The CD issued by Ministerio Publico de Portimao in July 2008, contains a great deal of information on the mobile calls made and received by the “Tapas 9” but it is dispersed, difficult to retrieve and with important pages and charts missing. The main documents of interest from the CD are:

• A 3 page report by the Policia Judiaria (undated, but probably 4th May 2007) listing call records retrieved from the handsets of Mr and Mrs McCann
• A detailed (and excellent report) by Inspector Paulo Dias, Inspector of UNI-Sector de Análise, Lisbon, dated 9th November 2007
• Schedules provided by Vodafone on 14th December 2007 covering a period from 29th April 2007 for Gerald McCann, David Payne, Rachael Mampilly, broken into four separate sections for incoming and outgoing telephone calls, incoming and outgoing SMS traffic
• A second report by Inspector Dias dated 5th February 2008, containing time bars, link charts and maps pinpointing where the “Tapas 9’s” sets were when they activated antennae
• A third report by Inspector Dias dated 2nd June 2008 which includes details of activations of the Luz and other mobile antenna from 28th April 2007 to September 2007
• The Rogatory Letter requests and correspondence dated from 5th December 2007 to May 2007 and responses from the Home Office in April and May 2008

The PJ used a program, called the “Analyst’s Notebook” as well as “Excel” to handle what were very large datasets. Inspector Dias pointed out that “Excel” was far from ideal, because of its limited capacity and it seems that much of the data provided was paper based and had to be rekeyed. Also the main focus of the research was limited to the evening of Thursday 3rd May 2007. But, despite the problems, the PJ’s work is impressive, innovative and very detailed. For example, there is a brilliant analysis (which unfortunately led nowhere) based on the hypothesis of two abductors each working with mobiles in the Ocean Club area immediately before Madeleine was reported missing. There is another excellent piece of work which tracks down a misrouted call, from Swansea, to Kate McCann at 11.21 on Wednesday 2nd May 2007.

However, there are potentially serious omissions:

• The most important records were not available when Mr and Mrs McCann attended their “Arguido interviews” on 6th and 7th September 2007 and it is doubtful that they were ever reviewed by the very experienced analysts from the Leicestershire Police, whose team left the Algarve soon after the McCann’s return to the UK in September 2007
• There are no detailed call records from the mobile operators for Kate McCann, Russell O’Brien, Matthew Oldfield and Jane Tanner
• When the PJ obtained the McCann’s mobiles they do not appear to have retrieved deleted data or to extract their contact lists
• None of the telecom records show triangulation co-ordinates but are limited to identifying the single primary antenna on which calls were registered
• The details of over 50 UK subscribers contacted by the Tapas 9 in the critical period, as well as their onward local and international call records, was included in the Rogatory Letter request in December 2007. If this information was provided, it is not in the CD
• A critical link chart (Anexo 37) for Tuesday 1st May 2007 is missing from Inspector Dias’s report

These omissions make interpretation of the data difficult but what is available provides an interesting picture. First, it is obvious that the memories in the McCann’s mobiles were incomplete and, in Kate McCann’s case, selectively deleted.

Her mobile memory held details of 39 calls from 18.28 on Wednesday 25th April to 16.35 on 27th April 2007. After her arrival in Portugal on 28th April 2007, with the exception of one incoming call on Wednesday 2nd May 2007 at 11.21 (which, very interestingly, was the Swansea “wrong number”), and one call from her husband at 23.17 on Thursday 3rd May 2007, everything else has been “whoosh-clunked” from memory. These deletions could have been accidental, but a high degree of cunning could be implied. Why would she selectively delete everything up to Thursday 3rd May 2007 with the exception of one wrong number and what was her reason for deleting three of the four calls, between 23.14 and 23.17, from her husband on that critical night?. A possible answer is that she wished to avoid alerting the PJ to evidence that details of around 40 calls had been erased and she felt happier leaving something uncontroversial (or misleading) in memory for them to find. Another answer is that, unsurprisingly, she was under the most extreme stress imaginable following the disappearance of her daughter: but why, in that case, give priority to deleting anything. It is the last thing most parents would think about in the circumstances.

The first call found in Gerald’s mobile memory was timed at 00.30 on Friday 4th May 2007. Again matching antenna records to memory suggests that by the time he gave the handset to the PJ the records of 24 calls or SMSs had been erased, including the one from him found on his wife’s handset and timed at 23.17 on Thursday 3rd May 2007. It appears that he had deleted details of the four calls he made to her that night and she deleted just three. It was this simple discrepancy that first led the PJ to suspect interference with the handsets.

If the deletions were deliberate (and it is an “if”) it implies the McCann’s were both “forensically aware” and crafty and wanted to hide something from the PJ. For this reason, it is important to explore the call record data and to match it against other evidence.

On Saturday 28th April 2007, after their arrival in Luz, Kate McCann’s mobile triggered the antenna 9 times. It is not possible to say, from the available records, whether these were incoming or outgoing calls or SMSs or for how long they lasted. The last activations were at 20.55 and 20.59 when (based on their statements) the Tapas 9 returned for an early night after eating at the Millennium Restaurant with their children. All of these records were erased from the memory of Kate McCann’s mobile. Gerald McCann’s mobile did not activate any of the Luz antennae that day.

On Sunday 29th April 2007, the first activation of Kate McCann’s mobile was at 9.23, but again there are no Vodafone logs or time bars to provide further detail. However, by internally matching the antenna records it appears that she called her husband at 12.26 and 17.02.

The crèche records indicate that he collected Madeleine at 12.15. He also picked up the twins around 17.00 but mistakenly recorded the time as “12.30”. Chances are that the calls from Kate McCann were to check that he had picked up the kids. At 10.13 Gerald McCann received a call from a UK mobile xxxxx3899. The last activation by Kate McCann’s mobile was at 19.30 and Gerald’s at 17.02.

A pattern on this sheet (and it applies to all of the Tapas 9) is that no activations took place at any time during the week while they were at dinner. So maybe Clarence Mitchell was right, after all, and that they were so “into each other” that they didn’t want to be disturbed while sardine munching and left their mobiles in their rooms. They were never specifically asked this question, but it is very important and the point will be addressed later.

On Monday 30th April 2007, neither of the McCann’s telephones activated the Luz transmitters. This looks very odd, especially as they were around the Ocean Club to shuffle the kids to and from the crèches. On this afternoon, Madeleine remained in the crèche for only 15 minutes and was picked up by her mother at 15.30. We do not know what Madeleine did for the rest of the day, but it is possible she was being fractious. Interestingly, a friend of Mrs and Mr McCann supposedly told the “Dispatches” team that made a TV program on the tragedy, that “Madeleine was a screamer”. This could be interpreted in one of two ways, but any use of the past tense in referring to Madeleine would be very significant. It was such a past tense referral, to her supposedly living children, that alerted the FBI to their murder by Susan Smith, their mother.

On Tuesday 1st May 2007, Gerald McCann’s handset was silent all day. Kate McCann’s mobile first activated the Luz antenna at 10.16, but all details of the day’s calls have been deleted from the handset and there is no nothing in the CD from her mobile provider. Another activation took place at 12.17. The crèche records show that Gerald McCann picked up Madeleine at 12.20 (a bit earlier than usual) but Kate McCann’s call at 12.17 does not appear to have been to him, (because his mobile was not activated at all that day). Kate McCann dealt with her last call before leaving for the Tapas Bar at 20.35.

At around 8.45pm on Tuesday 1st May 2007, Miss Nejoua Chekeya, the Ocean Club’s busty Aerobics Instructor, held a “Quiz Night” and was later invited, allegedly by Gerald McCann, to join his table which she did sometime between 9.30pm and 9.50pm. She did not say how long she had remained with them, but she is not the sort of woman men would wish see to leave too quickly. Miss Chekeya stated that one dinner setting was unused and that she could not remember seeing Kate McCann.

However, both Jane Tanner and Russell O’Brien have stated that he did not go to the Tapas Bar on the “Quiz Night” (ie Tuesday 1st May 2007), but had stayed in their room looking after his sick daughter. Jane Tanner took his dinner to the room; thus explaining the unused plate setting. Russell O’Brien was not asked by either the Policia Judiciaria or Leicestershire Police whether he had heard Madeleine crying!

Kate McCann’s mobile was next activated six times, in rapid fire, between 22.16 and 22.27, after she had returned to Apartment 5A after dinner. The antenna traffic proves that these calls were not made to any of the “Tapas 9”.

The evidence from the call logs gives the strongest clue that the “Tapas 9” left their telephones in their rooms when they went to dinner. Clarence Mitchell, the McCann’s spokesperson, confirmed this. In an interview, reported on 6th April 2008 by Ned Temko of “The Guardian”, Mr Mitchell said: “You had nine people in a bar without watches on, without mobile phones and absolute panic set in when they realised what had happened…. We would say that, if the police had a perfect time line across nine people, that would be a damn sight more suspicious than the fractured, illogical, composite statements they might have got”

Mrs Fenn, the McCann’s neighbour, reported that Madeleine had cried for her father between 22.30 and 23.45. The evidence shows that Kate McCann was in Apartment 5A 14 minutes before Madeleine started crying. Tuesday 1st May 2007 is the only night (except, of course, for Thursday 3rd May 2007) that either of the McCanns or any of their friends made calls after dinner.

