Total Pageviews

Tuesday 13 December 2011

The McCann’s & the Temple of Influence - ANOTHER Christmas Tale......



 'Team McCann' recruits FACEBOOK !

The Leveson inquiry has thrown up some pretty harrowing tales. The ongoing inquiry, set up to examine the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal has been pretty revelationary.


It has highlighted the extraordinary lengths that some journalists have resorted to in pursuit of that valuable ‘scoop’; that front page headline or ground-breaking story. 



As a journalist myself, I would have been somewhat more comfortable had the underhand methods of procuring information employed being used to expose something for the greater GOOD, e.g.: the actions of corrupt Politicians, the behaviour of privileged corporate bodies or multi-national businesses or even the outrageous practises of criminals causing widespread injustice.

Alas, the purpose of these dubious, highly illegal and frenzied activities perpetrated by the Tabloids and their servants or agents involved was for one reason and one reason only.

Scandal. Often SEX, but always salacious gossip.

Also appearing at the enquiry was the former landlord of Joanna Yeates, CHRIS JEFFERIES, who explained how, amongst other things, he had been falsely accused of being friends with a convicted paedophile and being a sexual pervert. These allegations, (along with others), were printed in a NUMBER of Tabloid journals; allegations that were described by Robert Jay QC as being "tenuous, indeed fatuous".



Despite the proceedings highlighting some pretty despicable practices amongst the Media one could be forgiven for thinking that the Leveson Inquiry is, and WILL be, nothing but a WHITEWASH at BEST, and what one Political writer described as “Muddying the waters”, at worst. 

My own observation is that the fact that Lord Justice Leveson HIMSELF is known for attending Soirées and parties at the home of Mathew Freud, husband to Elizabeth Murdoch who is the daughter to erm......RUPERT Murdoch...... kind of compromises any claim to his total impartiality in the ongoing matters.

But if it’s muddy waters you want, then you couldn’t really obscure or cloud the issue any greater than by inviting KATE & GERRY MCCANN to give evidence to the inquiry.

Unlike Chris Jefferies, whose character assassination was built on no more than the fact that he appeared somewhat eccentric and looked a little odd, the MAJORITY of the Press reports derogating the McCann’s were related to actual incidents which, ostensibly, could be substantiated.

I have highlighted previously some of the ghastly published assertions relating to the McCann’s and their friends, seemingly based on pure fiction, at which Kate and Gerry are justified in expressing outrage.



However, a LOT of the coverage relating to them and to the Police investigation into their missing daughter can NOT be consigned to what Gerry described as
“front page tabloid headlines.........of stories which appear to have no factual basis, or are exaggerated or distorted”



For instance, the now infamous Specialist Victim Recovery Dogs, Eddie and Keela DID signal that they had found Cadaverine and other materials in the McCann’s apartment, on some of their personal possessions and in a vehicle. 

Furthermore, the materials and samples SOURCED by these dogs WAS submitted to the Birmingham FSS Forensic Science laboratories where they do appear to have initially intimated a match to Madeleine McCann’s’ DNA.

Given that these dogs have successfully made contributions to HUNDREDS of serious crimes across many of the Constabularies in the UK, it would be somewhat churlish to suggest that they had spectacularly and, (more importantly), UNPRECEDENTEDLY got it wrong on this occasion, surely?

And of course, ultimately Kate and Gerry WERE made Arguidos by the Portuguese Police, suspected of being involved in the disappearance of their daughter. The initial report in September 2007 by Tavares de Almeida, then Chief Inspector, concluded, (amongst other things), that:

Madeleine McCann died in the Holiday apartment on 3rd May 2007.

A staged HOAX abduction took place.

The McCann’s were involved in the concealment of the corpse of their daughter.



Quite how the McCann’s thought the Press were going to report on these matters remains unanswered, not least because no-one at the Inquiry asked them.

I DO believe that the McCann’s had good reason to be aggrieved by SOME of the reporting surrounding the case, an example being where stories suggesting that they had SOLD Madeleine were published; clearly contrived rubbish for which not one shred of evidence, to my knowledge, exists.

HOWEVER, given the Press and Media’s subsequent, slavish and sycophantic reporting over the subsequent 4 years or more is seemingly designed to mould the public consciousness into believing that Madeleine WAS actually abducted, (an act for which not only is there NOT a single shred of evidence, moreover, that information which purports to be evidence is clearly contrived), then their appearance at the Leveson Inquiry must surely rank as one of the most extreme all time examples of biting the hand that feeds.

