New questions arise about Madeleine McCann case - Chris Freind

russiandoll wrote:This man writes in the USA and there is regular ref to him on twitter, where I got the link for what is below. I have put *** by a remark I do not understand as I have never heard or read about a 9 p.m. alarm being raised. I have read reports of an alarm before 10 p.m. but not an hour earlier.


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Freind: New questions arise about Madeleine McCann case
Published: Tuesday, July 09, 2013
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By CHRIS FREIND
Times Columnist
In past columns, I have championed Don Imus keeping his job, defended Barry Bonds’ achievements and stood up for the falsely accused Duke lacrosse players long before it was “fashionable” for the media to do so. I even opined that Paris Hilton was wrongly jailed, receiving unfair treatment because she was a celebrity.

But no matter how much I try, I simply cannot find anything worth defending about British couple Gerry and Kate McCann.

The McCanns, for a reason that wholly escapes me, have been worldwide media darlings since their then-3-year-old daughter, Madeleine, disappeared from a Portuguese resort in 2007. A disappearance, mind you, that was 100 percent preventable had Maddy’s parents — both well-to-do physicians — not left her alone, along with her twin 2-year-old siblings, in a ground-floor unlocked apartment not once, but repeatedly, while they sampled the local paella far from their children.

Such gross negligence should have made them pariahs, but instead, their vaunted PR machine fashioned them into something akin to “heroic victims.”

Over the years, they have raised millions, engendered the support of (misguided) icons such David Beckham and J.K. Rowling, had a private audience with the Pope, met with high-ranking staff of then-First Lady Laura Bush, wrote a book, and otherwise lavished in the limelight as globetrotting celebrities.

Along the way, lawsuits have been threatened against anyone who dared question the McCanns’ complicity in their daughter’s fate, despite significant inconsistencies in their stories. Quite sickeningly, their actual search for Maddy all too often seemed like an afterthought, as it was much cooler to hang with stars and dignitaries than do the grunt work.

Yet for all the baggage that should accompany them, their star power still shines bright, as the Scotland Yard, upon the direction of Prime Minister David Cameron himself, just re-opened the investigation, citing new leads and “persons of interest.”

Really? After six years and millions of British taxpayers’ money later, they finally have persons of interest?

Aren’t there laws on the books in Britain against child endangerment? Reckless behavior? Negligence? And to those who say Britain can’t prosecute for a crime committed overseas, you can’t have it both ways, as British investigators are reaching out across Europe in a (likely ill-fated) attempt to interrogate and possibly have suspects arrested in other countries.

The headlines all read that Maddy was kidnapped, yet there is no evidence — none — of that.


It seems increasingly clear that McCann case is no longer about what happened to a little girl, but an attempt — some say cover-up — to absolve “upstanding Brits” of any responsibility, conveniently blaming Portugal, the poor man of Europe, for a botched investigation and overall ineptness.

Looking past the gushing pro-McCann headlines, many the world over believe the parents, accidentally or otherwise, were directly responsible for Maddy’s fate. I certainly cannot make that claim, though Gerry and Kate would seem to be guilty of child endangerment. That said, there remain inconsistencies which, to this day, remain unanswered.

Therefore, if Scotland Yard wishes to retain its legendary reputation, it needs to investigate the case from Square One, objectively, free from outside influence. No sacred cows, and no one off the table. And the only way to do that is to start with Gerry and Kate, (and their friends who accompanied them that fateful night), forcing the parents to answer tough questions. The taxpayers, and those who have so faithfully followed this saga for so long, deserve no less.

You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to ask the following:

1.) Will the McCanns and their friends take lie-detectors tests? While not guaranteed, they’re a good barometer. If there is nothing to hide, releasing the results would be a public relations boon, and the investigation could center on Madeleine — for a change.

2.) What time was Madeleine discovered missing? *** Was it 9 o’clock, as Kate states, or 10 o’clock as others report, and why the discrepancy? How long did it take for anyone to initially call the police, as there are reports of a significant delay. Kate stated that the shutters were forced open, but the police and hotel staff said there was no evidence of tampering. And Kate, why, upon discovering that your daughter was missing, did you return to the restaurant, leaving the 2-year-old twins alone (again!), while a predator could still have been lurking nearby?