Mrs McCann volunteered to the PJ that on the night of Wednesday 2nd May 2007, she had slept in the spare bed in her children’s room because her husband had not paid her enough attention over dinner. Or put another way, does she mean the amorous Scot was paying someone else (like Miss Chekeya) too much attention, causing her to stomp out of the Tapas Bar before him: ultimately leading to the spare bed in a strop? Gerald McCann said he thought the reason his wife had slept in the children’s bedroom was because of his snoring and that he did not even bother asking her the following morning what the problem was.

Could it be that their timings are wrong by 24 hours and that Kate McCann’s nocturnal shenanigans took place on the night of Tuesday 1st May 2007? It would fit, but why be untruthful about it? A possible reason is that they wanted to conceal both Kate McCann’s state of mind and the fact that she had returned to Apartment 5A, just before Madeleine’s cried for help.

On Wednesday 2nd May 2007, Kate McCann called her friend “Amanda” at 7.36.41 and again at 7.36.45. This was around two hours earlier than any of mobile activations on any other morning: so Kate McCann was “up with the larks”. Amanda returned the calls at 7.50. There is no record of how long any of these calls lasted or whether they were SMSs. They were all deleted from memory.

At 8.07 Gerald McCann received a call from the SMS message centre (447818520047), but does not appear to have responded. At 8.50 Kate McCann received a call from a UK mobile xxxxx27010 and returned it at 8.53, before going to play tennis. Gerald McCann received a series of calls from his SMS message centre between 9.10 and 10.47, again without response.

At 11.21 Kate received a call from what appears to be a landline in Swansea ( xxxxx0023). The report by Inspector Dias researched this call in detail (Page 21 in his report of 9th November 2007) and discovered that it had not activated any of the Luz antennae. But digging deeper, he found that another UK mobile (xxxxx 1583) had triggered the Luz antenna when connecting to the same Swansea number at 14.01. He dug even deeper, tracked all of the calls made from Luz by xxxx1583 and established it had no connection whatsoever with any of the “Tapas 9”. The Swansea call to Kate McCann was simply a “wrong number”, misrouted and thus not logged by the Luz antennae.

What Inspector Dias did not realise was that the Swansea call had become so special to Kate McCann that, when deleting all of the other Portuguese call records from memory, she decided to leave this one intact.

Gerald received five further calls from the SMS message centre and at 15.50 called 91121, probably to collect his messages. He received further calls from the centre at 17.49 and 19.49. The records provided by Vodafone show these calls but that they originate from a different mobile number (0xxxx014310)

At 20.08 Kate McCann received two calls from a UK mobile xxxx7624 and six minutes late Gerald McCann called 91121: again to collect messages before he left for the Tapas Bar. This was the last activation of the day by either of the McCanns; probably confirming that their mobiles remained in Apartment 5A when they went to dinner.

On Thursday 3rd May 2007 (the critical day) at 8.23 and 8.24 Kate McCann’s mobile activated the antenna to call xxxx7624. There is nothing in file to indicate the owner of this mobile but it does not appear to be any of the McCann family or friends.

At 12.24 Gerald McCann received a call from a UK Mobile xxxx1746. Again there is no clue in the file to the subscriber’s name. At 12.31 Kate McCann received a call (or SMS) from her mother’s mobile and responded an hour later.

Neither of the McCanns appears to have had any further activity on their telephones until after Madeleine was reported missing when Gerald McCann called his wife four times between 23.14 and 23.52. At 23.40 he called his sister – Trish Cameron and at 23.52 -Janet Kennedy.

The batch of SMS messages received by Gerald McCann on Wednesday 2nd May 2007 seems to have caused him some anxiety. Although the number “07818520047” is in a block allocated to Vodafone, the company has no record of the subscriber’s name. When the number is dialed, connection is made to a recorded message which explains that changes have been made to the way customers can access their mailboxes and that they can now dial “121” from their handset or “07836121121” from any other telephone.

Thus the number appears to be a message box for Gerald McCann that sends him an SMS when his mobile is unable to accept a call (because it is out of range or turned off). However, when he was asked by “Expresso TV” on 6th September 2008 about the “sixteen SMS messages” received, he flustered:

“No one has ever asked to see any of my text messages. There is no way that there 16 messages on that day or even the day after, you know. You know, the day after, you know that we got…” Kate McCann came to his rescue and interrupted; “Gerry hardly ever sends text messages until the day after, the day after Madeleine was taken”. Gerald McCann continued: “so you know that it is actually rubbish”

Their McCann’s denials were, of course, technically true although perhaps disingenuous – because there were only 14 messages received on the day before they reported Madeleine missing and two on the day after.

There were 16 SMS messages, in total, so why prevaricate and deny an allegation that was never made. The question was about received messages, not those sent, and on the day before not on 3rd May 2007 or the day after! In the field of forensic linguistics you must always concentrate on the precise wording of denials and especially on those of allegations not made. The denials made by the McCanns are suspicious. However, Mrs McCann’s statement about her husband not sending SMS messages, until after Madeleine’s disappearance, is confirmed by Vodafone’s records.

Mr and Mrs McCann were never closely questioned by the PJ about the detail of their calls, but Gerald McCann excused the deletions by saying that his telephone’s memory only retained details of the last ten calls made. This obvious inaccuracy (It already had retained details of 17 calls) does not appear to have been challenged by the PJ and it does not in anyway explain the selective deletions from his wife’s handset.

So the bottom line is that Kate McCann was in Apartment 5A when Madeleine cried for her father between 22.30 and 23.45 on Tuesday 1st May 2007, leading to a unique flurry of late night calls and to unique calls very early the following morning. A forensic examination of the records of Madeleine’s attendance at the “Lobsters” crèche on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd May 2007 is critically important because if they have been falsified, to establish she was there when she was not, this case takes on an entirely new dimension and sets different search parameters.

Secondly, if the memories of the mobile telephones were deleted in way suspected, a level of cunning is implied that would be capable of conceiving plan to deliberately delay reporting Madeleine’s “disappearance”; if for no other reason than to disassociate it from the crying incident on Tuesday 1st May 2007.

Of course, this is speculation and it is entirely possible that further investigation and the much awaited transparency by Mr and Mrs McCann will totally exonerate them. But why don’t they simply produce the SMS messages and explain why call details were deleted?

(*) This report is a result of cooperation with a leading international investigative firm that is in the closing stages of an 18 month intensive investigation that is expected to reopen the case in Portugal and to start new proceedings in the UK.

Not wishing to appear unfriendly, the author thought that a visit here might be opportune. Whether to stay? Well, he’ll have to see what the reception is like.

DUMFOUNDED BY CHAPLINS (OR POSSIBLY VICE-VERSA)Dumbfound and Chaplins First Appear

It seems that the very first public domain reference to Chaplins was posted by dumbfound at 11.49 am, Tuesday, 24 July 2007 on the Daily Express “HAVE YOUR SAY” User Comment Thread. Certainly, that was when the author first saw it mentioned. As the will see, it is not only Chaplins that dumfound introduced, it is children crying, Mrs Fenn, precise times, and a date.

Dumbfound’s Post

Dumbfound was not an MF poster – at least, not under that particular nic. Dumbfound alleged as follows:

LIARS! LIARS! LIARS!

The McCanns dined out every night of their holiday while their poor children slept alone. They are lucky that this happened on the night they chose to dine in the tapas bar and not Tuesday for example when they dined in Chaplins, below their beloved church, near the beach, 8 times the distance away. They never once checked on their children as they claim, ask the staff! Talk to elderly Mrs. Senn [sic] who lives above and she’ll tell you on that particular Tuesday night she had to sit listening to one of the children “screeming [sic], crying” from 22:30 till 23:45. They went to dinner around 19:00h. Those poor, poor children. Yes, they should be prosecuted. How DARE they preach to other parents and try to teach us safety measures to ensure our children are safe from predators? How DARE they take the positions of heroes? How DARE they commit this crime upon poor Madeleine? Yes, they did it.

Thinking that this comment was not for long on this earth, the author took the precaution of saving it,  typos and all. For what it is worth, the original link was: http://www.express.co.uk/comments/viewall/14347/7

Apparently, the author was prescient, for a while, only this remained:

**COMMENT REMOVED**
24.07.07, 11:49am
**Comment removed**
• Posted by: dumbfound

And when the Express pulled all McCann related pages, only this:

SORRY, UNABLE TO FIND THAT PAGE

Anyway, to continue the story, a little later that day, the MF poster, cfb, quoted dumbfound on the MF main thread. It was at point that discussion on Chaplins commenced.

