Gerry returns to Portugal

Gerry McCann returns to Portugal Madeleine McCann An investigation by Portuguese police failed to find Madeleine McCann Gerry McCann, father of Madeleine, has flown back to Portugal for the first time since returning to the UK after the disappearance of his daughter. He will meet his Portuguese lawyers to discuss the search, family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said. Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, was nearly four when she vanished from a holiday flat in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, on 3 May 2007. Mr McCann, who left Portugal in September 2007, will leave Wednesday. He and his wife Kate insist they will continue to believe Madeleine is still alive until presented with firm evidence to the contrary. Prosecutors in Portugal initially placed "arguido" - or formal suspect - status on the couple but this was lifted in July when the case was shelved as detectives stopped actively searching for the youngster. Mr and Mrs McCann have since had thousands of pages from the police files translated into English. They continue to painstakingly go through them and it is understood they are being assisted by a small team of retired senior British police officers.

Hi Wanderer, I just read about it too. It seems the 3A's cannot believe Gerry has gone there by choice. They are getting all het up waiting for something BIG to explode. I think they may have a very longgggggggggggggg waittttttttttttttt.

Just read this too.

It's a positive and encouraging development.

Amazing how the usual suspects on 3A's have made it a covert issue.

The 3a's see every thing as either black or black. Personally I wouldn't trust any of them to sit the right way round on a toilet seat!

I am looking upon this as a positive move from Gerry - perhaps something has come up from the files and he wants clarification. 3A's are out to lunch on this one. If there was something BIG happening then I'm sure Gerry would have a) waited for an extradiction order or b) he would have travelled with his lawyer to Portugal.

Calcite

I agree. I suspect that what is actually happening is Gerry is investigating how they can get the search ramped up in Portugal and/or if the McCanns should take legal action regarding libel, police incompetence etc.

I hope Gerry has gone back to Portugal to start some legal proceedings against the money grabbers writing their books then won't the .

He may have gone back to talk to his lawyers about doing gonzo for libel? Oh my God, please let it be so.

Whatever Gerry will be attending to in Portugal .. it will still have the Anti blogs in a frenzy, so expect a lot of running around in circles & excited blogging from them. They will be in a tissy thinking Gerry will be hauled into jail .. Dream on Anti's. I imagine Gerry might be trying to convince the authorities that they absolutely must re-open this case as an abduction, and get on with it. The PJ have a chance to try and repair their soiled reputation by finally doing the right thing (minus the idiots who botched the investigation in the first place) .. but we will hear in due course what this is about.


PS: Yes, of course the Miller machine on Sky is off and running with 8 blogs, one after the other, and counting. And I bet she/he/it hasn't even had their morning coffee yet.

They sure are Marilyn,

Over 40 pages on 3A's since last night.

Every cynical theory possible being mentioned. From clothes being found that need to be identified, going to remove evidence in the sand of a body, going to drop Kate in it to save his skin....... predictable usual stuff.

Sky, yep I read those Miller posts. All that is left there are the chosen few who, without any Pro's, will have to up their anti depressant prescription soon. So much scorn!! I am happy to read but not contribute now and I feel much healthier, lol.

I don't know why Gerry is there but communicating with the Portuguese is nessessary if there is any clue still hidden in Portugal as to what happened to Madeleine. Gerry has suggested that bygones be bygones and that to me indicates the need to build bridges for Madeleines sake.

Whether he has gone to initiate litigation or not I think the main reason is to lay a new path to re start the search for Madeleine which could include re opening the case to allow PJ help.

Both Viv's blog and the 3A's are having a hay day with this. Reading into it things that are just not there. I am pleased to see we are keeping a dignified silence regarding their evil antics. Unlike the antis we take things a step at a time...show patience and wait for the truth to be told. Whatever the reason Gerry went to Portugal...it was his decision and not a command to return. We can only hope and pray that something positive comes out of this and eventually it leads to what happened to Madeleine. I would like to add, had I been Gerry McCann I would also have wanted the protection of the British Embassy if and when I returned to Portugal. You only have to think back to what they endured before they finally left there.

I was under the impression Gerry was just meeting his Lawyer but I understand he is also meeting the Portuguese Authorities aswell.

I feel this is a positive step forward in the search for Madeleine. I hope with all my heart something has been uncovered within the files that leads to the reopening of the case and the requestioning of certain individuals!.

If he is seeing his lawyers, then the idea of suing Amaral is a very real possibility. After all, his, and bentits books, are doing a lot of damage out there to the search. Sue him, and people will realise the truth, that our Madeleine could still be alive. And if they DO sue Amaral for libel, then alphabetically, who's the next name on the list?

I couldnt understand why the 3A's etc would be getting their knickers in a twist over Gerry going back to Portugal. But then it occurred to me, that if I thought Gerry was guilty of killing Madeleine, or disposing of her body, then it clearly makes no sense that he would speak to authorities about help in continuing to search for her. I would have to question why I thought him guilty. If after all, he was guilty of harming Madeleine, then he would stay as far away as he could from the PJ, as he could. After all, you dont poke an angry bear in the bum with a short stick.

