Why have the police gone so cool towards the McCanns?

13 April 2012

Exactly 100 days since Madeleine McCann went missing it's emerged Portuguese police have dramatically changed their attitude towards her parents in the last week.

As Gerry and Kate McCann today mark the 100th day since their child vanished, a family friend revealed that detectives have adopted a "very different tone" and been more "formal" towards the couple.

The switch comes after a week of innuendo in Portuguese newspapers, based on anonymous police briefings, that Madeleine was not abducted but was killed in the family apartment.

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Kate and Gerry McCann leave a special church service marking 100 days since Madeleine went missing

Today the couple launched a new section on the YouTube website (http://www.youtube.com/user/DontYouForgetAboutMe) to highlight the search for missing children everywhere, not just Madeleine.

Madeleine McCann: missing for 100 days

Sports stars, including the England rugby team, Tottenham football club and champion jockey Frankie Dettori, have also marked the 100th day by highlighting the hunt for Madeleine.

In Praia da Luz, the McCanns also attended Mass where they sung hymns in their daughter's honour.

But the latest revelations are sure to fuel speculation in Portugal that the parents were in some way involved.

Despite that, sources close to the McCanns insisted last night the couple did not feel they were being treated by police as suspects.

The friend revealed that until last Wednesday the McCanns had been treated as "interested parties" by detectives.

On Monday, Gerry McCann, a 39-year-old cardiac consultant, went for a regular police briefing on his own, and was treated in the usual manner. But two days later both he and his wife were called to the headquarters of the Policia Judiciara.

The friend said: "That meeting had a very different tone and was far more formal. It has always been very informal and friendly until this week but the tone changed at the last meeting."

Spurs's Robbie Keane wears a Madeleine McCann t-shirt

Mr and Mrs McCann feel they are being treated as they were at the start of the inquiry, when they were questioned closely. They have told friends they believe the inquiry is "back to square one".

The change comes as Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa, who is leading the inquiry said: "Police are following a new lead." He would not comment on the change of attitude towards the McCanns.

A review of the case by British police has discovered traces of blood in the McCanns' Algarve apartment. Test results are not expected for at least another week.

In public, the McCanns have spoken highly of the police.

But in private they are said to be losing confidence in an operation which has traced and questioned all 490 holidaymakers at the Mark Warner Ocean Club on May 3 but failed to find a scrap of evidence or a single credible theory about what happened to Madeleine.

Lawrence Dallaglio trains in his 'find Madeleine' t-shirt

Now, the only official suspect in the case, estate agent Robert Murat, is likely to be formally cleared. A family friend of the McCanns said: "Basically, it looks like they are back to square one. It's very frustrating for them.

"They will continue to do all they can to co-operate with the police, but it appears to everyone that they haven't a clue."

There were reports yesterday that the police are examining a hire car, rented by a Briton on holiday at the same time as the McCanns. The man is said to have helped with the initial searches for Madeleine before returning home but police refused to confirm whether they are seeking to interview him.

Mr McCann said: "There has been a shift in the investigation and the way it was proceeding previously.

"Now if that means we're starting with a new slate, we've always said all scenarios are possible and we have always done everything to co-operate.

"There's definitely been a shift. They haven't said that she's dead . . . but there's been a shift. I want to see the evidence which has caused their shift because it's so important to us. . . we need to know about it."

He added: "We know we are absolutely innocent, we have had absolutely amazing support."

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British sniffer dogs which found the specks of blood in the McCanns' apartment are being used to conduct fresh searches of the resort, concentrating on the half mile route from the flat to the nearest beach.

Eddie and Keela, both springer spaniels, were brought to Praia da Luz two weeks ago.

Keela is one of Britain's top police dogs - earning more than her Chief Constable in South Yorkshire - and is trained to sniff out the smallest samples of human blood.

Eddie is a 'victim recovery dog' which can detect blood and human remains.

The dogs, which have worked in Britain, Ireland and the U.S., earn £500 a day each and are insured for £4.5 million.

They lead a very different life to the police dogs in Portugal. Eddie and Keela are fed on salmon while their Algarve counterparts get only 'dry mix' and left to pant in the sun.

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