Dumbfound’s Post and the PJ Report

One of the things that has always intrigued the author about dumfound is what was his /her source? The dumfound post predates by some time any report in any of the Media. What rings through is that dumfound writes as if he /she has very close knowledge of the events recounted.

Because of this, the author always placed some store in relation to dumfound’s date of Tuesday 1 May. Indeed, forum members may have noted that the author (alone amongst you all, he thinks) has advanced as a working hypothesis the theory that Madeline may have disappeared towards midnight, Tuesday 1 May, 2007, or shortly afterwards. He was encouraged in this by dumfound’s date.

Dumfound it will be noted, reports two key things as happening on 1 May:

1. Dining at Chaplins
2. Crying for 1¼ hours (from 22:30 till 23:45) as recorded by Mrs Fenn

Now, the PJ summary report, whilst not mentioning Chaplins, states that:

PAMELA FENN lives on the first floor of the residential block, above the apartment occupied by the  McCANN family. She related that, on 1 May 2007, two days before the disappearance, at about 22h30, she heard a child crying, which by the sound was MADELEINE. The child continued weeping for one hour and 15 minutes, until the parent’s arrival (she heard the door sounds), at about 23h45.

What is interesting, astonishing even, is that the date and times exactly coincide with those given by dumfound . This leads to the thought as to whether dumfound was, as they say ‘a source close to the official police investigation’.

Back to Chaplins

Which leads one to ask whether Dumfound also right about ‘Dining at Chaplins’ on 1 May.

Now it seems that Dumfound may not be literally correct. There are plenty of reports that the McCanns
went to the tapas bar every day except the night of 28 May (although a now-pulled Daily Express article suggested except 28 and 29 May).

For example, the Sun informs us:

That first evening, Saturday, April 28, the group ate dinner at the Millennium Restaurant and Terrace, another Ocean Club property ten minutes away. For the rest of their stay they established a practice of giving the kids tea, playing with them for an hour and then putting them to bed in their
apartments before going out to the nearby tapas bar for dinner.

Nonetheless, the whole nature of a tapas meal is that is consists of a series, or collection, of snack-size portions. So, it’s certainly possible to snack twice, or to snack at Chaplins after drinking at the tapas, or
for that matter to drink at Chaplins after snacking at the tapas.

There remain, however, certain niggles about Chaplins. To focus on a single example, Sol is the newspaper that has undertaken investigative reporting, but there is no mention of Chaplins in its reports

So, let us examine whether there is anything about Chaplins that might attract fun loving holiday makers towards the end of a Tuesday Night?

Quiz Night

Would a quiz night attract you? And if so, what night might quiz night be? Why, quiz night is Tuesday night!

Chaplins inform us:

“FUN” QUIZ NIGHT
every Tuesday, start 10 pm

But, is there any evidence that the tapas 9 enjoyed quizzes? Well, it seems they were not averse to them, for, in relation to the night of 3 May, Sol informs us

An aerobic instructor from the resort entertains the dinner guests at Tapas with a ‘Quiz’. At 9.30 p.m. the game ends, and Gerry invites her to their table, where she stays for half an hour.

Happy Hour

Is there anything that might encourage late evening drinking at Chaplins? Well how about a ‘Happy Hour’

Last year, this was advertised as follows:

Later on in the evening, once the food has finished, Chaplins swings into Bar mode and is soon full of people enjoying the music, the great company and perhaps most of all the Happy Hour (11.30pm – 12.30pm) when all drinks are half price.

Some Thoughts

What is interesting about the Chaplins story, if true, is what hangs from it. From the point of public relations, were it to become media mainstream, it could be extraordinarily damaging to the McCann cause.

The suspicious minded may also ask whether anything more serious than crying occurred.

We cannot know, at present, whether Chaplins is true or not, but Amaral has promised explosive revelations in his forthcoming book.

Do you think we may know soon?

Link to PJ Final Report (see pp 41 /42):
http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2008/07/pj-final-report-all-investigation-on.html

Link to Sun article about eating at the tapas bar
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/maddie/article1096610.ece

Link to Sol article 30 June 2007 (translation by astro) re quiz and quiz mistress, also the collection of Sol articles:
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id117.html

Link to Chaplin’s Quiz Night – Please note, having accessed the site, click on the Chaplins link:
http://luzpages.net/page.asp?cat=bars

Link to Chaplin’s ‘Happy Hour’ – Please note, having accessed the site, click on the Chaplins link:
http://www.claryan.com/liamvilla/bars.htm#

Gerry McCann works at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester as a cardiologist. He is reported as earning £75,000 a year.

For readers outside of the UK who do not understand the British Health System, known as the National Health Service, it is a service funded by the British taxpayer. In effect, the doctors and nurses are civil servants.

Look at the 1MB PDF download on the official FindMadeleine website. This is a PowerPoint Presentation for their trip to Brussels. Here is the link:

http://www.findmadeleine.com/ns/news/detail/?id=37

If you load this PDF file and look at its properties, you can see who authored it and where it was written, along with editing times. The details are shown in the panel at the left.

As you can see, Gerry authored it and if you look at the Company info – it says UHL. UHL is University Hospitals Leicester:

http://www.uhl-tr.nhs.uk/

Basically, Gerry McCann authored this personal document at the British Taxpayers expense.

The McCann’s trip to Brussels was nothing to do with his job at Glenfield or indeed, any other hospital in the UK. The trip was the McCann’s “pet project” and had nothing to do with his role as a cardiologist.

If you are a British taxpayer and you wish to complain about this misuse of public funds, you can register your complaint via a form on the UHL website here:

http://www.uhl-tr.nhs.uk/patients/support-and-advice/making-a-complaint/contact-us

Tapas9.info has already done so and if we receive a reply we will of course be publishing it in this site.

Gerry McCann and wife Kate McCann at the church service in Leicestershire on May 3, 2008. Kate clutching flowers and looking reasonably well dressed.

Gerry on the other hand, looks like he’s ready to do a spot of DIY.

At the service of remembrance for missing daughter Madeleine, Gerry chooses to wear blue jeans, trainers and a scruffy sport jacket.

What an absolute disgrace!

The criminal Complaint against the Portuguese police

The allowable existence of the criminal activity described above is a gross violation of Portugal as a Contracting State, requiring an in-depth and thoroughly exhaustible independent inquiring in order to know the truth behind the abduction of children and their whereabouts, whether they are still alive or dead. The complainant very strongly believes on the basis of the reasons stated above, that the true answers to the many unanswered questions regarding the abduction and disappearance of children in Portugal, can be found within the official structure of its own government and those who work or act on its behalf.

The statements in this section of the Complaint are sufficient to convey the intended message to request the attention of this Court, to an extremely grave reality needing an immediate correction in the Contracting State of Portugal. The life of abducted children and of their families are being destroyed by this extremely evil and criminal activity that must end. Paedophilia in Portugal (and in Spain too) is a “tradition” deeply entrenched in the psyche, that has thrived unchecked for many generations thanks to official condoning, aiding, protection and support, on behalf of a perverted, rich and powerful elite class. The mere existence of this aberrant behaviour in any Contracting State is a violation of fundamental human rights.

IV. Statements Relative to Article 35 of the Convention

16. This Complaint is not presented by an anonymous.
17. This Complaint has never been examined by this Court, and it has not been submitted to another procedure of international investigation or settlement.
18. This Complaint is not incompatible with the provisions of the Convention for the protection of human rights in any Contracting State. This Complaint is not ill-founded nor an abuse of the right to request relief to this Court. All statements made herein can be verified and corroborated.

V. Statement(s) on the Purpose of this Complaint

19. The main reason for presenting this Complaint is to request this Court to order a thorough independent investigation of the Policia Judiciaria (PJ) of Portugal, on the true reasons for its suspicious and/or ambiguous performance related to the abduction cases mentioned in the Statement of Facts section of this document. Particular attention is requested on the cases related to Joanna Cipriano and Madeleine Mc Cann in view of their characteristics and great similarities.

The other reason is to request the Court to consider the contents and information available at the Internet address http://madeleine-mccann-blog.blogspot.com as part of the documentation pertaining to this Complaint. The reason for this request is that the contents in that Internet address, feature information and names of individuals who should be of interest and concern in the requested investigation process.

VI. Statement(s) concerning other International Proceedings

20. This Complaint has not been submitted to any international proceeding or investigation anywhere nor is there a resolution or judgement pending at any agency or tribunal with respect to the nature of its contents.

VII. List of Exhibits Attached

21. (a) None
(b) None
(c) None

VIII. Declaration and Signature

I, Robert Argiz, hereby declare with full consciousness and loyalty that the contents and/or information included in this Complaint are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, so help me God.

Date:

Signature: ___________________

I’m addressing this to you, Mr. Loach, or Ken, if you don’t mind for ease of typing. I have always been a fan of your films, and the way you portray the nitty gritty of working class life.

As a lass from the council estate who’s ‘done good’ I can sort of see that your daughter could have a similar view on life. Equally she could think she’s above that and have swallowed the ‘meedja’ view on life wholesale.

