Madeleine McCann: Portugal Police Search And Eilis O’Hanlon Empathises
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
SUNDAY PEOPLE: “Police hunt for Maddie ‘is still on’”
Portugal’s top cop has vowed to search “to the ends of the Earth” for Maddie McCann even though prosecutors have shelved the case. Almeida Rodrigues, head of the Judicial Police, said his detectives will chase up all leads until the 15-month mystery is solved.
No end in sight.
He said: “A case only stops being investigated if there is a successful criminal trial.”
IRISH INDEPENDENT: “Only McCanns know full pain of never-ending story - If you find the ambiguity hard to live with, imagine the trauma the McCanns have to endure, writes Eilis O’Hanlon”
Let’s empathise. Says O’Hanlon:
It’s difficult to know where the story can go from here.
But you’ve got a column to fill. Dig deep.
But it still feels as if an ending of sorts has been reached. The disappearance of Madeleine has become a part of history. That’s probably a shocking indictment of the shortness of our collective memory — but, reprehensible or not, it’s true.
It’s living history. Read about it today’s Irish Indy.
The internet obsessives will keep the flame burning a little longer, having determined long ago not to let a little thing like the facts stop them witch-hunting Kate and Gerry; but even they will give up eventually.
Read O’Hanlon’s column online.
And that’s why there’s still such an unwillingness among many to accept that the McCanns’ names really have been conclusively cleared. Take the Portuguese statement at face value, rather than deciphering it for clues that Madeleine’s parents really were guilty of her murder and are only being exonerated because they have powerful friends who put pressure on the authorities in Praia da Luz, and what it means is that there still isn’t closure and there’s precious little prospect of there ever being so. It means living with ambiguity.
Well, no. The McCanns are no longer suspects because there is no evidence to say otherwise. But hasn’t it all ended, O’Hanlon?
Posted: 27th, July 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (368) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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July 28th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Hey you lot - chill out - its not the end of the world - your life will go on whether or not anorakian views are “blighted” by the mods. just dont take anything too seriously - if you want everything you say to be reported on, repeated and eventually thrashed out as a point of law, then stand for Parliament
_______________________
m&a
hear hear
agree that there are more important things to worry about
such as where is the bottle opener
-meercat
July 28th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Annie, here’s to you! Can’t fault your decision making.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Amused Bystander,
I am sorry to read you won’t be a regular poster. Honestly it will be a loss.
Mind you I may not be either(lol)
GOOD NIGHT.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:32 am
I got in an argue with AGW one night . . a short one.
Not sure he is so fair and balanced that night, but WTF, he’s the man.
But here I am, still expressing my rightful views.
Administrator: Two points there: I never argue or debate here, and you are expressing your view. It may may very well be rightful, in your opinion. Others will not agree and express different viewpoints. That is their right. -agw
July 28th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Yes Elena. My last comment before hitting the sack is:
1. Indeed, three cheers to ALL the Mods for their long but necessary hours given freely and generously. It can’t be an easy job and I, Elena, wouldn’t want it either.
2. I’m no longer a regular visitor here and I have no reason to doubt your comment that by no means all the Mods act in that immoderate biased way I was talking about. Indeed I have also in the past experienced far more graceful moderating so I’m sure you’re right.
3. I’d probably be a far from perfect moderator myself if I was one, so please don’t take it personally Mr/Ms/Mrs Moderator(s) whoever you are who was/were moderating in those two, and other, periods. Take it, if it is humanly possible with all those barbed comments of mine, as a constructive suggestion!
July 28th, 2008 at 1:26 am
Hi Veritable - I’ve been in a bit of a one myself today - do I go to see my 87 year old mother, do I stay with by sick husband, do I take by granddaughter to the park, or do I sit on my backside and enjoy the sunshine. Having deliberated, I thought “well I cant divide myself up, so I will stay in one piece, pour myself a drink, and - well I got quite a good tan today.!!
July 28th, 2008 at 1:23 am
Elena,
I have had a number of my posts moderated and pulled.
I just don’t whine about it.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Marav,
I am not a mod, but Solomon posts his wisdom on 3A under the same name.
There are some great photo creations there that might be a creation of Just Me. Kate riding Clarence the mule into Rome was brilliant.
Just surmising. I think Just Me still posts here, she just wasn’t around today. Don’t know about Stevo, but he may have been banned from 3A. Just a rumor.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Maravilha - BUT, maybe he was outed before a crucial bit of evidence which he held was able to be reported by him officially. There has to be a very good reason why he would risk a libel case - which subsequently could cost him much more that he would make from his book, - if he were not absolutely sure that he would come out of it smelling of roses. Maybe that is the key to it all, mabe he does have that crucial bit of evidence, not necessarily written in the book, but were he to be taken to court, he would be able to make statements and be heard, whereas as soon as he was dismissed from the case, his words would not be considered…..just a thought
July 28th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Mods and Admi,
I think I miss many people on this forum. I only remember Steve, Salomon, Just-Me.
What happened to them all?
July 28th, 2008 at 1:10 am
Amused Bystander Said
“That is, unless their agenda (as Moderators???!!???) is to favour and promote ONE point of view to the detriment of others”
I agree with the view that the mods are to be applauded for giving their services freely and generously and their hours appear long and tiring. Would I do it? No.