3.) Kate yelled, “They’ve taken her”, but how did she know Madeleine was abducted? After all, the doors were unlocked, and Madeleine was known to sleepwalk.

Or perhaps this little girl just happened to awaken, scared,in a dark, unfamiliar place, and looked for the comfort of her parents. Not seeing them, might she have walked out the unlocked door to find them? And when Kate initially yelled “they” took her, to whom was she referring?

4.) The resort was extremely child-friendly. Why not use its inexpensive baby-sitting services? Some reports state that the McCanns did not want the children to be around people with whom they were unfamiliar. Yet, the same people who ran the day camp the children attended were also the baby sitters. And how could “strangers” be any worse than leaving three young children (with a combined age of 7) alone in an unlocked apartment?

5.) How often did the parents check the children before Madeleine went missing? Every hour, half-hour, or not at all? (The statements of the resort staff differ markedly from the McCanns). Since the room was a considerable distance away from the restaurant, and its view blocked, how could the McCanns compare that “secure arrangement” to eating in their backyard garden?

6.) During a BBC interview, Kate was adamant that the children would not awaken while she and Gerry were dining. Yet, since Madeleine reportedly had a history of sleepwalking, how could Kate be so sure of this?

7.) How many nights did the McCanns dine out while leaving the children alone? What were the distances of those restaurants from their room? Were any away from the hotel?

8.) How much money raised has actually has been allocated to the physical search for Madeleine? A thorough and independent forensic audit should be conducted.

9.) In an earlier interview, the McCanns stated, “Looking at it from where we are now, I don’t feel we were irresponsible, I feel we are very responsible parents.” Do they still feel that way?

10.) Assume that the police dog was accurate in its detection of death in the room, and the death was that of Madeleine. Why then would the perpetrator take away a dead child?

At a minimum, these questions are a logical starting point to get to the bottom of Madeleine’s disappearance.

As a wise man once said, lies reveal more than they conceal. If Scotland Yard does its job, perhaps we shall put that saying to the test.

Chris Freind is an independent commentator who operates [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He can be reached at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. His column appears every Wednesday.

candyfloss wrote:Have a look at this timeline where a number of people state there was something happening just after 9pm................

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jozi wrote:

candyfloss wrote:Have a look at this timeline where a number of people state there was something happening just after 9pm................

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That is more confusing ? According to this something did happened around nineish......Then Gerry would have known Maddy was missing when he encountered Jez and who did the 9 o'clock check ?

jozi wrote:

2.) What time was Madeleine discovered missing? *** Was it 9 o’clock, as Kate states, or 10 o’clock as others report, and why the discrepancy? How long did it take for anyone to initially call the police, as there are reports of a significant delay. Kate stated that the shutters were forced open, but the police and hotel staff said there was no evidence of tampering. And Kate, why, upon discovering that your daughter was missing, did you return to the restaurant, leaving the 2-year-old twins alone (again!), while a predator could still have been lurking nearby?


Where did Kate state she discovered Madeleine missing at 9 o'clock ???

jeanmonroe wrote:

jozi wrote:

2.) What time was Madeleine discovered missing? *** Was it 9 o’clock, as Kate states, or 10 o’clock as others report, and why the discrepancy? How long did it take for anyone to initially call the police, as there are reports of a significant delay. Kate stated that the shutters were forced open, but the police and hotel staff said there was no evidence of tampering. And Kate, why, upon discovering that your daughter was missing, did you return to the restaurant, leaving the 2-year-old twins alone (again!), while a predator could still have been lurking nearby?


Where did Kate state she discovered Madeleine missing at 9 o'clock ???

"And Kate, why, upon discovering that your daughter was missing, did you return to the restaurant, leaving the 2-year-old twins alone (again!), while a predator could still have been lurking nearby?"

The twins were NEVER in danger because JT, as i have explained in other postings, imo, was at the apartment block, keeping an eye on them!
Kate McCann COULD of just screamed and screamed her head off from the balcony of 5A with the twins tucked under her arms.
As it was a very 'quiet' night as the T9 have said, and Donut, LOL, they would have heard her, without doubt.
But that wouldn't have been so dramatic as running back to the tapas table, would it?
All STAGED!