Tonight I watched a ‘documentary’ on ITV by your daughter. It was not a documentary film in the normal vein, but a cobbled-together sequence of footage, much of it of the McCanns in a car, that served no purpose in the search for Madeleine.

It included film that was said to be of the Portuguese police arriving in Britain this month to reinterview people who had been on holiday with the McCanns. In fact this footage was of an event last summer.

That is one of the many discrepancies in this so-called documentary.

I ask you, Ken, as a man of integrity, to at least ask your daughter to think before she joins in any more media circuses.

And most importantly, your daughter has gone on record as saying she leaves her young children in a hotel room whilst she eats out. Please ask her not to do this and not to condone this behaviour in any circumstances.

“Oh Lord give me strength as I watch
Tonight’s McCann documentary.
May I not give myself over to anger,
Nor throw heavy objects at the TV set.
Neither may I scream in outrage
So as to annoy the neighbours.
In all manner of things may you give me peace,
That I may better analyse the deceptions
And the obfuscations and the downright lies.
Lord preserve me from the pink-shirted one
That I may never use the word ludicrous
Nor unhelpful, nor hurtful.
So Lord, give your blessing on all our endeavours
That we may see justice prevail
And Fiona Phillips blush bright red
When she reads the words:
“Today Gerry and Kate McCann begin
Serving their sentences in a Portugese prison
Following yesterday’s damning verdict.”
Amen.”

In an article published last Sunday by Aníbal Malvar in El Mundo:

Malvar quotes a conversation between the inspectors João Tavares describing the virtues of “improvisation” of the “Portuguese cops” to Francisco Meireles, a conversation the journalist affirms he heard and met on the 23rd of April of 2008, ’23 de abril de 2008. El periodista aparca el coche en el mismo lugar donde Tavares y Meireles esperaban’ [The Journalist parks the car in the same place where Tavares and Meireles waited for him] – this is odd, and the Spanish ‘journalist’ could never had been in a meeting with these 2 inspectors, less alone to hear them speak. Why?

For those who may not know, the inspectors João Tavares and Francisco Meireles are fictional characters from a book titled ‘A Estrela de Madeleine’, by Paulo Pereira Cristóvão, and the sentences that the characters speak in the novel are the ones the journalist affirms he heard.

Malvar’s version in Spanish, from the El Mundo’s article which is word by word a copy of the text from Paulo Cristovão’s book in Chapter 9, page 63:

«No podemos perder nunca nuestra intuición de policías, cojones. Tenemos que seguir siendo mañosos… no somos noruegos, ni finlandeses, cojones. Somos portugas, y la bofia portuga se revuelve, improvisa, se fía de la intuición, se ayuda de los CSI, eso es cierto, pero también podemos andar por ahí como angelitos con batitas blancas, debidamente esterilizados, engominados y comiendo hojitas de lechuga porque son más saludables. La malta fuma, le gusta comer y beber unas copas».(…)

And a bit of creative writing where the journalist reports what he heard from João Tavares:

«La pequeña, infelizmente para nosotros y sobre todo para ella, ya no está en el mundo de los vivos. Incluso, si alguien la tuviera en su poder, ¿la iba a mantener viva sabiendo que es la niña más buscada del mundo? Yo creo que no. La publicidad desmesurada que le dieron [los padres, desde la primera noche] a su rostro y su iris especial fueron su condenación. El resto es palabrería, compañero. Murió y que Dios cuide de ella, porque era una inocente que cayó en un mundo de bestias puras». Lo dice Joao Tavares.

Which translated means: The little Girl, unfortunately for us and specially for her, is not in the world of the living anymore. Actually, if someone had her would they keep her alive knowings she is the most searched girl in the world? I don’t think so. The huge publicity given by the parents since the first night to her face and eye in particular was her condemnation. The rest is words, mate. She died and may God take care of her, because she was an innocent girl who fell in a world of pure beasts. Said João Tavares.

Funny how the above seems to be a mix of comments done by Carlos Anjos and Moita Flores, actually I can’t find this in the book ‘A Estrela de Madeleine’, anyway the main point here is that the journalist here is listening to João Tavares – a fictional character.

Excerpts of the Book “A Estrela de Madeleine” by Paulo Pereira Cristovão

The science and the cunning
Chapter 9
Page 63

«(…) speaks João Tavares, the inspector who is the chief of Francisco Meireles:

- We can not loose our intuition as cops, ‘caraças’ [crap]! We have to be wilful… we are not Norwegian nor Finns, ‘caraças’ [crap]! We are ‘Portugas’ [Portuguese] and the Portuguese cops improvise, count on intuition, uses the help of the CSI’s, sure, because it is not possible to do everything without them, but we cannot ‘walk’ done here like little angels in little white lab coats, properly sterilized, ‘engomadinhos’ [in a stiff manner] and eating leaves of lettuce at lunch because it is healthier and because the ‘camones’ [foreigners] think that is better, do you understand? We smoke, we like to eat and to drink. And so what?« We are good police officers and whoever wants to compare results with us will lose.»

Excertos do Livro “A Estrela De Madeleine” por Paulo Pereira Cristovão

A ciência e a manha
9º Capítulo
Página 63

«(…) fala João Tavares, o inspector que é o chefe de Francisco Meireles:

- Não podemos nunca perder a nossa intuição de polícias, caraças! Temos de continuar a ser manhosos… não somos noruegueses nem finlandeses, caraças! Somos portugas, e o bófia portuga desenrasca-se, improvisa, acredita na intuição, socorre-se dos CSI’s, é certo, porque também não se pode fazer tudo sem eles, mas também não podemos andar aqui feitos anjinhos com batinhas brancas, devidamente esterilizados, engomadinhos e a comer folhas de alface ao almoço porque assim é mais saudável e porque assim os camones já acham que está bem, entendes? A malta fuma, gosta de comer e de beber uns copos. E depois?
«Somos bons polícias e venha de lá quem quiser para comparar resultados com a gente que ficam todos a perder.»

Gonçalo Amaral’s alleged Interviews

As well, in this latest article Malvar reuses and adds some words in an alleged ‘interview’ to Gonçalo Amaral, an interview published back in September 2007, and pastes it in the new article giving the impression that he is still following the the investigation. Amaral declined and was forbidden to comment by the Portuguese secrecy code of Justice.

«The PJ general direction of Lisbon has denied him the permission to grant to us an interview, but it is necessary to try it. His denial is kind and flat.

- Don’t you even want to answer to the personal accusations that were done to you by the English press?

- No.

- Don’t you get bother with so much media noise? This doesn’t obstruct your work?

- As Saint Joseph said, ‘Justice is done in silence’. Muito obrigado. [Thank you]»

In the new interview the journalist, besides quoting fictional characters as if they were real the Spanish journalist also affirms he was the first to get an interview from Gonçalo Amaral – looks like another Nacho Abad baseless allegation. Malvar then adds that to do that interview he promised to keep Gonçalo Amaral as an anonymous source, but now because he is going to retire that fact doesn’t matter at all. What this shows, is if Amaral had given this interview to Malvar at all, then Malvar against all the journalist ethics used in Europe and in Spain had in fact broke the Deontological Code for the Journalistic Profession adopted by Federation of the Spanish Press. An ethical journalist must honour an agreement, not to use the name of a source unless the source explicitly agrees to release him from any promise of confidentiality. A reporter should never assume that a change in the interviewee’s circumstances justifies release of his name, as Malvar has done in saying it is alright for him to use Amaral’s name because Amaral is about to retire from the PJ.

«10.

The right to keep professional secrecy is a right of a journalist, but it is also an obligation which guarantess the confidentiality of the sources of information.

Therefore, a journalist shall guarantee the right of the sources of information to stay anonyme, if so has been requested. However, this professional obligation shall exceptionally not be applied, if it has been proved that the source has consciously falsified information or if revealing the source is the only way to avoid serious and instant damage to people.»

Aníbal Malvar also added a few more words to Gonçalo Amaral’s statement which you can read in the full translation of the El Mundo article bellow.

Paulo Santos, Amaral’s lawyer said on monday to Lusa News Agency: “Those statements are a complete lie. Gonçalo Amaral never told the journalist anything. They seem to be citations that were collected from the book about Maddie, which was written by former PJ inspector Paulo Cristóvão”, he referred.

Full article translated from El Mundo

Título: DESAPARICIÓN / EL MISTERIO INSEPULTO
UN CONFUSO AÑO SIN MADELEINE
A PUNTO de cumplirse el aniversario, «Crónica» regresa a Praia da Luz y contempla cómo policías lusos e ingleses se preocupan más de su guerra íntima que de buscar a la niña. Los portugueses insisten: está muerta, y los McCann, implicados. Los británicos aún la creen viva
Sección: CRONICA
Fecha: 27.04.2008
Diario: EL MUNDO

Title: “Disappearance: The Mystery Uninterred:A Confused Year Without Madeleine”
On the brink of the anniversary, “Chronicle” returns to Praia da Luz and considers how Portuguese and British police are more worried over their private war than looking for the child. The Portuguese insist: she is dead, and the McCanns, implicated. The British still believe she is alive.
Section: Chronicle
Date: 27.04.2008
Journal: El Mundo

Texto: No podemos perder nunca nuestra intuición de policías, cojones. Tenemos que seguir siendo mañosos… no somos noruegos, ni finlandeses, cojones. Somos portugas, y la bofia portuga se revuelve, improvisa, se fía de la intuición, se ayuda de los CSI, eso es cierto, pero también podemos andar por ahí como angelitos con batitas blancas, debidamente esterilizados, engominados y comiendo hojitas de lechuga porque son más saludables. La malta fuma, le gusta comer y beber unas copas».

