Has Martin Smith Changed his Opinion ?

[Benice]

Perhaps he did not want to get dragged into all the crap again...after all he has a life......

IMO Martin Smith was determined that his family would not be dragged into 'all that crap again' and that is the main reason why he very quickly jumped on anyone who misrepresented him in the press.   It's obvious that he did not make any complaints to the Sunday Times about their claim that he had since changed his mind about GM - and IMO if that was an incorrect claim he would have contacted them and demanded a retraction - in the same way as he did on previous occasions.   The fact that he didn't do that speaks for itself imo.

[pegasus]

SY & the PJ are not pursuing Smithman as a significant line of inquiry IMO.

I never understood why they focussed on the unlikely method of open uncontained carrying.

[mercury]

IMO Martin Smith was determined that his family would not be dragged into 'all that crap again' and that is the main reason why he very quickly jumped on anyone who misrepresented him in the press.   It's obvious that he did not make any complaints to the Sunday Times about their claim that he had since changed his mind about GM - and IMO if that was an incorrect claim he would have contacted them and demanded a retraction - in the same way as he did on previous occasions.   The fact that he didn't do that speaks for itself imo.

No, its not the same as previous occasions, not the crap he did have ,in 2007 our illustrious media en masse were practically doorstepping him, misquoting him, he was being contacted by Kennedy/PIs....none of that is happening now, just a single reference to what he has alledgedly said (with no quotes btw) and IMO he probably is just keeping out of it, cant be arsed and right too

[mercury]

I never understood why they focussed on the unlikely method of open uncontained carrying.

Its not as if its really unusual

[G-Unit]

IMO Martin Smith was determined that his family would not be dragged into 'all that crap again' and that is the main reason why he very quickly jumped on anyone who misrepresented him in the press.   It's obvious that he did not make any complaints to the Sunday Times about their claim that he had since changed his mind about GM - and IMO if that was an incorrect claim he would have contacted them and demanded a retraction - in the same way as he did on previous occasions.   The fact that he didn't do that speaks for itself imo.

If he had corrected it that would have been tantamount to accusing Gerry McCann of being Smithman. The media would have had a field day with that. Much wiser to let it pass imo.

[Mr Gray]

I can see a very obvious reason why an innocent smithman would not come forward, particularly if he was portuguese. He would fear he might be persuaded to confess

[slartibartfast]

I can see a very obvious reason why an innocent smithman would not come forward, particularly if he was portuguese. He would fear he might be persuaded to confess

You mean he has also managed to mislay the little girl he was carrying that night?

[Mr Gray]

You mean he has also managed to mislay the little girl he was carrying that night?

nope...as sl has pointed out...and she lives in portugal...he would be required to prove his innocencve...read her post

[pathfinder73]

nope...as sl has pointed out...and she lives in portugal...he would be required to prove his innocencve...read her post

They all said the girl looked British white not Portuguese. Actually a Madeleine clone.

[Mr Gray]

They all said the girl looked British white not Portuguese. Actually a Madeleine clone.

aren't there lots of blonde portuguese girls, and it was dark...they never mentioned  a madeleine clone

[pathfinder73]

aren't there lots of blonde portuguese girls, and it was dark...they never mentioned  a madeleine clone

He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE, also the opinion shared by his family.

She had blonde hair, of medium shade, not very light. Her skin was white, typically British.

The child has blonde medium-hued hair, without being very light. Her skin was very white, typical of a Brit.

The child was female because she had straight long hair to the neck. The colour was fair/light brown. 

She is certain that the child was about four years old because her niece (who was in the group) is of the same age and they were the same size.

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

[Benice]

If he had corrected it that would have been tantamount to accusing Gerry McCann of being Smithman. The media would have had a field day with that. Much wiser to let it pass imo.

Anyone who thinks Mrs Smith would say the following if she and her husband still thought the McCanns may be complicit in their daughter's disappearance is being completely illogical IMO.   

Why would they be expressing such heartfelt sympathy for the couple who they still believed may have disposed of their own daughter's body in such a callous manner?   That simply makes no sense at all imo.

 Quote
We only did what we thought was right for a missing girl and our hearts are breaking for her parents, as it would be if it were one of ours.

''I feel very much for them [the McCanns]. I have six grandchildren of my own and six children of my own.

"The poor McCann family must be heartbroken.''
End quote

[stephen25000]

Anyone who thinks Mrs Smith would say the following if she and her husband still thought the McCanns may be complicit in their daughter's disappearance is being completely illogical IMO.   

Why would they be expressing such heartfelt sympathy for the couple who they still believed may have disposed of their own daughter's body in such a callous manner?   That simply makes no sense at all imo.

 Quote
We only did what we thought was right for a missing girl and our hearts are breaking for her parents, as it would be if it were one of ours.

''I feel very much for them [the McCanns]. I have six grandchildren of my own and six children of my own.

"The poor McCann family must be heartbroken.''
End quote

I presume you can provide a cite to show Mrs. Smith actually said this.

[ferryman]

IMO Martin Smith was determined that his family would not be dragged into 'all that crap again' and that is the main reason why he very quickly jumped on anyone who misrepresented him in the press.   It's obvious that he did not make any complaints to the Sunday Times about their claim that he had since changed his mind about GM - and IMO if that was an incorrect claim he would have contacted them and demanded a retraction - in the same way as he did on previous occasions.   The fact that he didn't do that speaks for itself imo.

Even more so, the statement of his wife, after release of the files, that they will do all they can to support the McCanns, and their heart goes out to the McCanns.

Very odd things to say if she (or her husband) countenance (still!) that the man the family all saw that night is Gerry.

Entirely explicable if they have changed their minds (all of them).

[G-Unit]

Anyone who thinks Mrs Smith would say the following if she and her husband still thought the McCanns may be complicit in their daughter's disappearance is being completely illogical IMO.   

Why would they be expressing such heartfelt sympathy for the couple who they still believed may have disposed of their own daughter's body in such a callous manner?   That simply makes no sense at all imo.

 Quote
We only did what we thought was right for a missing girl and our hearts are breaking for her parents, as it would be if it were one of ours.

''I feel very much for them [the McCanns]. I have six grandchildren of my own and six children of my own.

"The poor McCann family must be heartbroken.''
End quote

It wouldn't be sensible for any of the Smiths to accuse the child's father of anything when speaking to the newspapers, now would it? Especially as they couldn't make a definite identification. Mr Smith based his statement purely on the mannerisms of the man he saw and he could easily have been wrong. His wife said;

''The man he saw had the same stature as Gerry McCann.
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id162.html

So we have a man with the same build, with a similar hairstyle and colour, carrying a child of the right age, hairstyle and colour. Just a coincidence, I'm sure.