Madeleine McCann: The Anniversary, Malinka’s Car And Unsavoury E-Mails
MADDYWATCH – Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
DAILY MIRROR: “KATE TOLD TO FORGET PORTUGAL – She’ll miss Maddy anniversary”
A year of Madeleine McCann stories.
Lawyers have told the couple that to return on May 3 may be risky in view of the fact they are still official suspects over the missing four-year-old. There are fears it might provoke demands for them to be quizzed by police again.
“May”. “Fears”. It’s News of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in a nutchell.
A “friend” says: “The lawyers are just being ultra-cautious. But there remains a possibility they may suddenly be called in. The anniversary would then become a circus which is the last thing they want. It is sad because Portugal is where Kate feels closest to Madeleine.”
So says a friend of the McCanns in the national press.
The six-month anniversary was marked by a flurry of speculation, yellow ribbons and a book.
THE SUN: “Murat pal’s car is torched”
A close pal of Maddie suspect Robert Murat has been targeted by an arsonist — apparently attempting to make him reveal details of the case.
Apparently. Or not.
There was a similar arson incident last year when Malinka’s van was blown up at night.
This is Sergey Malinka. Back in May 2007, the Sun heard Portuguese TV report that Malinka has convictions for “sex crimes.” Does he have any criminal convictions? “Not as far as I know,” said Moscow-born Malinka. Did the Sun bother to investigate further? Is Portuguese TV a reputable source of fact?
What says Malinka of his car: “It was a nice car, but at least I wasn’t inside it. I’m angry and I want to find out who it was.”
And what of the McCanns and their friends?
Investigators are pinning their hopes of a breakthrough on fresh interviews with the Tapas Seven — the pals holidaying with parents Kate and Gerry, both 39, of Rothley, Leics. But public prosecutors in Portugal have rejected police requests to call in Kate and Gerry for questioning.
Someone should tell the Mirror.
DAILY MAIL: “Friend of Murat quizzed over Madeleine wakes to find car torched”
Sprayed in red paint on the pavement next to it was “fala” – “Portuguese for ‘speak’.”
The Russian expat said yesterday: “Who the hell has written that? What exactly do they want me to say? They must be talking about Robert. There’s nothing to say. I’m angry that someone would do this and I want to find out who it was.”
Adding: “I’m not scared. It’s just a car. It was a nice car, but at least I wasn’t inside it. But I have no feelings about this. They ripped my heart out last summer when they involved me with all this.”
Mr Malinka is associated with Robert Murat, who has not been charged with committing any crime. Mr Malinka has not been named as a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
It is believed to be the third time a vehicle has mysteriously been set alight close to his house in the middle of the night, one of which was a van belonging to Mr Malinka. Both the previous apparent arson attacks were before Madeleine’s disappearance.
Someone should tell the Sun.
THE ALGARVE RESIDENT: Car belonging to Madeleine case witness destroyed in blast
The Judicial Police could not confirm this morning’s blast took place but witnesses in the area have told The Resident that two cars were involved. They have also said that one of the cars belonged to Malinka.The Resident spoke to Robert Murat, who said that he had not been told about the incident but did confirm that Malinka drove a Silver Audi, similar to the car that was torched.
“I am in England now but I am surprised that no one in Praia da Luz phoned me to tell me about it”, he said.
TIMES: “Disgust may express itself in sales figures
Members of staff at Express Newspapers have been receiving hate mail after the front-page apology to the McCanns on Wednesday. It appears that some members of staff working for Richard Desmond’s newspapers, guilty or not, are being penalised for the defamatory remarks.
The Express is now at the centre of the Madeleine McCann story.
I hear that unsavoury e-mails were sent by members of the public to staff working in departments outside of home news, the department responsible for the offending articles. If such as backlash gathers strength, could this dent circulation figures further? The Daily Star recorded a 7.08 per cent year-on-year fall last month, while the Daily Express fell 3.28 per cent.
What did the Express Newspaper’s apology do for sales. And if they went up, will the group issue an apology every day?
Madeleine McCann: The girl who sold newspapers
Posted: 21st, March 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (982) | TrackBack | Permalink