Text: We can never lose our policemen’s intuition, [expletive deleted]. We must remain skillful … we are not Norwegians, Finns,[expletive deleted]. We are Portuguese and Portuguese cops will dig around, improvise, rely on intuition, make use of the CSI, that is true, but we can also walk around like angels with white christening gowns, properly sterilized, starched and eating lettuce leaves because they are healthier. The member of the gang smokes, likes to eat and drink a few drinks.” [Note: “Malta,” so far as I know or can find in any dictionary, is not a Spanish word; it is Portuguese. It means “gang,” but rather in the sense, I think, of “our gang” or “band of brothers,” than any sort of group of bad fellows.]

Así arenga el chefe Joao Tavares, desde el asiento acompañante del Ford Focus, al inspector Francisco Meireles. Son bofia. Son malta. Son policía portuguesa. Cuando esta conversación ocurre, hace ya cinco meses que desapareció Madeleine McCann del apartamento de sus padres en la localidad algarvenha de Praia da Luz. Desde aquella noche del 3 de mayo en que esfumaron a la niña, hacen ese viaje desde Portimao a Luz con asiduidad. De noche. Tantas veces lo han hecho en estos cinco meses que Meireles podría apartar las manos del volante, porque el Ford Focus ya se tiene que saber los 21 kilómetros de memoria. Si no se lo sabe de memoria, es que el Ford Focus es también un portuga, un malta. Esa noche, Tavares está cabreado, y por eso ha querido volver. Es la noche del 2 de octubre de 2007 y esa tarde han apartado de la investigación a su jefe, Gonçalo Amaral. Lo han apartado, según él, por culpa de esos ingleses que comen lechuga y que intentan proteger a los McCann: porque Amaral, Tavares, Meireles y todo el grupo de la Polícia Judiciária de Portimao están convecidos de que el matrimonio es culpable de la desaparición de su niña. Y de que han conseguido ocultarlo gracias a las influencias de alto nivel de que los McCann gozan en el Gobierno británico.

So exhorts the chief Joao Tavares, from the passenger seat of the Ford Focus, to the inspector Francisco Meireles. They are cops. They are a gang of friends. They are Portuguese police. When this conversation occurs, it has been five months since Madeleine McCann disappeared from the apartment of her parents in the Algarvian locality of Praia da Luz. Since that night of May 3 in which the girl disappeared, they make this trip from Portimao to Luz frequently. At night. They have done it so many times in these five months that Meireles could remove his hands from the steering wheel, because the Ford Focus already knows the 21 km from memory. If you don’t know it by heart, the Ford Focus is also Portuguese, a brother. That night, Tavares is angry, and therefore wanted to return. It is the night of October 2, 2007 and his boss, Gonçalo Amaral, has been removed from the investigation. Amaral has been removed, he says, because of those lettuce-eating Englishmen who are trying to protect the McCanns: because Amaral Tavares, Meireles and the whole group of Polícia Judiciária of Portimao are convinced that the couple are guilty of the disappearance of their daughter. And they have succeeded in concealing it thanks to the high-level influence that the McCanns enjoy in the British Government.

23 de abril de 2008. El periodista aparca el coche en el mismo lugar donde Tavares y Meireles esperaban: «A ver si la niña muerta nos dice algo». La niña sigue callada…
La cancela del apartamento 5-A de la Rua Françisco Gentil Martins está cerrada con un candado cutre, por si aún hay curiosos o peregrinos hacia el misterio insepulto de la Virgen Madeleine. Ya, en el Algarve, nadie se preocupa de ella. No ha bajado el turismo. Los periódicos vuelven a vender lo que vendían antes (llegaron a triplicar tirada y visitas a sus sites en la época caliente de la investigación). En el pequeño jardín, florecen, ordenadamente asilvestradas, algunas flores que alguien debe de cuidar para salvaguardarlas de la seca de este verano prematuro. A las holandesas del barrio ya se les han escocido los escotes horizontales con tanto sol, y eso que aún no ha terminado abril. Todo sigue igual que antes de Maddie. Los que más se acuerdan son los únicos de esta barriada lujosa de casitas blancas que hablan portugués: el servicio doméstico, los repartidores, los pescaderos.

April 23, 2008. The journalist parks the car at the same place and Tavares Meireles waits: “To see if the dead girl tells us something.” The girl remains silent …
The little fence of apartment 5-A Rua Françisco Gentil Martins is closed with a cumbersome padlock, because there are still curious pilgrims to the unburied mystery of the Virgin Madeleine. Already, in the Algarve, nobody is worried about her. Tourism has not fallen. The periodicals re-sell what they sold before (they tripled their print runs and visits to their sites in the hot period of the investigation). In the small garden are blooming well-arranged wildflowers, some flowers that someone must take care to safeguard from the dryness of this premature summer. The tulips of the neighbourhood are already lying down in the sun, and April has not yet ended. Everything remains as before Maddie. They who most agree are the only ones of this luxurious neighbourhood of white houses that speak Portuguese: the domestic servants, the delivery men, the fishmongers.

En Porto da Luz no hay censo. La población es flotante. Ingleses, franceses, alemanes, americanos que aparecen un verano y desaparecen para siempre. Eso sí, gente bien que no está acostumbrada a perder un niño.

In Porto da Luz [Note: Must mean PRAIA da Luz.] there is no census. The population is floating [fluid]. British, French, Germans, Americans appear for a summer and disappear forever. Of course, no one is accustomed to losing a child.

Por eso, quizá, los McCann actuaron con tan escaso tino aquella noche del 3 de mayo. Llamaron antes a Gran Bretaña que a la policía portuguesa. Y, antes que a la policía portuguesa, llamaron a todos sus vecinos, con lo que cuando Gonçalo Amaral, coordinador de la Polícia Judiciária, llegó con su equipo de investigadores, el apartamento 5-A de la Rua Françisco Gentil estaba colapsado de británicos orondos y autosatisfechos organizando como mariscales batidas de búsqueda para las que nunca se pusieron de acuerdo. Y pisoteando pruebas como imbéciles.

So, perhaps, the McCanns acted with little good sense that night of May 3. They called Britain before the Portuguese police. And, before the Portuguese police, they called all their neighbours, so that when Gonçalo Amaral, coordinator of the Polícia Judiciária, arrived with his team of investigators, the flat at 5-A Françisco Gentil de la Rua was brought to a standstill by fat, British, self-designated field marshals organizing searches on which there was no agreement. And trampling evidence like imbeciles.

Fue lo primero que mosqueó a Gonçalo Amaral, que este miércoles, después de 28 años en el cuerpo, ha abandonado la policía quedándose con una pensión miserable de 1.000 euros mensuales. ¿Por qué? «Hay cosas que no tienen precio. La dignidad es una de ellas, y le ha sido retirada por sus superiores de Lisboa», comentó uno de sus hombres, que lleva una década trabajando junto a él.

It was the first thing that made Gonçalo Amaral suspicious, who on Wednesday after 28 years on the force, has agreed to leave the police with a paltry pension of 1,000 euros per month. Why? “There are things that have no price. Dignity is one of them, and it has been withdrawn by their superiors in Lisbon,” said one of his men, who spent a decade a decade working alongside him.

El pecado de Amaral fue de pensamiento -después sería de palabra y obra, nunca de omisión- ya esa primera noche: cuando llegaron los portugas ya todo el mundo, empezando por Kate y Gerry McCann, hablaban de rapto. Nadie se planteaba que la niña de tres años se hubiera marchado por su propio pie, a pesar de que los McCann reconocían no haber echado el cerrojo por si sucedía algo en la casa. Y a todo su grupo de la Judiciária le mosqueó otra cosa: los gemelos Sean y Amelie, a pesar del vociferio de todos aquellos cerveceros mariscales ingleses en el salón contiguo, no se despertaron en ningún momento. Ni siquiera cuando los padres decidieron trasladarlos en brazos a otra estancia abrieron los ojos.
-Esos niños estaban dopados, como se demostró luego.
-Eso no se demostró.
-No se comprobaron muchas cosas.

The sin of Amaral was of thinking – after it would be of word and deed, not of omission – ever since that first night: when the Portuguese arrived and the whole world, starting with Kate and Gerry McCann, spoke of abduction. Nobody suggested that the three-year-old girl could have left by her own feet, despite the McCanns’ admitting not bolting the door in case something happened in the house. And his entire group of Judiciária suspected another thing: the twins Sean and Amelie, despite all those beery British field marshals in the adjoining room, were not awakened at any time. Neither when the parents decided to move them in their arms to another room did they open their eyes.