However I do feel there is bias. It is open and undeniable and in a proper debate would not exist.The mods for a start have power to pull comments and freeze posters out. That puts them in a privleged position.Badgering posters who do not share their views is to my mind abusing that power.Of course they should take part in the debate,they have opinions, but take the mod cap off first.
In their defence however I must say it doesn’t always happen. I don’t think it is what they all do.I don’t know all the mods here, but I have noticed that the constant tag on comments and chiding only occurs at certain times. In fact Duncan is rather sweet imo. Now I couldn’t imagine him saying all McCannlanders this or that!
July 28th, 2008 at 1:09 am
Annie1,
yes, this could be a side of Amaral’s story. To be brought to court, who knows.
But I also think he just wants to tell what happened during the investigations.
Not more and not less than that.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:51 am
mary, I believe those two doctors exist.
What we don’t know is if they were telling the truth.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:51 am
mary Says:
July 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
As The Mccanns are into taking legal action then surely no publisher would touch any book about this case without lawyers being involved - if Amaral claims something as fact then he would have to back that up if taken to court regarding witnesses, statements, evidence etc. As certain allegations have been made about one of the party by “two doctors” then surely this person will sue unless these two doctors exist and did come forward with an allegation.
Maybe, just maybe he WANTS to be taken to court because just as he was dismissed he had the proof and the only way now that he can produce the proof is to be taken to court and asked to provide evidence of his allegations? you never know, maybe it is exactly what he wants to happen. Wouldnt it be a revelation if the one cop who got the push held all the evidence and had to write a book which was libelous encourage someone to taken court action and ask him to prove it, and he did just that - Oh the effects of a drop of the old dark stuff !! I must be mad to even think it..
July 28th, 2008 at 12:49 am
chenier
“Perhaps you could set up your own blog and run the libel risks for yourself; ”
1) I am much too lazy.
2) I am not Stevo
“bewailing the loss of freedom of speech whilst simultaneously ensuring that yet more freedom of speech is lost is not a reputable position.
You have lost me.
“And as Mrs T pointed out, the site has an owner; if you are claiming that the Mods are showing bias then you should make that claim to Anorak, not post it on the blog…”
If it actually worried me deeply, then yes I could, but It doesn’t, so I wont.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:46 am
And I only had two barley wines yet - just wait until the third checks in!!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Hello everyone - its that time of night again!! doesn’t time fly by?? WHO prey is Guess
Who? I cant remember a guess who, or I would have tried to - guess who, that is. I wonder why guess who has suddenly decided to appear anon. (guess who?) when it appears to be all over bar the shouting. If Guess who, had made him or herself known (or unknown) whichever the preference, earlier in the proceedings, then maybe we would have all been guessing as to who guess who really is - or historically was
July 28th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Goodnight chenier.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:32 am
I’m off to get some sleep; good night all!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:19 am
MrsT
“Brilliant Top Gear tonight Stig :)”
Thank you!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:18 am
The Real Stig Says:
July 28th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Irene
Are your trying to snuff out the last flicker of free discourse?
Moi? Not at all, that’s the moderators job.
—————————–
Really?
Perhaps you could set up your own blog and run the libel risks for yourself; bewailing the loss of freedom of speech whilst simultaneously ensuring that yet more freedom of speech is lost is not a reputable position.
And as Mrs T pointed out, the site has an owner; if you are claiming that the Mods are showing bias then you should make that claim to Anorak, not post it on the blog…
July 28th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Irene
Are your trying to snuff out the last flicker of free discourse?
Moi? Not at all, that’s the moderators job.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Amused Bystander Says:
July 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Chenier.
Mud-slinging? (last 2 paras) I won’t react.
Btw it is when you use your bias in moderating that you don’t moderate fairly, eg. as to Maria today and Stig on 24/07 (IMO).
———————–
The only person doing the mud slinging is you, in the direction of the Mods.
You claim to be concerned about the welfare of children yet you prefer to spend your time haranguing the Mods.
Why aren’t you spending it in a way which would at least add a veneer of plausibility to your expressed concerns? Do that and who knows, the All-Caps and multiple exclamation marks might soon be but a distant memory…
July 28th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Lighten up, Stig, you might live longer!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Brilliant Top Gear tonight Stig
July 28th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Amused Bystander
“Stig.
I took that comment of JJ’s in good humour…”
I didn’t
July 28th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Chenir
I am fully aware of that, I didn’t mean to imply the mods didn’t do anything, just that their function seems to me likely separate from those who actually do perform the core enabling functions.
I can be overly literal and pedantic at times, and this is obviously one of them.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Guess who,
At least the PJ has said that the search is going on.
The parents on the other hand are not lifting a finger.
I don’t simply don’t agree that that there is NO evidence of a crime.
Gee how many times have I said that today?
See the summary PJ report and ongoing translations of Amaral’s book at
http://www.mccannfiles.com
Food for thought, at the least, and more to come.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
As The Mccanns are into taking legal action then surely no publisher would touch any book about this case without lawyers being involved - if Amaral claims something as fact then he would have to back that up if taken to court regarding witnesses, statements, evidence etc. As certain allegations have been made about one of the party by “two doctors” then surely this person will sue unless these two doctors exist and did come forward with an allegation.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Chenier.
Mud-slinging? (last 2 paras) I won’t react.
Btw it is when you use your bias in moderating that you don’t moderate fairly, eg. as to Maria today and Stig on 24/07 (IMO).