Madeleine McCann: A Titanic Struggle With The Germans And Slavery In Morocco
MADDY WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “IS MADELEINE A CHILD SLAVE IN MOROCCO?”
“Madeleine McCann may have been condemned to a life of slavery working as a ‘little maid’ for a rich Arab family…” Or not
Page 5: “’Madeleine will be used as a little maid’” – so suggests Inspector Hicham Alaoui of the Moroccan Police in El Hajeb near Fez
Little maids, notes the paper, are “collected by rich families as ‘curiosities’ as well as servants. A woman from a group called Ecpatuk says such children are “vulnerable to abuse”. The Express sys the girls are abused “physically, emotionally and sexually”. Can Madeleine McCann be among them? Maybe…
“Sacked detective called in to help with the probe” – Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral is talking with new chief Paulo Rebelo
“Fury over magazine ‘sick’ ads” – German magazine titanic has lampooned the case, using Madeleine’s image in spoof supermarket adverts. Gerry and Kate McCann call it “sick” and “very hurtful”. The magazine says Madeleine McCann is “getting a bit much for many people”
DAILY MIRROR front page: “Clear us… you have no case”
Says a friend of Kate and Gerry McCann: “They are adamant they should now be cleared”, as are many suspects in ongoing investigations
Page 7: “McCann ‘clear us’ demand’” – Says Clarence Mitchell: “If the reports are true clearly it would indicate the police absolutely, and quite rightly, have no case against Kate and Gerry”
DAILY MAIL front page: “Oh. Come off it, Heather, how dare you compare your ordeal to Kate McCann’s?” Heather Mills is on the telly
Page 7: “Police pursuit of McCanns ‘is running out of steam’” – The public prosecutor in Portugal says Kate and Gerry McCann will not face further police interviews “unless detectives can produce stronger evidence against them”
Mark Williams-Thomas, a former detective with Surrey Police, says the McCann’s private detectives could be on the wrong trail in Morocco. Or not
THE SUN page 24: “GERMAN MAG’S SICK JOKES ABOUT MADDIE – McCanns’ horror as spoof ad pokes fun at lost girl”
Ad advert in satirical Titantic magazine promises the kitchen cleaner will “remove all traces at the home” even DNA traces. The adverts warn that just because Madeleine’s face is on the product it does not mean they can be taken for free. The Sun is disgusted. It reproduces the images and the words to allow its readers to share in its disgust
A march on the German embassy is not yet in the planning
DAILY STAR front page: “MADDIE SICK NEW TWIST – Horror at German abuse of missing tot”
The Germans have her. A German paedo!
Page 7: “TOTALLY SICK – A full reproduction of the spoof adverts. “McCann’s agony as rag mocks hunt for Maddie.” Thanks to the Star and Sun, the McCanns now know that an obscure German magazines has made jokes about their case
Says Clarence Mitchell: “It shows Madeleine herself no respect… The magazine did not seek permission to use Madeleine’s image to be used on this so-called joke. It they had it would almost certainly not have been given”
So much for doing anything to keep Madeleine in the news
THE INDEPENDENT page 5: “Mills: I am treated as badly as Kate McCann and Diana.” More on Lady Mucca
THE TELEGRAPH page 9: “Madeleine police ‘consult sacked head of inquiry’” – chief inspector Goncalo Amaral is on the case. Sort of
The paper says detectives are “no closer to solving the case”. And the campaign to find Madeleine goes on…
THE TIMES and THE GUARDIAN: No Madeleine news today
Posted: 1st, November 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,518) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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November 1st, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Hideki… you have a very nasty mind and it bothers me that you think like that. I have decided not to read any more of your posts because you are truly obnoxious.
No need to respond. You are off my radar!
November 1st, 2007 at 2:49 pm
425 Hideki
If these are the only photos the McCanns could release, imagine how suspicious the others are.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Maicen, I think you are confusing the fund with the reward.