• These kids were doped, as it showed then.
• That was not proved.
• Many things were not checked.

GUERRA COLONIAL.
COLONIAL WAR
No sólo es el equipo de Amaral el que en el Algarve piensa que la investigación sobre los culpables McCann no ha existido. El periodista Helder Nunes, director del semanario Barlovento de Portimao, y que ha seguido muy pormenorizadamente el caso Maddie, anunciaba a Crónica pocas horas antes de que ocurriera la noticia de la semana: «Gonçalo Amaral va a dejar la policía y va a escribir el libro de lo que realmente pasó con Maddie» (Amaral, que ya no habla con la prensa, anunciaba su dimisión apenas tres horas después alegando que quería recuperar su «libertad de expresión».

It is not only Amaral’s team in the Algarve that thinks that the investigation on the McCann culprits has not existed. The journalist Helder Nunes, director of the weekly Windward of Portimao, and who has followed the Maddie case in great detail, announced to Chronicle a few hours before it happened the news of the week: “Gonçalo Amaral will leave the police and will write the book of what really happened to Maddie.” (Amaral, who no longer speaks with the press, announced his resignation just three hours after claiming that he wanted to regain his ‘freedom of expression ‘).

Nunes, que conoce a Amaral, explica sus razones antes de que la decisión del policía se oficialice: «La policía portuguesa está convencida de que hubo un accidente en casa, de que los McCann tienen una posición social y política que defender y de que se vuelven locos y se deshacen del cadáver. Los policías ingleses se pasan toda la investigación ocultando las pruebas que puedan incriminar a los McCann, porque eso implicaría a Gordon Brown». Nunes no olvida que el primer ministro británico les prestó a los padres a uno de sus asesores más cercanos, Clarence Mitchell, para que fuera el portavoz de la familia ante los medios. No olvida que Gerry McCann estaba en el punto de mira del ministerio de Sanidad británico para acceder a un cargo gubernamental de relevancia. No olvida que los padres llamaron antes a Gran Bretaña que al 112 portugués, cuando éstos estaban más cerca.

Nunes, who knows Amaral, explained his reasons before the decision of the police will have been formalized: “The Portuguese police are convinced that there was an accident at home, that the McCanns have a social and political position to defend and that they went mad and disposed of the corpse. The British police spend the whole investigation by concealing evidence that might incriminate the McCanns, because that would involve Gordon Brown.” Nunes does not forget that the British prime minister gave to the parents one of his closest advisers, Clarence Mitchell, to be the spokesman for the family before the media. Do not forget that Gerry McCann was in the spotlight of the British ministry of Health to access a relevant government office. Do not forget that parents called Britain prior to the Portuguese 112, when they were closer.

Crónica estuvo con Gonçalo Amaral, «el gran enemigo de los McCann» -como titulaba el jueves su renuncia a la policía el diario portugués 24 horas-, una semana antes de que lo apartaran del caso.

Chronicle was with Gonçalo Amaral, “the great enemy of the McCanns” -as his resignation on Thursday to the police was called by the Portuguese newspaper 24 oras – one week before he was to depart from the case. [Note: This is a rehash of an interview that was printed in September 2007.]

-Tú no has visto a la madre. Tú no conoces a la madre. Es fría. Es lista. Es una actriz.
Amaral fue apartado por criticar ante la prensa el empeño ocultista de la policía inglesa, su empecinamiento en evitar que los McCann fueran investigados. Y, además, imputó a los McCann tras un tenso interrogatorio nocturno el 7 de septiembre. Dos días después, la pareja y los gemelos huyeron del Algarve y se refugiaron en Gran Bretaña. Seis días más tarde, Amaral habla por vez primera con la prensa desde la desaparición de Maddie. Elige un medio extranjero: Crónica. Pide que el encuentro no se registre como entrevista sino como resultado de fuentes terceras. Sólo quiere que se transcriba su negativa cuando la prensa inglesa lo acaba de sodomizar: le han acusado de borracho, de vago y, lo que más le duele, de ir mal vestido.
-¿No desea responder a las acusaciones?
-No.
-¿No le molesta tanto ruido mediático?
-Como dijo San José, la Justicia se hace en silencio.

- You have not seen the mother. You do not know the mother. She is cold. She is smart. She is an actress.
Amaral was set off by the press to criticize the efforts of the occult British police, their stubbornness in preventing the McCann investigation. And also charged to McCann after a tense night interrogation on 7 September. Two days later, the couple and the twins fled the Algarve and took refuge in Britain. Six days later, Amaral spoke for the first time with the press since the disappearance of Maddie. He chose a foreign means: Chronicle. He requested that the meeting not be recorded as an interview but as a result of third [party] sources. He only wants to be transcribed his denials in those matters in which the British press has just screwed him: they have accused him of drunkenness, laziness, and, that which hurts him most, of being a bad dresser.
– Do you not want to respond to the accusations?
- No.
– Doesn’t the media commotion bother him so much?
- As San José said, justice is done in silence.

Ahora ya no es necesario mantener aquel anonimato. Gonçalo Amaral quedó con el periodista en un bar arrabalero de Olhao, a 80 kilómetros de Portimao. Su aspecto concuerda con el que le reprochan los lechugueros británicos: sin duda, ha dormido con el traje puesto en los últimos tres días; los que lleva sin afeitarse; como tiene fama de alcohólico, el periodista -también con cierto gusto- pide un whisky tras otro durante la entrevista, vasos que los ojos enrojecidos de Amaral siguen con ansiedad dipsómana; pero el Torrente que escenifica Gonçalo Amaral sobre mis whiskies y sus aguas enseguida muestra otras cartas:
-Tu me estás hablando de novelas policíacas. Tú escribes novelas policíacas. Yo hago otras cosas. Yo leo otras cosas. No las que lees tú. Y leo mucho.
Después uno se entera de que Torrente ha estudiado, con las notas más altas de su promoción, Criminología, Psicología, Sociología y Derecho. Un día uno de sus subordinados le preguntó:
-Jefe, ¿y cuál es la rama de investigación que más te pone?
-Las personas.

It is no longer necessary to maintain that anonymity. Gonçalo Amaral met with the journalist in an uncouth bar in Olhao, 80 kilometres from Portimao. His appearance agrees with that of which he is accused by the British lettuce-eaters: undoubtedly he has slept in the suit in the past three days; he hasn’t shaved; as he has a reputation as a drinker, the journalist- also with true pleasure –orders one whisky after another during the interview, glasses that the red eyes of Amaral continue following with anxiety; but the Torrente who dramatised Gonçalo Amaral on my whiskies and his waters immediately shows other cards:
- You’re talking to me of police novels. You write police novels. I do other things. I read other things. I do not you see you. And I read a lot.
Afterwards one learns that Torrente has studied, with the highest marks for his promotion, criminology, psychology, sociology and law. One day one of his subordinates asked him:
- Chief, and what is the branch of investigation that puts you over?
- People.
[Note: The journalist appears to have given Amaral the nickname “el Torrente,” which in Spanish means the rushing stream, the torrent, or the flood. Since it appears that he is also saying that Amaral – somewhat longingly – stuck to water whilst watching the journalist drink water, perhaps this is a play on the fact that Amaral was drinking water rather than spirits that night.]

TRAJES DE HUGO BOSS.
THE HUGO BOSS SUIT.
No le importa que le tachen de borracho o de vago. Lo que le molesta es que la prensa inglesa se meta con sus trajes arrugados, valleinclanescos, sudarios de su sueño durante tres días de vela en un sillón de la Judiciária, con migas en las solapas y en el entendimiento (que las lleva):
-Pero coño, Aníbal. ¡Que este traje es de Hugo Boss!

It is not important that they labeled him drunk or lazy. What bothers him is the English press with their objective of wrinkled suits, sweaty from three sleepness nights of sitting in an armchair in the Judiciária, with crumbs in lapels and in the understanding (that he is wearing them):
But [very bad word that Mum told me never to say], Aníbal. This suit is Hugo Boss!

Finalmente, a Gonçalo Amaral lo despidieron como coordinador de la investigación el 2 de octubre de 2007 (25 días después de inculpar a los McCann). Las razones: había hablado con la prensa -Crónica primero y el Diario de Noticias portugués una semana más tarde- criticando a la entorpecedora policía británica.

Finally, Gonçalo Amaral was dismissed as the coordinator of the investigation on 2 October 2007 (25 days after the McCanns were accused). [Note: The McCanns have not been formally accused. The writer is obviously referring to their being made arguidos.] The reasons: he had spoken to the press – Chronicle first and Portuguese Diario de Noticias one week later – criticizing the obstructionist British police. [Note: The adjective entorpecedora, as applied to the British police, is an important choice of words, in my opinion, and it is not possible to determine exactly what the author is saying. The Spanish verb entorpecer can mean to obstruct, to hinder, to set back, and also, in the sense of work, to delay. All I can say is, pick one. The meaning clearly is that the British police were not helping matters.]

