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| Madeleine police inquiry shelved | |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been shelved. | |
| Portugal's attorney general Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro has told police to halt their inquiry. | |
| He also confirmed that suspect status has been lifted from the child's parents and a third British national, Robert Murat. | |
| Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared from her holiday apartment in Portugal on 3 May 2007, aged three. | |
| 'Most important' | 'Most important' |
| Portuguese media had previously reported that the 14-month long investigation would be closed because of a lack of evidence. | Portuguese media had previously reported that the 14-month long investigation would be closed because of a lack of evidence. |
| Detectives submitted their final report at the start of July to prosecutors. | Detectives submitted their final report at the start of July to prosecutors. |
| Former lead detective Goncalo Moral talks to Steve Kingstone | Former lead detective Goncalo Moral talks to Steve Kingstone |
| Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, have said they want their own private investigators to see detectives' files so they can keep looking for their daughter. | Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, have said they want their own private investigators to see detectives' files so they can keep looking for their daughter. |
| Mr and Mrs McCann's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said the couple would not comment in advance of the attorney general's official statement. | Mr and Mrs McCann's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said the couple would not comment in advance of the attorney general's official statement. |
| He added: "Obviously they are aware of numerous reports suggesting that the case is about to be shelved. | He added: "Obviously they are aware of numerous reports suggesting that the case is about to be shelved. |
| "If that is the case they hope that it is made very clear that their arguido status is revoked and they hope to gain access to the police files so that their private investigators can continue the search for Madeleine. | "If that is the case they hope that it is made very clear that their arguido status is revoked and they hope to gain access to the police files so that their private investigators can continue the search for Madeleine. |
| "At the end of the day that is the most important thing - finding their daughter and keeping the search going." | "At the end of the day that is the most important thing - finding their daughter and keeping the search going." |
| Last week Mr Murat received a £600,000 settlement and apology after a libel claim over allegations in 11 UK newspapers. | Last week Mr Murat received a £600,000 settlement and apology after a libel claim over allegations in 11 UK newspapers. |
| In March Mr and Mrs McCann reached a libel settlement and got an apology from Express Newspapers for suggesting they were responsible for her death. | In March Mr and Mrs McCann reached a libel settlement and got an apology from Express Newspapers for suggesting they were responsible for her death. |
| The McCanns and Mr Murat both strongly denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. | The McCanns and Mr Murat both strongly denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. |
| 'Good job' | 'Good job' |
| In an interview with the BBC, Goncalo Amaral - the former police chief leading the Madeleine inquiry - said he believed she was dead. We tried and we worked hard, so we can't be accused of incompetence or failure Goncalo AmaralFormer head of Madeleine inquiry | In an interview with the BBC, Goncalo Amaral - the former police chief leading the Madeleine inquiry - said he believed she was dead. We tried and we worked hard, so we can't be accused of incompetence or failure Goncalo AmaralFormer head of Madeleine inquiry |
| "The evidence that we had gathered by the time that I left the case pointed to the girl being dead - and having died inside the apartment," he said. | "The evidence that we had gathered by the time that I left the case pointed to the girl being dead - and having died inside the apartment," he said. |
| "I don't know what happened next, I can't say. We'll have to wait for the case files to be made public." | "I don't know what happened next, I can't say. We'll have to wait for the case files to be made public." |
| Mr Amaral was removed from the case last October after reportedly criticising the British police. | Mr Amaral was removed from the case last October after reportedly criticising the British police. |
| He is now publishing a book about the investigation and denied that Portuguese police had failed to carry it out properly. | He is now publishing a book about the investigation and denied that Portuguese police had failed to carry it out properly. |
| "Let's wait, and people will see that the Portuguese police and the British police did a good job - because various British agencies were involved. | "Let's wait, and people will see that the Portuguese police and the British police did a good job - because various British agencies were involved. |
| "We tried and we worked hard, so we can't be accused of incompetence or failure." | "We tried and we worked hard, so we can't be accused of incompetence or failure." |
| Mr Amaral also insisted that despite them being made formal suspects, there was "no persecution" of the McCanns. | Mr Amaral also insisted that despite them being made formal suspects, there was "no persecution" of the McCanns. |
| "The police don't want to persecute anyone - just to investigate what happened in a given case," he said. | "The police don't want to persecute anyone - just to investigate what happened in a given case," he said. |