The reward on offer of (I think) 2 million is money pledged by JKR, Stephen Winyard, the Beckhams etc. It has not been handed over, no-one has it, but in the event of it being needed they’ll pay up them. There’s no interest or anything on that because its still with the donators.
None of them have withdrawn their support from the reward money.
The fund is something completely different and in an account……
November 1st, 2007 at 2:47 pm
415 Maicen
A million quid at 4.5% interest earns about 865 per week. Where on earth do you bank? 13,000 a week is 676,000 a year or a whopping 67.6% interest!
November 1st, 2007 at 2:46 pm
405
Sammy J Says:
“forgive me but I can’t see that there is something wrong with her neck. She is half turned and has her hand on her head so she would naturally twist to do that.”
It is not the turning or twisting, but the alignment of head and body. Other photos are carefully selected to NOT show this. I think the problem is in the neck. But I wonder why the McCanns have never made any statements concerning Madeleine’s medical conditions at all, including confirmations or denials of autism, etc.
Stevo, I disagree about make-up , although it is not heavily applied, but sparingly applied. Look very carefully while comparing photos and it becomes more evident. And the poses are clearly dictated by an adult. Not that that alone is too strange, but why are there no NORMAL photos of Madeleine doing NORMAL things, that ALSO show her face clearly? Maybe it is a cultural thing, but I would think that with digital cameras, parents would have hundreds of photos to choose from, and come up with the clearest shots that represent the child most naturally.
However, I realize that if others cannot see the photos as significant in this way, I could be wrong about it. That’s why I was anxious to get some opinions on it.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:44 pm
416 matty
Ok…next time I’m up in the NE, I’m coming to your house for some of that roast pork. I expect you to do a mean ‘crackling’ as well!
Yes, I know the Mackem/Geordie mentality very well.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Correction to my 401 post to Carrie
In the first paragraph, second sentence, please replace the words ‘my opinion’ to ‘my post’.
BTW, I was an admirer of Mike Hitchen’s blog until this morning. His overreaction and mislabeling of my posts as someone from the McCann camp who is upset because he is ‘on message’ make me suspicious of him.
Here was Anon. 9:58’s original post:
Anonymous said…
I don’t think this is one of your finest posts Mike.
You have gone from being certain that justice is coming very soon to now asking for help that our voices are heard even louder.
If I was a member of Team McCann or their protective media reading this I would think you’ve been bluffing.
—–
And here was Mike’s response to him/her:
Anon whined don’t think this is one of your finest posts Mike.
You have gone from being certain that justice is coming very soon to now asking for help that our voices are heard even louder.
If I was a member of Team McCann or their protective media reading this I would think you’ve been bluffing.
You seem to have difficulty understanding my posts - would you like to get a friend to walk you through them - or have you already done that?
—–
And then I piped in with:
Jolie said…
I don’t understand why Anon. was jumped on for his/her calmly stated, honest comments. I agree with them, as I also perceive a shift in Mike’s message about the McCanns in this latest post. He has led us to believe from his previous posts and responding comments that he knows why the McCanns are being protected (their deep, dark secret from the 90’s) and what is happening behind the scenes to bring justice to the McCanns and to expect that actions would be taken soon that would become public knowledge. This latest post seems to imply he actually knows very little.
I am disappointed.
——
All Mike had to do was calmly state the reasonings behind the change in tone in his latest post and reinforce his prior claims to inside knowledge. Instead he chose to go on the offensive against those daring to question him. I don’t find that to be an intelligent or measured response, which is what I would have wanted from someone who supposedly is in the thick of helping to bring the McCanns to justice. I will reprint some of his comments related to that in other posts here.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Just_me 409
I think it’s to save her having to tattoo “I AM A SUFFERING MOTHER!” on her forehead.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:42 pm
417 john
That would be a good point if it was designed to make her look like a target of paedophiles but in all honesty I don’t see that Madeleine looks anything other than the 3/4 year old girl she was. In fact, she’s a nice looking little girl but I don’t think she’s any more or less good looking than other kids her age. I think too much was made of her looks which really aren’t extraordinary at all.
