Could Smithman be the key to Madeleine's disappearance?

[jassi]

But Smithman wasn't seen with a bag was he?

You asked how he could have got hold of the bag.
The hypothesis is that it was used to carry Madeleine on the first part of her journey, not that Smithman was actually seen carrying it.

[Alfred R Jones]

You asked how he could have got hold of the bag.

I did indeed.   

[Lyall]

What did jog them into action then, I wonder...?  Wasn't it the fact of Murat being made an arguido?  A bit odd that don't you think?

Nearly everything about this case is odd, Alfred. But you maybe answered your own question: hearing Murat's name being mentioned could have jogged their memory.

I don't think that sequence of events is any odder than other aspects of the case.

[Alfred R Jones]

Nearly everything about this case is odd, Alfred. But you maybe answered your own question: hearing Murat's name being mentioned could have jogged their memory.

I don't think that sequence of events is any odder than other aspects of the case.

Why would hearing Murat's name jog their memory about the man they saw carrying the child?  What would be the connection between the two events?  Murat being made an arguido and 9 individuals suddenly remembering that they saw a man who definitely WASN'T Murat carrying a child through town that night?

[Alfred R Jones]

From Smith's statement:

Urged, states that when he passed this individual, it must have been around 22H00. He did not know at the time that a child had disappeared. He only became aware of the disappearance of the child the next morning, from his daughter in Ireland. She had sent him a message or called him regarding what had happened. At this point he thought that MADELEINE could have been the child he saw with the individual.

So - the very next morning Smith is thinking that he saw the missing child being carried away from the apartment from whence she was taken, but it's not until images of Robert Murat begin to circulate 3 weeks later that he decides to come forward. 

Someone explain that satisfactorily please!

[Lyall]

Why would hearing Murat's name jog their memory about the man they saw carrying the child?  What would be the connection between the two events?  Murat being made an arguido and 9 individuals suddenly remembering that they saw a man who definitely WASN'T Murat carrying a child through town that night?

They may not have been paying too much attention to the media coverage, as I wasn't. Ok, I hadn't just been in PdL personally, which you'd think would make them pay more attention than me. But you maybe have to consider the hyped TV coverage (if it was the same in Ireland) was counterproductive.

Alternatively, perhaps there was little coverage in Ireland?

If there wasn't, or if they'd been avoiding the hyped media coverage like me, the shock of hearing Murat's name being mentioned would finally demand their attention.

[Lyall]

From Smith's statement:

Urged, states that when he passed this individual, it must have been around 22H00. He did not know at the time that a child had disappeared. He only became aware of the disappearance of the child the next morning, from his daughter in Ireland. She had sent him a message or called him regarding what had happened. At this point he thought that MADELEINE could have been the child he saw with the individual.

So - the very next morning Smith is thinking that he saw the missing child being carried away from the apartment from whence she was taken, but it's not until images of Robert Murat begin to circulate 3 weeks later that he decides to come forward. 

Someone explain that satisfactorily please!

Easily done. For whatever reason many don't want to get involved.

[Alfred R Jones]

Easily done. For whatever reason many don't want to get involved.

OK, nine individuals all decided they didn't want to help in the search for a missing child.  Well, OK there are a lot of strange uncaring people in the world I get that, but then why suddenly decide to get involved when Murat's name gets broadcast?

[jassi]

OK, nine individuals all decided they didn't want to help in the search for a missing child.  Well, OK there are a lot of strange uncaring people in the world I get that, but then why suddenly decide to get involved when Murat's name gets broadcast?

Well they might have said something like - 'We know that guy' and then got to discussing the disappearance and how they saw this guy carrying a child through the streets.

[Alfred R Jones]

Well they might have said something like - 'We know that guy' and then got to discussing the disappearance and how they saw this guy carrying a child through the streets.

So what you seem to be suggesting is - the Smiths were more interested in getting an acquaintance off the hook than in trying to help with the search for a missing kid - 'cos that's how it looks to me anyway. 

[Lyall]

OK, nine individuals all decided they didn't want to help in the search for a missing child.  Well, OK there are a lot of strange uncaring people in the world I get that, but then why suddenly decide to get involved when Murat's name gets broadcast?

Motivation perhaps. It's a big deal to phone the police, especially when you're perhaps going to be dealing with the police of three different countries.

Again, consider the hyped media coverage was counterproductive. It's another possible reason why people wouldn't want to get involved.

[jassi]

So what you seem to be suggesting is - the Smiths were more interested in getting an acquaintance off the hook than in trying to help with the search for a missing kid - 'cos that's how it looks to me anyway.

That was not my intent. I was merely suggesting that hearing mention of a familiar name might  have got them talking about the case.

[Alfred R Jones]

That was not my intent. I was merely suggesting that hearing mention of a familiar name might  have got them talking about the case.

How familiar as the name of Murat to the 9 members of the Smith family?  This was a man that according to them "They met once in a bar about two years ago".  We have Mr Smith's testimony that on the morning following Madeleine's disappearance he believed the child he passed may have been Madeleine but it's only three weeks later when Murat (a man he barely knows) is made an arguido that he decides to come forward.  It's a bit bizarre, surely?!

[jassi]

I don't know . Some people are good at recalling names.

[Brietta]

They may not have been paying too much attention to the media coverage, as I wasn't. Ok, I hadn't just been in PdL personally, which you'd think would make them pay more attention than me. But you maybe have to consider the hyped TV coverage (if it was the same in Ireland) was counterproductive.

Alternatively, perhaps there was little coverage in Ireland?

If there wasn't, or if they'd been avoiding the hyped media coverage like me, the shock of hearing Murat's name being mentioned would finally demand their attention.

There was a lot of interest in Ireland as there are many connections with Praia da Luz.  It is a holiday destination of choice for holidaymakers many of whom may have property in the area.

Before returning home the Smith family took a bit of an interest in what was going on around them ... to the extent the grandchildren were aware and upset.

“We were looking at all the commotion on Sky News and we really felt quite helpless. We had two grandchildren with us at the time and it had a terrible effect on them – they all wanted to sleep in the same room as us.” - See more at: http://madeleinemccann.org/blog/2014/04/20/2008-january-243-273/#sthash.LuWRvhSZ.dpuf