MF PRESS STATEMENT 29.8.10

The Madeleine Foundation - Asking the questions about what really happened to Madeleine McCann

Registered address:
66 Chippingfield, HARLOW, Essex CM17 0DJ
Email: ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Tel: 01279 635789
Mobile 07835 716537

Press Statement 29 August 2010 - For immediate release 9.00am

Admission that the McCanns’ private investigators never followed up a single call strengthens Madeleine Foundation’s calls for a full public enquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann

A sensational revelation in today’s Mail on Sunday has strengthened calls The Madeleine Foundation has been making for the Home Office to authorise a full public enquiry into the Madeleine’s disappearance.

The revelations

The Mail article quotes Johan Selle, Director of Operations at iJet, the United States firm that managed the McCanns’ ‘Find Madeleine’ ’phone line for a year in 2008-9. He said: “Nobody asked my company if they could listen to any of the calls received. My operators in Virginia, U.S., answered hundreds of calls…we delivered a summary of the calls to Kevin Halligen at Oakley International and said if they wanted to come back they could listen to the recording. Nobody did”.

The news that the McCanns did not follow up hundreds of calls to their investigation hot-line comes on the same day as the Legal Services Commission announced that it would pay tens of thousands of pounds in Legal Aid to con-man Kevin Halligen, the man the McCanns appointed at a cost of £500,000 to head up their private investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance. The Mail article says: “Kevin Halligen, 50, told Kate and Gerry McCann he could find their daughter, but allegedly spent the cash on a lifestyle of first-class flights, chauffeured cars, nightclubs and luxury hotels and goods”.

Statement

Today, Tony Bennett, Secretary of The Madeleine Foundation, a group founded to investigate the truth about what really happened to Madeleine McCann, said:

“This underlines once again our call for a full public enquiry, with the power to summon witnesses, into all aspects of Madeleine’s disappearance. The public gave generously to the McCanns’ private trust to find Madeleine. The children who gave their weekly pocket money, the pensioners who donated their weekly pensions, and the tens of thousands who willingly sent cheques to the McCanns will be shocked at the revelations that their money was spent on the luxury lifestyle of a con-man and that hundreds of ’phone calls by the public to their ‘investigation hot-line’ were never answered. It is a natioanl scandal. The sooner a public enquiry summons all witnesses who can give evidence about any aspects of Madeleine’s disappearance, the better. The McCanns’ spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, recently admitted that he disapperance was ‘a complete mystery’.

The Madeleine Foundation is supporting a petition by Alan-Marc Logoa calling for a full, independent public enquiry into all aspects of Madeleine’s disappearance, For a link, visit the home page of The Madeleine Foundation [ www.madeleinefoundation.org.uk ] and click on the ‘Care Petition’ icon near the top of the home page.

The Madeleine Foundation has also today written to the Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police and the Chair of Leicestershire Police Authority, repeating its call that the Constabulary should cease to link its website to the McCanns’ fund-raising website. Said Tony Bennett: “Today’s news discredits the McCanns’ private investigators. Leicestershire Police should remove its link to the McCanns’ website, pending a full investigation into Mr Selle’s statement. The Chief Constable of Leicestershire should have known better than to ever put this link up in the first place - it set a very dangerous precedent. The police should direct the public to themselves, not to the website of a couple who have been official suspects in the investigation”.

Notes:

1. On March 2010, Tony Bennett asked 12 straightforward questions of the Home Office about their recent handling of the Madeleine McCann case, which has now involved the McCanns in meeting two Home Secretaries. Nearly six months later, the Home Office has been unable to answer any of them and has not even made a decision on whether to answer them. A list of the questions asked an be found on the ‘Articles’ page of our website.
2. On 25 November 2009 Tony Bennett, to avoid possible High Court libel proceedings, gave undertakings agreeing not to sell or distribute copies of his book: ‘What Really Happened to Madeleine McCann? - 60 reasons which suggest she was not abducted’ and a Madeleine Foundation leaflet: ‘10 Key Reasons which suggest that Madeleine McCann was not abducted’.
3. The name ‘Madeleine Foundation’ was chosen by the founders of the group because they felt that Madeleine’s name should be associated with learning valuable lessons about safe child care.

Contact:

Tony Bennett 01279 635789 Mobile 07835 716537
e-mail: ajsbennett@btinternet.com
website: www.madeleinefoundation.org.uk

ENDS

Brilliant work as usual TB.

