Forensic scientists to join British police in McCann investigation - The Guardian

Article dated 13 October 2014 23:18 BST by Brendan de Beer in Portimao states:  "Analysts want to re-examine evidence retrieved from apartment from which Madeleine went missing in 2007."

Sorry, I'm unable to post the entire article; relying as always on others to do so.  Thanks in advance.   www.theguardian.com

"Re-examine evidence from the apartment" sounds good to me knowing that there is no evidence of an abduction.

Second thoughts on the article - (1) I'm hoping advances in DNA testing will be helpful and (2) I would prefer independent analysis.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/13/madeleine-mccann-forensic-scientists-portugal

Forensic scientists to join British police in McCann investigation

Analysts want to re-examine evidence retrieved from apartment from which Madeleine went missing in 2007

Brendan de Beer in Portimão

The Guardian, Monday 13 October 2014 18.18 EDT

DCI Andy Redwood
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood during the search of scrubland in Praia de Luz earlier this year. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA

A team of British forensic analysts are expected to join DCI Andy Redwood and his team of detectives in Portugal this week in a renewed bid to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Portuguese police sources told the Guardian that the scientists have asked to revisit some of the evidence retrieved from the holiday apartment from which the British toddler went missing on 3 May 2007. The forensic evidence gathered at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance has been stored at the National Institute for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Coimbra in central Portugal.

Detectives and forensic technicians from the Metropolitan police are scheduled to visit the laboratory on Wednesday.

Detectives led by Redwood will meet with their Polícia Judiciária counterparts in Faro on Tuesday to discuss the request.

Police said they had not yet received any official orders from the public prosecutor’s office and that the next phase of the investigation was unlikely to commence for at least a fortnight.

A source close to the case told the Guardian that the request appeared “to focus primarily on the further questioning of some of the suspects brought in by Faro police in the summer”.

In July, Portuguese police quizzed four Portuguese nationals who were declared arguidos, or formal suspects. They also spoke to 11 witnesses.

The questioning of these suspects followed the end of major ground-level searches in Praia da Luz in early June, when Scotland Yard detectives scoured a large patch of scrubland.

The force described the operation as the largest overseas deployment ever undertaken by British police, and said it was the “first phase of this investigation” into Madeleine’s disappearance.

Although the searches turned up no fresh evidence, the Met said detectives had gained an “essential understanding of the activity for which people have used this piece of land” and alluded to “substantial work which is yet to be done in the coming months”.

Three words....DON'T TRUST THEM.



SY are looking to disprove the original outcome by trying to DISPROVE the dogs findings.



Then the rest off the evidence that is left with the PJ will be analysed and gone forever.

I´m with kitti, if Britain has anything to do with it then quite simply I believe lots of whitewash and manipulating tools will be used, after all the reputation of the saints must be protected at all cost, even to the extent of others losing everything they have including their lives.

After reading all the corruption and "mistakes" made by the UK police in recent months I wouldn't trust any of them further than I could throw them.

jinvta wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/13/madeleine-mccann-forensic-scientists-portugal

Forensic scientists to join British police in McCann investigation

Analysts want to re-examine evidence retrieved from apartment from which Madeleine went missing in 2007

Brendan de Beer in Portimão

The Guardian, Monday 13 October 2014 18.18 EDT

DCI Andy Redwood
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood during the search of scrubland in Praia de Luz earlier this year. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA

A team of British forensic analysts are expected to join DCI Andy Redwood and his team of detectives in Portugal this week in a renewed bid to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Portuguese police sources told the Guardian that the scientists have asked to revisit some of the evidence retrieved from the holiday apartment from which the British toddler went missing on 3 May 2007. The forensic evidence gathered at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance has been stored at the National Institute for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Coimbra in central Portugal.

Detectives and forensic technicians from the Metropolitan police are scheduled to visit the laboratory on Wednesday.

Detectives led by Redwood will meet with their Polícia Judiciária counterparts in Faro on Tuesday to discuss the request.

Police said they had not yet received any official orders from the public prosecutor’s office and that the next phase of the investigation was unlikely to commence for at least a fortnight.

A source close to the case told the Guardian that the request appeared “to focus primarily on the further questioning of some of the suspects brought in by Faro police in the summer”.

In July, Portuguese police quizzed four Portuguese nationals who were declared arguidos, or formal suspects. They also spoke to 11 witnesses.

The questioning of these suspects followed the end of major ground-level searches in Praia da Luz in early June, when Scotland Yard detectives scoured a large patch of scrubland.

The force described the operation as the largest overseas deployment ever undertaken by British police, and said it was the “first phase of this investigation” into Madeleine’s disappearance.

Although the searches turned up no fresh evidence, the Met said detectives had gained an “essential understanding of the activity for which people have used this piece of land” and alluded to “substantial work which is yet to be done in the coming months”.

Are they trying to be Time Team now?

