Friday 13 January 2017

Games

 1. Introduction

This post was going to be called “Corrugated Iron”. Instead we opted to call it “Games” because that is what we are witnessing being played in the Ben Needham case.

We repeat that this blog is about Maddie McCann and not about Ben Needham.

We have written about him whenever we consider it to be relevant to the Maddie case.

Ben deserves a separate blog.

We share our conclusions about his case privately and they are what makes us say that we believe that the official outcome in Ben’s case will have a direct impact in the official outcome in the Maddie one.

So that we all know where we stand, officially, in the Ben case, the South Yorkshire police has stated that Ben died as a result of an accident near the farmhouse.

They came to that conclusion due to the fact that they found one of the 2 toy cars that Ben was supposedly playing with when he disappeared from the farmhouse, around 750 metres away from it, on the second digging site.

That is what we know officially. We don’t know if there are any other things besides the toy car that helped reach this conclusion.

As far as we can see, there are 3 options for the South Yorkshire police:

#1 – Silence:

Not speak about the case any further. We will return to this option later in the post but it would be the equivalent of the archival in the Maddie case.

If South Yorkshire police decides for this option, it doesn’t mean that archival will be the option in Maddie’s, it would just mean to let sleeping dogs lie in Ben’s;

#2 – Patsy:

South Yorkshire police would confirm officially that it was Dino Barkas whodunnit at the farmhouse even if it goes against logic, reasoning and above all, common decency.

That would indicate to us that the option in the Maddie case would be the Third Option, we suppose in its latest version, the child trafficking gang.

That or some other invention depending on which direction the sick winds of inspiration happen to be blowing at the moment;

#3 – Truth:

Expose the real culprits of the case. If that option was the chosen one for Ben, we think that truth would be the option chosen to conclude the Maddie case.

This option is most likely to go for only partial truth. Like we think is possible to achieve in the Maddie case – implicating only those “below” Freud – we think that it is possible to divide the Ben case into before and after Maddie. We don’t think any less detail than that in either case can be achieved but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was tried.

Although we think we have a pretty good idea of what the truth is on the Ben case, we won’t be sharing it publicly with our readers for obvious reasons. However, if truth happens to be the option chosen by the South Yorkshire police, we will state our agreement then.


2. Corrugated Iron

So why would we call this post “Corrugated Iron”? Because it’s something that helps prove that games are being played by the British authorities and the British media in the Ben Needham case, similar to those being played in the Maddie McCann one.

Before we are accused of accusing anyone other than the people we intend to accuse at this moment in time, let us make it very clear that we are only accusing the British authorities of playing pretend investigators and the British media of playing pretend journalists in both cases.

In terms of British authorities, Scotland Yard in the Maddie case (Leicestershire Constabulary, FSS and CEOP have been ‘retired’ from it for a while now) and the South Yorkshire police in Ben’s.

Why Scotland Yard is playing games we think we understand the reasons and have repeatedly given our opinion about it in our blog. One just has to realise that as names are missing from the booking sheets, and that have been clearly tampered with, to understand that bigger fish are being protected.

Why is South Yorkshire police playing games as well, we will pretend, for now, that we haven’t the faintest idea. But the point is, games are being played as we will show you.

But what is important to be understood is that at the moment we are not accusing anyone else other than the authorities and the media in Ben Needham’s case.

If the reader has taken an interest in the case before 2014, then a corrugated iron sheet will be familiar.

It was such an odd object that most of our readers are by now remembering what we’re talking about.

If we add that a man’s sock was found beneath it, then we’re certain that all our readers from that time onwards will now be raising their eyebrows and are asking for themselves… “THAT corrugated iron sheet??”

Yes, that one.

For our newer readers, let us tell you that we’re talking about a sheet of corrugated iron thoroughly investigated by Scotland Yard at their first digging site – even in number of diggings sites, two, Scotland Yard and South Yorkshire police match – in Praia da Luz, in that show they put on in 2014 so the world could see them humiliating themselves… thoroughly.

