Inquest is a "shoot in the foot"

Gonçalo Amaral: Inquest is a "shoot in the foot"
14 May 2011
Joana Morais Blog
by Marisa Rodrigues

Gonçalo Amaral says that Scotland Yard is “going to find several things that wont please the McCanns”


The former Judiciary Police coordinator who investigated Maddie's disappearance said the British police inquest, ordered by the British Prime Minister, will be a “shoot in the foot” for the McCanns, given their experience in “unmasking false abductions”.

"If Scotland Yard has the necessary autonomy and independence to investigate, they will find much that will not please to the McCanns”, 

said the former inspector who has always maintained that Madeleine's parents, who has been missing for four years from the apartment in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, were responsible for the death and disappearance of Madeleine's body.

The Scotland Yard is a specialized police force, to whom David Cameron requested the investigation of the disappearance, after Kate and Gerry McCann wrote a letter with an appeal for that purpose. Andrew Bell, the Home Office spokesman, confirmed yesterday to JN the decision. The prime minister considered this to be an exceptional case, because Madeleine has been missing for a long time and “due to the high media profile of this matter”.

“While Madeleine disappeared in Portugal, and the Portuguese remain responsible for the case, the agencies that enforce the law here followed leads and sent information to the Portuguese authorities”, said the spokesman.

Questioned on how the investigation will be done, Bell only said that “the Portuguese process will be analysed”. He also said that he had been “assured the Portuguese authorities will provide all the assistance”, but he did not explain why was never opened an investigation in England at the time. “I can only speak about this decision now”, he said.

Influential Couple

“Once again it was proved that this couple has political influences at the highest level”, said Gonçalo Amaral, according to whom “one can not say re-opening since there was never an official investigation in England, despite the victim being British, just like her parents are.”

in Jornal de Notícias, May 14, 2011, paper edition