Madeleine: Police say they are taking 'significant' steps to find her

Spokesman: Clarence Mitchell makes a statement on behalf of Kate and Gerry McCann last year

Hunt for Maddie: Portuguese police search the area around Priai da Luz where Madeleine disappeaered. Tensions between the police and the McCann family have grown since Kate and Gerry became formal suspects in the case

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The fact that Madeleine was left crying has been in the public domain soon after she disappeared. I believe an older lady who was staying at the Ocean Club Resort reported it and it was published in the media.
I do believe Madeleine was abducted but I firmly believe the McCann's and their friends have been a little economical with the truth regarding the frequency and timings when checking their children thus hampering the police investigation.

- Ann Mckeown, Liverpool, 16/04/2008 10:19
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If I had lost my little dog I would be back on the next plane at a chance to help find her. Having said that I would not have left my dog in a block of flats with door open. If you ask me the Mccanns and spokesman are all smoke and mirrors. They think if they shout loud enough about other issues. Question of there wilful neglect will not be thought off. Well let me tell them at the end of the day there is one person you can not kid and that is your self.

- Ernest Appleby, Blackpool England, 16/04/2008 00:59
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I read somewhere that the McCann's were not keen to participate in the Portuguese police's reconstruction of the night that Madeleine disappeared, because of these reported leaks.
As a parent, I cannot understand why they are not doing everything possible to solve this mystery and find their child.
Because of this I feel that the McCann's have a particular reason as to why they do not want this reconstruction to take place, and I believe that the leaks may have come from their side.

- Katie Turner, Cambridge U.K., 15/04/2008 23:48
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When Mr. Mitchell gave his press conference with the FBI drawn suspect the impression given was that this was a wanted man by the police, where actually this man was never wanted by the police only by Metodo the Mccanns paid investigators? I find sad the the press promoted this and never questioned and allowed the public to believe Mr Mitchell line.

It has been clear from the start that Jane tanner description changed from her initial statement to the PJ

There is still a description on the McCann website of a fictitious wanted man who is that helping.

Madeleine has been let down.

- Tina, uk, 15/04/2008 23:40
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It is a bit rich for Clarence Mitchell to talk about the 'secrecy laws' when he has been feeding McCann 'versions' of events to the press for almost a year! And didn't Jane Tanner appear on British TV (Panorama) talking about the events of May 3rd (her 'checkings', seeing the 'abductor' with Maddie in his arms etc.etc). Did Mr Mitchell start jumping around screaming 'secrecy laws been breached' then?
I personally do not believe this 'leak' came from the PJ. They have remained silent throughout. It most probably came from the McCanns themselves (filtered through their Spanish private investigators) Or their UK or Portuguese lawyers, or Mitchell himself, or someone in Brussels who was disgusted that the McCanns were there speaking about child safety!

- Lb, Birmingham. UK, 15/04/2008 23:37
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Clarence, the spokesman, has now become the story. As with Alistair Campbell, when that happens, it is time to resign. He should do so immediately.

- Brennan, Craggy Isle, 15/04/2008 23:05
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They also must have known that Tanner and co would change their statements, and they did, all the tapas crew new tanner was telling lies, when she said what time she left the table, they where sitting with her eating and drinking.
This leak overshadowed this information as they new it would, we where all horrified at her crying all alone. It worked for about 30 minutes I think, CM and the McCanns must see now we not falling for the lies and spin, they wanted to go back to PDL, when asked it too traumatic, but ok if the film crew where there, now because of leak they not going, what have they got to hide? What demons will face them? They have told lie after lie after lie. This is not about them it's about Madeleine, they should be forced to go back to PDL, and tell the police what they need to know.

- Cas, UK, 15/04/2008 23:05
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Selfish - The both of them
They were selfish for leaving something as precious as their children in favour of having a good time
They still are both selfish for worrying more about Kates emotional state rather than going back to Portugal for the reconstruction in the ope they could find their daughter. What about Madeliene's emotional state - What about that poor little angel. They are both selfish pigs and they make me sick
Really can't understand why they haven't been prosecuted for leaving the children home alone. Can't weigh this one up, really can't.

- Gail Taylor, Barnsley South Yorshire UK, 15/04/2008 21:56
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Oops! Clarence, one step too far. Slanted information for some time and now 'entirely false' information - isn't this interfering with the course of justice?

