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The Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has suggested
that the investigation into the disappearance of
Madeleine is exhausted.
Bernard Hogan-Howe, chief commissioner of the Metropolitan Police,
also known as Scotland Yard, will question the British
Prime Minister, David Cameron, if he is going to
continue to fund the investigation into the
disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
For over a year, Scotland Yard has been re-investigating the case
at the request of Cameron. According to British
newspaper "The
Telegraph", the operation involved 28
homicide detectives and seven civilians. And so far, the
new investigation has cost the state 2.5 million pounds
(3.1 million euros).
Now, Hogan-Howe prepares to ask for a new commitment on
investigation funding, in comments that suggest there
may be a limit on how much time the police are willing
to spend on the case.
"We are still reviewing all of the material. It is a significant
amount of money and we have several employees attached
in this case", he said, noting that "there will be a
time when the government will have to make a decision" -
that is, whether or not it wants to continue with the
operation.
"The prime minister agreed to fund this investigation. We have not
had any kind of limit on the money that we spend, we
have received a lot of support," said Hogan-Howe, quoted
by British newspaper "London
Evening Standard". However, the chief
commissioner of police states that "until Christmas I
would like to see very clearly what work is needed and
how long we will have to do it."
In April this year, Andy Redwood, from the Homicide and Serious
Crime Division at Scotland Yard, said he believed
Madeleine McCann was abducted by a stranger and could be
alive. "We sincerely believe that there is a possibility
of her being alive", he stated.
Madeleine McCann disappeared five years ago in Praia da Luz, in the
Algarve, when sleeping alone with her younger twin
siblings, while their parents dined at a restaurant near
the apartment they had rented.
The case was investigated for 14 months by the Portuguese Judicial
Police, having been filed without results.
In May last year, the English executive decided to fund all the
steps of a new investigation into the disappearance of
Madeleine. "The government hopes that Scotland Yard can
bring a new perspective to the case and will provide the
necessary financial support for this", an official State
communication stated.
At the time, David Cameron wrote a letter to Kate and Gerry McCann,
parents of Madeleine, promising them that he would try
to help find her.
The McCann couple, who were made arguidos by the Portuguese
judicial authorities in July 2007, continues to blame
the Portuguese police for not solving the case.
in:
ionline, 25.08.2012 |
