“But they are now talking of setting up another fund, not only to solicit money for their legal defence, but also for PR expenses.”

If that is the case, i have heard nothing about it either way, they should be shot. PR expenses? I hope you are wrong. That to me would suggest to me they are a very callous pair and also makes them look more guilty. And I jsut dont want to believe that they did it for 2 reasons.

1:- they will have killed their own child. I ont think I need to go into the problems with that.

2:- It makes them very stupid people. Getting this much media coverage. They are doctors. They are supposed to be intelligent.

“Or until proven guilty in Portugal”

I am unsure if Portugal have the presumption of innocence. My comment in relation to the UK was down to having them moved from the UK to Portugal to stand trial there. I should have clarified that.

“Some police are actually interested in justice.”

Valid point. My comment was badly thought out and in poor taste.

“There is no evidence whatsoever that the police are trying to frame them. The McCanns have claimed that they are.”

Valid point. But it may be true. Hence my saying they may or may not. This also holds true for the other comments where I said may or may not. The fact is we dont know. There is presumably, although we dont know this for sure either, a large amount of things that are known by the parties involved that we dont know.

“Youll have to forgive me. I have become highly irritated at some of the less intelligent and highly xenophobic remarks Ive read in numerous places in the past few days.”

I know what you mean. It is becoming a little rediculous what people will say. But everyone has their opinion which they are entitled to under the European Convention. Plus on the internet you will find every viewpoint imaginable presented.

“One of which outraged posters (elsewhere) suggested that the McCanns should be given diplomatic immunity. Apparently because theyre British.”

I dont think Diplomatic Immunity exists between EU member states. The McCanns wont get it anyway. They put themselves in the spotlight. The UK government dont need that kind of publicity. Sheltering potential murders from justice

There is a good chance that it was the parents. But I say let the police do their job and let the media sotp demonising the police for following standard proceedure.

And I want to see the truth come out. But most of all I want Madeleine found.

“I would also contact the best barrister I could find to defend me if I was being accused of or investigated in relation to the disappearance of my child.”

Indeed. But they are now talking of setting up another fund, not only to solicit money for their legal defence, but also for PR expenses. (If I was accused of the manslaughter of my son, PR would be the last thing on my mind.)

“I hope this doesnt seem like an attack on you but assuming they are innocent, which they are until proven guilty in the U.K.”

Or until proven guilty in Portugal.

“Its their countrys tourism that will suffer if it isnt.”

I’d like to think they have a more professional interest in their job than to worry only about tourism. Some police are actually interested in justice.

“The parents may or may not be guilty, the police may or may not be trying to frame them.”

There is no evidence whatsoever that the police are trying to frame them. The McCanns have claimed that they are. That’s all. The local police in Praia da Luz may have little experience of such major crimes, but they have drafted in assistance from higher up, PLUS British detectives. Quite a number of them, by all accounts.

“Maddie may or may not have been abducted.”

Please remember that there is no evidence of abduction either. Only that the McCanns have said there was one.

You’ll have to forgive me. I have become highly irritated at some of the less intelligent and highly xenophobic remarks I’ve read in numerous places in the past few days. One of which outraged posters (elsewhere) suggested that the McCanns should be given “diplomatic immunity”. Apparently because they’re British.

I also know that the first suspects in cases such as this are, 1) family members and, 2) the people who saw the victim last. Both of which apply to the parents. So there is no reason whatsoever to criticise the Portuguese police for suspecting them. But I have seen SO much of that in recent days.

So, Amen, let there be justice for Madeleine. And let the McCanns employ as many lawyers as they wish. All I want to see is the truth coming out, *whichever* way it goes.

Clara just in response to this comment. I would also contact the best barrister I could find to defend me if I was being accused of or investigated in relation to the disappearance of my child. Many parents of missing children get accused. A good representitive can make the ordeal a whole lot easier to bear and get it delt with quickly and effectivly.

I hope this doesnt seem like an attack on you but assuming they are innocent, which they are until proven guilty in the U.K, then this is EXACTLY what they should do.

However using the fund for the defence makes me feel a little ill. That was a bad move on their part and will reflect badly on them in the public eye.

On a more general note the allegations of corruption against the Portugese police, whilst very easy to make, have little to no basis. They are going to be scrutinised so closely in this case that even the tiniest slip would turn the case on its head and probably have the whole thing dismissed. They want this solved as much as anyone. Its their countrys tourism that will suffer if it isnt. They have sent files to prosecutors for a reason. And maybe they are running a smoke screen to hide what they are really doing as has been suggested. If that is the case then they are doing that masterfully.

Well that got much longer than I intended. So I’ll leave you all with this thought. The parents may or may not be guilty, the police may or may not be trying to frame them. Maddie may or may not have been abducted. Irrespective there is not one person here who knows for certain what happend, and if there is will you please contact the police and tell them because this ordeaql has gone on for far too long.

Indeed. AND, if the reports of Madeleine’s hair being found in the car boot are indeed accurate: If the poor child was dead and not in police custody for those 25 days, where would the police get her hair to “plant” in the car?

Also, many people are asking who had rented the car before the the McCanns and “why” the Portuguese police hadn’t investigated that angle. I don’t have the link, unfortunately, but I have *specifically* read that the police have contacted them all - and ruled them out. People are assuming the Portuguese police are dumb fools. Typical prejudice about ‘Johnny foreigner’.

I don’t see how it’s being based on that, at all. They have already given ten files to the prosecutor who has already passed them to a judge. So just because we don’t know everything that’s in those files you call it hearsay and gossip. Do you really think that the Portuguese police are fools? I don’t.

The media - you can’t burn the candle at both ends, in the end you get burt! meaning, the McCann’s used the media from the beginning and have worldwide interest, why should it stop now? However, I do think that everyone is entitled (as a human right) to have a little privacy, as you would probably go mad if you could not have any peace.

Maddie - if the McCanns felt the need to check on the kids every 15/30 mins or so, why bother going out. I mean, did they not sleep through the night once put down? I have never left my kids alone here or abroad; not even with a sitter abroad.

Holiday party - with what I read a couple of months ago, the holiday party had agreed not to say anything - “code of silence”. Maybe the police should go through that door if they have suspions at all about the McCanns.

Red heron - I am assuming that Maddie has been abducted. So, do you think there is a possibility that the authorities are trying to let the media and public think that they are focusing on the McCann’s, so maybe the real abductor will think it is safe to surface?

back to Maddie - assuming that she was abducted, if the McCann’s had told the truth about the times the kids were being checked on in the beginning (if every 15 or so mins, what would be the poiont in going out)then the radius for searching would have been expanded. Maybe the ports and harbours would have been thoroughly checked.

Anyway, innocent until proven guilty, yes?