Maddy's parents turn to their lawyers as book hits shelves
Thursday July 24 2008
Kate and Gerry McCann consulted lawyers yesterday after the publication of extracts from a book by a former senior Portuguese detective containing allegations against them.
Goncalo Amaral, former head of the investigation into the disappearance of the couple's daughter Madeleine, affirms that the young girl died in her family's holiday flat.
His book, entitled 'The Truth Of The Lie', will be published today but excerpts were printed in the Portuguese paper 'Correio da Manha' yesterday.
The McCanns were formally cleared of involvement in Madeleine's disappearance on Monday, when prosecutors lifted their status as "arguidos", or formal suspects.
They say they will continue to believe their daughter is alive until given firm evidence to the contrary, and their lawyers are now scrutinising Mr Amaral's book. The McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Mr Amaral will face immediate and swift legal action if he in any way implies, either directly or indirectly, that Kate and Gerry were involved in the disappearance or harming of their daughter."
In one extract, Mr Amaral claimed that British police held back a potentially important lead for six months. He wrote that a serious allegation was passed on to Leicestershire Police on May 16, 2007, less than a fortnight after Madeleine disappeared. But he alleged that the UK force did not communicate this to Portuguese authorities until after he was removed from the case in October.
- Sam Marsden
