February/March 2008

February 2008
4/2
Divers search remote reservoir for Madeleine's body after underworld tip-off
 
Fresh blow for McCanns as Portuguese legal advisors rule out lifting 'arguido' status

7/2
The letters rogatory for the purpose of re-questioning the McCanns and their seven friends who dined with them at a restaurant in the Ocean Club, Praia da Luz, Algarve, have now been forwarded for the second time to the British Home Office,

9/2
The couple’s status as arguidos will be lifted unless “screaming contradictions” are revealed in forthcoming police interviews, according to a Portuguese newspaper.

Police are to give Kate and Gerry McCann the chance to clear their names over daughter Maddie’s disappearance. The couple, who have been official suspects in the case for five months, will be asked by Portuguese detectives to respond to 40 questions. Sources say that unless there are “screaming contradictions” the couple will be cleared.

12/2
Analysis of faces technique points to failures in the McCanns description
A 3 dimensional video, made by the team Paulo Sargento and Pedro Gamito ridicules the photo-fits
Sunday 17 February 2008
   
Meanwhile, it is understood Kate McCann is quitting her job as a locum GP to devote her life to children's charities. Mrs McCann has not returned to work since Madeleine's disappearance in May and has reportedly told friends she feels she has a lot to offer charity organisations. 
The couple want to campaign for a Europe-wide alert system for missing children, like the amber alert system in place in the U.S. The McCanns attended a lunch for Missing Children Europe last week and they have both met with officials from the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and the Centre for Child Exploitation and Online Protection.

KATE QUITS AS GP TO WORK FOR KIDS' CHARITIES EXCLUSIVE The People
Mum combines 'ambassador' role with search for missing Maddie
 
Kate and Gerry McCann have been threatened with legal action by the father of missing five-year-old girl after they included her in a poster campaign appealing for information about Madeleine's disappearance.

Kate and Gerry McCann renew contract of Spanish private eyes Metodo 3


March 2008
6/3
The McCanns are to renew the contract of Spanish private eyes Metodo 3.

7/3
The McCanns have made official complaints to Richard Desmond's newspaper group about its coverage in the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday through London law firm Carter Ruck, which specialises in high profile libel cases.
 
12/3
Forbidden to write about Madeleine Jornal de Noticias
The journalists of Express Newspapers, the British media group that holds four tabloids, are forbidden to write about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

21/3
Kate and Gerry McCann warned not to go back to Portugal for Madeleine anniversary
Kate and Gerry McCann have been warned not to go back to Portugal for the anniversary of daughter Madeleine's disappearance. 

Lawyers have told the couple that to return on May 3 may be risky in view of the fact they are still official suspects over the missing four-year-old. 

There are fears it might provoke demands for them to be quizzed by police again.

MADDY COPS: IT'S NOT MURAT The People
Madeleine McCann suspect Robert Murat was last night sensationally CLEARED of snatching the four-year-old.

26/3
Kate and Gerry McCann are taking part in an ITV documentary to mark a year since their daughter Madeleine went missing, it has been revealed.

'Tapas Nine' to face three days of police interviews  
Portuguese police are planning to question the so-called Tapas Nine during three days of interviews in a final attempt to solve the mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

A team led by chief investigator Paulo Rebelo is set to fly to Britain on April 7 to start interviews in Leicester the next day, and they are scheduled to return to the Algarve on April 11.
British police officers will conduct the interviews on behalf of their Portuguese counterparts, but Rebelo and his team will be allowed to sit in as they take place.
 
Mr and Mrs McCann, who are both still official suspects, are not expected to be questioned.

I'm trying to find out if the McCanns ever answered the 40 questions the PJ wanted to ask. I understand these were sent as a list, possibly via the LP.

What I'm busy establishing - the April concise overview isn't ready yet - is this: why on earth didn't the McCanns take part or made to take part in the RIs, or rather how did they avoid answering the 40 questions.
Up to the end of March it was understood they would cooperate - end of March it is understood they will not be asked any questions.
Presumably those are the 40 questions posed by the PJ.

Whilst the RI's were taking place and the PJ was in the UK, both the McCanns were in Brussels to tell the MEP's something they already knew.
Amber Alert Europe.

The months of November to April are very interesting. Damage limitation taking place whilst - with the child barely 8 months 'missing' negotiations are underway for 1 million interviews, documentary and actual film about Madeleine. Most of these in January.

The indoctrination of the twins is well underway with presents and card from Madeleine. So at this early stage the twins are already 'groomed' for further news stories about them missing their sister.