I have commented elsewhere on the ridiculous unbending willingness of both the Press and Broadcast Media to propagate, WITHOUT QUESTION, the frequent, unsubstantiated and often bizarre Press Releases made by the McCann’s fragrant PR Mogul, Clarence Mitchell.

The many gathered hacks at the inquiry must surely have felt a sense of astonishment at some of the McCann’s criticisms for them, and must also have secretly wished that Robert Jay QC had reminded the Golden Couple of the following:-



That since 2007, the Press has published MILLIONS of column inches relating to dubious exploits, adventures and escapades undertaken by METODO 3, the originally favoured ‘Ace Detectives’ employed by the McCann’s, (funded by the vast sums of money donated or raised by the public).



Dutiful reports and stories were published about these Spanish super sleuths “closing in” on a secret farm in the drug addled and lawless Mountains of MOROCCO, where Madeleine was presumably being held captive; then off to SAUDI ARABIA in pursuit of Millionaire Arab Paedophiles who had reportedly “kidnapped” the little girl “to order”. Alas, before they can unpack their cases they’re OFF again, this time to investigate the LATEST sighting, in Medjugorje, BOSNIA.


 Of course, the hapless METODO agency has since been shown to be a rather charlatan organisation, (not the ONLY instance of the McCann’s employing a fraudulent ‘Detective Agency’, but I digress).

It didn’t stop the Tabloids and the Broadcasters from subsequently covering tales from a multitudinous array of destinations as ‘Team McCann’ followed “leads” from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, The United States and Australia.

Clarence Mitchell must surely go down as the first and only PR mogul ever to hold his very own POLICE Press Conference, complete with pleas for information, a stern looking ‘pseudo-cop’ and photo-fit descriptions. Of course, there were no actual police present. Not least, presumably, because there wasn’t a single iota of evidence to substantiate either the information, photo-fits or apparent witness testimony being offered.



It didn’t stop the Press and TV from slavishly reporting this ‘mock’ Police conference, however, giving very valuable impetus and substance to the abduction theory.

I’m pretty certain that the now beleaguered and battered Press would have liked Leveson’s QC to have reminded the McCann’s of that devotion, in their defence.

Alas, he didn’t. Nor did he appear to have time to remind the McCann’s of the innumerable OTHER page leads, reaffirming the “abduction” angle, that followed with alarming regularity:-

MORE photo-fits and descriptions of dubious characters as apparently ‘seen’ by even more dubious “witnesses”. Tales of shadowy figures, lurking in the undergrowth, hiding under stairwells, seen shinning up drain-pipes or spying through apartment windows.

Not to mention the scores of known, convicted paedophiles that the ‘McCann Detectives’ were anxious to interview on the evidential basis that they might have been within a thousand miles of Portugal on the day in question. Even those that are DEAD are not safe from exposure or suspicion, one being suspected of possibly having made a “deathbed confession”.

Yet MORE characters and witnesses, some professing knowledge and vital information and clues or evidence relating to Maddie’s “abductor” continue to be paraded and published as important “leads” or “links”.





ALL of these sightings, witnesses, leads, links, photo-fits, descriptions and pieces of information have one, unequivocal linking factor in common:-

Absolutely NONE stand up to scrutiny, evidentially; they have not the slightest tangible iota or shred of credibility to support them, or to make them bona fide, other than the fact that Clarence Mitchell or a “spokesman for the McCann’s” is quoted as saying that they are “following the development with interest”.

Of course, it begs the same old question as to WHY the Press and Media would, without question, slavishly publish and broadcast these stories without either verifying or substantiating any of them.

A question LEVESON and his QC certainly weren’t prepared to either ask, or ANSWER.

Of course, there must also have been MORE than one person at the inquiry who smiled wryly at Gerry’s statement:-
“I don’t have a problem with somebody purporting a theory, writing fiction, or making suggestions”.

Not least because the McCann’s, their supporters and contributors have spent, (or provided services amounting to), at LEAST a MILLION pounds Sterling in seeking to oppress and suppress ANYONE who dares to deviate from the abduction theory/story.

