Was the PJ's biggest mistake not testing the twins straight away?

[faithlilly]

In what way have you turned this particular 'argument' against me?

If a person is not investigated at the time despite an invitation from their peers in another jurisdiction to the investigating authority to do so ... I consider it to be a dereliction of duty.

That the vehicle which centred in the invitation was dismantled means that had there been evidence in Switzerland connecting Von Aersch to Madeleine it went when that vehicle was dismantled in early September 2007.
Hardly surprising that the Operation Grange visit to Switzerland years later was unfruitful.

Had Von Aersch been in the Algarve as suggested when Madeleine went missing ... that was certainly well worth investigating, particularly who his associates may have been.

Had there been no connection there would have been no problem with that ... not everyone investigated has a connection to the crime ... policing would be a bit of a dawdle were that so.

In my book the failure to take up the Swiss invitation was certainly a bigger error than failing to test the twins; particularly as it evidences a state of mind prevalent among the investigators.

Perhaps it was established that Von Aersch wasn't in Portugal at the time of Madeleine's disappearance. It would been easy enough to check.

[Alfred R Jones]

Perhaps it was established that Von Aersch wasn't in Portugal at the time of Madeleine's disappearance. It would been easy enough to check.

How so?

[slartibartfast]

Rubbish. It addressed one of my questions but you chose to ignore the others.  But as I always have the courtesy to answer questions put to me then the answer to yours is - we know they didn't because the Met decided to follow up the Von Aesch connection when they took over the investigation.  If the PJ had properly investigated him at the time and found there was no likely connection then the obviously would not have wasted time on him again.

The Met decided to follow up lots of discounted leads and look where it has got them.

[Alfred R Jones]

The Met decided to follow up lots of discounted leads and look where it has got them.

That is completely beside the point.  Are you suggesting that they should have known in advance that leads not followed up by the PJ would lead nowhere so not bother themselves?  Think!

[Alice Purjorick]

Quite.

Please explain what it is then.

[faithlilly]

How so?

The usual ways I'd expect or are you suggesting he obtained a false passport or entered Portugal in some other surreptitious manner just to abduct a random child when he obviously had access to local children who he was willing to snatch ?

[slartibartfast]

That is completely beside the point.  Are you suggesting that they should have known in advance that leads not followed up by the PJ would lead nowhere so not bother themselves?  Think!

Discounted.

[Brietta]

Do you have a cite for your last sentence.

As a matter of fact ... I do.

However one question you are in the position to answer for me is ... why are you asking for one ?

You are the mod who has sanctioned the doubters and questioners from that particular necessity ... or should I have added the prefix ... "I have never seen ... "

[Alfred R Jones]

Discounted.

How does that remark address my post in any meaningful manner?

[Alfred R Jones]

The usual ways I'd expect or are you suggesting he obtained a false passport or entered Portugal in some other surreptitious manner just to abduct a random child when he obviously had access to local children who he was willing to snatch ?

It was my understanding that he lived in Spain.  It was also my understanding that travel between Spain and Portugal was easy enough without the need for showing passports - I'm happy to be corrected, however. 

[Alfred R Jones]

Please explain what it is then.

Firstly, just so there's no misunderstanding, perhaps you can translate your last post into standard modern English, such as you might read in a Times newspaper, particularly this part

"Even had the PJ got themselves kitted up right on the drop of the first communication they would have needed to have been a bit bleedin' nippy to get to Berne or wherever im Schweiz 21days before they started out just so they could interview a guy who the Swiss hadn't asked them to interview anyway. Probably because the Swiss knew he was dead".

It seems to me you think that the Swiss were inviting the PJ to interview a dead man, but as I say above perhaps I have misunderstood your Dick Van Dyke attempts at witty regional dialogue.

[Alice Purjorick]

Firstly, just so there's no misunderstanding, perhaps you can translate your last post into standard modern English, such as you might read in a Times newspaper, particularly this part

"Even had the PJ got themselves kitted up right on the drop of the first communication they would have needed to have been a bit bleedin' nippy to get to Berne or wherever im Schweiz 21days before they started out just so they could interview a guy who the Swiss hadn't asked them to interview anyway. Probably because the Swiss knew he was dead".

It seems to me you think that the Swiss were inviting the PJ to interview a dead man, but as I say above perhaps I have misunderstood your Dick Van Dyke attempts at witty regional dialogue.

Years ago before we were done over by the PC crowd what I do was normally advertised in the Telegraph and Times with the caveat "must be able to communicate at all levels". I am trying to determine the level at which I should communicate around here. You did however seem to get my drift so I pegged you correctly 

[G-Unit]

The Met decided to follow up lots of discounted leads and look where it has got them.

 

I don't quite understand the need to travel to Switzerland, because the moment had passed when that would have been productive. I don't understand the need for a lot of the travelling they did though, except it looked good and gave the impression they were doing something. They seem to have given up the foreign travel now; I imagine a lot of filing and archiving is what is going on now. That's what is done when an operation is closed down.

[slartibartfast]

How does that remark address my post in any meaningful manner?

You changed my discounted to not followed up.

[slartibartfast]

As a matter of fact ... I do.

However one question you are in the position to answer for me is ... why are you asking for one ?

You are the mod who has sanctioned the doubters and questioners from that particular necessity ... or should I have added the prefix ... "I have never seen ... "

Just wondering where the "morass" originated, so maybe we are supposed to infer something by your reluctance to help.