I find it increasingly worrying why the McCann supporters never appreciate what you do to find the truth for Madeleine but that their first reaction to this latest news is

Will he ever stop?


http://www.pfa2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6539

Just why do they want you to stop asking questions and highlighting all the wrong-doings surrounding this 3 year old girl called Madeleine? Why do they want all this fraud to go on unchallenged?

[quote="ufercoffy"]Brilliant work as usual TB.

I find it increasingly worrying why the McCann supporters never appreciate what you do to find the truth for Madeleine but that their first reaction to this latest news is

Will he ever stop?


http://www.pfa2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6539

Just why do they want you to stop asking questions and highlighting all the wrong-doings surrounding this 3 year old girl called Madeleine? Why do they want all this fraud to go on unchallenged?



Why indeed. Makes you wonder doesn't it. This man has allegedly squandered thousands of pounds from the fund, and they ask will he (Tony) ever stop. They obviously think it's ok to do that and not use the money for what it should have been used for, and that was to find out what happened to Madeleine.

For those of us who realise Madeleine McCann died in the apartment the whole fund is a fraud.

But if you set that aside and then look at how the money that the public donated* has been spent.....

Metado, Halligen , the clapped out coppers.... you have to ask what was the purpose of spending this money? Was it to find Madeleine? Were Brian Kennedy and Gerry duped or were these organisations employed for other purposes?

If Brian Kennedy knowingly engaged the services of these dubious organisations and individuals for any purpose other than to find Madeleine then that is fraud.

I do not know who should investigate but I do know that public sector organisations must follow very strict guidelines regarding the application of public funds (Financial Propriety).

It is thus completely wrong for Leicester Police to link their website to the McCanns fund raising website when so many questions need to be answered about the true purpose of those funds. Leicester Police are effectively encouraging members of the public to commit their hard earned cash to an organisation that is spending large sums of this cash on charlatans and con-men !!!

If I were the Finance Director of Leicester Constabulary I would be feeling very uncomfortable about this situation.


* myself included, chucked some coins into a collecting box at a Tesco checkout!

It is absolutely outrageous that Leicestershire Police are linking their Police website to the McCanns fund - even when the McCanns were the prime suspects in the disappearance of their daughter.
It doesnt sit comfortable that Glenfield Hospital are letting Gerry McCann use their address regarding this fund either.

Whilst everybody will be quite justified in blaming Halligen for swindling the Fund, where were Brian Kennedy, David Edgar and Arthur Cowley during this time?

Given that Brian Kennedy engaged his services, did he not have any interest in how the money was being spent? Did the McCanns not ask for updates? Did Britain's 'top detectives' never consider asking Halligen to forward information to them in order to collate possible incoming leads?

[quote="candyfloss"]

ufercoffy wrote:Brilliant work as usual TB.

I find it increasingly worrying why the McCann supporters never appreciate what you do to find the truth for Madeleine but that their first reaction to this latest news is

Will he ever stop?


http://www.pfa2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6539

Just why do they want you to stop asking questions and highlighting all the wrong-doings surrounding this 3 year old girl called Madeleine? Why do they want all this fraud to go on unchallenged?



Why indeed. Makes you wonder doesn't it. This man has allegedly squandered thousands of pounds from the fund, and they ask will he (Tony) ever stop. They obviously think it's ok to do that and not use the money for what it should have been used for, and that was to find out what happened to Madeleine.

There's also the conundrum that the McCann supporters clearly don't think Madeleine died in the apartment but was abducted.

Why then have they not created their own pressure group to lobby the government to have the investigation reopened and get to the bottom of why the investigation failed and was shelved?

Just what are the Pro's doing except sitting in their forum throwing abuse at anyone who is trying to do something. Just what are they doing to help the McCanns find Madeleine?

ufercoffy, how could we expect them to be able to do anything about finding Madeleine after they have used all their energy up in trying to drown out The Madeleine Foundation and any other voices who are trying to do something effective about Madeleine's case?

[quote="ufercoffy"]

candyfloss wrote:

ufercoffy wrote:Brilliant work as usual TB.

I find it increasingly worrying why the McCann supporters never appreciate what you do to find the truth for Madeleine but that their first reaction to this latest news is

Will he ever stop?


http://www.pfa2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6539

Just why do they want you to stop asking questions and highlighting all the wrong-doings surrounding this 3 year old girl called Madeleine? Why do they want all this fraud to go on unchallenged?



Why indeed. Makes you wonder doesn't it. This man has allegedly squandered thousands of pounds from the fund, and they ask will he (Tony) ever stop. They obviously think it's ok to do that and not use the money for what it should have been used for, and that was to find out what happened to Madeleine.