At the time we all jested about it but now, and because of Ben Needham, it has become a quite a relevant object.

That Praia da Luz’s corrugated iron sheet shows that South Yorkshire police were playing games in Kos.

We will now ask readers to go back to that time in Praia da Luz. Scotland Yard set up camp at the 1st digging site, in the west part of the little beach village.

Does the reader remember what was really memorable in that first week of circus (the letters on the wall were in the second week if we remember correctly)?

We would say it was that the media was kept at a distance.

We all got to see what was going on from afar.

As if the Scotland Yard were gladiators in some Roman amphitheatre and the world the spectators.

And as soon as the Scotland Yard started the show, what was to be the surprise star of the show? The corrugated iron sheet of course.

The Mirror in the article of Jun 5 2014 by Martin Fricker “Madeleine McCann search: Police look in Praia da Luz sewers as underground hunt continues” says this:

“Forensic archaeologists also painstakingly began sifting through soil at the bottom of a hidden pit. Sniffer dogs had found the five-foot-by-three-foot hole under wooden planks, corrugated iron sheets and soil 24 hours earlier.

Police prised open another corrugated iron sheet nailed to wooden joists at the entrance to the hole.”

And then it says these very important following words:

“Several evidence bags were taken away from the site and soil was removed by wheelbarrow as digging took place out of sight.

Scotland Yard – who are leading Operation Grange – tonight refused to reveal what the teams had discovered inside the pit.”

There was a commotion noticed from a distance at the digging site and it was reported. Journalists doing their jobs.

Later, we were to discover that under that corrugated iron sheet, a man’s sock was found.

By the way, more than 2 and a half years have passed and we are yet to know to whom Scotland Yard suspects that sock belongs to. We do hope, due to the importance given to it then, that it hasn’t been destroyed like so much forensic evidence was in this case by the British authorities.


3. The sock v the toy car

Now let’s go to Kos in October last year. Like in Luz, we also got to know there were evidence bags filled with possible interesting material and taken away, we suppose for analysis, from the first digging site.

But in Kos we are interested only in the second digging site, the one where the toy car was found.

Let’s first look at where the journalists were.

Unlike in Praia da Luz, where they were kept at a distance, in Kos they were IN the digging sites. Right there in the middle of it all:


The South Yorkshire police alleges that it found Ben Needham’s toy car on the second digging site on Saturday August 15 2016.

But on Sunday, the next day, the South Yorkshire police’s apparent ‘official’ voice the case, the Mirror publishes the article “Police searching for missing Ben Needham end their three-week dig on Greek island of Kos” by Lucy Thornton and Anthony Bond. The article was published at 13:30 and updated at 14:03.

On that same day, at 15:13, the Telegraph published the article by James Rothwell “British detectives halt dig in search of missing toddler Ben Needham on Greek island of Kos”.

The Independent also publishes on that day the article “Ben Needham search: Police halt dig in hunt for toddler who vanished in 1991” by Alex Sims, although we don’t know at what time it was done.

Let’s look at what the articles on Sunday have to say:

The Telegraph:

“Dozens of South Yorkshire police officers have spent the past three weeks sifting through more than 800 tonnes of soil near a farmhouse in the town of Iraklis.

It is understood that officers and volunteers found no trace of his body but have sent several items back to the UK for further tests.

(…)

Several items that were found during the dig have been sent back to the UK for analysis, in the hope they can offer some clues as to the missing toddler's whereabouts.”

The Independent:


“Over the last three weeks, officers from South Yorkshire and Greek search volunteers excavated land around an old farmhouse on the island where the toddler was last seen [note that although the picture that illustrates the article (above) is from the 2nd site, this location is ignored in it]

(…)

Investigators officially ended digging operations on Saturday after 21 days.

On Sunday afternoon a team of forensic archaeologists and anthropologists finished their examination of the last of the debris.