This action by Gerry to contact and seek assistance of the PJ and the Portuguese authorities definitely throws a spanner into those 'guilty' theories. Let hope that the reality of his actions becomes apparent to the more reasonable members on the 3A's.

Vee, I also think the question of taking legal action for libel will be discussed, although from what Maria has told us, it might not lead anywhere. But I still live in hope that Amoral will get what he deserves.

Pedro

With all due respect, just because Gerry wants to work with 'authorities' to search for Madeleine, this doesnt exclude the possibility of sueing Amoral for libel. It does however exclude taking action against the PJ though.

My last post indicates that Gerry is going to see the authorities to see help in the search for Madeleine, and some of the other posts on here indicate this as well. His trip can have more than one purpose, and he would hardly announce to the press "I am going to see my Portuguese lawyers to determine if we can sue Amaral", would he???

I really think that he trip has at least two purposes, a third may be to raise Madeleine's plight again in Portugal, which will happen just by him going there. But primarily his trip will be for the reason he stated, to seek assistance in the search for Madeleine.

I honestly do not believe Gerry will turn to the PJ for help in finding out what happened to his daughter. More like he is feeling the water for using British ex-police within Portugal. After all, at the present time there appears to be no fresh evidence....and on the evidence they had the PJ ended up down a blind alley.
What I think will happen is Kate and Gerry will send in their British team to follow up any new leads...or any missed leads (due to incompetence). I have a feeling (but I could be wrong) that they have a new lead...a good one. Hence the sudden visit to Portugal to test the water and find out the legalities involved to allow them to proceed.
Remember what Gerry said when asked if he was planning anything for Madeleine's birthday in May. He said he hoped to have her back before then. That is the first time I can ever remember him saying something like that.

Point taken my friend Dianeh.

Pedro

I must say that I am a little ashamed of myself over this thread. It never occurred to me that the Portuguese press has been quiet about Gerry and Kate for a while, so I was a bit surprised by Maria's post on the other thread, where she says that there is a report in the press that the case is about to be re-opened. I am not normally so trusting, but I really didnt think there could be a purpose to the press still pursuing the McCanns. It seems I was very very wrong. It makes me wish that the McCanns would sue the Courier of Manure etc, just to shut them up.

It just never occurred to that they could be so vindictive against an innocent couple who have had a couple stolen from them.

If Gerry went to Portugal to seek co-operation with the authorities in the search for Madeleine (although after the last report I read, I think he went to meet with his lawyers and private detectives, and there has been no contact with authorities at all)m why would this report come out now. It is just too much of a coincidence. So either something is afoot, or someone is trying very hard to undermine the McCanns search for Madeleine in Portugal.

What is your take on the latest press leak, as Maria has reported? Do you also see a connection between Gerry's visit and this latest report/leak.

can someone tell us where the report is that the case is about to be re-opened please?

I believe it is on the front page of todays 24 Horas newspaper.

Diane

Until a real proof of Madeleine whereabouts is presented, some press and sectors of our society will fiercely use the parents as a smokescreen. Because all these attacks, pseudo leaks, theories are no more no less than smokescreens. To hide at least incompetence, not revenge.

I found this:
January 15, 2009
McCanns resort to spies to reopen the process

The investigation into the disappearance of Maddie is not finished. The McCanns have hired former secret agents to arrange for new evidence and to force the Portuguese authorities to continue the inquiry

The McCann couple wants the Portuguese authorities to resume the investigations into the disappearance of Madeleine. The case has been archived already, but according to 24Horas, the little girl’s parents believe that it’s still possible to find her, and that for that to happen the case really has to be reopened.

In order to intensify the searches for Maddie, the McCanns have announced the hiring of a reinforced team of private detectives. It includes, among others, former agents of the most specialised police forces in Great Britain, namely prominent former elements of the powerful M15 and M16 [sic], the best secret services of British espionage.

“We want new clues that may indicate the child’s whereabouts to be studied. I’m not going to advance any specifics, but I can say that there is new data that may be important”, Clarence Mitchell, the McCann family’s spokesman, asserted 24Horas.

A source at the Polícia Judiciária guaranteed to the newspaper that until now “no new relevant piece of evidence” about Maddie has been received. But the door is not closed on a new police intervention.

“That really can happen. But it has to be taken into account that for the inquiry to be restarted we have to receive new facts that lead us to understand that it’s really useful to restart it”, the same PJ source explained.

source: Sol, 15.01.2009

by Joana Moraishttp://joana-morais.blogspot.com/

Dare we hope that there is something there for the detectives to go on, and it will provide enough to re-open the case, this time heading in the right direction towards an abductor?

I have often wondered, if there was sufficient evidence, would Rebelo follow the evidence to where ever it might lead. I understand that he is considered to be completely honest and incorruptible.

Perhaps Maria could confirm for us that this is indeed the case.

I would hope to that if the case is re-opened, that this time British or US detectives are involved in the case, even if this is done via Interpol.