Goncalo Amaral, the one time lead detective for the Policia Judiciaria in the McCann case was brought to the brink of financial, physical and emotional RUIN by litigation brought by the McCann’s seeking to BAN his book based on the Police Investigation into Madeleine McCann. Even though that ban has since been OVERTURNED, the books seized by the McCann’s and their agents have NOT been returned to Amaral.

As I write this, SKY News have recently reported that the McCann’s are FURTHER suing Senor Amaral for “at least” £1m Sterling for “Libel and breech of their human rights”. 



The News Channel describes Amaral as having:-

“made a fortune selling a book and TV documentary claiming the young British girl is dead - and wrongly claiming her parents staged a cover-up”.

They also reiterate the McCann’s assertion that he is a
“Self-obsessed, manipulative money-grabber with no morals”.

However, one has to turn from the mainstream Press and look to the INTERNET in order to really evaluate the seemingly unlimited capability of the McCann’s in attempting to control and influence the minds of the General PUBLIC when it comes to discussing their missing Daughter.

Ever since Madeleine McCann went missing in the summer of 2007 there have been those that have doubted that she was abducted. Some individuals did so for no other reason than that they took a dislike to the McCann’s or because they believed, as is so often the case in such apparent child abductions, a family member is complicit in their disappearance.

Others, however, keeping an eye on developing information coming from the Portuguese Media and other European news reports, simply doubted the McCann’s testimonies.

I have previously written about the Daily MIRROR hosting what was to become the LARGEST online discussion Forum relating to Madeleine McCann and her disappearance. It was subscribed to by MANY Thousands of people, globally.

When discussions turned to the possible meddling of the then Home Office Minister Jacqui Smith and Forum Members started to email the HOME Office about Portuguese assertions that Smith was procrastinating assisting them with their desires to interview the ‘Tapas members’, the Forum was SHUT DOWN!

Clarence Mitchell has since boasted in a meeting that he was complicit in closing it down.

I have also previously referred to the Online Store AMAZON, who sold a publication written by American Criminal Profiler Pat Brown “The Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann”.

This popular EBook was a basic review of the available evidence in the Police case combined with a theory proffered by Ms. Brown as to what might have happened to the little girl and her parent’s possible involvement in her disappearance.

Amazon, who have previously, proudly and righteously stated that:

"Amazon believes it is CENSORSHIP not to sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable............. we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions."

That was their response to a whole HOST of people, companies and Charitable organisations who had expressed complaints and disgust at Amazon’s insistence on selling what was effectively CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, a book entitled “The Pedophiles Guide to Love and Pleasure”.

However, it took ONE single, simple letter from the McCann’s favourite Legal Bully boys, Carter Ruck Solicitors, (“Britain’s Most FEARED firm of libel lawyers”....The Times), and “The Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann”, erm...disappeared!



Of course, since those earlier days, Forums and online discussion sites have been usurped by SOCIAL Media and other Network sites, where discussions and debates about the McCann case continue.

On FACEBOOK for instance, there are quite a lot of pages dedicated to the McCann case. Some are unquestionably sick, puerile and offensive; others are merely platforms for discussing all of the different aspects of the case, reviewing the known evidence etc, (rather like the old Mirror Forum).

A few weeks ago, bizarre things began to happen to MANY Facebook members who were subscribed to, or were part of, any page relating to discussions about Madeleine McCann. Their pages were infused with comments and ‘Statuses’, some abusive, from people whom they had never previously had any contact with or known.

More importantly, they were discovering that their OWN comments and statuses, (some of which were made in PRIVATE groups), were being published on a Facebook page known as the “Official Find Madeleine Campaign”, a page/site run on behalf of the McCann family and clearly annexed to the official Find Madeleine.com WEBSITE, their FUND-RAISING website. 



Furthermore, (and to many, alarmingly), they found themselves ‘LIKING’ this official page and being publicly SHOWN to be liking it, (i.e. supporting it), even though many had never even previously VISITED the page and in fact DISAGREED with the page, given that it portrayed and supported views about the case that were very different from their own.

MANY of these people did NOT support the McCann’s in their fundraising efforts and some expressed concern that their details, comments, statuses and opinions had been made public on a Facebook page which they not only did NOT like or support, but which they did not agree with.