There's also the conundrum that the McCann supporters clearly don't think Madeleine died in the apartment but was abducted. Why then have they not created their own pressure group to lobby the government to have the investigation reopened and get to the bottom of why the investigation failed and was shelved?

Just what are the Pro's doing except sitting in their forum throwing abuse at anyone who is trying to do something. Just what are they doing to help the McCanns find Madeleine?

If some think that Madeleine was not abducted it is their opinion and I respect that. But I fear that is the opinion of only a few, the rest seemed to be intent on keeping all things in the files hushed up and not allow any questioning of them, now why would that be? Surely they want justice for Madeleine don't they? Surely they want the case reopened, It is only by questioning and bringing things out into the open, will we get to the bottom of this case. As I mentioned before, the doctors who are questioning the David Kelly death, should they be silenced too?

[quote="ufercoffy"]

candyfloss wrote:

ufercoffy wrote:Brilliant work as usual TB.

I find it increasingly worrying why the McCann supporters never appreciate what you do to find the truth for Madeleine but that their first reaction to this latest news is

Will he ever stop?


http://www.pfa2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6539

Just why do they want you to stop asking questions and highlighting all the wrong-doings surrounding this 3 year old girl called Madeleine? Why do they want all this fraud to go on unchallenged?



Why indeed. Makes you wonder doesn't it. This man has allegedly squandered thousands of pounds from the fund, and they ask will he (Tony) ever stop. They obviously think it's ok to do that and not use the money for what it should have been used for, and that was to find out what happened to Madeleine.

There's also the conundrum that the McCann supporters clearly don't think Madeleine died in the apartment but was abducted.

Why then have they not created their own pressure group to lobby the government to have the investigation reopened and get to the bottom of why the investigation failed and was shelved?

Just what are the Pro's doing except sitting in their forum throwing abuse at anyone who is trying to do something. Just what are they doing to help the McCanns find Madeleine?

I concur. I noticed too there has been a shift from pro-abduction to pro-mccanns.
These pro-mccanns have done absolutely nothing on their part to find out the truth, except parked on their fat arse hurling abuse at MF, says it all really.
For them, it stops being about Madeleine a long while back. If it was, they would have at least done something to show for.
These bottom feeders rubbish are best ignored. Dont give them oxygen, let them wallow in their own viles and die asphyxiated from their own filth.

The thing is I dont believe all the pro-mccanns were paid lackeys, so what fuel their determination to stop TB and his team?

The pro's should show us the error of our ways and tell us the best way to get the investigation reopened, in their opinion. Better still they should campaign for it themselves so we can eventually say " Blimey, why didn't we do that?"

Come on you pro's get off your butts and show us how to get the investigation reopened - it must be what you want too isn't it?

What FOI questions would you ask? What petitions would you write? Come on, show us how to do this to your satisfaction and get this investigation back on track.

And if any of you have already made a start then please give us the links where we can see your work.

edith piaf, je l'adore depuis long temps.

[quote="candyfloss"]

ufercoffy wrote:

candyfloss wrote:

ufercoffy wrote:Brilliant work as usual TB.

I find it increasingly worrying why the McCann supporters never appreciate what you do to find the truth for Madeleine but that their first reaction to this latest news is

Will he ever stop?


http://www.pfa2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6539

Just why do they want you to stop asking questions and highlighting all the wrong-doings surrounding this 3 year old girl called Madeleine? Why do they want all this fraud to go on unchallenged?



Why indeed. Makes you wonder doesn't it. This man has allegedly squandered thousands of pounds from the fund, and they ask will he (Tony) ever stop. They obviously think it's ok to do that and not use the money for what it should have been used for, and that was to find out what happened to Madeleine.

There's also the conundrum that the McCann supporters clearly don't think Madeleine died in the apartment but was abducted. Why then have they not created their own pressure group to lobby the government to have the investigation reopened and get to the bottom of why the investigation failed and was shelved?

Just what are the Pro's doing except sitting in their forum throwing abuse at anyone who is trying to do something. Just what are they doing to help the McCanns find Madeleine?

If some think that Madeleine was not abducted it is their opinion and I respect that. But I fear that is the opinion of only a few, the rest seemed to be intent on keeping all things in the files hushed up and not allow any questioning of them, now why would that be? Surely they want justice for Madeleine don't they? Surely they want the case reopened, It is only by questioning and bringing things out into the open, will we get to the bottom of this case. As I mentioned before, the doctors who are questioning the David Kelly death, should they be silenced too?

Sorry just realised a glaring error in my post above, it should read If some think madeleine was abducted