Telegraph 7/10/13 McCanns "optimistic "over Madeleine

McCanns 'optimistic' over Madeleine

The parents of Madeleine McCann say they remain "optimistic" of finding their daughter, ahead of a Crimewatch appeal attempting to shed new light on the circumstances of her disappearance.







Kate and Gerry McCann hold an age-progressed police image of their daughter Madeleine Photo: EPA







By News agencies

3:34PM BST 07 Oct 2013





Gerry McCann said he and wife Kate "won't accept Madeleine is dead until we see clear evidence" otherwise.


The little girl, from Leicestershire, was three years old when she vanished from Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007.


His comments came as Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said it is hoped the televised appeal next week will produce new witnesses - though he said a conclusion to the case is not imminent.


A reconstruction of the "latest, most detailed understanding" of the events around the time Madeleine went missing will be shown on BBC Crimewatch next Monday.


It comes after the Metropolitan Police revealed a vast log of mobile phone traffic could be the key to finding out what happened to the girl.



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In an interview with ITV, Mr McCann said the family were encouraged by the new evidence in the case.

"We've always had hope," he said.

"There have been a number of cases over the last few years of children and young women being found after having been taken and held for very long periods of time.

"As parents we won't accept Madeleine is dead until we see clear evidence that that is the case.

"We are very pleased with the work of the Metropolitan Police and we're confident that the appeals will hopefully lead to new information and bring us a step closer to finding Madeleine and those responsible for taking her."

Praising the work of the Met Police, he added: "We're encouraged.

"We're optimistic that new pieces will be uncovered which will fill in parts of the jigsaw."

Scotland Yard detectives, who have interviewed 442 people as part of their review-turned-investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, hope to track down as many people present in Praia da Luz on or around May 3 2007 as possible.

Today Mr Rowley said it was vital that the public focused on new facts rather than speculation.

"Just to be clear, we are focused on the appeal on Crimewatch next week which we hope will produce new witnesses," he said.

"It is clearly too early to speculate about where this will lead.

"It remains vital for us, and the success of the appeal, that the public are focused on new facts that can be released by the investigative team rather than speculation.

"I am impressed by what (senior investigating officer) Detective Chief Inspector (Andy) Redwood and his team have achieved but a conclusion is not imminent, there is much ground to cover and we still need assistance - hence the appeal next week."

Announcing the appeal, Mr Redwood said police now have the "most complete picture to date" of the events events surrounding Madeleine's disappearance.

A three-year-old actress will play the youngster in the Crimewatch reconstruction, as a small production team from the programme spent a week filming abroad for the new appeal.

Crimewatch presenter Kirsty Young speaks to the McCanns in the new programme, while presenter Matthew Amroliwala has been to Praia da Luz to explore the new focus of the police investigation.

The McCanns and Mr Redwood will also be speaking to Ms Young live in the studio.

Scotland Yard has revealed that since launching its own investigation, 41 people of interest have been identified, including 15 UK nationals, up from 38 people of interest including 12 UK nationals established in July.

Detectives have issued 31 international letters of request (ILOR) to mostly European countries in relation to some of the persons of interest as well as accessing phone records.

A large but "manageable" list of phone numbers identified as being present in Praia da Luz - though not necessarily used to make phone calls - has been drawn up by detectives with a "significant" number unattributed to any named person.

And significantly, police officers are now able to create a log showing calls being made at the time of Madeleine's disappearance.

The latest appeal will also be broadcast in Holland and Germany.

Madeleine went missing from a holiday apartment as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.

The Portuguese investigation officially closed but authorities there are backing the Scotland Yard inquiry and officers from both countries will work together in pursuing new leads.

The Metropolitan Police now has a team of six Portuguese detectives based in Faro who are carrying out inquiries on its behalf.

"And significantly, police officers are now able to create a log showing calls being made at the time of Madeleine's disappearance."

I'm sure that would make for interesting reading.

jassi wrote:"And significantly, police officers are now able to create a log showing calls being made at the time of Madeleine's disappearance."

I'm sure that would make for interesting reading.

Hi JASSI, the Portugese did this and found Gerry and Kate had deleted calls that night . Apparently the Portugese Prosecutor went to Court to ask if the information in the calls was sufficient to go to Trial. The Court refused permission on the grounds it was too intrusive.!!! It didn't matter that the calls could have led to finding out what happened to Madeleine !!!

This is a bit wider though, as it purports to include ALL calls made around that time, not just those of the McCanns.

jassi wrote:This is a bit wider though, as it purports to include ALL calls made around that time, not just those of the McCanns.

I don't believe for one minute they are going to trace all those calls . It would take a month of Sundays for starters and why not concentrate on the 41 persons of interest.? Unless they have picked up a definite call where Madeleine is discussed I really can't imagine who these 41 persons of interest are.