Some such individuals contacted the Administrators of this “Official Find Madeleine Campaign” an abridged example of which is here enclosed:

To webmaster@findmadeleine.com

Dear Webmaster
I am a member of a group on Facebook which has nothing to do with the “Official Find Madeleine Campaign” page. I have noticed that my posts, and those of my friends, are showing in the “Friends Activity” of the official page and should like to know why.

I did ask this question on your official page but it has clearly been deleted without the courtesy of a reply and you now appear to have removed the facility for me to comment further or make any post there now.

Please can you explain why posts made in an unrelated group can end up on your Facebook page?

Kind Regards
*******
This is the verbatim reply, which I have seen.

Dear *******
We know all about your activities and the content you are posting on Facebook.

You will get the courtesy of being told you are banned when you afford us the courtesy of not lying about Kate and Gerry online.

And just for your information, we can only see the hate you and your “friends” spew on Facebook via the page you all belong to. We don’t see your shares and ugly comments. And we sure don’t see your comments on our page. Thank goodness.

Have a good day!

The Find Madeleine Web Team.

Even though the “Official Find Madeleine Campaign” page posted this explanatory note:

"We are posting this again because our post from yesterday is further down in the comments. Welcome to those who came from unofficial pages. Because Madeleine is a child, Facebook made the suggestion to us to combine unofficial pages with our official page. This is to protect Madeleine from online abuse and her image being used without her parents permission. We have NOT harvested Email addresses nor gone on to individual pages and added people. There is no way for us to actually do that. Facebook did the merge of pages at our request. If you do not want to be a part of this page, please unlike the page (see image). We don't need to hear how you don't want to be a part of a lovely group of people who do care about getting Madeleine home. A huge thank you to those that continue to support us in our search for Madeleine. ~FM Webmaster"


I remained skeptical. The idea that FACEBOOK itself would either suggest, or comply with any request to ‘amalgamate’ people from a whole plethora of groups into ANOTHER group at that groups request, especially given the diverse and wide ranging differences of opinion, was incredible. Unbelievable and imponderable.

Such an act would amount to Censorship and control-freakery on an unprecedented level. It would represent the most singular, undemocratic instance of the stifling of free speech imaginable, not to mention an astonishing display of power and influence by those seeking to exert such censorship.

And after all, FACEBOOK, (like Amazon), was no stranger to controversy. It has faced many campaigns and complaints for its insisting on allowing pages to remain, on such subjects as RAPE jokes and pages that glorify and pay tribute to MURDERERS such as Raoul Moat, along with its general attitude in permitting comments and topics of pretty much ANY nature to go unchecked.

It certainly wasn’t going to be influenced or dictated to by the McCann’s and their agents.

Right?



To satisfy myself of the ridiculousness of the “Official Find Madeleine Campaign” assertions, and to avail myself with the TRUE facts relating to this whole affair, I contacted Facebook’s PRESS Office, via ‘Blue Rubicon’ the ‘Communications Consultancy’ that acts for Facebook.

I pointed out this apparent anomaly amongst differing Madeleine McCann groups and quoted the “Official Madeleine” page claims about the ‘amalgamation’. I asked them:-

Can you confirm that Facebook DID, in fact, receive such a request from this group to "merge" members or subscribers from other such groups, and/or that this was as a result of YOUR suggestion?

That being the case, can you direct me to the relevant section of your 'USER agreement' granting permission for such 'merges' to take place without the consent of the subscriber?

If you did NOT either suggest or actually effect the merge, can you explain how this group has managed to obtain apparent support from Facebook members who never wished to be associated with the site?

Are you in a position to offer OTHER instances of such merges having taken place amongst groups?

The reply, when it came, was shocking! This, (verbatim), from a Richard Appleton:-

·         We merged a number of pages that purported to be official Madeleine McCann pages, at the request of the family


·         We have done this previously for charitable causes – this is not a breach of precedent


·         These pages were joined into the official Madeleine McCann page


·         Unofficial pages that make no claim on being an official part of the Find Madeleine campaign remain separate 


·         These requests were carried out via our Page Operations team


“We merged a number of pages......................................at the request of the family

So there you have it. Facebook DID amalgamate certain groups relating to Madeleine McCann and ‘annexed’ them to the “Official Find Madeleine Campaign” at THE REQUEST OF THE McCANNS.

