Demanding A Ransom For Madeleine McCann
“WAS Madeleine snatched in a ransom plot that went wrong?”
No, not a readers’ poll in the Express (“Is hanging too good for sex offenders?”), but the Mail’s question.
And with no phone line to register a “Yes” or “No” vote, readers are required to read on and learn if Madeleine McCann was snatched in a kidnap plot that went wrong.
“A kidnapper may have taken Madeleine McCann with the intention of demanding a ransom,” says the Mail.
So it’s a “Yes”, then.
Media Intrusion
Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa tells us: “We continue to investigate the possibility that whoever took this child could have done it for money and hasn’t asked for a ransom because they’ve panicked with the headlines the case has generated.”
So the media has hindered the Madeleine McCann mystery? The media’s willingness to help is now questionable. A bit like how Robert Murat, suspect number one, made himself helpful but only succeeded in attracting attention to himself.
Of course, the answer to the Mail’s puzzler may be “No”. One key thing with the Madeleine McCann mystery is that it is a mystery. We do not know what occurred. We have few clues. Soap operas may think their scripts are similar to the case but they cannot know. The media can speculate. We can empathise.
Perhaps the newspapers could deploy their finest investigative hacks to pursue the case, to crack the code and get the scoop. Once they’ve finished watching the parents, naturally.
In “LITTLE GIRL’S KISS THAT MADE KATE BREAK DOWN,” the Mirror looks on as Kate McCann is approached by an eight-year-old Portuguese girl. She is in church. The girl plants a kiss on Kate McCann’s cheek. Kate McCann cries. The paper sees that “other Catholic churchgoers…broke down”.
Rewards Of Hope
Instead of Madeleine we get more grief. “A child’s kiss in church is too much for brave Kate,” says the Sun’s headline. The Sun publishes the McCanns’ words; the couple are, we are reminded, “both doctors”.
“As every day, every week, becomes a month, we still believe she is out there and alive and we remain positive and determined that we will find her soon.”
Who cannot share that hope? Only the criminals who seem to have taken Madeleine McCann…
So the McCanns will keep searching. As the Star says, they will sell their £500,000 home and use the funds to pay for the search for meet any ransom.
But why? There’s a £1.5million reward on the table. No need for more. Why be greedy. Take the money on offer.
But the kidnappers aren’t making any demands. There is no noise from any criminal. Although the silence is hidden beneath a barrage of noise…
June 4th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Pretty much every one of Anorak’s Madeleine blogs have been really offensive. There’s something very odd about the tone: sanctimonious, aggressive, bitter. If the case annoys, why comment on it? He complains of the media attention & contributes to it himself, writing regularly about the case.
And on top of his schadenfreude, there seems to be a peculiar envy & anger at work: characterised by the question: why is this child & her family getting so much attention, why not me? Life’s not fair!
And this case is about an awful crime, not celebrity.
June 4th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I think Anorak pillory the daily papers, they certainly peruse them, and its the Mail that started this latest item.
If people are annoyed by the case or the events which allowed the whole crime to happen, they have as much right to opinion and comment as those who rubberneck and gush sentimental twaddle and seem to know the McCanns’ personally.
But personally I feel the Media as a whole should pay some attention to the other missing children taken since Madeleine was.And I think that is what Anorak is trying to get across:why just her why NOT the others?
I think she has been kidnapped, hopefully for ransom and not for paedophile means and intentions.
June 4th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
why would such a person ttake a sweet little girl from her parrvents
June 4th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
why would such a person ttake a sweet little girl from her parvents
June 4th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
My earlier Post of 18th May. Robert urat left Portugal for a few days The Mirror 16th May. London-born Murat also repeatedly went in and out of the family’s holiday apartment, potentially contaminating the crime scene. He helped co-ordinate initial searches and within 24 hours of Madeleine’s disappearance had told locals she was wearing pink pyjamas.Days later, Murat is believed to have returned to the UK to visit his former wife Dawn and their daughter Sofia in Norfolk. Have the police checked Robert Murat’s travel details when he travelled out of Portugal for a few days including if he had anyone travelling with him, the possibility of a child similar to his daughter and being treated as his daughter. Could he have taken Madeline with him as his daughter if she is so like his daughter he could have got through the passport check with the child being treated as his own if his daughter is on his passport. It is a possibility.Are we sure that he went directly to England. Surely his travel details should be checked.
This reminds me of the 11 yr old Robert Houlihan from Middleton in Cork when the killer Wayne O’Donoghue helped in the search, visited Robert’s house and assured Roberts mother that he would be found. He only confessed when Roberts phone was traced and his body was found.
In relation to Sergey Malinka IF this is the same guy,(based in Portugal! then it appears he has access to sea vessels: Heaven sent gave details re Island Expeditions. http:///www.corlettmaritima.com See Malinka’s name and telephone no 00351 914168557 on Contacts on this site.
They bring groups on Expeditions from Gibralter to remote islands off the east coast of Africa in a ship originally named “Seahawk Remamed “Naomi Corlett” in 2000.
