Harmed or not harmed ...that is the question

[misty]

I have always said that Amaral's book, far from hampering the search, actually brought the case of missing Madeleine McCann to the attention of many more people in Portuguese and French speaking regions of the world, areas which would have otherwise never have heard of the case.  In my opinion the thesis within the book had little or no impact on any search for Madeleine, the parents behaviour towards the Portuguese investigation having managed that on their own.

I find it very hard to believe that Madeleine has come to no harm in the circumstances.

The notion that Madeline was dead was firmly implanted in the mind of the reader of TTotL. It was put there by the words of someone very well-placed to make such an assertion.
There was once a memo from someone in a well-placed position who told us Iraq had WMDs......that didn't cause much harm either........

[Angelo222]

Kate McCann claimed recently that Maddie never left the Algarve so if that is true she is deceased and probably has been since she disappeared.  Personally I think she makes it up as she goes along.

[John]

Kate McCann claimed recently that Maddie never left the Algarve so if that is true she is deceased and probably has been since she disappeared.  Personally I think she makes it up as she goes along.

On this I agree with her.

http://www.theweek.co.uk/madeleine-mccann/53972/madeleine-mccann-still-in-algarve-says-mother-kate

[Alice Purjorick]

The notion that Madeline was dead was firmly implanted in the mind of the reader of TTotL. It was put there by the words of someone very well-placed to make such an assertion.
There was once a memo from someone in a well-placed position who told us Iraq had WMDs......that didn't cause much harm either........

1.Of that there is no doubt. The "someone" however is merely repeating a similar comment made in the archiving report and here I paraphrase "......or dead as seems more likely".
Back end of 2007 I thought MM was dead and at that time I was not an anorak on the case. Becoming an anorak happened back end of 2013 and only read Amarals book about three months ago. There must be more with similar views who have never read the book.
2. They did have but they were either used by then or well hidden; we sold them to the Iraqis mid to late 1980s when they were fighting a war against Iran when the Iranians were the bad guys and the Iraqis were honorary good guys cos the were fightin' the bad guys. See esp. Matrix Churchill and also Forgemasters.

[Brietta]

1.Of that there is no doubt. The "someone" however is merely repeating a similar comment made in the archiving report and here I paraphrase "......or dead as seems more likely".
Back end of 2007 I thought MM was dead and at that time I was not an anorak on the case. Becoming an anorak happened back end of 2013 and only read Amarals book about three months ago. There must be more with similar views who have never read the book.
2. They did have but they were either used by then or well hidden; we sold them to the Iraqis mid to late 1980s when they were fighting a war against Iran when the Iranians were the bad guys and the Iraqis were honorary good guys cos the were fightin' the bad guys. See esp. Matrix Churchill and also Forgemasters.

The book was a best seller.  The author being perceived to have had a particularly authoritative position in the case no doubt had a disproportionate effect in the public mind particularly in Portugal where it mattered most.

In my opinion that had to cause harm.  However that harm was reinforced by the media career and the documentaries he fronted.  The author appears to have made a very comfortable career out of discussing and putting his particular slant on Madeleine's case.
He has authored other books which have not had the impact his Madeleine book had ... you may not have read the truth of the lie until recently (I am told it is a good read) but at the time I think it was very well read and it could be said that was the time when its effect was more keenly apparent.

[pegasus]

(snip) There was once a memo from someone in a well-placed position who told us Iraq had WMDs......that didn't cause much harm either........

I'm glad you mentioned WMDs Misty.
Wasn't it the WMD prime minister who was phoning GM offering to do anything to help for example 17 Jun 2007?
And wasn't it a WMD-illusion-spreading journo who wrote the most pathetic ever anti-Amaral article?

[Alice Purjorick]

The book was a best seller.  The author being perceived to have had a particularly authoritative position in the case no doubt had a disproportionate effect in the public mind particularly in Portugal where it mattered most.

In my opinion that had to cause harm.  However that harm was reinforced by the media career and the documentaries he fronted.  The author appears to have made a very comfortable career out of discussing and putting his particular slant on Madeleine's case.
He has authored other books which have not had the impact his Madeleine book had ... you may not have read the truth of the lie until recently (I am told it is a good read) but at the time I think it was very well read and it could be said that was the time when its effect was more keenly apparent.

I thought I read on here somewhere the book was an abject failure? no matter, the key but unanswerable question of course is "did the book make anyone think what they weren't thinking already"?
I hold no brief for Sr Amaral but he appears to be no different from many other retired police officers with a bee in their bonnet about an unsolved case. Retired cops, politicians and military types should "zip it" the instant they retire and go fishing or sailing instead of doing the "if only tour".

[ferryman]

I thought I read on here somewhere the book was an abject failure? no matter, the key but unanswerable question of course is "did the book make anyone think what they weren't thinking already"?
I hold no brief for Sr Amaral but he appears to be no different from many other retired police officers with a bee in their bonnet about an unsolved case. Retired cops, politicians and military types should "zip it" the instant they retire and go fishing or sailing instead of doing the "if only tour".

So you won't have any beefs if Amaral's appeal (against the decision of the first-instance court in the libel trial) fails?

[stephen25000]

So you won't have any beefs if Amaral's appeal (against the decision of the first-instance court in the libel trial) fails?

......and you won't if the appeal succeeds ?

[ferryman]

......and you won't if the appeal succeeds ?

Plenty.

But I think Portuguese justice won't let the McCanns down (if it hasn't already, by rejecting Amaral's appeal) ...

[stephen25000]

Plenty.

But I think Portuguese justice won't let the McCanns down (if it hasn't already, by rejecting Amaral's appeal) ...

Let the McCann's down ?

It is the McCann's who let Madeleine down.

Never forget that.

[Alice Purjorick]

So you won't have any beefs if Amaral's appeal (against the decision of the first-instance court in the libel trial) fails?

Why would I have ?

[ferryman]

Why would I have ?

You seem quite keen to play down the notion that Madeleine was harmed by Madeleine's book?

Ah!

Miss Taken identity.

I was muddling you with the opening poster.

But I (imagine!) you broadly agree with the tenor of the opening post (of this thread)?

[stephen25000]

You seem quite keen to play down the notion that Madeleine was harmed by Madeleine's book?

Ah!

Miss Taken identity.

I was muddling you with the opening poster.

But I (imagine!) you broadly agree with the tenor of the opening post (of this thread)?

It wasn't a book which harmed Madeleine.

Nor was it a mythical abductor.

[mercury]

It wasn't a book which harmed Madeleine.

Nor was it a mythical abductor.

Nor have I ever read anywhere how any of their private investigators harmed the search when it is on record that either a) they couldnt be bothered to question key persons of interest on at least two occasions (Edgar and Cowley) or else b) leave dozens of hotline calls to just sit there unlistened to (Oakley). Im sure Metodo have a few failings as well.