I immediately responded to this email, pointing out that this action had amalgamated whole groups of people who did NOT support the McCann’s in their fundraising ventures, (nor did they share the common purpose of many of those who ARE genuine members of the “official” page), turning them, unwittingly and unwillingly, from being critical of the McCann’s,  into SUPPORTERS!

I also asked FACEBOOK to comment on the fact that, far from being a “Charitable Cause”, the “Find Madeleine Fund” was, actually, a Limited COMPANY.

I further requested Facebook to provide details of the “previous” occasions where they had carried out such a merge.

To date, I have received no further replies.

To summarise: At the request of the McCann’s, the largest Social Networking Website in the World summarily and without warning, notification or otherwise “amalgamated” any pages relating to Madeleine McCann or her parents to the ONE, McCann controlled “Official” site, turning ALL, irrespective of what their opinions or feelings about the case are, into a SUPPORTER of the McCann’s, their ventures and their fundraising activities.

ADDITIONALLY, such a merge exposed those who do NOT share the aims and goals of the “Official” page to the vitriolic abuse, vilification and Cyber-bullying carried out by those purportedly acting on behalf of the McCann family.

It remains to be seen just how far ‘Team McCann’ are prepared to go in their efforts in influencing further the general public, and in silencing those who do not agree with them.

They have had the Press eating out of their hand for some considerable time now, who continue to publish whatever Press Releases are fed to them.

It is NOW clear that they are prepared to disseminate their views and mantras amongst the ONLINE information services also, targeting those that sell publications about them, forums that discuss them or sites that hold an opinion about them which does not correspond with the image that they have worked so hard in cultivating.

At least ONE online blogger is facing imprisonment and HUGE financial losses for doing no more than commenting on materials that are available to read elsewhere in the Portuguese Police files.

Clearly, when Gerry McCann stated:-

“I don’t have a problem with somebody purporting a theory, writing fiction, or making suggestions”, he omitted to add:-

“as long as it’s not about me and my wife....................





God bless, Madeleine McCann......................wherever you may be.....................

23 comments:

  1. Lets all hope SY can find out the absolute truth not the myths the nasties post. Myself and many,many others do not believe for one minute Kate & Gerry McCann hurt their beloved daughter they love her dearly. Tragically and sadly they definately should not have left three children alone and they torture themselves every day knowing this. Bless u Madeleine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. To anonymous....DO me a favour! The McCanns are 100% responsible for Maddie's fate. They are a guilty as hell. Poor young girl.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It really is quite frightening that this pair have not only escaped justice, they are now able to dictate to massive organisations exactly how they should behave on their behalf.
    When the truth finally comes out, the reason for the cover up is going to blow us all away I think.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The very first response to this article must be by a McCann family member or a complete nutjob.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Richard Appleton is just another PR guy (from Blue Rubicon, the company that handles Facebooks reputation)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Remember there are a lot of genuine people who have got sucked in by the McCanns and who believe the ill-informed paper press; they aren`t necessarily `nutjobs`, just very gullible.
    Lorna

    ReplyDelete
  7. The fact that Facebook has merged these pages demonstrates what an untrustworthy organisation it is. Subscribers are entrusting their personal information to this company who seemingly abuse it in any way they wish. If Facebook are prepared to manipulate their subscribers info in this way, simply because the Mccanns demanded it, then people should be very worried indeed. I'm amazed there's not more outrage over this.
    In addition, as you mention above, Richard Appleton lumps the McCanns fund - a private limited company with no accountability - into 'charitable causes' - how incredibly dishonest and misleading.

    ReplyDelete
  8. the reason the maccanns wanted the merger is because thier supporters are a bit thin on the ground and have now seen the light and are fighting for justice for Madeleine.

    ReplyDelete
  9. http://themurdochempireanditsnestofvipers.blogspot.com/2011/12/leveson-inquiry-portuguese-female.html

    Spud ,I am leaving this here as a prediction, the diary was pure fabrication and for those who remember the comments published under it in the News of the World they were appalled with the McCanns..the diary was pulled and an excuse used that they published without mother earths consent ! Have searched but sadly no one C/P the comments section which we would do as a rule.

    Remember Kates hatred for Sandra Felgueiras and yesterday Myler claimed the diary was leaked by a female Portuguese journalist..we all know the diary was not leaked and this was set up by Mitchell...I do however have a feeling Sandra is their target and may be very useful to them during the libel trial in Feb for media disctraction. Would like your readers to chew over this and keep it in mind, the whole Leveson inquiry seems to be about a diary that was fabricated to sell at a later date for financial gain !