The teams broke into a round of applause as they packed away their equipment, Sky News reports.

More than 70 items, which police have described as being of mild interest, were found in the excavation, which saw hundreds of tonnes of soil removed from two locations on Kos, a quarter of a mile apart.

The objects have been sent off for further analysis and police have said they will continue with their investigations even if the items do not reveal any new information.”

The Mirror:

“Police searching for Ben Needham have today formally ended their dig on the island of Kos.

South Yorkshire police and Greek volunteers have spent three weeks searching grounds near an old farmhouse.

A number of items found during the search will now be analysed in a bid to discover what happened to the 21-month-old toddler 25 years ago.”

The case breaker evidence had been, allegedly, found on the previous day and the reporters, literally in situ, said nothing about it on the following day.

Absolutely nothing.

Hopefully the reader will now understand the importance of Praia da Luz’s corrugated iron sheet has in the Ben Needham case: it shows an inexplicable double standard of reporting in case the South Yorkshire police allegation that the toy car was found on Saturday is true.

The tone of the 3 articles is very unhopeful:

The Telegraph: “"I've got the confidence that we have done exactly what we can, given the plans we had before we came out here so that I can give an answer, whatever that might be, to Ben's family," said Detective Inspector John Cousins, who led the investigation.

It has been a difficult job, the conditions have been extremely hot and very dusty and they are long hours they have been working," he added.”

The Independent: “Police have said there are also other leads to follow from various information collected throughout the investigation’s history.”

The Mirror: “DI Cousins said: “I’ve reviewed, in great detail, every piece of evidence made available to me by the Greek authorities, who are very supportive of the work we’re doing in assisting their investigation.

As a result of the work conducted over the last 18 months I have no doubt this phase of the operation is absolutely essential in order to get answers for Ben’s family.””

Does any of this reflect that the toy car had been found the day before? No, it doesn’t.

Kerry Needham seems to agree with this hopelessness, as is shown in the Mirror:

“And she hit back at claims the South Yorkshire police investigation on the Greek island was “flawed”.

Tearful Kerry, 43, said of police boss Det Insp Jon Cousins: “He will never give up in his hunt for the truth in the years he has remaining as a detective.

"We’ll never ever forget him and all the volunteers who have helped. One Greek man lost two days’ pay to help the police search.

“Don’t anyone dare criticise them. I never want to hear a bad word spoken about these detectives.

"They need medals for what they’ve had to do – not criticism.”

(…)

Kerry said of the UK police team: “They know enough to know what happened.

"A detective inspector on his hands and knees in full black uniform digging in the dirt just to find us the truth? What more can you ask for and what more can you say.””

Kerry’s words are clearly speaking about the fact the South Yorkshire police were closing shop in Kos. So AFTER the toy car was found and, it seems, completely unaware that it had been.

Did the South Yorkshire police keep Kerry Needham in the dark on Saturday and Sunday so as to better prepare her and the family for the harsh finding?

Well, to us that seems very unlikely.

The entire operation was based on the premise that Ben was dead. The Needhams were clearly told to prepare for the worst from the outset.

The 3 Saturday articles we have referred to are very clear – please keep in mind that when they were published supposedly no reporter knew the toy car had been found – about the family being prepared to be notified that Ben was indeed dead:

The Telegraph: “They were working on the theory that construction worker Konstantinos “Dino” Barkas, who died of cancer in 2015, was linked to the boy's death.”

The Independent: “The digging operation was launched after fresh evidence suggested Ben may have been accidently run over by a digger clearing land on the day he disappeared.”

The Mirror: “Kerry told the Sunday Mirror she agrees with their theory her 21-month-old son was crushed by a digger on Kos 25 years ago and his body buried.”

(…)

Kerry and family were told to “prepare for the worst” after a witness claimed digger driver Konstantinos “Dino” Barkas, who died last year, might have killed Ben with his excavator in a building site crash”

The family was as well prepared as they could ever be. Kerry Needham seems to have agreed that Ben was dead even before the toy car was found.

