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| New police chief for McCann case | New police chief for McCann case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A new senior detective will head the Portuguese inquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Portuguese police have confirmed. | A new senior detective will head the Portuguese inquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Portuguese police have confirmed. |
| The case will now be headed by Paulo Rebelo. He replaces Goncalo Amaral, who was removed last week apparently for criticising the British police. | The case will now be headed by Paulo Rebelo. He replaces Goncalo Amaral, who was removed last week apparently for criticising the British police. |
| Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry, of Rothley, Leics, are official suspects in the case but have not been charged. | Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry, of Rothley, Leics, are official suspects in the case but have not been charged. |
| Madeleine vanished from their apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on 3 May. | Madeleine vanished from their apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on 3 May. |
| Mr Amaral was apparently removed after suggesting British police were working to Mr and Mrs McCann's agenda. | Mr Amaral was apparently removed after suggesting British police were working to Mr and Mrs McCann's agenda. |
| They hope that he will concentrate on eliminating them from the inquiry as suspects Clarence MitchellFamily spokesman | |
| At the time, the McCanns' spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said any suggestion that the couple were influencing the police was "ludicrous". | At the time, the McCanns' spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said any suggestion that the couple were influencing the police was "ludicrous". |
| On Tuesday, he said he hoped the new officer would make it his priority to eliminate the McCanns from the inquiry. | |
| He said: "Clearly this is an operational matter for the Portuguese police, but Kate and Gerry do welcome the appointment of a new officer to oversee the operation in the Algarve. | |
| "They hope that he will concentrate on eliminating them from the inquiry as suspects and will then be in a position to refocus the efforts of his team on finding Madeleine." | |
| Mr Rebelo, 45, is a veteran detective who for the last two years has been the deputy national director of Portugal's police force. | Mr Rebelo, 45, is a veteran detective who for the last two years has been the deputy national director of Portugal's police force. |
| He has spent much of his career hunting drug traffickers, and has investigated a number of other high-profile cases. | He has spent much of his career hunting drug traffickers, and has investigated a number of other high-profile cases. |
| But according to the BBC's Alison Roberts, in Portugal, the Madeleine McCann inquiry is by far the most widely-publicised case tackled by Mr Rebelo. | But according to the BBC's Alison Roberts, in Portugal, the Madeleine McCann inquiry is by far the most widely-publicised case tackled by Mr Rebelo. |
| "None has come close to having the international ramifications of the Madeleine McCann investigation," she said. | "None has come close to having the international ramifications of the Madeleine McCann investigation," she said. |
| "[It] has been going on for more than five months without detectives being able to trace the little girl, but with her parents Kate and Gerry McCann formal suspects for the past month." | "[It] has been going on for more than five months without detectives being able to trace the little girl, but with her parents Kate and Gerry McCann formal suspects for the past month." |