Madeleine McCann: Reading Amaral’s Book, Free Speech And Elvis
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann, Kate McCann and Gerry McCann…
THE GUARDIAN: “On the front line in the search for Maddie - Gonçalo Amaral’s intriguing memoir of the Madeleine McCann case offers no solution but reveals a man obsessed by the investigation”
Ned Temko is reading Amaral’s book:
It is a shame that this revealing memoir from Gonçalo Amaral, the police chief who ran the Madeleine McCann investigation until he was unceremoniously fired last year, has not been published in English…
Indeed it is. And a disappointment that no British paper has sought to serialise the work. Aren’t we interested in what the copper thinks? Or are we too scared to publish it? What of free speech, then?
Wouldn’t any reader of sound mind dismiss slights against the McCanns’ involvement?
Within minutes of its appearance in Portuguese bookshops, the McCanns’ spokesman let it be known their lawyers would be giving it a thorough read, with an eye to the kind of libel action that ended up costing the Express group £500,000 earlier this year. And that was before the Portuguese authorities finally cleared the couple last month of any suspicion.
We’ve been scared off. But:
Surely it won’t be long before enterprising translators feed the juicier bits to an online conspiracy community that, in the 15 months since the cherubic three-year-old went missing from Praia da Luz, has elevated Madeleine into something close to a new Elvis.
Has she been seen in America?
Or in the phrase Amaral prefers to use, with no evident trace of irony, in the book’s acknowledgements: ‘cybernauts and bloggers who have been defending the cause of truth and justice.’
Or just proclaiming themselves “pro” or “anti” McCann, as if that helps:
Yet even for those of us who happen to believe that Elvis is no more, the book offers a page-turning compendium of unexplained puzzles - as are so frequently found in wide-ranging, complex investigations.
LIVERPOOL ECHO: “Why we shouldn’t be frightened of the big, wide world”
Fiona Ennys plays Tabloid Bingo! Eyes down…
CATHERINE Mullany’s murder on the ‘paradise’ island of Antigua was awful and tragic.
Tick!
People like me who, until the expansion of package travel in the 1960s never saw further than perhaps Blackpool or Scarborough, now have the opportunity to visit supremely exotic destinations like Asia and Africa.
And..?
And it’s fantastic.
Phew! Go on…
It’s so easy to be lulled into a false sense of security when you are on holiday; the family of little Madeleine McCann know, only too painfully, about that.
Tick!
THE SUNDAY TIMES: “Big Yin on a voyage to explore big waste - Billy Connolly is recreating the Arctic journeys of two great pioneers for ITV”
ITV approached Connolly as part of its drive to get more factual “big access pieces” for the 8pm-9pm slots following on from the success of documentaries on JK Rowling and Madeleine McCann.
That’s entertainment (sha-la-la-la-la)…
Posted: 3rd, August 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (284) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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August 3rd, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Whoops… now that is the most controversial comment I’ve heard on here in many a long month! You are very brave……
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
VQ
Why can’t you be tolerant to people that have a different view to your own?
Don’t you think it would be a boring world if we all thought the same?
Your comment (which mods rightly deleted) was rude & unnecessary. IMO!
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
To you folks who might have read the book,
did Gerry’s blue tennis bag ever exist?
No sheets on the twins’ cots?
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Ok, what qustions can I ask that are of substance and allowed?
I am stumped.
I have student that admitted to drowing cats. Is that allowed?
Seems that I am being invited to go elsewhere.
Bye all!
I hope you are all happy with the McCanns and their legacy!
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
whoops. yes I guess the pleasurable moment of affability has gone! Sad it has to be made personal all the time…… Maria, you know there are many who agree with you. maybe the whole thing would have been solved within weeks without Amaral.
Now I have to make a decision… do I put a coat and shoes on and run down the garden through the pi*sing rain to my office and sort through the carrier bags of paper that I have to send to my accountant in order (yawn) or do I go and watch TV?
No contest really.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Ok, I can’t call Totje an apologista.
Or was it the other part?
——————-
M&A
Artemis
Accusing a fellow poster of cowardice is outrageous, and I will not tolerate it. The apologista bit is merely boring.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Can I just say something controversial? I hate cats.
M&A
Artemis
I love them.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Totje, you are a coward and an apologista.
mods, can I say that?
————
No.
If you can’t think of comments of substance on questions of substance then this isn’t the place for you.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:21 pm
At what hour does the cock crow?
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:20 pm
test
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:19 pm
whoops
Yup!
Off to do dinner now…..
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Thanks, Chenier.
Starting to think I was the lone voice in the wilderness.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Do i sense the mood is about to change again?
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
veritablequandary Says:
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Am I allowed to say that Maria is a nitwit, a bonafide pinhead??
———————-
Constructive criticism is always valued…
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Totje
Yes I know their lives are fairly short but it doesn’t make it any easier! Hubby always says you have to remember the times you had with them even though he is blubbing as much as me!! But I’m thankful that the kind neighbour didn’t have the ordeal.
Anyway, are we allowed to be off topic for so long?
It has been pleasant to read comments today without the sometimes nastiness.
Is Marie N still away? I used to enjoy her posts.
As regards the 40+ questions could it be that their solicitors advised them not to answer?
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Am I allowed to say that Maria is a nitwit, a bonafide pinhead??
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Well, mods, do appreciate that there is a lag between my postings and your responses.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Totje
Hi! Nice to see you back!
