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AFP/AFP/File - British
police investigating the
disappearance of toddler
Madeleine McCann are in the
Algarve, where they are
meeting with Portuguese
counterparts over the
possible arrest of three
suspects, media reports say |
| |
British detectives investigating the
disappearance of toddler Madeleine
McCann have made another visit to the
Algarve but no arrests were made,
Portuguese police said Wednesday.
Scotland Yard detectives were in the
Algarve capital Faro on Tuesday for
talks with the Portuguese authorities.
British newspapers reported that the
British detectives were set to arrest
three suspects.
But Pedro do Carmo, the deputy head of
Portugal's criminal police department,
told AFP: "There were no arrests."
Madeleine vanished from a holiday
apartment in the beach resort of Praia
da Luz, days before her fourth birthday
in 2007. Her parents were dining with
friends at a restaurant close by.
"A working meeting took place on Tuesday
in Faro, in the regular fashion, as has
happened before in the framework of the
investigation," Carmo said.
He would not comment on the content of
the meeting but said the detectives had
now left Portugal.
The Daily Mirror newspaper in Britain
said four Scotland Yard policemen had
gone to Faro and were "set to swoop on
three suspects" who were believed to be
part of a burglary gang.
"The discussions are believed to have
centred on getting local officials to
sanction the arrests and subsequent
questioning," the report said.
Portuguese authorities closed their
investigation into McCann's
disappearance in 2008, but Scotland Yard
spent two years reviewing the evidence
at the British government's request and
opened their own probe in July last
year.
British detectives have visited Portugal
several times since they began reviewing
the evidence.
The review interviewed more than 440
people and identified 41 "persons of
interest", 15 of which were British
nationals.
Gerry and Kate McCann have never dropped
their campaign to find Madeleine. They
believe she was kidnapped and is still
alive.
A television appeal in October --
screened in Britain, Germany, Ireland
and the Netherlands -- triggered more
than 1,000 fresh calls and emails.
Portuguese authorities announced on
October 24 they were re-opening the
probe "due to new elements". |
