Did the McCann"s sudden flight from Portugal engender suspicion?

[pathfinder73]

Edited: Source link no longer exists.

Another link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6768219.stm

[Jean-Pierre]

The discovery of a key at Murat's house revives the hope of finally getting a lead. He tells us that it belongs to Michaela, and that it must have been dropped accidentally. Where was that key before it was found at his house? In Michaela's pocket? In her bag? We learn that it opens the door of a garage where Luis Antonio stores his maintenance products. A team is sent immediately to the part of Lagos where this garage is situated. The search proves as disappointing as the others. Nothing is found. Once again, no evidence of Madeleine's presence. (TOTL by Goncalo Amaral)

3. IDENTIFICATION OF MURAT'S GIRLFRIEND AND MOVING OF A CHILD'S BODY TO A HIDDEN AREA

Manuel informs us that the day after Madeleine's disappearance at about 4 or 5 pm when he was travelling on the ICI road at kilometre 718, he saw two stationary cars, an Audi A3 driven by a man and a green car (very special green colour) driven by a blonde woman. Subsequently we showed him a series of photographs that were in our possession amongst which the one with the closes resemblance was that of a woman who turns out to be Murat's girlfriend, Michaela Walczuch.

The cars were stationary; the green one was inside a farm where two elderly men live and separated by a metal fence and on the pavement of the road was the Audi. When Manuel drove past in his lorry he saw how the woman passed a bundle wrapped in a blanket over the fence, being convinced that this was a child. (Because of the way she was holding it and because it was wrapped in the blanket).

It should be noted that Manuel's manifestations seem reliable to us, in part because of the fear that he showed before and during our meeting as well as due to the successive contacts that we have had with him and the interest that he has always shown.

Manuel preferred to remain anonymous given that he was very frightened and did not want to give us his surnames. He drives a grey Renault Laguna, number plate 53 92 RF. In order for us to contact him he provided the email address of a relative:

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MICHAELA_WALCZUCH.htm

He can prove this claim because he is currently responsible for 37 or 38
private pools having only the St. James resort, in Praia da Luz, and a
condominium "Building B1 4-A, in Lagos. (Luis Antonio)

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LUIS_ANTONIO.htm

5. With regard to the possible sighting of arguido Gerry McCann next to a pink coloured block of apartments at a site opposite the Luz cemetery, we can inform you that this an establishment called 'St James Portuguesa Lda', lots 1 and 2 being situated in the positions mentioned, from the outside the spaces corresponding to Lot 1 can be seen of a total of apartment designated as follows: 101-104, 111-114, 121-124, 105-109, 115-119, 125-129.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/DCCB_LETTER.htm

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20:

Went to pick up Gerry from the airport. It was so good to see him. Just before we reached the apartment we saw a man lying in the middle of the street, so we stopped the car and got out. It was no surprise to see that he was drunk (we've all been there!) but he recognised Gerry and me immediately. Gerry walked him round to his apartment.

Poor old Manuel is not going be best pleased that, having wished to remain anonymous, they quote his car reg plate. 

[Brietta]

Indeed it is. What I would have done is phone the geezer in charge of the investigation in order to have quiet word in his shell like.
Neither you nor I know whether or not the LP ACC did so.
But informing the press under those circumstances is a definite "no no".
It strikes me that the "supporters"  frequently like to have their cake and eat it wrt the police and press.

As you point out ... there is more than one way to skin a cat ... if you read my posts you will ascertain that nowhere did I suggest having my cake and eating it ... I made reference to the evidence as it was presented to Leveson.

That it was known by those in charge that blatant lies were being allowed to be printed and to stand in the press rather brings their judgement not to make some intervention into question imo.

As a rejoinder ... it strikes me that the " troof seekers" tend to frequently personalise with insult when they don't have a leg to stand on in legitimate argument.

For the record and for your future information ... I "support" only that which can be substantiated.

[pathfinder73]

Poor old Manuel is not going be best pleased that, having wished to remain anonymous, they quote his car reg plate.

3440 - Confidential report
re: denouncement of
Michaela Walczuch (Spanish)
-------------
(The third of the three pieces of information from the book given to the PJ by Metodo 3)

Processos Vol XIII
Page 3440

3. IDENTIFICATION OF MURAT'S GIRLFRIEND AND MOVING OF A CHILD'S BODY TO A HIDDEN AREA

[Carana]

Indeed it is. What I would have done is phone the geezer in charge of the investigation in order to have quiet word in his shell like.
Neither you nor I know whether or not the LP ACC did so.
But informing the press under those circumstances is a definite "no no".
It strikes me that the "supporters"  frequently like to have their cake and eat it wrt the police and press.

The geezer's shell didn't seem to be very open to explanations that didn't fit with the "theory".

- The attempt by Lowe to explain the forensic results in simple terms led to a conspiracy theory that the FSS had somehow contaminated the "evidence".

- The caveat that a search for the potential issue of credit-worthiness of the McCanns showed no results on a database was interpreted as they didn't have credit cards.

- The caveats of Harrison and Grime about the dogs fell on deaf ears.

That's just off the top of my head.

[Carew]

As you point out ... there is more than one way to skin a cat ... if you read my posts you will ascertain that nowhere did I suggest having my cake and eating it ... I made reference to the evidence as it was presented to Leveson.

That it was known by those in charge that blatant lies were being allowed to be printed and to stand in the press rather brings their judgement not to make some intervention into question imo.