ETA:
Could somebody tell me how entry is achieved to get into the Ocean Club from the street?
Is it by swipe card, a key, a keypad where the person has to put in specific numbers, or what?
Thankyou.

candyfloss wrote:I have given this a new thread rd, so it is easy to find for future reference........

russiandoll wrote:This man writes in the USA and there is regular ref to him on twitter, where I got the link for what is below. I have put *** by a remark I do not understand as I have never heard or read about a 9 p.m. alarm being raised. I have read reports of an alarm before 10 p.m. but not an hour earlier.

       
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Freind: New questions arise about Madeleine McCann case
Published: Tuesday, July 09, 2013
#PinItButton { background: repeat scroll 0 -11px transparent !important; height: 15px !important; }    



By CHRIS FREIND
Times Columnist
In past columns, I have championed Don Imus keeping his job, defended Barry Bonds’ achievements and stood up for the falsely accused Duke lacrosse players long before it was “fashionable” for the media to do so. I even opined that Paris Hilton was wrongly jailed, receiving unfair treatment because she was a celebrity.

But no matter how much I try, I simply cannot find anything worth defending about British couple Gerry and Kate McCann.

The McCanns, for a reason that wholly escapes me, have been worldwide media darlings since their then-3-year-old daughter, Madeleine, disappeared from a Portuguese resort in 2007. A disappearance, mind you, that was 100 percent preventable had Maddy’s parents — both well-to-do physicians — not left her alone, along with her twin 2-year-old siblings, in a ground-floor unlocked apartment not once, but repeatedly, while they sampled the local paella far from their children.

Such gross negligence should have made them pariahs, but instead, their vaunted PR machine fashioned them into something akin to “heroic victims.”

Over the years, they have raised millions, engendered the support of (misguided) icons such David Beckham and J.K. Rowling, had a private audience with the Pope, met with high-ranking staff of then-First Lady Laura Bush, wrote a book, and otherwise lavished in the limelight as globetrotting celebrities.

Along the way, lawsuits have been threatened against anyone who dared question the McCanns’ complicity in their daughter’s fate, despite significant inconsistencies in their stories. Quite sickeningly, their actual search for Maddy all too often seemed like an afterthought, as it was much cooler to hang with stars and dignitaries than do the grunt work.

Yet for all the baggage that should accompany them, their star power still shines bright, as the Scotland Yard, upon the direction of Prime Minister David Cameron himself, just re-opened the investigation, citing new leads and “persons of interest.”

Really? After six years and millions of British taxpayers’ money later, they finally have persons of interest?

Aren’t there laws on the books in Britain against child endangerment? Reckless behavior? Negligence? And to those who say Britain can’t prosecute for a crime committed overseas, you can’t have it both ways, as British investigators are reaching out across Europe in a (likely ill-fated) attempt to interrogate and possibly have suspects arrested in other countries.

The headlines all read that Maddy was kidnapped, yet there is no evidence — none — of that.  


It seems increasingly clear that McCann case is no longer about what happened to a little girl, but an attempt — some say cover-up — to absolve “upstanding Brits” of any responsibility, conveniently blaming Portugal, the poor man of Europe, for a botched investigation and overall ineptness.

Looking past the gushing pro-McCann headlines, many the world over believe the parents, accidentally or otherwise, were directly responsible for Maddy’s fate. I certainly cannot make that claim, though Gerry and Kate would seem to be guilty of child endangerment. That said, there remain inconsistencies which, to this day, remain unanswered.

Therefore, if Scotland Yard wishes to retain its legendary reputation, it needs to investigate the case from Square One, objectively, free from outside influence. No sacred cows, and no one off the table. And the only way to do that is to start with Gerry and Kate, (and their friends who accompanied them that fateful night), forcing the parents to answer tough questions. The taxpayers, and those who have so faithfully followed this saga for so long, deserve no less.

You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to ask the following:

1.) Will the McCanns and their friends take lie-detectors tests? While not guaranteed, they’re a good barometer. If there is nothing to hide, releasing the results would be a public relations boon, and the investigation could center on Madeleine — for a change.

