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translation Joana Morais |
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in
Jornal de
Notícias, page 9, March 9, 2012,
Online paid edition |
Online version
Translations by
Astro/JM
© 2012 -
for non-commercial use only |
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Special team
joins the English people from Scotland
Yard
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2.2 million
spent to investigate in the UK alone
by Nuno Miguel Maia and Óscar Queirós
Almost four years after being archived by the Public Ministry, the
case of the disappearance of the little English girl Madeleine McCann in
the Algarve is being re-analysed with a fine toothed comb. In Portugal,
a team of investigators from the PJ [Judiciary Police] in Oporto has
been chosen.
On the United Kingdom’s side, the Scotland Yard does not haggle the
means to find out what happened to little Maddie, whose disappearance in
2007 was archived by the Portuguese Public Ministry in July of 2008. In
2011 alone, 2.2 million euros were spent. And the team comprises 37
people.
Nonetheless, the investigators concluded that nothing would be done
without an articulation with Portugal. Therefore, a partnership was
established with the PJ, that investigated the case during 14
consecutive months – first under the leadership of Gonçalo Amaral, at
the PJ in Portimão; afterwards, under the leadership of the PJ’s former
joint national director Paulo Rebelo.
This time, the PJ’s national directory chose to nominate a team that had
nothing to do with the case to work on it. The choice fell on the Oporto
PJ’s Regional Section for Criminal Investigation and Prevention, headed
by chief coordinator Helena Monteiro.
This is a brigade that is experienced in disappearance cases. One
example of success involved a girl from Lamego, Carina Ferreira, whose
body was found in a highway ravine after one month of searches.
The goal is to search for leads to follow and to fill any gaps in the
initial investigations, using a fresh look on the case.
“Although it was formally archived, we still have a disappearance
without explanation. The archiving does not mean that the Judiciary
Police is less interested in clarification and in searching for
answers”, Pedro do Carmo, a joint national director, explains to JN.
Hasty archiving
According to information that was collected by JN, the English
authorities have travelled to Portugal four times already. The
investigators from Oporto have also recently been in Portimão.
Within the ongoing diligences – although the process has not been
formally reopened by the Public Ministry – the possibility of the
re-enactment of the circumstances that preceded Maddie’s disappearance,
on the 3rd of May, 2007, in Praia da Luz, Lagos, is open.
This diligence was not carried out because – it should be recalled – the
McCann couple and six of their friends refused to participate. “The
British authorities’ interest values all of the work that was developed
by the Portuguese police and questions the reason for a hasty and abrupt
archiving. The material truth still has to be established”, Gonçalo
Amaral, the first coordinator of the investigation, now retired, states
to JN. |
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[Process in
Detail] |
May 3, 2007
Disappearance
Madeleine McCann, of three years old disappeared from the Ocean
Club, Algarve, where she was allegedly sleeping with her twins
siblings. The parents were dining with friends
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July
2008
Archival
The PJ were not able to find out what happened. The Attorney General
Pinto Monteiro gave a deadline and the Public Ministry archived it.
Robert Murat, Gerry e Kate McCann were arguidos. |
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May
2011
David Cameron orders the re-opening
The British Prime-Minister, David Cameron, ordered a new investigation,
guaranteeing financial support. “Our main concern is and as always been
Maddie's safe return”, explained a spokesperson. |
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February 2012
Investigation given to Oporto
Following a meeting of the Scotland Yard with the PJ's directorate, it
was assigned to the section of investigation and criminal prevention of
Oporto the task of liaison with the English in the re-analysis of the
case elements. |
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3 Questions to //
Pedro do Carmo |
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The Oporto team is experienced in this kind of cases”
National joint director
of the Judiciary Police explains to JN the Maddie Case
1
What is being done in the Madeleine case?
The English authorities constituted a team to re-analyse elements that
are already known from the process. they came to Portugal and they have
settled with the PJ. We are doing the same.
2
Why the Oporto PJ?
We want a more distant look. The Oporto team is experienced in this kind
of cases. They have investigated the case of a missing person in Lamego.
3
Does this mean that the case will be reopened?
The reopening requires new elements. Even if the [process] was archived,
there is still a disappearance without explanation. However, that does
not mean that there is less interest in searching for answers. |
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Cover Page
All the
investigation re-evaluated//P.9
PJ from Oporto and
Scotland Yard reopen the Maddie Case
■Police
does not give up searching
for new leads |
n Jornal de Notícias, page 9, March 9, 2012,
Online paid edition |
Online version
Translations by Astro/JM © 2012 -
for non-commercial use only |
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