Mirror 18th May. He was also linked to a business in Lagos offering boat trips in the Mediterranean and to North Africa.
If I were the McCanns I would have a private detective travel on that ship and to the islands that it visits.
Mirror 17th May Local reports claim Malinka disappeared from Praia da Luz at about the time Madeleine was plucked from her holiday apartment. Malinka is the third friend of Murat to be interrogated. Murat’s German girlfriend Michaela Walczuch and her Portuguese husband Luis Antonio were held.
It is strange if Malinka had nothing to hide why were his computer hard drives wiped clean when the police took it? I would be at a loss if I wiped mine clean.
Why were he and Murat in contact by phone at 11.30 PM the night Madeline went missing if they were only business contacts?
Where did Murat go when he hired the car , he could have had Madeline in the boot or God forbid her body for disposal similar to Huntley and Wayne O’Donoghue.
If these people are innocent forgive me for all the speculation but every suspicion has to be eliminated.
So concerned for Madeline and her parents.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Now Anorak is being criticised. Don’t take it to heart mate! I haven’t found your blogs ‘offensive’.
As for a ‘ransom’ theory, the kidnappers would have announced their intentions hours after any kidnap. Besides that, with the media and public interest in the case, it would have quadrupled Madeline’s value.
Studies show that children abducted usually end up murdered in the first three hours. The murderer would have hidden her body. 4 weeks ago I’d hoped that Madeline had been snatched to order by a woman desperate for a daughter, but with a huge reward for Madeline’s safe return, this scenario is unlikely. Also the silence..you’d have thought with a reward like this, criminals and non-criminals alike, even if they disliked children, would be out searching for Madeline eager for the reward..
June 4th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
I can’t understand why people think that all the media attention is so great for the parents and for this investigation. While on one hand it is necessary to get her picture/info/etc. out there, but on the other hand the media is creating a situation whereby we can’t see the forest for the trees. The intense media speculation is leading the parents all over the place as well as the authorities. In effect, while beneficial and necessary - media is also creating smoke and mirrors. The parents know who has her - they just haven’t taken the time to think of it yet. Think - cardiologist - lost patient - bitter/revengeful parents. The people who took her - and it had to be more than one - which may suggest parents knew that the drs. had a daughter, but didn’t know she had such a distinguishing feature (right eye). Now they can’t disguise her because of it and don’t know what to do.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Interesting post Eileen.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Bit like ‘Watching the Detectives’.
I don’t understand why the silly old police and interpol are even invovlved in the hunt when there are Anorak posters who know EXACTLY what has happened. to the little girl.
I assume Eileen and Laurie are the psychics we keep hearing about?
June 4th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Hypothetical ponderings, constructive debate is better than parent bashing or debates on social concepts such as whether she should have been left alone. She was. She’s gone. You never know who is giving an opinion, whether it be a psychological profiler, psychic, fellow doctor or intuitive garbage collector. All need to be heard in a respectful, evocative manner.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Bernadine I am not a Psychic just hoping for a conclusion and for Madeline to be found safely. While there was mention at some stage of her been taken to the port we havent heard much more about it every avenue should be followed. When 11 year old Robert Houlihan was murdered in Cork a few yrs ago his body would never be found but for the fact that his mobile phone was traced scientifically.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Bernadine,
Further to what Eileen has said about scientfic means of locating a child, there was also a very recent case in the U.S. of how a very observant pre-pubescent child was instrumental in solving the case of not one but two missing children (one had been missing for years). Who cares who provides insight or leads into this (or any other unfortunate child abduction) case? Interpol and every other government agency would cease to function in any capacity if not for the general layman. For example, they look within the public for witnesses, etc and not into themselves. However, it is obvious that some people are using this site for healthy debate and some are using it for uninformed character bashing. I’m sorry Bernadine, but I fail to see the point or constructiveness in your comment. By the way, that is a professional opinion.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
My point is that no-one knows what has happened to Madeline bar that she is missing. Anything else is pure supposition but much of it is being put forward as fact.
Is it constructive to publish the phone number of someone who has not been proven to be connected?
Maybe those men are guilty, maybe they’re not, but I always thought we stood by ‘innocent until proven guilty’.
Imagine if Murat is completely vindicated? His life has been ruined, as has that of his mother. Remember Colin Stagg? We can’t vilify people on supposition alone; especially as the Portugese police are being economical with news of their investigation.
I too hope she will be found and I too dislike the vindictiveness of some of the posts, but putting up a phone number is beyond the pale IMO.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
The story is a mystery. But Madeleine’s disappearance is playing second fiddle to the speculation that is passed off as news. Does the media help the case? Or just mutate it into a public spectacle?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
The media - especially the gutter press - does what it always does in any incident involving a kid: they whip everyone up into an uninformed, hate-filled frenzy. Truth, whatever that is in this case, takes a distant backseat to the sheer, gleeful FUN of it all. Not to mention the money to be made out of scaring parents up and down the country with rumours, lies and speculation…
Madeleine McCann, in the end, really has very little to with any of it, but most people are too stupid to see it. Thankfully, the Portugese police are not.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Anorak, Media hype is a sad fact of life now and maybe isn’t too much of a problem until the public start to take every word of speculation as fact
The ’string em up’ stuff on these forums that has followed this speculation has really shocked and scared me…..