Crónica ha conseguido hablar con uno de los colaboradores de Amaral. A pesar de haber dimitido el miércoles, no ha tirado la toalla. Prepara un libro, el libro, sobre la vergüenza sentida por los investigadores portugueses ante la presión de los ingleses en este tema. No es el único.

Chronicle has managed to speak with one of the collaborators of Amaral. Despite having resigned on Wednesday, he has not thrown in the towel. He is preparing a book, the book, about the shame felt by Portuguese investigators faced with pressure from the British in this matter. You’re not alone.

Paulo Pereira Cristóvao estuvo entre 1990 y 2007 en la Polícia Judiciária como inspector. Trabajó en los departamentos (sic) de Combate y Bandidismo, de Tráfico de Seres Humanos, de Terrorismo, de Mafias del Este. En su éxito editorial A estrela de Madeleine -recién publicado en Portugal por la editorial Presença-, confirma con nombres y apellidos todas la teorías de Amaral: a los padres se les murió la niña; lo ocultaron para evitar una cárcel portuguesa que consideran del tercer mundo; implicaron a sus amigos y a altos funcionarios británicos [la presencia del MI6 en la zona es caldo común con el que viven desde entonces policías y periodistas algarveños]; hicieron desaparecer el cuerpo; convirtieron el caso en la desaparición mediática más grande de toda la historia; adelantaron en rueda de prensa pistas falsas… Nadie ha demandado a Pereira Cristaváo. Su obra no está en las estanterías de las librerías: se vende apilada sobre los mostradores.

Between 1990 and 2007 Paulo Pereira Cristovao was in the Policia Judiciaria as an inspector. He worked in the departments of Combate y Bandidismo, human trafficking, terrorism, and eastern Mafias. In his publishing success “A Estrela de Madeleine” – recently pubhished in Portugal by the publisher Presença – he confirms with names and surnames all Amaral’s theories: their little girl died; they concealed it to avoid a Portuguese prison, which they consider Third World; they involved their friends and high British officials (the presence of MI6 in the area is common knowledge with police and journalists living in the Algarve since then; they made the body disappear; turned the case of the disappearance into the biggest media event in all history; they put forward a false trail in press conference[s]. No one has sued Pereira Cristavao. His work is not on the shelves of bookstores: it is sold piled on top of the counters.

Julián Peribáñez es detective. La agencia de Julián Peribáñez, detective de la agencia Método Tres, lleva siete meses buscando a Madeleine. Y, contrariamente a lo que piensa la bofia portuga, la buscan viva. Más de 20 detectives han trabajado simultáneamente en el caso. Un coste exorbitado. Han atendido más de 2.500 pistas y han seguido más de un centenar en Argentina, México, Marruecos, Bosnia, Portugal… «Nosotros seguimos buscando a Madeleine viva. En caso contrario, no lo haríamos», dice convencido. Él no desprecia a la bofia portuga, pero sigue la estela de los investigadores británicos: Maddie está viva; los padres no tienen nada que ver; los portugas se sienten colonizados y van a lo fácil.

Julian Peribáñez is a detective. The agency of Julian Peribáñez, detective of the agency Metodo 3, has taken seven months searching for Madeleine. And contrary to what the Portuguese cops think, they are looking for her alive. More than 20 detectives have worked simultaneously on the case. An exorbitant cost. [Note: The Spanish word would be “exorbitante,” but I can’t think of any other way to translate it.] They have checked more than 2,500 clues and have followed a hundred in Argentina, Mexico, Morocco, Bosnia, Portugal … “We continue to look for Madeleine alive. Otherwise we would not be doing it,” he says, convinced. He does not scorn the Portuguese police, but he follows the trail of the British investigators: Maddie is alive; the parents have nothing to do with it; the Portuguese feel they are being treated like a colony and are going at it the easy way.

«La pequeña, infelizmente para nosotros y sobre todo para ella, ya no está en el mundo de los vivos. Incluso, si alguien la tuviera en su poder, ¿la iba a mantener viva sabiendo que es la niña más buscada del mundo? Yo creo que no. La publicidad desmesurada que le dieron [los padres, desde la primera noche] a su rostro y su iris especial fueron su condenación. El resto es palabrería, compañero. Murió y que Dios cuide de ella, porque era una inocente que cayó en un mundo de bestias puras». Lo dice Joao Tavares. Amén.

“The little girl, unfortunately for us and especially for her, is no longer in the world of the living. Even if someone had her in his possession, would he keep her alive knowing that she is the most looked-for little girl in the world? I do not think so. The excessive advertising that [the parents ]gave, since the first night, to her face and iris were her special condemnation. The rest is lip service, friend. She died and may God take care of her, because she was an innocent who fell into a world of pure beasts.” Thus said Joao Tavares. Amen.

9 PISTAS PARA UN PUZZLE
9 CLUES FOR A PUZZLE

Tras un año, el caso Maddie se ha convertido en un puzzle imposible de resolver. Todas las pistas que, en algún momento, parecían definitivas, fueron después bulos o callejones sin salida. Estas son algunas:

After one year, the Maddie case has been converted into an impossible to resolve puzzle. All tracks that, at some point, seemed definitive, were afterwards dead ends. Here are some:

Padres sospechosos. Cuatro meses después de la desaparición, Kate y Gerry McCann son declarados sospechosos, por la policía lusa, de la muerte accidental de su hija tras ser interrogados por separado. Las contradicciones en que cayeron -defienden que se turnaron para vigilar a sus hijos mientras varios testigos aseguran que no se movieron; dijeron que alguien había entrado desde fuera pero la contraventana no estaba forzada y negaron haber salido esa tarde del apartamento, cuando fueron filmados en una heladería- les pusieron en el punto de mira de la misma prensa británica que hace un mes les pidió perdón.

Parents suspects. Four months after the disappearance, Kate and Gerry McCann are declared suspects by the Portuguese police, of the accidental death of their daughter after being interrogated separately. The contradictions into which they fell- they argue that they were taking turns in order to monitor their children while several witnesses claim that they had not moved; they said that someone had come from outside but the window shutter was not forced and denied having left the apartment that afternoon, when they were filmed in an ice cream shop – they were put in the spotlight of the same British press that a month ago apologized to them.

Somníferos. La Policía llegó a barajar la hipótesis de que la muerte de Madeleine la hubiese causado una sobredosis de somníferos. Del diario de Kate se desprende las dificultades de ésta para dominar a la pequeña, «hiperactiva» según la madre. Hasta el padre de Kate llegó a especular en público (aunque fuera para negarlo) con esa posibilidad. También se publicó que tras el nacimiento de los gemelos, Madeleine fue sometida a un tratamiento para controlar los celos y los médicos le recetaron tranquilizantes. El rastro de las pastillas también se esfumó, aunque los gemelos durmieran como angelitos ante 40 personas la noche de autos.

Sedatives. The Police went so far as to consider the hypothesis that the death of Madeleine had been caused by an overdose of sedatives. From Kate’s diary can be inferred her difficulties in controlling the child, “hyperactive” according to the mother. Kate’s father went so far as to speculate in public (albeit to deny it) with that possibility. It was also published that after the birth of the twins, Madeleine was subjected to treatment to control jealousy and the doctors prescribed tranquilizers. The track of the pills also faded away, although the twins slept like as angels in the presence of 40 people the night in question.

Los amigos. Los McCann cenaron la noche de la desaparición con otros tres matrimonios de médicos, y la madre de uno de ellos, en el restaurante Tapas, a 30 metros del hotel. Las versiones no coinciden en algunos detalles como los que atañen a la vigilancia de los niños. Jade Taner, presente en esa mesa, asegura haber visto a un hombre con un niño en los brazos. Su descripción -pelo oscuro, delgado, 1,70 metros-, sirvió para hacer un retrato robot sobre el presunto secuestrador. Inculpaba a un vecino de oídas de una tercera. Cuestión de celos. Hace unos días todos fueron llamados de nuevo a declarar. Ningún avance.

The friends. The McCanns had dinner the night of the disappearance with three other couples of doctors, and the mother of one of them, at the Tapas restaurant, 30 metres from the hotel. The versions do not coincide in some details as those relating to monitoring of the children. Jade Taner [sic, should be Jane Tanner], present at that table, says she saw a man with a child in his arms. His description-dark hair, slim, 1.70 meters, served to make a portrait robot [efit] on the alleged hijacker. He was accused by hearsay of a third party neighbour. Question of jealousy. A few days ago all were called back to testify. No progress.

El «criminal». Robert Murat es un ciudadano británico que vive con su madre cerca de donde desapareció la niña. Fue el primer sospechoso -15 de mayo-. Quedó en libertad por falta de pruebas. Hijo de portugués, está divorciado y tiene una niña de cuatro años que vive con su ex mujer en Inglaterra. Fue denunciado por la periodista Lori Campell, del Sunday Mirror, extrañada por su comportamiento durante la investigación, en los que trabajó como traductor para la Policía. Anuncia querellas a diestro y siniestro.

