GERRY MCCANN - IT WILL NOT GO UNCHALLENGED

ALLEGATIONS CAN NOT GO UNCHALLENGED
Updated: 16:09, Saturday September 01, 2007


GERRY AND KATE MCCANN

A furious Gerry McCann has explained exactly why he and his wife Kate are suing a Portuguese newspaper over "lurid allegations" about their missing daughter Madeleine. The Tal & Qual newspaper published a front-page headline suggesting that Portuguese police think the McCanns killed the four-year-old.

The couple have now instructed their lawyers to take action against the newspaper for defamation over the story it printed on August 24.

Explaining their decision, Mr McCann said: "As well as damaging our personal and professional reputations, such allegations smear the investigation, the campaign to find Madeleine and cause great offence and anxiety to all our family.

"This is why, after careful consideration, we have issued a writ against the newspaper for defamation.

"Our focus has, and always will be, on doing our best to help find Madeleine.

"This lurid allegation is so serious and wide of the mark that we feel it cannot go unchallenged."

They couple have always said they would not jeopardise the investigation by talking too much about it in public.

But Mr McCann admitted they found it difficult to keep quiet in the face of slurs about their behaviour on the night Madeleine disappeared.

The McCanns were so angry at the Tal & Qual story they felt they had no choice but to take legal action.

"We firmly believe that the report was speculative, defamatory and published despite official statements to the contrary," Madeleine's father wrote on his blog.

He confirmed the legal expenses for the case will not be paid for out of the Madeleine fund.

I've been secretly (this is the worst kept secret on this blog, I've been pretty clear on this matter) hoping that the McCanns would strike back at these ridiculous allegations. Attacking the VICTIMS is never a good thing.

I KNOW that as long as Portuguese Media and the leakers in the Police Department are playing games with the life of a little girl nothing will happen.

The focus is now off of Madeleine and that's a BAD thing!

Let's all get refocused and FIND MADELEINE.

I sincerely hope that Portuguese Police department will dedicate the needed effort to locate Madeleine and to ensure that the rumors against the McCanns will stop.

Everyone knows were the rumors originated. It's not a secret.

I also hope that the McCanns have a few good Private Investigators because nothing is assured with the PLE.

Over the last few weeks we have heard that there would be a new arrest almost momentarily. We have heard that there was a phone tap of a new suspect implicating himself / herself. We have heard that the investigation has turned the corner and the truth of what has / had happened to Madeleine was known to the PLE and who the likely culprit was. We have heard that the PLE and Portuguese Authorities were determined to solve the case. In all instances the PLE and Authorities have come up short.

We have also been hearing that the only official suspect in the case, Robert Murat, would be released from suspect status. That has not happened.

If these are new and innovative techniques for solving crimes, I will be shocked should these techniques provide a conviction.

If the PLE and Portuguese Authorities are unwilling or unable to solve the crime, step aside and allow those with the proper backgrounds and credentials to get the job done and Madeleine returned to those that love her.

Someone somewhere knows where Madeleine is located. I urge that person to come forward.