking the law but not for Gonçalo Amaral to do it.

[Alfred R Jones]

What is relevant then?
That you think you are prepared to kill under the circumstances of your daughter being kidnapped?

What I would do or not do is irrelevant to the topic of this thread.  What is relevant is that for years the McCanns who have been criticised for not moving heaven and earth to find their daughter by people who claim they themselves would have ripped PdL apart with their bare hands are now being criticised by these same critics for allegedly breaking the law by hiring PIs to find their daughter.  That is the relevant factor here as far as I'm concerned.  Doubtless you heartily couldn't give a toss.

[Alfred R Jones]

The hypocrisy is quite astounding, it's ok for Kate to admit to technically breaking the law but not for Gonçalo Amaral to do it.

Are you comparing the McCanns alleged technical law-breaking in an effort to find their missing 4 year old daughter with Amaral's conviction for covering up torture?  Seriously??

[Alice Purjorick]

What I would do or not do is irrelevant to the topic of this thread.  What is relevant is that for years the McCanns who have been criticised for not moving heaven and earth to find their daughter by people who claim they themselves would have ripped PdL apart with their bare hands are now being criticised by these same critics for allegedly breaking the law by hiring PIs to find their daughter.  That is the relevant factor here as far as I'm concerned.  Doubtless you heartily couldn't give a toss.

No one forced you to respond to a question I posed to Eleanor, but you did so. From that one would conclude you thought it was relevant and on topic at that point. You said you would be prepared to kill but do not now wish to debate the point you raised.

[ShiningInLuz]

What I would do or not do is irrelevant to the topic of this thread.  What is relevant is that for years the McCanns who have been criticised for not moving heaven and earth to find their daughter by people who claim they themselves would have ripped PdL apart with their bare hands are now being criticised by these same critics for allegedly breaking the law by hiring PIs to find their daughter.  That is the relevant factor here as far as I'm concerned.  Doubtless you heartily couldn't give a toss.

Personally, I find this point highly relevant.

I have already messaged the McCanns, through their preferred communication channel, to offer them information and assistance in the search for Madeleine.

To date, I have had no response.  Please take your pick why.  I am sure they get hundreds or thousands of nutters who sound much like me (I am NOT a nutter!) that probably go straight into their trash can.

If OG shuts down, I will be happy to work alongside a McCann PI team.  Let me break that down into tiny pieces.  Alongside does not mean for.  It does not mean reporting in to.  It means outside of, though the focus is the same.

Let's try PI's within Portugal, which as far as I know, are 100% illegal.  I have zero interest in breaking the law here, so getting involved in an illegal investigation is a non-starter.

However, working ALONGSIDE PIs who are WORKING OUTSIDE OF Portugal is both legal and feasible.  Plus a lot more on top.

It can all be done.  The key question is - will it?

[pathfinder73]

Maybe they didn't respond because they don't need your help in finding Madeleine. I think you should tell them that you know everything about important sightings of Madeleine that could help with their wider agenda. From a nutter to getting on their star chart 

[John]

Are you comparing the McCanns alleged technical law-breaking in an effort to find their missing 4 year old daughter with Amaral's conviction for covering up torture?  Seriously??

The Law is the Law is the Law...     Nobody is above it, not Gonçalo Amaral in his haste to find a missing Joana nor Kate McCann in her haste to find Madeleine.  You either have laws which EVERYONE obeys or you have anarchy.  Why will it be?

Was Gonçalo Amaral any more guilty because he altered a few police records than the McCanns were for employing private investigators contrary to Portuguese Law?  I dare anyone to claim the high moral ground on that one!

[John]

Thanks, that rings a faint bell, but I don't recall coming to any conclusion about it and it was quite some time ago.

How can private investigations be illegal if there is no legislation concerning the principle?

I can understand that some of the methods that investigators may use could well be illegal - e.g., phone tapping, the results of which would have no value in a court of law anyway; and that some actions could actually hinder an investigation, thus obstructing it.

But I don't see how the concept of trying to discover information that could help an investigation and is duly passed on to the official team would be illegal as such, otherwise everyone interested in the case could come under that broad category.

I knew you would ask that question years later so here is the same answer.

To clarify, commissioning a private investigation into criminal activities in Portugal whilst an official investigation is live constitutes an act of obstruction punishable under the Portuguese Penal Code.

Antonio Martins, president of the National Association of Portuguese Judges, told the newspaper 24 Horas: "It is still up to the state to carry out criminal investigation. That kind of activity has no legal standing.

"Anything that results from private investigation has no substance."

Mr Martins said the private detectives and even the McCanns themselves could be accused of "obstruction of justice".

Carlos Anjos, the head of Portugal's criminal police federation, added: "This can only be another diversion tactic from the McCanns. It is nothing but folklore.

"Portugal does not have legislation in this area. Private detectives who intervene in criminal cases cannot exist.

"The law only tolerates private detectives who gather information and only about matters of the private lives of certain people like extramarital relationships."

A separate police source warned that the involvement of investigators may not only be illegal but could have a detrimental effect on the inquiry.

The high ranking official told newspaper Correio da Manha: "If private investigators come here they will be running a serious risk of being arrested."

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1564121/Madeleine-McCann-police-fury-over-private-hunt.html

[John]

Personally, I find this point highly relevant.

I have already messaged the McCanns, through their preferred communication channel, to offer them information and assistance in the search for Madeleine.

To date, I have had no response.  Please take your pick why.  I am sure they get hundreds or thousands of nutters who sound much like me (I am NOT a nutter!) that probably go straight into their trash can.

If OG shuts down, I will be happy to work alongside a McCann PI team.  Let me break that down into tiny pieces.  Alongside does not mean for.  It does not mean reporting in to.  It means outside of, though the focus is the same.

Let's try PI's within Portugal, which as far as I know, are 100% illegal.  I have zero interest in breaking the law here, so getting involved in an illegal investigation is a non-starter.

However, working ALONGSIDE PIs who are WORKING OUTSIDE OF Portugal is both legal and feasible.  Plus a lot more on top.

It can all be done.  The key question is - will it?

Our esteemed Moderator Holly on the Jeremy Bamber board is an avid Bamber supporter but got exactly the same response when she offered to fund tests in his defence.  She also got no response to a recent invitation to both him and his campaign team to take part in a friendly debate.  Why she even bothers is beyond me?

Unless you are donating a pile of cash or are a notable person of sorts I fear a response will be a long time a coming.

[Alfred R Jones]

No one forced you to respond to a question I posed to Eleanor, but you did so. From that one would conclude you thought it was relevant and on topic at that point. You said you would be prepared to kill but do not now wish to debate the point you raised.

correct, no one is obliged to enter into a debate with you, and on this occasion I chose not to.  Glad that's mutually understood.