I don't think there will be any details of conversations, merely who called who,( assuming that the phone numbers can be identified) and when.
Who knows who the 41 might include, but must include other guests, who would have been aware of Madeleine (possibly). There appear to have been a number of known paedophiles in the area, although not necessarily in the vicinity of the village.

Panda wrote:

jassi wrote:This is a bit wider though, as it purports to include ALL calls made around that time, not just those of the McCanns.

I don't believe for one minute they are going to trace all those calls . It would take a month of Sundays for starters and why not concentrate on the 41 persons of interest.? Unless they have picked up a definite call where Madeleine is discussed I really can't imagine who these 41 persons of interest are.  

I don't think for one minute that SY themselves would undertake this task. They will use a company such as Afentis who are specialists in this field. They will probably put a timescale on any report from whichever company they go with for this job. It will probably be the results in the end report that SY will be scrutinising for clues.

Why don't SY just ask the British police who did the first report 6 years ago on the phone pings, I'm quite sure they will oblidge and send them a copy off the report.

kitti wrote:Why don't SY just ask the British police who did the first report 6 years ago on the phone pings, I'm quite sure they will oblidge and send them a copy off the report.

Kitti , the Portugese Police have it and if as LJC suggests, an outside firm is given the task, how much will they charge.!!!

im quite sure that a copy would have been held by the british analysts.

tanszi wrote:im quite sure that a copy would have been held by the british analysts.

After 6 yrs ,they probably destroyed it like the FSS destroyed the samples because "the Portugese Police never asked for their return". I don't remember an English Firm getting involved, did the Portugese make a request?

Panda wrote:

tanszi wrote:im quite sure that a copy would have been held by the british analysts.

After 6 yrs ,they probably destroyed it like the FSS destroyed the samples because "the Portugese Police never asked for their return".  I don't remember an English Firm getting involved, did the Portugese make a request?

Well, any results would be in the PJ file, so no problem as far as I can see. I am sure SY have looked at the PJ report into mobile phone data usage but wish to widen this out.

LJC wrote:

Panda wrote:

tanszi wrote:im quite sure that a copy would have been held by the british analysts.

After 6 yrs ,they probably destroyed it like the FSS destroyed the samples because "the Portugese Police never asked for their return".  I don't remember an English Firm getting involved, did the Portugese make a request?

Well, any results would be in the PJ file, so no problem as far as I can see.  I am sure SY have looked at the PJ report into mobile phone data usage but wish to widen this out.

Can you honestly believe LJC that the mammoth phone details from 6 years ago for these 41 persons of interest will be traced. ? If they are Mobile Phones which I suspect most are, how often do users change their Mobiles and providers especially those who commit a crime which is presumably what Redwood thinks.

Its even more mammoth than 41 persons Panda. They want to forensically scrutinise all phone records of all people in the area, including the 41 of special interest.

Do I think its possible? I am no expert, none of us are, but I do know there are firms out there that do specialise in this field and if SY have used such firms before, which they have, then SY know what type of results can be achieved. Of course the 6 years will make a difference, that's obvious, but if it captures more information than the PJ currently hold on phone data, and I feel confident that the PJ will have a report also, then it will still widen the investigation out.

LJC wrote:Its even more mammoth than 41 persons Panda.  They want to forensically scrutinise all phone records of all people in the area, including the 41 of special interest.

Do I think its possible?  I am no expert, none of us are, but I do know there are firms out there that do specialise in this field and if SY have used such firms before, which they have, then SY know what type of results can be achieved.  Of course the 6 years will make a difference, that's obvious, but if it captures more information than the PJ currently hold on phone data, and I feel confident that the PJ will have a report also, then it will still widen the investigation out.

I can't make up my mind about Redwood LJC, he doesn't look particularly intelligent and is obviously keeping the Mccanns up to date and i just wonder how he managed to climb the ranks in Scotland Yard, once regarded as the finest Police Force , but not so much now with the Bribery scandals . I would love to think I am wrong ,but I doubt these 41 "people of interest " will be another £1 million or so down the drain.

Wonder if the Swansea person is worried....

kitti wrote:Wonder if the Swansea person is worried....

Isn't that the one Kate made a call to?

if I remember correctly it was a miscall from the Swansea number.

tanszi wrote:if I remember correctly it was a miscall from the Swansea number.

What does that mean tanzi, that the wrong number was dialled by Kate??? I wonder why the Mccanns deleted so many calls.

from what I recall, which may be incorrect, the call was made to Ks phone, but it was a miscall. neither knew of each other, wrong number dialled. it happens.

tanszi wrote:from what I recall, which may be incorrect, the call was made to Ks phone, but it was a miscall.  neither knew of each other, wrong number dialled.  it happens.

O.K., thanks.