Claims the Portuguese are dragging their heels in the search for Madeleine.

[Carana]

I remember there being a story about SY wanting to obtain DNA etc by means that were illegal in Portugal - I wonder if this is referring to the same event?

Once the spin is removed, what I suspect is that the Met wanted DNA swabs of people who hadn't previously given them.

If that's the case, "illegal" wouldn't mean by e.g., covert means (which would be useless as evidence anyway), but simply the legal issue of whether they had to have arguido status or not.

The PT authorities don't appear to be "snubbing" the Met's requests... it's just that bureaucracy takes forever.

[jassi]

All this source has apparently said is:


 “This dragging of heels by police in Portugal can’t have helped the investigation.”

Gosh, big reveal!  I could have been the source!!

Indeed, but interesting that the Mirror bothered  quoted the 'source' for that snippet.
What else might he have offered up that has gone unattributed?

[Anna]

Just seen this Anna.  There is absolutely no official verification for this article so why is it being touted as fact ?

I do remember something about a request for DNA samples and the searching of some properties, Faith.
This  could possibly have been a recycling of old news....again.
I try to keep up with the latest news articles, however as we all know, it is not always as reliable, as one would wish.

[Carana]

Indeed, but interesting that the Mirror bothered  quoted the 'source' for that snippet.
What else might he have offered up that has gone unattributed?

Who's "he"? The "source" in the hack's head?

[faithlilly]

I do remember something about a request for DNA samples and the searching of some properties, Faith.
This  could possibly have been a recycling of old news....again.
I try to keep up with the latest news articles, however as we all know, it is not always as reliable, as one would wish.

Indeed Anna.

[faithlilly]

Who's "he"? The "source" in the hack's head?

Interesting that when a story can be attributed to a leak from the PJ it is yet if that's not possible it's the 'hack' who is making it up.

Do you think it's at all possible Carana that the 'facts' that you and your friends have accused the PJ of leaking have also been the product of some hack's imagination ?

[Benice]

Name me the perfect judicial system.

This country certainly hasn't got it.

As it was revealed the other day, the police where given information on savile and some of his cronies and failed to act.

As to the paedophile in inquiry into members of parliament, judges, etc, who have abused young children, and it seems murdered some of them as well, what of justice for the victims............................

Nowhere have I suggested that we have a perfect judicial system.  My point was that it is not necessarily the case that the delays experienced only apply in the McCann case.    It appears to be virtually normal practice in all cases in Portugal  from what I can see.

Would you not agree that 13 years is an unacceptable time for a case to come to court - in any country/

[Carana]

Interesting that when a story can be attributed to a leak from the PJ it is yet if that's not possible it's the 'hack' who is making it up.

Do you think it's at all possible Carana that the 'facts' that you and your friends have accused the PJ of leaking have also been the product of some hack's imagination ?

I've no doubt that a number of "comments" by "sources" were invented by both the UK and the PT tabloids, if that's what you mean.

However, there is no doubt in my mind that there were leaks, many of which got mangled in the process. I find it stretches credulity that a hack suddenly invented "tufts" of hair and "bodily fluids" in the Scenic, for example, or numerous others which had a clear, albeit distorted, origin in the files.

[ferryman]

I've no doubt that a number of "comments" by "sources" were invented by both the UK and the PT tabloids, if that's what you mean.

However, there is no doubt in my mind that there were leaks, many of which got mangled in the process. I find it stretches credulity that a hack suddenly invented "tufts" of hair and "bodily fluids" in the Scenic, for example, or numerous others which had a clear, albeit distorted, origin in the files.

Agreed.

I've pointed out before that Gerry not Madeleine's father can almost certainly be directly attributed to Amaral from the files ...

ETA: You also only have to look at how Amaral modified his own theory from (falsely attributed to Harrison) Madeleine's concealed remains in close proximity to apartment 5a to (leaked) Madeleine driven somewhere dead in the Renault Scenic.

And I also recalled leaks about Madeleine jettisoned dead into the sea, actually reflected in the work and reports of Mark Harrison ...

[faithlilly]

I've no doubt that a number of "comments" by "sources" were invented by both the UK and the PT tabloids, if that's what you mean.

However, there is no doubt in my mind that there were leaks, many of which got mangled in the process. I find it stretches credulity that a hack suddenly invented "tufts" of hair and "bodily fluids" in the Scenic, for example, or numerous others which had a clear, albeit distorted, origin in the files.

And the leaks couldn't have come from the British officers involved in the case ?

[ferryman]

And the leaks couldn't have come from the British officers involved in the case ?

You're (slowly) getting the gist ...

[Admin]

Regardless of the validity of the story, which I do agree is questionable at the very least, there is a history of delays in this investigation.

It has been repeated oft that the Portuguese have no real desire that Scotland Yard are seen to solve the mystery of Madeline's disappearance and to some extent this must be true.  It would be very embarrassing to have a foreign police force solve a case on their very own doorstep and especially so if it was found that the original local investigation missed crucial clues.

Is it in Portuguese interest to have the Maddie case solved?

[stephen25000]

You're (slowly) getting the gist ...

and members of the UK police never leak, and /or get paid and/or caught releasing information.

 *&*%£

[Alfred R Jones]

The Mirror news story is either true which begs the question why is the PT judicial system being so uncooperative, or it is false, in which case what is to be gained by the Met (if that is indeed the source) from making out that the Portuguese are being uncooperative?  In any case it's hardly news is it?  We all had a pretty good idea already that the Portuguese were hardly falling over themselves to make this re-investigation easy for the Met, didn't we?

[Carana]

And the leaks couldn't have come from the British officers involved in the case ?

I wouldn't be able to find a link quickly, but LP held an internal inquiry (Leveson-related?) and concluded that the few people who would have had access to the level of information were excluded.