Not taking away from your line of reasoning…the McCanns may be thinking along those lines.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:41 pm
418 Karen
I am sure that you are right about. The employer would have to be hard hearted and be ready to be accused of lack of sympathy by the press as the case is known world wide.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:39 pm
413 Sammy J
That sounds about right. I remembered seeing a picture of Madeleine with frizzy hair and wondered if it was a perm. Even if it was, there’s nothing wrong or sinister with it. Like your girls, my daughter was always prissy and playing with girly stuff like makeup. I really don’t see it as a blatant sign of pedophilia. I think Hideki makes some great well thought out postings but on this I disagree…but am agreeing with you.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Harry - the wrong side of £200,000!!! Most people are the wrong side of £30,000.
I don’t know why they took unpaid leave - anyone with a missing child and that kind of support and public profile would get a sick line easily. They’d be entitled to it.
It’s as if they knew that they wouldn’t get Madeleine back (either because they’re more realistic in their thinking than they are in their public statements - or they know where she is) or they’d decided they didn’t want to go back to their ordinary jobs but wanted media careers instead (which is backed up by Gerry saying he wanted to put the search for Madeleine behind him and concentrate on the politics when he was at the Edinburgh Festival)
November 1st, 2007 at 2:38 pm
I am not sure quite how to word this but it has struck me - others of you may possibly also have alluded to this - that many of the photos of Madeleine show adult poses - eg hair being pulled back on photo in Everton shirt, dressing up as an adult in over size clothes with what appears to be a made up face. Being the father of grown up boys I am perhaps not well enough acquainted with what passes for what is usual for 3 year old girls. Why would the McCanns want to show these types of photos as typical of her especially if they feel that she may have been taken by paedophiles - or does it help to support that supposition by showing the world why she may have been a target?
November 1st, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Stevo- had problems with computer last night and my son wasn’t in to rectify them, out of my capablities although I do make a mean pork roast. Not sure my reply actually got posted in repy to your question.
I’m Sunderland and Sid is Newcastle which makes for very confused children if you understand the rivalry between Makems and Geordies. Newcastle is a great place though, even better for a night on the razzle, children well cared for of course.
BBL duties call…
November 1st, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Dora…
You may be right..they maybe withdrew from reward money, according to someone I have just asked. NOTW took up slack.
Still it cannot be exactly the same amount since £1 million squids attracts a weekly interest of some £13K……. so after 6 months it must be whoppingly bigger…..outside of funds spent if any.
O/Topic
Our wonderful UK Police have just been found GUILTY of killing Jean Paul de Menendez , and putting public at risk in process. Heard on radio news 5 seconds ago.The rest is to follow
November 1st, 2007 at 2:36 pm
396 Hideki
I know where you were going with the makeup theory but I don’t see it for several reasons:
1. I’m not entirely certain that a pedophile is so open to putting makeup on a child.
2. Many children in the USA get involved in pageants and beauty contests. If you see the amount of makeup and hairdo with these children, it looks repugnant and by your logic, they’d be pedophiles. Some parents like this are just over-the-top and don’t know when to stop with the makeup. To them it’s about ego.
3. Why release images of Madeleine wearing makeup when clearly you’d have others? I said before and others have…we can’t see any makeup.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:35 pm
408
Stevo
I think the photo with the curly hair was just from plaits.
I put my girls’ hair in plaits after bathtime and it comes out like that the next morning.
Incidentally (not aimed at you stevo) , my girls all play with makeup and I have never had a problem with that. Kids makeup is just coloured grease anyway and normally ends up in their eyebrows / on their teeth. I don’t see anything sinister about it, unless it’s done every day before going out. That is a little weird.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:34 pm
309 Titanic rules!
@Ferdinand. Agreed. Only proves my point, you can’t translate in such a way that it still carries the same satirical vibe.
