General Chat

PRAIA DA LUZ, Portugal (Reuters) - British couple Kate and Gerry McCann, who have been named suspects in their 4-year-old daughter Madeleine's disappearance, want to return home as soon as possible, a family friend said on Saturday.

Portuguese police declared the McCanns formal suspects on Friday after questioning them but have so far filed no charges against them, according to the couple's lawyer. "They want to go home as soon as possible," said the friend, adding that the couple planned to return to their home in Rothley, Leicestershire. Declaring the McCanns to be suspects indicates police believe they may have been involved in a crime but does not necessarily mean they will be detained. No conditions were imposed on the McCanns, which means they are free to travel abroad, their lawyer said. "They can travel whenever and wherever they like," lawyer Carlos Pinto de Abreu told Reuters, adding that the McCanns could remain at their home in England as the police investigation continues. Gerry McCann rejected any suggestion he and his wife were responsible for their daughter's death. "We did not kill Maddie," he told a British Sunday newspaper. "We're entirely innocent and we will clear our name," he said in an interview with the News of the World tabloid. The lease on the house where the McCanns are staying in the resort of Praia da Luz where Madeleine vanished more than four months ago is set to expire on Tuesday.

Relatives have urged Portuguese police to eliminate the couple, who are both aged 39, from their inquiries and resume the hunt for their child. "If this is what it takes to speed up the process of absolutely exonerating Gerry and Kate, let's get on with it," Gerry's brother John McCann told BBC radio. But Abreu said he had no idea how long the case would take to be concluded in a country with serious bureaucratic delays in its justice system. Portuguese weekly Expresso on Saturday cited legal experts as saying it could take at least a year. Police changed their line of investigation this week after receiving results of forensic tests on evidence collected by Portuguese and British experts from various sites including the holiday apartment from which Madeleine vanished. Justine McGuinness, a spokeswoman for the McCanns, said Kate had told her that police found blood in a car hired by the couple but there was no confirmation that it was Madeleine's.

Police have pursued a number of leads during the four-month investigation, including the possibility that Madeleine might have been taken by a paedophile. The only other suspect is a Briton living in Praia da Luz, Robert Murat. His house has been searched twice but he has not been arrested. Hundreds of people from around the world contacted police offering help after the McCanns launched a massive publicity campaign to find their daughter, who vanished a few days before she would have turned four. Pictures of the Madeleine have been posted across Europe at schools, airports and restaurants and the McCanns have met Pope Benedict, who blessed a picture of the little girl.

call me cynical, but the fact they want to leave portugal so soon after being named as suspects, is a bit suspect...

why the sudden rush, i thought they had stressed that they were going to stay untill she was found...

I agree Andy, but then I have my own theories!!

I don't think it is a 'sudden rush'.
The Portuguese police have called off the official search, so in basic terms, what's the point of them staying?
They have been named as official suspects, but that puts no restrictions on them, they've not been charged with anything.

They want to try to resume a fairly normal life...as normal as is possible, and if you've been away from your home as long as they have, I can see the need to get back, if only for the sake of the younger children.

They had planned to leave before they were named.

The lease on their villa runs out tomorrow and the flights were already booked.

Gwynne

Because of the -suspect-thing now hanging over them,,and could be re-called at anytime,,,,,,,,had they stayed on with the twins,,under P/L they could have been taken into care!!!!,,,,,,,,,at least here they are safe should Mr&Mrs McCann ever get called back and held,,,

Why dont spectators listen and hear whats being said,,,,,,,,!!

Thats what I'd heard gwynne

E x

Kay....because they don't want to! ;-))))))

Prior to being asked to attend for questioning (last Monday) they had announced their intention of coming home this weekend.

Jay

Oh my god, if l were them l'd want to get home too - they have family there, her mother especially. The photographers at the airport in Portugal were cruel and so were the police for allowing them to take photo's like that - those poor kids in the back of the car.
If this was a member of your family whom you had always loved and thought very highly of, as always being a good loveing parent and they wanted to go home to be near their family - how do you think you would feel.
l still say innocent until proven guilty.

jude sarf wales :o((((

The court judge in Portugal is yet to look at the evidence collated so far. He/she could, from that evidence, demand they return to Portugal, either way, we have extradition as in EU.

The Police are now resuming their search for Maddie in Praia Da Luiz with sniffer dogs.
I believe they will make an arrest in due course.

If they wanted "normality" for their twins, why did they not return them ages ago?

Will the British SS's be talking to the Mccanns?

I doubt very much the SS will be talking to them as I should imagin Gerry &Kate will be making provisions for the twins should they ever get re-called and held back in Portugal.....

blimey so many theories lol

i dont think harsh words are needed on this thread either everyone has the right to voice their views ...weve paid our money lol

something went on out there if anything happened to my son andy hyslop whos thread this is btw...i would be totally devastated ...be crying every day

theres blood in the apartment and in the car they hired ...the police know something

and it was quoted in the paper yesterday Gerry stating he was frustrated he couldnt use the 800.00 pounds in the fund ....

i just hope maddie is found either way ..and who ever did it gets whats coming to them...
even if it was an accident two yrs isnt enough

annie (mum) xxxx

i think the fund has gone over the 1 mil mark now...

andy

xxxx

I think if the P/Police in that area were not so stuck in old ways and were into the 21st century with forensics on how to conduct a disaparence situation then maybe nobody would be clutching at straws now,

It has been stated,,,should the parents need to further legal costs ,these will be met though private means and not the Fund,,,,

where is grisson and the csi team they would have it wrapped up by now

lol xxxx

wheres poirot when you need him!!!!!!!!

l hope l'm not the one saying harsh words, l am sorry if l am. really sorry, but also saying how l feel. l, like everyone feel there are things that don't add up, and l definately think they should never have left the children in the first place. The blood in the car etc definately makes one think - but l still say innocent until proven guilty - thats just my opinion.
Take care:o)

jude sarf wales :o) x

pmsl

lol

xxxxxxx

well one lesson every parent will now be aware of is never leave your young children alone at any time.this could happen to you.i would never leave my children alone at the cost of anything...