The “criminal”. Robert Murat is a British citizen who lives with his mother near where the girl disappeared. He was the first suspect – 15 May. He was released for lack of evidence. Son of a Portuguese, he is divorced and has a four-year girl who lives with his ex-wife in England. He was denounced by journalist Lori Campell, of the Sunday Mirror, for his strange behavior during the investigation, in which he worked as a translator for the police. He announces that he is bringing lawsuits left, right, and centre.

La sangre. Los perros utilizados por la Policía encontraron olor a cadáver en el piso y en la llave del coche, un Renault Scenic, que los McCann alquilaron tras la desaparición de su hija. También encontraron restos de sangre en el maletero. Antes ya habían aparecido otros en una pared del dormitorio ocupado por los padres de la niña. Sin embargo, los análisis de los laboratorios de Birmingham concluyeron que los restos del coche pertenecen a un hombre adulto con una probabilidad de un 72%. El que las paredes del apartamento fueran limpiadas con detergente, y la contaminación que fue la presencia la noche de autos de una cuarentena de personas en el apartamento, acabaron por invalidar estos restos como prueba.

The blood. The dogs used by the Police found cadaver odour on the floor and on the key of the car, a Renault Scenic, which the McCanns rented after the disappearance of their daughter. They also found traces of blood in the trunk. Before others had already appeared on a wall of the bedroom occupied by the parents of the girl. However, the analysis laboratories in Birmingham concluded that the remains in the car belonged to an adult male with a probability of 72%. The walls of the apartment were cleaned with detergent, and the contamination that was the result of the presence in the apartment that night of some 40 or so people, eventually invalidated these remains as evidence.

Huesos. El descubrimiento de unos huesos en una presa del Algarve en enero parecía el final. Eran de animal.

Bones. The discovery of some bones in a dam of the Algarve in January seemed the end. They were animal.

Fotos. Raro ha sido el mes que no han salido publicadas fotos con supuestas Madeleines en cualquier lugar del mundo: Marruecos, España, Holanda…

Pictures. Rare has been the month that has gone without published photos with alleged Madeleines anywhere in the world: Morocco, Spain, Holland …

El mulato. La coincidencia de unas fotos, donde se ve a un hombre mulato en un parque junto a Maddie antes de su desaparición y ese mismo personaje acompañando a Robert Murat tras su detención, hizo correr la hipótesis de una presunta red de pederastas dirigida por policías que sacaba niños del país para venderlos al extranjero con destino al tráfico de órganos. Todas las redes de pedofilia conocidas fueron barridas sin resultado.

The mulatto. The coincidence of some pictures, in which one sees a mulatto man in a park next to Maddie before her disappearance and the same character accompanying Robert Murat after his arrest, did run the hypothesis of an alleged paedophile network led by police who drew children of the country in order to sell them abroad for the purpose of the traffic in organs. All known paedophile networks were swept to no avail.

Huida. Tras presiones diplomáticas desde Londres, los McCann dejaron Portugal, a pesar de que el Código Penal portugués contempla (art. 138) el delito de negligencia por dejar a los niños solos sin cuidadora pudiendo pagarla.

The flight. Following diplomatic pressure from London, the McCanns left Portugal, although the Portuguese Penal Code provides (Article 138) the crime of negligence for leaving the children alone without a caregiver could have been charged.

Lead: Portugal. Secuestros. Personas desaparecidas. Caso de la niña Madeleine McCann. A punto de cumplirse el primera aniversario, «Crónica» regresa a Praia da Luz y contempla cómo policías lusos e ingleses se preocupan más de su guerra íntima que de buscar a la niña
Firma: ANÍBAL MALVAR

Lead: Portugal. Abductions. Missing persons. Case of the girl Madeleine McCann. On the brink of the anniversary, “Chronicle” returns to Praia da Luz and considers how Portuguese and British police are more worried over their private war than looking for the child.

Signature: Anibal Malva

Minor Update: The story has reached the British media, another spin against the PJ. Daily Mail

space for the eventual media spinning plagiarism and lies as true facts

This was a collaboritve work done by Astro, Beachy, Joana, Tiffany, Stinky Sardine, The Academic, Anna, Santacoloma, Mercedes, Fenugreek, SkinnyDip, Eraumavez, Mantra, Kazlux, Cassen and other Spanish-speakers. To all a big Thank you, Muchissimas Gracias e Muito Obrigada.

The letter to the Telegraaf?

Blog inaneness?

The ‘Tiny Tears’ comment?

The ‘saved a man on the plane’ story?

The ‘stolen wallet’ story?

Ignore sightings one way, and head the opposite to raise awareness?

Did bundleman suddenly gain a child with pink jammies?

Go to Huelva when everything was shut?

Drive hundreds of unexplained miles?

Didn’t the twins wake when everyone rampaged through the apartment?

Did they turn the cleaner away on the 3rd May?

Were there no Madeleine, Sean, Amelie fingerprints in 5A?

Did the blue sports bag go missing?

Did they have several different buggies?

Does Kate talk about ‘you feel, you think’ instead of ‘I feel, I think’?

Do the family believe their crock of plop?

Did the older priest leave PdL in a couple of days, to be replaced?

Did they flee Portugal within hours of becoming arguido / a?

Did they leave the twins at the creche the very next day, and every day after?

Did they leave the twins and galavant off around Europe to tell people what was on the news?

Do they refer always to the twins saying and doing things, and not the individual?

Does Kate bloom and blossom after the first few days?

Did Gerry set up a tennis tournament the next day?

Did Kate not go out to look that night?

Did Kate not join the people on the beach to search the following day?

Was Kate to be found by the pool?

Is there not a scrap of evidence that any predator was in 5A?

Was there a scrap of evidence that anyone other than rampagers after the alarm were in 5A?

Did they wash the curtains?

Did they dispose of a fridge?

Did they claim to keep soggy nappies and rotting meat in the boot of their car?

Was cadaverine and hair from Madeleine found in that car?

Did the PJ intercept emails and texts which suggested that Madeleine died in 5A?

Did Esther bow out of the fund?

Does the fund have a clause ‘to support the family’?

Have they used the fund to pay their mortgage?

Did Kate explain the death scent on her jeans as being from dead bodies in her locum GP role?

Did Kate not tell that she bought those jeans in Lagos?

Did Kate’s bible have a page turned over at a relevant biblical text?

Didn’t the good Catholic Gerry know where the church in PdL was, even after he had passed it daily?

Did they ring family, friends, and Sky news before ringing the police?

Did they say to MW staff they had alerted the police, when they hadn’t?

Did they suddenly take up, and suddenly ditch jogging?

Do they not miss an opportunity to be photographed with cuddlecat, or toys hanging out their pockets?

Did the good Catholic Kate not realise (for a few days) that it was sacrilege to put the rosary around a toy?

Be photographed acting like recently married celebrities leaving the church?

Keep bleating about looking for Madeleine, but offer no evidence that they have / are?

Hired a lawyer known for his excellence in extradition?

Hire 3 other lawyers before any charges have been brought?

Hire a spin doctor from the Madeleine fund?

Call it the Find Madeleine Fund when it is registered as the Madeleine Fund?

Make out he was visited by the holy spirit who told him to set up the Fund?

Try and be ambassadors for abducted children, when they neglected theirs?

Not truly admit, in full, how very wrong they were?

Not truly admit they couldn’t see the doors to the apartment?

Not truly admit they were out on the plss?

Not truly admit they were out on the plss every night?

Not tell us how far the Tapas bar was from the apartment?

Did Justine scarper?

Are Clarrie, Kate’s parents, Gerry’s family, and a handful of naive, blind, sycophantic supporters the only ones who believe them?

Perhaps they didn’t get the memos outlining all of the above.

Spin that Clarrie!

The President of the Junta de Andalucía met the Cortés family this weekend to show his support and his hopes for Mari Luz’s safe return.

The Cortés family say they are against a poster campaign launched in Spain by the McCann family which shows images of four year old Madeleine alongside their daughter, Mari Luz, who disappeared in Huelva on 13th January, and others pictured with Yeremi Vargas, who was seven when he disappeared from Gran Canaria last year.

Mari Luz’s father, Juan José Cortés, said after a meeting with Manuel Chaves, President of the Junta de Andalucía, this weekend, that, while he is not against collaborating in the search for Madeleine and ‘even helping to draw up a poster of all the missing youngsters,’ the lines of investigation into the disappearance of the two young girls are distinct, and are being carried out in two separate countries. EFE said he is considering taking legal action for using his daughter’s image for the campaign.

The news agency noted his comment that the press in Portugal is reporting that the cost of the poster campaign is being met with 4,000 € from each family.

Juan José Cortés said after the meeting with Chaves, ‘the President has understood the pain we are suffering, and this type of meeting helps us to at least feel we have the support of the administration.