Was Smithman's interaction with the Smith family suspicious?

[Robittybob1]

Well, all that is true but, many children are abducted in broad daylight, parks and shopping malls, abductors just walk them away...

I tend to think of the Smithman as a person who was caring for Madeleine and hence had no need to hide or disguise himself, but then got caught up in the cover-up unwittingly and hence should be offered an amnesty.
So that instead of looking for Smithman we can focus on looking for Madeleine.

[Robittybob1]

The obvious answer to why this man did not respond to Mrs S's question is that she asked it in a foreign language which he did not understand. If she had asked in Portuguese she would have got an answer IMO.

What are the actual words in the Smith's statement that refers to this question please?

[Robittybob1]

Speaking english she asked something like "is she asleep?" Robbity (source is a news article).
The fact that the man did not reply is an almost certain indication that he did not understand english.
It's not rocket science.

it would important for accuracy to know the article for I read the statement in a completely different way.

[Robittybob1]

"He remembers having seen the McCann couple once, near to the door of the apartment. He did not have any dialogue with them as he does not speak English."
Source: Statement of GNR officer Morais, Processos V, p1333-1334

This the GNR policeman not talking to Jane Tanner as he "does not speak English well" 

As regards the witness who alleged to have seen an individual carrying a child, whose (the witness) name he cannot remember, he says that upon learning of this situation, she stood next to two soldiers, awaiting the arrival of police officers. He did not speak to her as he does not speak English well.

How do you relate that to what happened to Smithman?

[Robittybob1]

Mr Martin Smith stated such in one of his statements...


Snip

In relation to the video clips of Gerard McCann and the person I saw on 3rd May 2007 when I saw the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007 something struck me that it could have been the same person.

It wasIn relation to the video clips of Gerard McCann and the person I saw on 3rd May 2007 when I saw the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007 something struck me that it could have been the same person.

It was the way Gerard McCann turned his head down which was similar to what the individual did on 3rd May 2007 when we met him.

It may have been the way he was carrying the child either.

I would be 60-80% sure that it was Gerard McCann that I met that night carrying a child.

I am basing that on his mannerism in the way he carried the child off the plane.

After seeing the BBC news at 10 PM, footage on the 9th September 2007 I contacted Leicestershire police with this information. During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife. She had seen the video clip of Gerard McCann walking down the stairs of the plane earlier that day.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/P16/16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4136.jpg

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

In the original statements was there anything about lookin down? I didn't see it.

[Robittybob1]

Agreed.
The only supposedly suspicious thing he did was not answering a question posed to him in a foreign language by a passing stranger .
Smithman has nothing at all to do with the case IMO.

This has not been established.

[pathfinder73]

In the original statements was there anything about lookin down? I didn't see it.

When we saw him. Of course the family had a private meeting about the sighting before he did his second statement. Others of course remember him turning his head down when passing them.

"During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007." MS

[Robittybob1]

When we saw him. Of course the family had a private meeting about the sighting before he did his second statement. Others of course remember him turning his head down when passing them.

"During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007." MS

So that too does not confirm that they mentioned the looking down in the original statements but only introduce the idea after seeing Gerry disembark the plane.  Even if they all agree later it makes no difference.  It smacks of collusion.

[pathfinder73]

So that too does not confirm that they mentioned the looking down in the original statements but only introduce the idea after seeing Gerry disembark the plane.  Even if they all agree later it makes no difference.  It smacks of collusion.

Not if he didn't remember and forgot to mention it at the time. Aoife said he couldn't remember what he looked liked at the time. That can change. MS is a very decent person according to local police.

[Robittybob1]

Not if he didn't remember and forgot to mention it at the time. Aoife said he couldn't remember what he looked liked at the time. That can change. MS is a very decent person according to local police.

I feel I'm still right.  There was nothing about "looking down" in the original statements and he (MS) tried to pin it on Gerry (with collusion).  I would have preferred to look at the evidence myself to really be sure of it, but I couldn't find any initial statement that said Smithman "looked down".   

[John]

If you had placed the PDL irish witnesses 400m away along the escape route in the case you cited, they would not have seen open carrying - they would have seen someone driving a car

I tend to that view too.  Carrying a child such a distance was asking to get caught.

