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Madeleine McCann suspects to be arrested soon, Portuguese police say Madeleine McCann suspects to be questioned soon, Portuguese police say
(about 4 hours later)
Portuguese police sources have confirmed to the Observer that a number of suspects identified by Scotland Yard detectives will now be arrested "in the very near future" over the disappearance seven years ago of Madeleine McCann. Portuguese police sources have confirmed to the Observer that a number of suspects identified by Scotland Yard detectives will be taken in for questioning "in the very near future" over the disappearance seven years ago of Madeleine McCann.
Police confirmed that "several people" had been identified by the Metropolitan police, who have had officers and two sniffer dogs in the Algarve all week searching a large area of scrubland close to the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz where the McCann family were staying when the three-year-old disappeared in May 2007. The search of that particular area, the Portuguese police source said, would end on Sunday and shift to another area. Police confirmed that "several people" had been identified by the Metropolitan police, who have had officers and two sniffer dogs in the Algarve all week searching a large area of scrubland close to the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz where the McCann family were staying when the three-year-old disappeared in May 2007. The search of that particular area, a Portuguese police source said, would end on 8 June and shift to another area.
It has been six months since the initial request by the Met for access to "three prime suspects" for questioning, although it is believed as many as eight could be on the interview list. It would be the first significant arrests in the case. It has been six months since the initial request by the Met for access to "three prime suspects" for questioning, although it is believed that as many as eight could be on the interview list. They would be the first significant arrests in the case. The three are thought to be burglars who may have carried out raids in the holiday resort and live locally, although the Portuguese would not say whether the men had criminal records.
The three are thought to be burglars who may have carried out raids in the Portuguese holiday resort and live locally, although the Portuguese would not say whether the men had criminal records. The development comes after a cold-case review by British officers and involved the painstaking examination of hundreds of phone records from the area on the night when the toddler vanished from her bed as her parents ate supper with friends at a nearby restaurant. The development comes after a cold-case review by British officers and involved the painstaking examination of hundreds of phone records from the area on the night the toddler vanished from her bed as her parents ate supper with friends at a nearby restaurant.
On Friday, officers in Met police uniform were seen studying a flat area of ground at the opposite end of the area. They had previously focused on a hole covered in undergrowth. Forensics officers sifted through soil in large sieves inside a white tent set up to cover the void but nothing of interest has been found. On Friday, officers in Met uniform were seen studying a flat area of ground at the opposite end of the area. They had previously focused on a hole covered in undergrowth. Forensics officers sifted through soil in large sieves inside a white tent set up to cover the void but nothing of interest has been found.
Portugal's attorney general's office said in January it had received an International Letter of Request in regard to "prime suspects" sent by British police investigating the disappearance. On Saturday, the source said there was still no date set for questioning to take place but they definitely wouldn't take place during the current search phase of the investigation, which they said would expand to new sites on Wednesday, culminating by "no later than next Friday". Portugal's attorney general's office said in January it had received an international letter of request in regard to "prime suspects" sent by British police investigating the disappearance. On Saturday the source said there was still no date set for questioning to take place but it definitely would not happen during the current search phase of the investigation, which they said would expand to new sites on Wednesday (11 June), culminating by "no later than next Friday".
Police also confirmed that all the suspects are still resident in Portugal and that interviews would take place at either of the two Algarve police stations, at Faro and at Portimao, and would be conducted by Portuguese detectives with their British counterparts allowed to sit in but not able to intervene. Police also confirmed all the suspects still live in Portugal and that interviews would take place at either of the two Algarve police stations, Faro or Portimão, conducted by Portuguese detectives with their British counterparts allowed to sit in but not intervene.
The people police want to talk to will be immediately constituted as "arguidos" - a Portuguese term for someone who is a suspect, a term which garnered infamy when Madeline's parents, along with a man called Robert Murat, were given the status by Portuguese authorities. All three were cleared of being arguidos by a prosecutor in 2008. Those police want to talk to will be immediately constituted as arguidos, a Portuguese term for someone who is a suspect, which garnered infamy when Madeline's parents, along with a British expatriate called Robert Murat, were given the status by Portuguese authorities. All three were cleared by a prosecutor in 2008.
Earlier this week, the Praia de Luz mayor, Victor Mata, has said the timing of last week's search – which coincides with the resort's busiest holiday period and brought dozens of journalists back to the area – "couldn't be worse". He said the area's tourism industry was suffering and local people were being "punished". Mata warned that if there are more searches in future, he would seek court action to try and stop them happening during peak summer period. The Praia de Luz mayor, Victor Mata, has said the timing of last week's search – which coincides with the resort's busiest holiday period and brought dozens of journalists back to the area – "couldn't be worse". He said local tourism was suffering and people were being "punished". Mata warned that if there were more searches in future, he would seek court action to stop them happening during peak summer period. "The people of Luz are not against the searches for Madeleine but seeing as it's been seven years, they would have appreciated it if they could have started in a few months' time."
"The people of Luz are not against the searches for Madeleine but seeing as it's been seven years, they would have appreciated it if they could have started in a few months' time." Kate and Gerry McCann released a statement on their website saying they were "encouraged by the progress" being made by search teams in Portugal.
Kate and Gerry McCann released a statement on their website saying they are "encouraged by the progress" being made by search teams in Portugal.
Writing on their Official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page, the couple said: "We are kept updated on the ongoing work in Portugal," and added: "Thank you for continuing to stand by us and supporting our efforts to get Madeleine home."Writing on their Official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page, the couple said: "We are kept updated on the ongoing work in Portugal," and added: "Thank you for continuing to stand by us and supporting our efforts to get Madeleine home."