As a rejoinder ... it strikes me that the " troof seekers" tend to frequently personalise with insult when they don't have a leg to stand on in legitimate argument.

For the record and for your future information ... I "support" only that which can be substantiated.

Is your spelling of "truth".............as in "troof seekers"..........intended as an insult?

[Carana]

The chief constable of Leicestershire police testified that he knew the forensic results leaked to the Portuguese press … were wrong.  If you agree with his stance on not immediately rectifying this … that is a matter for you.

I was appalled that they knew and didn't say anything.

There was, however, a statement (perhaps even two?) issued regarding inaccurate reporting or along those lines, but it was so vague that the press couldn't second-guess what it was referring to. I'm not sure I could find the link again... or it may be buried somewhere in the Leveson files.

My understanding of what Baggot was trying to say was that the bigger picture, i.e., diplomacy, took precedence as cooperation with overseas police forces was paramount (whichever force that may be, then or at any time in the future).

At least one of the hacks stated that the media should have been informed off-the-record, but in view of the scale of  the irresponsible media frenzy at the time, LP may well have come to the conclusion that no one could be trusted and any leak would have further fuelled the UK/PT media war and thus international police relations.

Unfortunately, the McCanns ended up as collateral damage so as to avoid rocking the boat.

[Carew]

Carana said
“However, I find it unlikely that the mere fact of having to go back due to work / financial commitments would have stopped their determination to mount their awareness campaign, or to find the means to fly out to try to get updates, all of which would still have kept the media going.”

That is because you have looked at everything concerning the case with an open mind; you have not been taken in by the propaganda and you have understood the meaning of the complete results from forensics … and have made your conclusion that they are innocent of involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.

Carana said
“If the McCanns had gone home early and had just waited quietly for any news, then the media frenzy would probably have died down.”
 
I believe that is how they would have reacted if they had been guilty in any way. 

They would have kept their heads down; made their excuses and got on with life. 
They could have forestalled media investigation by using the necessity to get on with life for the twins and asking for the privacy to do so.


As far as Leicestershire police are concerned … I think the liaison officers sent out did a remarkable job … but I think those at the top of the tree could have done a lot more in the situation and I think their handling of the media left a lot of hostages to fortune and let the McCanns down badly … I base this opinion on the Baggott and Lawton testimony given at the Leveson Inquiry.

It is not unknown for those guilty of a crime to remain close to an investigation in order to keep an eye on proceedings, keep themselves informed and attempt to steer the direction taken in the investigation.

[ferryman]

It is not unknown for those guilty of a crime to remain close to an investigation in order to keep an eye on proceedings, keep themselves informed and attempt to steer the direction taken in the investigation.

In the abstract, maybe ...

the blunder Lori Campbel made with Robert Murat ...

[pathfinder73]

I believe that is how they would have reacted if they had been guilty in any way. 

They would have kept their heads down; made their excuses and got on with life. 
They could have forestalled media investigation by using the necessity to get on with life for the twins and asking for the privacy to do so.

What about pressure from family and loved ones? Do you think they would let them keep their heads down and stop looking? No way there's no choice in the matter. You've always got to search. Even more suspicious if you stop!

[ferryman]

I believe that is how they would have reacted if they had been guilty in any way. 

They would have kept their heads down; made their excuses and got on with life. 
They could have forestalled media investigation by using the necessity to get on with life for the twins and asking for the privacy to do so.

What about pressure from family and loved ones? Do you think they would let them keep their heads down and stop looking? No way there's no choice in the matter. You've always got to search. Even more suspicious if you stop!

Keep digging ...

[ferryman]

When people with no axe to grind, but who actually know how to read body-language, like Sharon Leal, declare the McCanns 100% innocent, it's time for those who doubt such notions to sit up and listen.

[Alice Purjorick]

Is your spelling of "truth".............as in "troof seekers"..........intended as an insult?

Nah its from watching too much TOWIE; well there is a McCann in it!

[Carana]

I don’t think the allegations of police bungling would have gone away and the criticism would have made the PJ more anxious to have a conclusion. 

I think that despite his very powerful local contacts and the place of the family in society, Robert Murat would have had a very tough time of it when trying to prove his innocence.

As the only arguido, with the full spotlight of the Portuguese and British press on him and the PJ investigation concentrating solely on him … I think the best he could have hoped for would be that the investigation would have been ‘timed out’ because there was no evidence against him but he would then have had to live under a cloud of suspicion forever.

As you say ... no-one would have been trying to find out what happened to Madeleine.

It's true that he was hardly some poor, barely literate, peasant. However, I still wouldn't put it totally off the cards that he may have ended up being subjected to rotating PJ teams interrogating him in "non-formal" interviews. Even sleep deprivation can make people "confess" to a crime that they may never have committed and sign on the dotted line.

[Jean-Pierre]

3440 - Confidential report
re: denouncement of
Michaela Walczuch (Spanish)
-------------
(The third of the three pieces of information from the book given to the PJ by Metodo 3)

Processos Vol XIII
Page 3440

3. IDENTIFICATION OF MURAT'S GIRLFRIEND AND MOVING OF A CHILD'S BODY TO A HIDDEN AREA

Confidential by Metodo.

Made public by........ The PJ.

(by the way - what is information from Metodo doing in the PJ files?  Given all the huffing and puffing on here about it being illegal for anyone to inestigate in Portugal, other than the police?)