One thing which strikes me however was that the man totally ignored Mary Smith.  It is good manners to greet someone when passing so close by in a deserted street in Portugal, a simple Hello or an Olá or even a nod normally suffices.  The unidentified man made no such gesture despite several opportunities. I find that very odd indeed!

[John]

I feel I'm still right.  There was nothing about "looking down" in the original statements and he (MS) tried to pin it on Gerry (with collusion).  I would have preferred to look at the evidence myself to really be sure of it, but I couldn't find any initial statement that said Smithman "looked down".

Speaking from his home in Drogheda, Co. Louth, Mr Smith recalled the sighting, which is strikingly similar to one by a friend of the McCanns, Jane Tanner. In hindsight, the retired Mr Smith said, the mans rude behaviour should have aroused his suspicions.
 
He explained: "The one thing we noted afterwards was that he gave us no greeting.
 
"My wife Mary remembered afterwards that she asked him, 'Oh, is she asleep?' But he never acknowledged her one way or another.
 
"He just put his head down and averted his eyes. This is very unusual in a tourist town at such a quiet time of the year."

3 January 2008
Maddie: Irishman provides dramatic new clues Daily Mail (appeared in paper edition only)

[John]

Cover note
 
Detective Branch
Drogheda
County Lough

Re – Investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann

I took an additional statement from Mr Smith as requested. His wife does not want to make another statement. I showed him the video clip and he stated that it was not the clip that alerted him but the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007.

He has been contacted by numerous tabloid press looking for stories. He has been contacted by Mr Brian Kennedy who is supporting the McCann family to take part in a photo fit exercise. He has given no stories or helped in any photo fits. He sent a solicitor’s letter to six papers in relation material that was printed that was misquoted. The Evening Herald paid his solicitor's fees and all papers printed an apology. His photograph appeared in another tabloid paper and this matter is being pursued at the moment.

I do not believe that Martin Smith is courting the press and my view his is a genuine person. He is known locally and is a very decent person.

Forwarded please

Sergeant

L*** H****


Additional statement by Martin Smith, 30 January 2008
 
I hereby declare that this statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I will be liable to prosecution if I state in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

I would like to state that the statement I made on 26th May 2007 in Portugal is correct. The description of the individual that I saw on 3rd May 2007 carrying a child is as follows. He was average build, 5 foot 10” in height, brown hair cut short, aged 40 years approximately. Wearing beige trousers and darkish top maybe a jacket or blazer. He had a full head of hair with a tight cut. This individual was alone. I saw Gerard McCann (sic) going down the plane stairs carrying one of his children on 9th September 2007 BBC news at 10 PM, I have been shown the video clip by Sergeant Hogan which I recognise. A clip I have seen before on the Internet. In relation to the video clips of Gerard McCann and the person I saw on 3rd May 2007 when I saw the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007 something struck me that it could have been the same person. It was the way Gerard McCann turned his head down which was similar to what the individual did on 3rd May 2007 when we met him. It may have been the way he was carrying the child either. I would be 60-80% sure that it was Gerard McCann that I met that night carrying a child. I am basing that on his mannerism in the way he carried the child off the plane. After seeing the BBC news at 10 PM, footage on the 9th September 2007 I contacted Leicestershire police with this information. During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife. She had seen the video clip of Gerard McCann walking down the stairs of the plane earlier that day. We did not discuss this until some days later. This statement has been read over to me and is correct.

[Robittybob1]

Speaking from his home in Drogheda, Co. Louth, Mr Smith recalled ....

3 January 2008
Maddie: Irishman provides dramatic new clues Daily Mail (appeared in paper edition only)

http://themaddiecasefiles.com/topic8768.html  Thanks John much appreciated.

[slartibartfast]

I feel I'm still right.  There was nothing about "looking down" in the original statements and he (MS) tried to pin it on Gerry (with collusion).  I would have preferred to look at the evidence myself to really be sure of it, but I couldn't find any initial statement that said Smithman "looked down".

Please do not use the word collusion again in this respect.