Gonçalo Amaral claimed that so-called Smithman e-fits were simply a ruse!

[misty]

Was the Tapas Bar, as opposed to the restaurant, also only for the exclusive use of MW guests? That wouldn't have been good for profits or pleased the TC guests.
MW were allocated 20 covers in the Tapas restaurant. The restaurant can clearly seat more than 20. What is the explanation for allocation of all the other tables not taken by MW diners?

ETA
5 of 5 starsReviewed 20 September 2007
Just back from spending a lovely two weeks at the Ocean Club. Arrived after a long transfer but it was worth it. Paid for a one bedroom apartment for four but was given a two bedroom three storey house. What a result!.

The Thomas Cook Rep was fantastic, and couldn't do enough for us.

The house we had was lovely, homely, spacious and clean. We were right opposite the Tapas pool and bar. It was fantastic for the kids. We were lucky in that our holiday wasn't over shadowed by the Maddie thing but did see the press three or four times but they were very discreet and didn't ruin our holiday.

Found a lovely restaurant called the Dophin, run by South Africans and possibly had the best meal I have EVER HAD! Expensive but worth it if you are treating yourself.

Praia Da Luz is quiet and not that large. Best to book tables at semi decent restaurants or you may have to skip dinner, but the ones we did visit were very good, Reasonable food and not bad prices. The beach is nice and not too far from the Ocean Club.

The staff at the Tapas bar were great and the pool was lovely and clean. We should know the kids spent most of the two weeks we were there in it!. We also had dinner at the Tapas bar which was a great surprise.... really nice food, well presented and the staff were pleasant.


https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g776012-d229314-r8827474-Luz_Ocean_Club-Luz_Faro_District_Algarve.html#

[mercury]

It still never ceases to amaze me that with all these people milling around, wandering up and down between the tapas and block 5, staff members, locals visiting, smokers puffing in the shadows, tourists watching from balconies etc etc etc  that only one person saw what appeared to be this elusive abductor but even her testimony has now been questioned by SY.

How does one abduct a kid in such circumstances and disappear into the ether?

The logical answer to that is that maybe there was nothing to see

[mercury]

My point was, more, that I think the Smiths are being unfairly slated (in certain quarters) for 'not coming forward' before.

Judgement about the value or worth of statements (necessarily and by definition) must, always, be retrospective.

Beforehand, you just can't know.

they saw a man carryng a child
Which they didnt think was suspicious
Only tanner said she wondered why the child she saw had no shoes on or blanket (yeah right)
I guess no shoes isfar more dangerous than leaving kids on their own
they just did not connect that to any alledged abduction

See you in october when amaral will be vindicated


 

[pegasus]

It is fairly obvious that if someone is covertly transporting something you are not going to see what they are transporting even if they go straight past you.

[mercury]

No one  covertly transported anythng did they?

[pegasus]

There are exceptions Merc like cases where a burglar carries a visible TV in his arms through the streets, but they are very low IQ and unresourceful perps.

Amaral's Smithman theory and OG's Smithman theory both assume a perp that was so stupid that he chose an absurd transport method of carrying, unconcealed and plainly visible to all, through populated streets.

[Brietta]

There are exceptions Merc like cases where a burglar carries a visible TV in his arms through the streets, but they are very low IQ and unresourceful perps.

Amaral's Smithman theory and OG's Smithman theory both assume a perp that was so stupid that he chose an absurd transport method of carrying, unconcealed and plainly visible to all, through populated streets.

It didn't really matter what they thought.
A person was seen carrying a child through the streets of Luz at a time a child had been found to be missing from her bed.  They had a duty to check the report out.  How diligently that duty was carried out is a matter of opinion.  In the case of the carrier the Smiths said they saw ... was that only worthy of a closer look as far as the Amaral investigation was concerned when Mr Smith misidentified the child's father as the carrier?

The time sequence of the Tanner police statement - the time sequence of the McCluskey police statement - in relation to the time sequence of the Smith statements is interesting.  One wonders why the conspiracy theorists haven't had a chew at it.

[ferryman]

It is fairly obvious that if someone is covertly transporting something you are not going to see what they are transporting even if they go straight past you.

More than that, the event itself is going to be jumbled into a sequence of events that is a typical holiday, and the sight of a man carrying child (in those parts) I imagine is quite common.  It might very well take a while for the (potential) significance of that sighting to hit home.

But the Smiths acted when it had.

[pegasus]

Abduction theorists for example Mr Redwood and Ferryman appear to bet everything on the Smith Sighting.
Body-transportation theorists for example Mr Amaral and Pathfinder appear to bet everything on the Smith Sighting.

Common-sense however indicates that no perp of either kind would use such a silly method IMO.

[Brietta]

Abduction theorists for example Mr Redwood and Ferryman appear to bet everything on the Smith Sighting.
Body-transportation theorists for example Mr Amaral and Pathfinder appear to bet everything on the Smith Sighting.

Common-sense however indicates that no perp of either kind would use such a silly method IMO.

Horses for courses ... something unexpected may have occurred which necessitated open carrying.  Or, if someone with local knowledge, would know it was a common occurrence unremarkable in the holiday town.

The alarm bells didn't ring for Jane Tanner initially. The Smith family payed little attention and didn't put two and two together until a fortnight later.
Silly though the strategy may have been it seems it worked ... one carrier has managed to stay beneath the radar for over ten years and there was only a tentative identification of the other approximately three years ago.

[pegasus]

(snip) ... tentative identification ...(snip)

I watched Crimewatch and don't recall Mr Redwood using the word "tentative" about the identifiction of JTman.
What I recall are the words "almost certain" and "revelation".

[Robittybob1]

I watched Crimewatch and don't recall Mr Redwood using the word "tentative" about the identifiction of JTman.
What I recall are the words "almost certain" and "revelation".

It seemed to keep on changing over the years.

[pegasus]

It seemed to keep on changing over the years.

Operation Grange described their identification of JTman as "almost certain" and "a revelation"

OG have never described it as "tentative".

[misty]

Operation Grange described their identification of JTman as "almost certain" and "a revelation"

OG have never described it as "tentative".

Would that be 60%, 80% or 99% certainty on the part of OG in identifying the man JT saw?
Had MS been allowed to go to Portugal in Sept/Oct 2007, would that have been GA's revelation moment?

[Brietta]

I watched Crimewatch and don't recall Mr Redwood using the word "tentative" about the identifiction of JTman.
What I recall are the words "almost certain" and "revelation".

You seem to be conveying the impression that a person making a quick getaway after abducting a child would not risk openly carrying a child through the streets.

In both reported instances of a man witnessed carrying a child on the night a child vanished from her bed ... the sight aroused no immediate suspicion.

On seeing the man crossing the junction ahead of her had Jane Tanner been suspicious enough to shout for Gerry, history might have been different, but he excited no such suspicion. 

The Smith family thought nothing of their sighting either at the time or till a fortnight later.  This man has never been traced, as far as we know.