I wouldn't trust them either especially after what happened with the samples back in 2007

I feel quite sure if there was anything forensic back then which would point away from the McCs the FSS would not have had to keep issuing updates and explanations of why there was so much misunderstanding of the results. and why it ultimately closed down.

let the Portuguese do the forensics. the UK messed up big time first time round. any results could be used if a uk prosecution was to proceed surely.

Where did all the scientists go when the FSS was disbanded? Where did they get jobs, what are they doing now? Is it going to be the same people again but with a different front cover?

very valid points raised Iris.

Iris wrote:Where did all the scientists go when the FSS was disbanded?  Where did they get jobs, what are they doing now?  Is it going to be the same people again but with a different front cover?

The article states: Detectives and forensic technicians from the Metropolitan police are scheduled to visit the laboratory on Wednesday.

I doubt somehow that all the scientists would be re-employed by the Met, after having worked in Birmingham.

While I appreciate the cautious posts above, I want to remain optimistic and am grasping at oversimplifying (childish maybe) hoping that advances in DNA testing, coupled with the new prosecutor and Mr. Amaral's knowledge of  "things"  he has not yet divulged will result in some measure of justice for Madeleine.  In short, I remain hopeful that the McCanns and their friends will be outed for their role in the disappearance of Madeleine.

Hiya interested I really don't think that having hope should be considered childish. I hope that things come from somewhere which can put an end to this mystery. I have the utmost faith that the PJ collected and ran properly and appropriately all the forensic evidence at that time. to my knowledge and based on the files which were published dna of people not connected to the McCs and found was tested and those people eliminated. as you so rightly say tho, movements and developments in forensic testing have moved on so perhaps there is something to be encouraged about.

Thanks "tanszi"......I could have added that I wish they would bring back the dogs...this time to 5A.!!

tanszi wrote:Hiya interested I really don't think that having hope should be considered childish.  I hope that things come from somewhere which can put an end to this mystery.  I have the utmost faith that the PJ collected and ran properly and appropriately all the forensic evidence at that time.  to my knowledge and based on the files which were published dna of people not connected to the McCs and found was tested and those people eliminated.  as you so rightly say tho, movements and developments in forensic testing have moved on so perhaps there is something to be encouraged about.

I have no doubts whatsoever that the PJ did collect and run properly and appropriately all the forensic evidence they gathered at the time. But a second forensic investigation has to be carried out imo just in case of human error as well as the obvious advances in forensic testing.

All potential forensic evidence should not be tested in Portugal or in the UK to avoid conspiracy theories.

I agree with that Claudia79

Claudia79 wrote:All potential forensic evidence should not be tested in Portugal or in the UK to avoid conspiracy theories.

I agree too.

Claudia79 wrote:All potential forensic evidence should not be tested in Portugal or in the UK to avoid conspiracy theories.

or any country that has diplomatic ties with these two countries to avoid conspiracy theories.

http://videos.sapo.pt/REuMG4ib89gO7fN8iTlr

Coimbra now.

LJC wrote:

Claudia79 wrote:All potential forensic evidence should not be tested in Portugal or in the UK to avoid conspiracy theories.

I agree too.

I am more worried about who is doing the collecting. I hope there is adult supervision.

Why didn't they take the cadaver dogs in 5a when they were there recently?


Because they would see the SAME results as they did in 2007, that's why.


Much easier and less embarrassing to redo the DNA tests that were originally done by...oh yea......the closed british establishment and ....you can't blame anyone then for the upcoming ' mistake' in the original results .

kitti wrote:Why didn't they take the  cadaver dogs in 5a when they were there recently?


Because they would see the SAME results as they did in 2007, that's why.


Much easier and less embarrassing to redo the DNA tests that were originally done by...oh yea......the closed british establishment and ....you can't blame anyone then for the upcoming ' mistake' in the original results .

A lot of time has gone by since 2007 Kitti. Other people have stayed in that apartment perhaps. Other people who may have come into contact with a deceased person. You know, people can die just about anywhere, at home, at the cinema, in a nightclub, etc. A good many people come into contact with dead bodies and they may transfer that odour to other places unwittingly.

I know that many clothes end up in charity shops too, clothes that perhaps someone wore when they died or were worn by someone who came into contact with somebody else who died. And the odour does not wash away as far as cadaver dogs are concerned.

I am always shopping in charity shops and wear a good many items of clothing, beautiful items, I am not ashamed to say I am quite addicted to charity shops, but I do not think about who may have worn them before me. In fact the bulk of my wardrobe is from charity shops. Good designer labels; clothes I would not normally be able to afford if I purchased them from new. Last week I bought a Karen Millen top, lovely, but I've no idea who wore it before me or what it may have come into contact with. I just wash in bio-detergent first and wear and enjoy.

Oh I see and the dogs alerting in the wardrobe and behind the settee and in the flowerbed AGAIN will be a 'coincidence' then.