    Happy holidays. xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Spud, I have contacted every British journalist on twitter and not one of the bastards will pick up on the fact PJ never had the bloody diary it was denied...for godsake Spud do something ,speak to someone and get this info out there. Nick Davies and David Leigh refuse to answer me that I have started tweeting on the chinese twitter board LOL...Amaral needs to be at the leveson Inquiry...I have also asked Tom Watson to see what he can do..xx

    http://themurdochempireanditsnestofvipers.blogspot.com/2011/12/leveson-inquiry-exclusive-mccann-diary.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. I contacted Facebook TWO MONTHS ago as I was very upset and angry at having been shown to LIKE a page that I would never, ever like in a MILLION years... I was directed to a link by Facebook, to make an official complaint. I had to leave a contact telephone number on this link. Then in tiny print, it said that they would pass my details on to the offending page! I have yet to receive any form of apology, and I cannot even "unlike" the page. This is a dictatorship, pure and simple.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Watching Leveson with some surprise that this could actually be watchable... I had watched many if not all and by now all, the core participants. Having considerable knowledge of the case as it happened over the last four years. I was rather surprised that the example of press intrusion that seems to be the target by the McCanns, then their apparent 'off the cuff' appeal to Leveson to seek out the source of the diary leak. Now... they never so much complained specifically - but in general terms and yes I would agree with Spud there was some pretty abysmal headlines with our without supporting content, which made the divisions of popular opinion greater than normally it would have been.

    So, when Leveson took up the mantle on behalf of the McCanns, seeking the source of the diary, which from recall was repeated twice in the core participant interview.
    But the greater shock of following this to it's final conclusion was Myler|Jay in battle over the issues. I wondered if any of the other core participants had an axe to grind at all.

    Occasionally you need to step back and smell the coffee and not be blinkered too much as to what is happening. If Myler was sure that Mitchell and or ''Gerry'' (ya know I've his personal mobile number\call me any time) had or hadn't fully agreed\or misunderstood the instructions to publish, Myler et al look pretty foolish, then admitting liability, publishing an apology and paying some £150k in compensation to the Fund Limited.

    The point to raise here is, whilst the McCanns supported by CR had Myler et al by the short and curlies why didn't they then ask for the SOURCE, back in September 2008. That would have been understandable and the most opportune & logical moment.

    But now, we have to get to a very public high profile public enquiry where the only hurt and pain suffered by the McCanns with salacious press intrusion is the publication of the diary (sorry did I hear you say, what about £600k from the Express) Anyhow, IMHO the diary has quite a logical NEED for conclusion of it's source at this particular time

    FEBRUARY
    2012
    Libel with Mr Amaral

    This is the collision course & need suddenly for source information. I can’t remember without wading back, but thought the diary was subject to a legal argument in Portugal and could not be submitted as evidence and was returned. Therefore it would have been translated officially or otherwise into Portuguese. But in any event, if the source was Portguese, the diary was translated into Portuguese and NoTW had said they had it translated into English. Therefore the McCanns were well aware at the time that it was not verbatim and would have known as much as the NoTW – full circle WHY NOW? Why Leveson.
    puddleduck

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've had the opportunity of looking at Leveson, prior to the core participants.
    It seems that the agenda of complaint is very much around the diary - which is strange considering the headlines see 16th Nove PM @ 71.55 disucssion regarding the diary\Leveson inquiry
    http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearings/

    That aside the PJ did photo copy pages and there was judicial review that they were not admissible

    Of course there is no idea, what the PJ had photo-copied, this (Presume) was at the time they searched the Villa. Or whether this was the same material that eventually found it's way to the NoTW

    But with CR in tow at the time of their settlement with NotW seems pretty sour grapes some three years later to seek from Leveson to find the source, or indeed to be their main contenious issue, when there were indeed so many apparent foul headlines.

    puddleduck

    ReplyDelete
  14. From Carter Ruck Press Statement:

    On 14 September 2008, the News of the World published substantial, “exclusive” extracts from the diary kept by Kate McCann at the time her daughter, Madeleine, was abducted.