2.) What time was Madeleine discovered missing?  *** Was it 9 o’clock, as Kate states, or 10 o’clock as others report, and why the discrepancy? How long did it take for anyone to initially call the police, as there are reports of a significant delay. Kate stated that the shutters were forced open, but the police and hotel staff said there was no evidence of tampering. And Kate, why, upon discovering that your daughter was missing, did you return to the restaurant, leaving the 2-year-old twins alone (again!), while a predator could still have been lurking nearby?

3.) Kate yelled, “They’ve taken her”, but how did she know Madeleine was abducted? After all, the doors were unlocked, and Madeleine was known to sleepwalk.

Or perhaps this little girl just happened to awaken, scared,in a dark, unfamiliar place, and looked for the comfort of her parents. Not seeing them, might she have walked out the unlocked door to find them? And when Kate initially yelled “they” took her, to whom was she referring?

4.) The resort was extremely child-friendly. Why not use its inexpensive baby-sitting services? Some reports state that the McCanns did not want the children to be around people with whom they were unfamiliar. Yet, the same people who ran the day camp the children attended were also the baby sitters. And how could “strangers” be any worse than leaving three young children (with a combined age of 7) alone in an unlocked apartment?

5.) How often did the parents check the children before Madeleine went missing? Every hour, half-hour, or not at all? (The statements of the resort staff differ markedly from the McCanns). Since the room was a considerable distance away from the restaurant, and its view blocked, how could the McCanns compare that “secure arrangement” to eating in their backyard garden?  

6.) During a BBC interview, Kate was adamant that the children would not awaken while she and Gerry were dining. Yet, since Madeleine reportedly had a history of sleepwalking, how could Kate be so sure of this?

7.) How many nights did the McCanns dine out while leaving the children alone? What were the distances of those restaurants from their room? Were any away from the hotel?

8.) How much money raised has actually has been allocated to the physical search for Madeleine? A thorough and independent forensic audit should be conducted.

9.) In an earlier interview, the McCanns stated, “Looking at it from where we are now, I don’t feel we were irresponsible, I feel we are very responsible parents.” Do they still feel that way?

10.) Assume that the police dog was accurate in its detection of death in the room, and the death was that of Madeleine. Why then would the perpetrator take away a dead child?

At a minimum, these questions are a logical starting point to get to the bottom of Madeleine’s disappearance.

As a wise man once said, lies reveal more than they conceal. If Scotland Yard does its job, perhaps we shall put that saying to the test.

Chris Freind is an independent commentator who operates [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He can be reached at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. His column appears every Wednesday.

sallypelt wrote:Another point that has baffled me is, If the McCann's are innocent, WHY, when told that Madeleine had died in the apartment, did they, the McCann's, go to the lengths they did, to try and rubbish the findings? If that had been my child, I would be screaming from the rooftops for them to find out WHY she had died, and where is her body.

bobbin wrote:

sallypelt wrote:Another point that has baffled me is, If the McCann's are innocent, WHY, when told that Madeleine had died in the apartment, did they, the McCann's, go to the lengths they did, to try and rubbish the findings? If that had been my child, I would be screaming from the rooftops for them to find out WHY she had died, and where is her body.

The other point here is, why was the blood cleaned up with bleach or ?, making it damaged for forensic identification? The cleaning was a DELIBERATE job.
If an accident had occurred, call an ambulance.
If a nosebleed had happened, wipe it up.
If blood had appeared on tiles etc. which necessitated cleaning up, why can't either or both of the parents recall, (a) that there was blood and (b) where it came from.
If it wasn't the parents who discovered and cleaned the blood up, who was looking after the children to have seen and done this, without reporting it to the parents.
If Maddie had bled, would she not have told her parents.
If the twins had bled, would K and G as doctors not have noticed lesions, scabs, wiped blood marks etc. and asked questions.
It can only be a cover up that they chose to 'ignore' blood findings and try to find some lame excuse instead of needing the police to probe further to inform them of possibly, the worst news.

sallypelt wrote:

bobbin wrote:

sallypelt wrote:Another point that has baffled me is, If the McCann's are innocent, WHY, when told that Madeleine had died in the apartment, did they, the McCann's, go to the lengths they did, to try and rubbish the findings? If that had been my child, I would be screaming from the rooftops for them to find out WHY she had died, and where is her body.