- Patricia, England, 15/04/2008 19:24
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Mr Mitchell went on and On the other day in a radio interview and the interviewer could not bet her words in side ways. He certainly earns his £75K salary. I know a couple of parents whose kids disappeared coming home from schools and they do not have the resources the McCann's have, and because they are poor no one cares. The leak stated what Mrs McCann told the Portuguese Police, and it is not the timing of the leak that McCanns' objected to but us knowing the truth about the child's anguish of being left alone. The public are not fools. Mr Mitchell could only spin so much as Blair and Brown did, but truth always comes out in the end.

- Gary Smith, London, 15/04/2008 19:09
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The McCann's have been pretty forthright about the fact that they made a tragic error in judgement. (And this is coming from a person who is known to family and friends as 'protective to a fault' with my 2 kids, 7 month old boy and a 2 year old girl.) That said, and no, I would never have left my kids alone, I of all people seem to have compassion for the McCanns. I think a ‘child neglect’ charge is just absurd – they will be paying for their mistake indefinitely.

But as for returning to Portugal as suspects to the crime, JK, I’m afraid you’re simply being naive. They have 2 other children, so engaging the arcane and from what I’ve seen, utterly incapable investigation by the “authorities” down there could end up having a far more destructive out come for them. Their lawyers are correct in being wary of the Portuguese.

Lastly, I can’t imagine the anguish of knowing you made this error, living with it, the added pain of having people hate you for it AND watch as the police follow a completely inane and frankly, totally implausible line of inquiry. That is, that they killed the child they struggled for years to have, on holiday, dined with friends AFTER the fact no less, then disposed of their child’s body... in this foreign country. Not-a-chance.

- Paul, Los Angeles, USA, 15/04/2008 18:28
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For a 'terribly upset family' they certainly don't miss any opportunity to make some dosh do they. 'just stuff it in an envelope' Mitchell is just there to show them how to sue the newspapers.

- Julie, norfolk uk, 15/04/2008 17:28
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Clarence Mitchell has to do something in order to be seen to earn his £70k per year! Several other parties were/are in possession of the McCanns' statements to the police, including, one assumes, the McCanns themselves and Clarence Mitchell himself and the Spanish detective agency the McCanns hired.
The revelation made is further proof that the McCanns acted irresponsibly as parents. They should be charged with child neglect.
The McCanns' web site says they were dining "50 yards" from the 3 kiddies they left alone, but it has been proven that it is a 131 yard WALK (120 metres). More spin from the McCanns!

- Alfred Morrissey, The Midlands, 15/04/2008 15:47
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I think everyone should ask yourselves if it were your child and there was a possibility of by going to Portugal and partaking in the reconstruction that your child may be found would you do it? My answer would be yes I would as would 99% of any one else's - if you have a child or not. So why are the McCann's refusing to partake. Yes, they should not have left the children by themselves but people make mistakes what many people probably don't understand now is why they are not making amends and focusing on looking for Maddy and partaking in the reconstruction of events. Unless they do have something to hide.

- Jk, London, 15/04/2008 15:21
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Mitchell has tried to use the Portuguese as a smoke screen to cover the fact that the McCann's had left Madeleine and the twins crying, upset and alone.

- Daizy, N England, 15/04/2008 14:45
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Clarence Mitchell is just a spin doctor, his job is to draw focus off things the McCanns don't want us to focus on, such as the interviews of the Tapas 7. I too would call it odd timing and also like someone mentioned above the PJ certainly haven't benefited from the "leak". I would guess it came from possibly Mr Mitchell himself, all in my opinion of course.

- Paul S, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 15/04/2008 13:51
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So the Mccanns are not already back in Portugal? Seems strange to me that they would rather go to Brussels on a PR exercise than find their daughter. Something definitely not right with this case.

- Alan, Surrey, 15/04/2008 13:46
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"Mr Mitchell said: "I'm not retracting a word of what I said. The Portuguese police have yet to explain how these statements came to be leaked"

Surely, the Portuguese police are not the only ones to know or have knowledge of the content of the statements? The timing of the release of them certainly wasn't to the benefit of the Portuguese police who are looking for those involved to return to Portugal for reconstructions.

- Md, London, 15/04/2008 10:13
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Has the McCanns' spokesman moved from distorted truths to completely false statements in his media releases. The media should be used to inform, not to manipulate, public opinion.

- Anon, England, 15/04/2008 08:32
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Why do the Mcann's need a spokesman? Is it that it is easier to control the words and actions of a puppet rather than risk the open interpretation of what they may say themselves? I still do not believe in their innocence, something is just not right and I hope the police in both countries finally catch whoever is guilty. If it is the Mcann's then they win the prize for the best run attempted cover up ever staged!

- Mark, Hong Kong, 15/04/2008 07:10
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