I LOVE this bit from the TPN interview with Amaral :
“Exclusive in English: Former ‘Maddie Cop’ interview
2/8/2008
In an interview staged only a short walk from the regional PJ police headquarters in Faro over the weekend, Gonçalo Amaral, the former leading detective in the case involving the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has an open and frank conversation with The Portugal News. Lambasted by the British media, and ignored by much of the Portuguese written press since the launch of his controversial book last week (which the Correia da Manhã newspaper has assisted in promoting), Gonçalo Amaral explains his reasoning behind certain methods of investigation, and stresses his actions to date have not been to accuse anyone, rather, he argues, his focus has been about the pursuit of truth.
The Portugal News: Did you leak information about the investigation to the media?
Gonçalo Amaral: I never had anything to do with leaks. We have to look at from where these leaks could have originated. A number of entities worked with us during the investigations and we cannot rule out the possibility that some of these leaks originated in Britain. As a matter of fact, when the FSS handed over their report to Portuguese police, we kept it under wraps, but a British daily was the first to appear with extracts of the FSS’s findings.”
———————————————————————————–
Ah! So the leaks were OUR fault too! That’s OK then!
———————————————————————————–
“TPN: But how does that explain that some sections of the Portuguese press have printed confidential information that later proved to be accurate?
GA: Perhaps they had good sources of information, but we cannot conclude that they were given information by police in the Algarve.”
—————————————————————————————————–
I wonder who had “good sources of information” about what the police were thinking, other than the police themselves?
The funny thing is; those leaks virtually stopped when GA was sacked. Wish TPN had asked GA why he thought that was the case! He’d probably just have answered,
“I don’t know. I didn’t sack myself!”
Of course, by then, De Sousa had already resigned as police spokesman, disgusted, so it was widely reported, by all the leaks which were being allowed or encouraged. Thankfully, Rebelo managed to put a stop to most of them when he took over from Amaral. Looked as though he had really good discipline within the police. I remember how many of us expressed our respect for Rebelo’s thoroughness, his reputation for fearlessness in investigating, his outstanding experience in complex cases.
Some of us actually said we trusted the police and would wait and se what the outcome of the investigation was…… Some of us have done……..
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
veritablequandary
Read Carmen’s post. We can’t repeat the questions/post the questions over here.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Fair,
I’m sorry to hear about your cat. They’re like a member of the family, with their own personality, but unfortunatually they don’t get as old as we do. Cats aren’t stupid at all, they know how to tell us how to do what they want us to do …. And they seldom do what we want them to do [leave that bird/mouse outside!].
Ours were taken care of by the neighbours mother in law, who lives about 40 km away, and she did a good job, though I worried a bit if she wouldn’t forget to feed them. The eldest was so happy we were back, she carefully choose the most beautiful leaves in someone elses garden and brought them to me, dropped them all over the house. She’s too old to catch any mice [thank heaven for that!] otherwise …
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
whoops
Everything seems to revolve around holidays! Missing plants, kids…..
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Mods, with due respect c and c posited that the questions were funny.
I don’t they think were funny, any of them. Why doesn’t she bear the burden of proof, not me?
——————
M&A
Artemis
I believe Cool and Calm made that post before she saw the M&A’s advice that, since we have no knowledge of the accuracy, or otherwise, of the document in question, we should refrain from discussing it.
Particularly since it seems probable that it will be one of the documents released officially tomorrow. There will be ample opportunity to discuss it once we know whether it is genuine or not.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
c&c
We just have the one now. After we lost my very special practically human mate (cat!) last Oct it broke my heart. No more pets ever ever again!
The one we have left is a real little sweetie though. She’s a cute tortashell. So affectionate. On my lap as I type!
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Fair;
Q1-Police:-How long had you been on the holiday when M dissappeared?
KM-What holiday?
Oh no that was one she answered.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Fiar… I think cats are very clever and intuitive. So sorry about yours. Its times like that when I HATE pets and swear never to have another; but I always do eventually!
I can’t imagine not having a cat in the house.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Duncan
I think you’ve been done up like a kipper!!
Totje
Hi
I used to be a gardener but am prety useless with indoor plants. I think i kill them with too much kindness! Why do they have to ask me?? Must have mug written all over my face!
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:37 pm
A different neighbour always looks after our cats when we go away & vice versa. One of the cats has been none to clever for about a year now & we have been worried (on his behalf) about what may happen at any time.
We got back from holiday early Fri morning & said cat greeted us at the door etc. Later that day he died. I swear he waited! People think cats are stupid. They’re not!
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Fair
I’m starting to think folk with Venus Fly Catchers are a bunch of sneaky lying b*stards !!!
My neighbour came round a week past Wednesday. They were going off on the morrow, she said, until the following Thursday. Would I look after her plant?
Well, excuse me, but unless I’ve drunk more than I think I have then today is Sunday. She should have been back 3 days ago !!!
Mrs D thinks it’s a great joke - that I’ve been conned. She swears she saw the curtain twitch next door and is convinced they’re back from their hols but are hiding from us - that they’ve dumped this plant on me
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hi Fair,
Nice to see you’re still around.
Re your question ” Could I plead ”entrapment”??” might I suggest to plead “temporary insanity”?
C&C you’re right! I never do plants either. And I can easily avoid it, anybody who’s ever seen my indoor plants [which I very often replace with new ones] wouldn’t even think about asking me…..
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Lone
All you have to do is get your bird friends to perch on the telephone wires outside
Saul”s pad and pounce on him as he leaves home ………that”ll teach him.
By the way, if the Trafalgar Square site proves poor pickings because people cannot
afford to feed you, fly to the Central Plains of Russia!!!!!! A Consortium of British
farmers are there in Partnership with Landowners, getting the soil prepared to grow
all the vegetables Europe needs, true. Just hope the deal survives, not like BP who
will be forced to leave Russia the way things are going.