The other point here is, why was the blood cleaned up with bleach or ?, making it damaged for forensic identification? The cleaning was a DELIBERATE job.
If an accident had occurred, call an ambulance.
If a nosebleed had happened, wipe it up.
If blood had appeared on tiles etc. which necessitated cleaning up, why can't either or both of the parents recall, (a) that there was blood and (b) where it came from.
If it wasn't the parents who discovered and cleaned the blood up, who was looking after the children to have seen and done this, without reporting it to the parents.
If Maddie had bled, would she not have told her parents.
If the twins had bled, would K and G as doctors not have noticed lesions, scabs, wiped blood marks etc. and asked questions.
It can only be a cover up that they chose to 'ignore' blood findings and try to find some lame excuse instead of needing the police to probe further to inform them of possibly, the worst news.

I can distinctively remember, very early on, after Madeleine went missing, reports that stated the McCann's had been shopping at a local supermarket for cleaning items, such as bleach etc. I can no longer find reference to this, but I am 100% positive that I DID read about it, back in 2007. There was also something about a till receipt, that listed the items. Again, this information appears to have disappeared off the face of the Earth.

jeanmonroe wrote:ETA:
Could somebody tell me how entry is achieved to get into the Ocean Club from the street?
Is it by swipe card, a key, a keypad where the person has to put in specific numbers, or what?
Thankyou.

 into the ocean club or into the apartment?

Marconi
The Ocean Club complex where theT9 went every night to the tapas that they had booked and paid for the entire week (even though the McS 'thought' they wouldn't get into on the 'fateful' night, LOL)
There must be entry system for OC 'members' only otherwise you'd have all sorts of ferals going in there, and we couldn't possibly allow that, could we?


This is from the Mark Warner site:


Accommodation

The charming apartments are clustered in different locations around the pretty town of Luz, no more than a ten-minute walk away from the Ocean Club Resort’s Mill Restaurant and Bar, where breakfast and dinner are served. Choose from a one, two or three bedroom apartment, all fully furnished, including television, kettle, toaster, oven, crockery, cutlery and a fridge, plus all linen and bath towels.

Each apartment is unique; some come with their own garden, some with sea views and some overlooking the pool at the resort. All of them have either a terrace or a balcony. Hairdryers can be hired for €10 per week and safety deposit boxes are available in reception.

jeanmonroe wrote:ETA:
Could somebody tell me how entry is achieved to get into the Ocean Club from the street?
Is it by swipe card, a key, a keypad where the person has to put in specific numbers, or what?
Thankyou.
into the ocean club or into the apartment?
Marconi
The Ocean Club complex where theT9 went every night to the tapas that they had booked and paid for the entire week (even though the McS 'thought' they wouldn't get into on the 'fateful' night, LOL)
There must be entry system for OC 'members' only otherwise you'd have all sorts of ferals going in there, and we couldn't possibly allow that, could we?

PeterMac wrote:

jeanmonroe wrote:ETA:
Could somebody tell me how entry is achieved to get into the Ocean Club from the street?
Is it by swipe card, a key, a keypad where the person has to put in specific numbers, or what?
Thankyou.
into the ocean club or into the apartment?
Marconi
The Ocean Club complex where theT9 went every night to the tapas that they had booked and paid for the entire week (even though the McS 'thought' they wouldn't get into on the 'fateful' night, LOL)
There must be entry system for OC 'members' only otherwise you'd have all sorts of ferals going in there, and we couldn't possibly allow that, could we?

When Pat and I were there we simply walked in.  There is a sort of reception desk, but no one was there.   We wandered round, and then out again. No one was remotely interesed, but it was out of season.
The gate at the bottom of the stairs to 5A was also not locked, in fact it could not be, since it did not fit properly, so again we could wander round.
NOTE:  I have just seen the previous post,
Be careful, there is a full 24 hours reception but that is a long way from this bit of the complex which has a tiny "reception" to the pool, courts and Tapas bar.
Don't get them confused.