    In fact, Mrs McCann did not consent to the publication of this deeply personal, private material and only learned of what had happened after the newspaper had been published.

    The News of the World assures Mrs McCann, and she accepts, that it acted in good faith and had no wish to invade her privacy or cause distress. The newspaper immediately removed the article from its website, has published a full apology for its error and has agreed to make a donation to be used by Mrs McCann in the search for her missing daughter."

    http://www.carter-ruck.com/Miscellaneous/Kate%20McCann%20Diary%20

    Note "she accepts, that it (NOTW) acted in good faith" but NOW she shoehorns herself into Leveson Inquiry to complain about what she has already accepted, it seems.

    Gillyspot

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good piece of investigation re the joining of the Madeleine supporter / not supporter pages to the Official FB page.

    I certainly don't agree with your view on what happened to Madeleine, but, have to say it is nice when protangnists from both sides actually do a bit of real investigation and dont just regurgitate the 'facts' from the net.

    Maybe the sesspool that is the internet where Madeleine is concerned would be a better place if we ALL took a leaf outa your book and researched properly before spouting off!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jacci:- Thank you for your comments, (indeed, thank you ALL for your comments here).

    However, I feel I must take issue with one aspect!! I would have to assert that you cannot possibly comment on whether or not you agree with my view on what happened to Madeleine, given that I have NEVER written, intoned or even suggested what I actually think might have happened to her!

    In fact, over 4 years, my musings and writings, (as I am forever repeating!), are NOT related to what happened to the little girl at all, but purely concentrated on the very obvious concerted, co-ordinated and contrived campaign by the McCanns, their supporters, wealthy influential contacts and Government officials who are HELL BENT insistent on persuading the public that Madeleine was abducted.

    A scenario for which there exists not one iota of evidence.

    ReplyDelete
  17. As my dear old dad would have said to Jacci ,SO put that in your pipe and smoke it!!!made my day,have a lovely Christmas Spud,look forward to your next piece already.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Spud,

    I can only suggest we all write to the Company targeted by Facebook and explain the deal they made with the McCanns, at least their lawyers can use this information for their defence. ( thank heaven for screen shots)Facebook clearly have 'their favourites 'and break their OWN laws when it suits.


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16755434

    With your current UK libel laws I was amused to read that fraudster Sally Morgan can actually sue someone who claims they do not believe she is talking to the dead. Morgan now in the process of suing the Daily Mail for calling her Crystal Balls...I heard she intends to call witnesses from 'the other side' and some one with the name beginning with ' B'...and that's just how crazy the British law is no wonder the McCanns are getting away with this, it's a joke.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Something very interesting has just happened. I went to the Official Find Madeleine Facebook page and posted as follows: "Who exactly is actively searching for Madeleine?"

    I got a reply from an Iris Pattison who said a lot of stuff about how everyone was putting their backs into doing their bit and especially supporting the fund(!)and that tbe "boys" at scotland yard were the main movers in investigating the case.

    I replied that the Met were only 'reviewing' the evidence and it was up to the Portuguese to investigate only if they re-open the case. I also asked if Kate and Gerry were currently employing anyone to search for Madeleine especially as they had such a fiasco with their previous investigators.

    Hey presto - my entire posts disappeared!! This makes me feel really weird. I thought this was a free country? I didn't say anything defamatory or libelous, just sounded curious.

    What's going on?

    Great posts by the way Spudgun. Really intelligent wrighting. Keep it up.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I've just noticed my appalling spelling mistake!!!
    Writing not wrighting.

    Sorry

    ReplyDelete
  21. Update on above.

    I posted again on the site asking if my posts had been censored.

    Iris Pattison replied that my post was against the ground rules and that questions should be posted to investigation@findmadeleine and that the Official Find Madeleine page was only for messages of support.

    I asked how messages of support were supposed to help in the search for Madeleine.

    It is really disturbing that a perfectly valid post asking reasonable questions should be just swept off the page. It makes it look like they don't want anyone to upset the applecart and break into the soft fluffy dreamworld that the posters on that page live it.

    I replied that she should have replied to my post to that effect and not deleted it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. It is time for a thorough investigation of the McCanns' funding and propagfanda organisation. And lie detector tests.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Kate, why did YOU not tell them of a prior incident of a domestic abduction on your side, or was that someone who told lies to make me ill as 'they' have.

    ReplyDelete