“That’s too much” would be a closer translation but does not carry the same emotional disapproval as “Das geht zu weit”…
—————————–
Why not translate literally: It goes too far
November 1st, 2007 at 2:34 pm
http://lh5.google.com/chronictonic1/RvlkWVAScCI/AAAAAAAAAGs/4tEgRdITt60/MaddyMcCann1ES_468×614.jpg?imgmax=512
By all means zoom in on this picture and notice the eyebrows, eyelashes, eye-liner applied, etc. Be sure to compare these features (including the teeth) with other pictures. The contrast helps to show that the girl is being made up in various ways, apparently in preparation for the photo, or some other activity.
When do you think this photo was taken? Why do you think the McCanns do not tell us the dates of any photos they released, and only provided TWO recent photos? Again, why nothing from the McCanns pertaining to the medical conditions, rumours of autism, etc?
November 1st, 2007 at 2:32 pm
405 Sad Git
Stop talking about Gerry like that!
November 1st, 2007 at 2:32 pm
405 - is she still carrying it? for god sake, that prop just doesnt do it for me im afraid. if it was me, i would place cuddlecat on maddies bed until she returns, keeping such a treasured thing safe. but we all know there is little chance of her returning, so will kate carry it forever?
November 1st, 2007 at 2:31 pm
399 Hideki
Whilst I can’t rule out your theories of abuse from within, I don’t agree at all that any photo of Madeleine has her wearing makeup or lipstick or anything remotely like that. I can’t see it. When you mentioned this the other day I have been looking for it but can’t see it anywhere. The only thing I’ve noticed is her hair has had a perm in one photo but hairdos are not unusual for a girl of any age. Oh, and I definitely can’t see anything wrong with the Everton shirt photo. Why are you saying she has a neck problem?
November 1st, 2007 at 2:30 pm
It looks to me like they will get away with it.The moment Branson chipped in with his £million I thought that was the sign that those that know had assured him he wouldn’t be backing a loser.
This thing will gradually fade away and no charges will ever be made.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Maicen.
Not one cent has been withdrawn from the reward offer by any of them. It still stands at the same amount.
I’m sure you can google that correctly….
November 1st, 2007 at 2:29 pm
377
Kate must be sick of having to carry that pink thing around by now, I bet she wishes she’d never come up with that idea.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:29 pm
392
Hideki
forgive me but I can’t see that there is something wrong with her neck.
She is half turned and has her hand on her head so she would naturally twist to do that.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Ross - I don’t think they do regret leaving her. They don’t say it and they don’t show it - and although they’re getting some terrible press in Spain and Portugal I think the positive British press and the fan support is (for Gerry anyway) some kind of compensation.
I know people will say, how can you say that when they’ve lost a child etc etc - but lots of people lose children through accident, murder, kidnap or illness - we’ve never seen this kind of reaction before.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:28 pm
388 just_me
I know. I think it was “indiansummer” in here who had friends in PDL who said the villa they moved into cost 800 quid a week. You can get a family holiday in a hotel for that including flights so they’re not exactly good at budgeting money are they?
November 1st, 2007 at 2:27 pm
390 Carrie
I respect and thank you for your opinion. My first opinion was very measured and intended only to defend the attack on the original anonymous poster, since I agreed with the message of anonymous’s post. It was the ‘ludicrous’ subsequent posts in response to my initial message that brought out my further honest appraisals of the man and his blog.
If he only wanted to hear yes-men respond to his blog, he should have said so. I think he’s off his rocker, at least on this subject, because he can’t tell friend from foe–everyone that does not agree with him wholeheartedly is an enemy.
He uses the worst smears on the McCanns (remember I am not in their camp) and insinuates in earlier posts that he knows the dirt on them, so if he really doesn’t have the goods to back up his statements, then I find that disgusting. He is misleading the people who read his blog, I think.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:27 pm
936 - I cant open that link, is anyone else having the same probs?