As I said earlier… remember Colin Stagg. That case should be a lesson to us all.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I think it is spiralling out of control
It is such a pity
But do you think that the Portuguese police are happy with this
maybe so
They have already admitted that they would like the true line of investigation to be left to them with no interference from media speculation
Who knows - with a bit of look and a lot of miracle
The portuguese police may have a much more solid line of enquiry that they are following up that could hopefully bring about a positive result
Lets just hope that madeleine is brought back safely
But as someone has \said earlier - That could be me , a mother of four yer old twins trying to think along the better scenarios than the more likely ones that are too sinister for me to imagine
BLESS MADELEINE - SHE IS THE INNOCENT IN THIS AND DOESN@T DESERVE FOR THIS TO HAVE HAPPENED TO HER _ JUST LIKE THE OTHER INNOCENT CHILDREN THAT SUFFER ABUSE AT THE HANDS OF ADULTS XXXX GOD BLESS THEM ALL .
June 4th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Well a lot of people are gainsaying the Police, in fact just slagging them off because Madeleine hasn’t been found.
Is it a tragedy already or is there reasonable sensible hope still? I have no idea of what has happened to her, and neither do most of the people taking part in these threads, even though some seem to be on the right hand of the Almighty.
But common sense and the cold light of day isn’t making it look too good, unless someone has her who just wants a small child to love and care for, but however hopeful that is its very naive too.
But how does all the slagging off of people help find Madeleine? its just self indulgent nastiness and isn’t helping anyone.
I am a Pagan, and on our site we have a candle lit for Madeleine, we don’t speak of her, but everyone goes to the candle daily, and no one insults anyone.
She is a tiny child , try and keep your thoughts kindly to all, and who knows what could happen.
As the poster above says she is the Innocent in all this, lets try and keep things innocent then?
June 4th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Bernadine - Colin Stagg: fitted up by the police and still associated with an horrific murder. An unsolved murder. Mud sticks. what worse than to be accused of a heinous crime you did not commit?
June 4th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Like a lot of people following this abduction, I hope that Madeleine’s parents do get a call asking for money. At least then they will have a chance of getting their beloved daughter back home with them.
This is about a little girl who will be traumatised by all of this, wondering where here family are. She will be unable to understand why she is not with her mummy and daddy and will be very afraid, my heart goes out to her.
I simply cannot believe the horrid comments of some people on here and other sites. There is not much point in blaming Madeleine’s parents now, the deed has been done.
Everyone has to focus on finding this child, and stop slagging off her mother and father.
In my opinion, this couple have been tortured enough.
Let them have their daughter back and get on with their lives.
God bless Madeleine wherever she is.
Ann
June 4th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Bernadine As regards Sergey Malinka’s phone No. If you type his name on the search on Google The first item to come up is the Island Expeditions web site with his name on the contacts section
June 4th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Quote:
*Anorak Says:
June 4th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
The story is a mystery. But Madeleine’s disappearance is playing second fiddle to the speculation that is passed off as news. Does the media help the case? Or just mutate it into a public spectacle?*
Anorak, you are yourself contributing to the speculation passed off as news. Are you helping the case? No, you are adding to the public spectacle.
So either get on with the speculation & don’t whinge, or stop posting about this case, as you appear basely hypocritical.
June 4th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
As far as I can see the reporting by Anorak has all been about how the press are reporting the story and all the excesses associated with that, rather than the story itself, and is therefore not contributing to the spectacle, rather it is commenting on it, which is how the site is intended to operate.
The focus is more the cycnicism of the media and the whipping up of “paedo hysteria” even when there is no proven evidence that this is the motivation behind an alleged abduction.
June 5th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Commenting on the media spectacle *is* contributing to it!
Albeit hypocritically.
The tabloids whipping up hysteria? Shocker! Next you’ll be claiming the Pope’s catholic.
The newspapers I read have not indulged in any ‘paedo hysteria’ whatsoever.
June 5th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Ann, I totally agree with you. We must concentrate our thoughts and if some believe in God, our prayers that this sweet, innoncent, little girl will soon be in the arms of her parents. I have a four year old grand daughter and all I can think about is if this would happen to her. I have followed this as much as most as all of us that have written here, on internet. Although there is not much to follow except everyone’s suppositions, to me Madeleine just represents so many other thousands of missing children and while there is so much criticism of the media, the Portugese police, her parents, the money, their position in life, this is not what is important. Madeleine’s abduction should make us even more sensitive to all the others and to me she is hurting and we should be too.
My heart goes out to all the “Madeleine’s” and little boys of course, that evil people have plucked from their loved ones to enjoy what? their sick and evil ways. May God have mercy and give us more grace towards those concerned in this case and stop the criticism.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Anyone read the book The Witches Cradle by Gillian White? A lot of things are different but some things are chillingly similar.