Documentaries & Articles for Discussion

[Alice Purjorick]

From further on:

Q: How is it possible that the English prime minister’s spokesman quit Tony Blair to become the McCanns’ spokesman within 24 hours?

“That’s another mystery within the mystery. And if we understand that little mystery, maybe we can understand what lies behind, not the disappearance, not the child’s death, but behind the protection – why protect this family, this couple?”

What's the mystery? He was seconded to the Foreign Office to help deal with the media.

He wasn't Blair's spokesman, where did that idea come from?
He was Head of the Cabinet Office Media Monitoring Unit.
The reasons for jumping ship were probably a combination of an eye to the main chance and the long green folding stuff.
Head of Media Monitoring is a junior post in government circles. An idea of salary can be found in here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/207336/CABINET-OFFICE-FINAL-_TEMPLATE-_MAR-2013-junior-data.csv/preview.
The following is attributed to him:
Clarence Mitchell was also involved in the coverage of the Soham murders. Clarence Mitchell made comparisons between this case and the case of Maddie McCann by saying, "An outcome similar to Holly and Jessica is possible. I don't want to, and I can't, talk about Robert Murat but some journalists who worked with me in Soham, and that were now in Portugal, saw resemblances between that case and Robert Murat. And I won't say more."
Either he did say it or someone was trying to stitch him up early doors. Either way it begs the question why?

[pegasus]

Just looking at facts:
At least one phonecall with Prime Minister T Blair.
At least two phonecalls with Chancellor Of The Exchequer G Brown.
At least one phonecall with Prime Minister's wife C Blair.
At least one phonecall with Foreign Secretary D Miliband.

[jassi]

It must be really useful when you know all the right people. 

[Carana]

It must be really useful when you know all the right people. 

Apparently, high government officials have been in contact with the families of the atrocity in Tunisia. And have been in the past with the families of people taken hostage. As have government officials of other countries concerning their own citizens. At least in the modern era in the West.

What's the issue?

[jassi]

Apparently, high government officials have been in contact with the families of the atrocity in Tunisia. And have been in the past with the families of people taken hostage. As have government officials of other countries concerning their own citizens. At least in the modern era in the West.

What's the issue?

I'm sure that in the cases you mention, the officials weren't being directly approached out of the blue. More likely that they (officials) would have made the initial contact.

I bet none of the officials had a phone call from their brother/sister/cousin saying 'one of my friends is having a problem in Tunisia - can you help?'

Slight difference, there.

[Carana]

I'm sure that in the cases you mention, the officials weren't being directly approached out of the blue. More likely that they (officials) would have made the initial contact.

I bet none of the officials had a phone call from their brother/sister/cousin saying 'one of my friends is having a problem in Tunisia - can you help?'

Slight difference, there.

I have no idea. If any family member in Tunisia had felt isolated and had a way to make contact via someone who knew someone who may have been able to make contact, would that be a problem?

[pathfinder73]

Gerry's sister Philomena McCann, an Ullapool teacher who met Brown in the early stages of the campaign, told the Sunday Herald: "Gordon has spoken to Gerry, who has been quite pleased with him. Not everybody wants to do everything in the eyes of the media, and Gordon Brown set things in motion at the start.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/tycoon-blasts-brown-over-missing-madeleine-1.828201

[Alfred R Jones]

Let's have that quote then.  I can find the following direct quote from her:


Philomna McCann: Well, the police have stepped up the search, much more than before anyway, and I spoke to Gerry about half an hour ago and he said that they are doing everything... the sniffer dogs are really evident. There's lots and lots of activity but he just thinks it's too little too late.

[mercury]

Let's have that quote then.  I can find the following direct quote from her:


Philomna McCann: Well, the police have stepped up the search, much more than before anyway, and I spoke to Gerry about half an hour ago and he said that they are doing everything... the sniffer dogs are really evident. There's lots and lots of activity but he just thinks it's too little too late.

Dear Alfred I'm not going to do your donkey work for you,keep digging and thou shalst find as the Lord saideth

 

[pathfinder73]

Let's have that quote then.  I can find the following direct quote from her:


Philomna McCann: Well, the police have stepped up the search, much more than before anyway, and I spoke to Gerry about half an hour ago and he said that they are doing everything... the sniffer dogs are really evident. There's lots and lots of activity but he just thinks it's too little too late.

Yes it was a bit late to find that Portuguese paedo gang (Gerry knows a lot!) but Kate forgives the abductor but not Amaral. She wants him to feel fear - maybe the tables will be turned.

[Carana]

France

A 5-year-old girl was abducted in the middle of the night (Tues-Wed) out of her 1st-floor bedroom window, bundled in a bed cover. Neither her parents, nor her 10-year-old sister woke up. He took her to a nearby garden and she was able to scream for help, waking up neighbours. Though still in shock, she wasn't sexually assaulted. She was either dropped or fell and has a head wound. She's still in hospital.

Her description differs from that of a man seen running. According to her, he was wearing bermuda shorts, had longish hair and was bare-chested. One witness saw a man in jeans and a black T-shirt running between gardens.



http://www.bfmtv.com/societe/fillette-enlevee-dans-l-allier-le-mobile-ne-serait-pas-d-ordre-sexuel-898991.html

[ferryman]

France

A 5-year-old girl was abducted in the middle of the night (Tues-Wed) out of her 1st-floor bedroom window, bundled in a bed cover. Neither her parents, nor her 10-year-old sister woke up. He took her to a nearby garden and she was able to scream for help, waking up neighbours. Though still in shock, she wasn't sexually assaulted. She was either dropped or fell and has a head wound. She's still in hospital.

Her description differs from that of a man seen running. According to her, he was wearing bermuda shorts, had longish hair and was bare-chested. One witness saw a man in jeans and a black T-shirt running between gardens.



http://www.bfmtv.com/societe/fillette-enlevee-dans-l-allier-le-mobile-ne-serait-pas-d-ordre-sexuel-898991.html

Thank goodness she wasn't sexually assaulted.

Let us hope that the little girl's head-wound turns not to be serious.

But a little girl, abducted from her bed while her parents were in the same premises ....

I don't want to score cheap political points in making a parallel with Madeleine's abduction, but it does just go to show that risk cannot be eliminated, even if parents are based in a premises, distinct from running regular checks while a handful of yards away ...

[Carana]

Thank goodness she wasn't sexually assaulted.

Let us hope that the little girl's head-wound turns not to be serious.

But a little girl, abducted from her bed while her parents were in the same premises ....

I don't want to score cheap political points in making a parallel with Madeleine's abduction, but it does just go to show that risk cannot be eliminated, even if parents are based in a premises, distinct from running regular checks while a handful of yards away ...

The police appear to be waiting for forensic results. The little girl has been interviewed once, and appears to have been lucid, and they're waiting for her to recover a bit more before interviewing her again.

At least one neighbour, upon being woken up by the little girl's screams from a nearby garden, noticed a man running away. it's not clear for the moment how many neighbours had woken up, nor exactly what they remember about a man running away. it's possible that there was more than one.

[pegasus]

This article demonstrates that what a child says should be taken seriously and not dismissed as of little importance
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/boys-nightmare-of-man-outside-his-bedroom-window-turns-out-to-be-true-in-new-zealand-10360289.html

[Carana]

This article demonstrates that what a child says should be taken seriously and not dismissed as of little importance
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/boys-nightmare-of-man-outside-his-bedroom-window-turns-out-to-be-true-in-new-zealand-10360289.html

The story of the little girl's abduction in the middle of the night that I posted today seems to be being taken seriously.

Whatever happened, she's alive and in hospital.