"We must reconstruct Maddie’s fateful night" says former Portuguese police chief.

[Alice Purjorick]

I doubt they would turn up wearing big badges saying "Look at me I'm an SIS agent".
They would probably use a cunning disguise that fooled everyone.

Dark crimplene suits white shirts and black slim jim ties?

[G-Unit]

Dark crimplene suits white shirts and black slim jim ties?

Wrap-around shades?

[Countess Mayberry]

The 3 initial Smith statements are dated 26 May 2007 and were given in Portugal.

Right..so it was just the addendum of the sighting looking like Gerry McCann that came later?

[Eleanor]

Right..so it was just the addendum of the sighting looking like Gerry McCann that came later?

Much later.  So you weren't entirely wrong.

[Countess Mayberry]

Much later.  So you weren't entirely wrong.

The thing that is weird about the Smith statements is the length of time to volunteer the sighting. There were there for a further 5 days and if I recall, there was mention of being fearful of an abductor, yet they didn't mention the sighting of the man carrying a child to the police? It is probably why this sighting was not deemed significant initially then.
I follow the idea that the addendum to the statement was made after R.Murat was made arguida and to exonerate him since they were acquaintances and Mr.Smith would have recognised them if it was R.Murat.

[Eleanor]

The thing that is weird about the Smith statements is the length of time to volunteer the sighting. There were there for a further 5 days and if I recall, there was mention of being fearful of an abductor, yet they didn't mention the sighting of the man carrying a child to the police? It is probably why this sighting was not deemed significant initially then.
I follow the idea that the addendum to the statement was made after R.Murat was made arguida and to exonerate him since they were acquaintances and Mr.Smith would have recognised them if it was R.Murat.

It certainly looks a bit that way re Robert Murat.  But why anyone would think they had recognised anyone simply by a very ordinary way of carrying a child is a complete mystery to me.  Although I don't think Mr Smith did this with any wrong intent.

[pathfinder73]

The thing that is weird about the Smith statements is the length of time to volunteer the sighting. There were there for a further 5 days and if I recall, there was mention of being fearful of an abductor, yet they didn't mention the sighting of the man carrying a child to the police? It is probably why this sighting was not deemed significant initially then.
I follow the idea that the addendum to the statement was made after R.Murat was made arguida and to exonerate him since they were acquaintances and Mr.Smith would have recognised them if it was R.Murat.

They thought they were a normal father and daughter (not an unusual sight in Luz with a night creche) but when they found out the time of the disappearance matched they correctly thought to inform them.

[Brietta]

It certainly looks a bit that way re Robert Murat.  But why anyone would think they had recognised anyone simply by a very ordinary way of carrying a child is a complete mystery to me.  Although I don't think Mr Smith did this with any wrong intent.

I'm certain he didn't ~ quite the opposite in fact.  Which I think is proved by comparing Mr Smith's addition to his statement with the changes made by Mr McCluskey to his.

**  **
Statement made 12th September 2007

I have watched a good deal of news coverage about the McCanns over the past week or so. Another thing which has played on my mind is the coverage of Mr McCann walking off the aeroplane holding one of his young children. The way he was holding the child over his left shoulder reminded me of the man carrying the child from the white van in Portugal.

Although I could not describe the male I'd seen in Portugal because he had his back to me, it was the particular way Mr. McCann held the child that made me think. He held the child over his left shoulder with his left arm supporting the child?s weight.  http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/RI_Mc.htm


Mr McCluskey went one better than Mr Smith and "recognised" the woman he had seen as Kate McCann.

It seems obvious to me that both men had been heavily influenced by exposure to images of the McCanns and had had a "false memory" activated by watching Gerry descending the plane steps.

[G-Unit]

The thing that is weird about the Smith statements is the length of time to volunteer the sighting. There were there for a further 5 days and if I recall, there was mention of being fearful of an abductor, yet they didn't mention the sighting of the man carrying a child to the police? It is probably why this sighting was not deemed significant initially then.
I follow the idea that the addendum to the statement was made after R.Murat was made arguida and to exonerate him since they were acquaintances and Mr.Smith would have recognised them if it was R.Murat.

No, Countess. The original statements were made just after Murat (a man) became arguido. The 'addendum', as you call it was after the McCanns became arguido/arguida. (plane steps, Gerry, Sean)

[John]

The thing that is weird about the Smith statements is the length of time to volunteer the sighting. There were there for a further 5 days and if I recall, there was mention of being fearful of an abductor, yet they didn't mention the sighting of the man carrying a child to the police? It is probably why this sighting was not deemed significant initially then.
I follow the idea that the addendum to the statement was made after R.Murat was made arguida and to exonerate him since they were acquaintances and Mr.Smith would have recognised them if it was R.Murat.

Had Robert Murat not attracted attention I don't think the Smiths would have got involved at all.

[G-Unit]

Had Robert Murat not attracted attention I don't think the Smiths would have got involved at all.

You think they would have ignored what they saw or you think they didn't see it?

[Eleanor]

Bump

Oh My.  I'll go for that.

[Robittybob1]

Oh My.  I'll go for that.

"We must reconstruct Maddie’s fateful night"  I'd like to see if it possible to climb through the opened window?  How high were the shutters up when Kate first saw the situation?

[Mr Gray]

"We must reconstruct Maddie’s fateful night"  eI'd like to see if it possible to climb through the opened window?  How high were the shutters up when Kate first saw the situation?

Who said anyone climbed through the shutters

[Robittybob1]

Who said anyone climbed through the shutters

Sadie gave us a lecture a couple of days ago saying it was virtually impossible to climb through that window, therefore it needs to be checked in a reconstruction.  What are they going to reconstruct?  I would like to see a stranger entering the apartment and exiting without coming out through the sliding door.