It would be expected that the moment something relevant was found they would be notified as soon as possible.

So why the inexplicable hiatus in time between the alleged finding and it being reported?

Only one word comes to our minds: games.

Why did the reporters collaborate with this? Are we expected to believe that the South Yorkshire police was able to hide the find from the reporters who were there in the middle of the digging site?

Certainly there would have been a commotion made by those who found the toy.

After 3 weeks of hard labour under the scorching heat, an immediate reaction would not be humanly possible to contain. Please remember Praia da Luz’s corrugated iron sheet.

Even if that emotion was contained, superiors would have been called for decision on what was to be done next. There would have been evident movement in the digging site.

So, it can be deduced that the reporters knew that the toy, or at least a very relevant piece of material evidence had been found.

Yet on Sunday they all were nonchalant about it.

All of them had a major scoop on their hands and decided to collectively collaborate with the South Yorkshire police so that the “punchline” of this case – as if it was a mere high school drama play – would only be delivered on Monday to create the best effect.

Games are being played by the South Yorkshire police and the journalists that were present in Kos.

To confirm that games are indeed being played by the media, Lucy Thornton the reporter who we think has most written about Ben, in her Mirror article of October 17 2016 at 21:58 (updated at 09:39, Oct 18 2016) “Ben Needham's toy car discovered at secret fly-tipping dump just hours before cops called off Kos search”  says this:

“The well-preserved yellow metal toy had a number 88 still on the roof and “benzine” written on the bonnet.

It was found on Sunday at the fly-tipping site half a mile away from the farmhouse at Iraklis where Ben and his family were staying when he disappeared 25 years ago.”

She says toy car was found on Sunday and this clearly contradicts what was said by DCI Cousins:

“An item found on Saturday, which I have shown personally to some of Ben’s family, was found in one of the targeted areas at the second site, very close to a dated item from 1991.”

And when was the toy shown to the family?

It was found on Saturday and only shown on Sunday after they informed Kerry Needham that the operation was going to be closed without a relevant find?

Was it something like “Ms Needham, we inform you that we have done all we could but there comes a time when things must come to an end and now it is the time we must return home empty-handed. We hope you realise how disappointed we are with this outcome. Oh, by the way, do you think by any chance that this toy car we found may be Ben’s”?

Surreal.


4. Is Ben dead?

As we have noted it took a while for the Needham family to accept that Ben was dead.

But one must ask, and we are not trying to be morbid about it but rather trying to clarify something that we really think is of the utmost relevance: do the Needhams believe that Ben is really dead?

On Dec 12 2016 – a staggering 56 days after the South Yorkshire police announced on Oct 17 that they professionally believed that Ben was dead – in the Mirror article by Andy Lines “Ben Needham's mum claims villagers on Kos 'know what happened to her missing son'” it is said that:

“Kerry Needham now accepts her son is probably dead and has called on locals to reveal the truth, after police revealed they believe he was accidentally killed by a digger.

(…)

Mum Kerry accepts her boy is probably dead.

(…)

“There are people on Kos who know what happened and probably know where Ben is buried.””

To believe that someone is probably dead is not to have accepted that the person is indeed dead. There is a big chance that it is so but there is still a glimmer of hope that it may not be so.

The article refers that “Kerry, Christine and Ben’s sister Leigh-anna Needham were speaking on Good Morning Britain.”

From the transcript that we made of that particular show:

Piers Morgan (PM): Do you? Let me ask you another hard question. Do you accept, as a family, that Ben is dead?

Christine Needham (CN): Yes

PM: You’ve come to terms with that?

CN: Yes, well, we’ve not come to terms…

Kerry Needham (KN): We’re trying …

PM: You’ll never really come to terms with it …

CN: We know it’s the truth.

PM: But you’ve come to terms with the fact that he is dead?

CN: Yes, we know it’s the truth.”

There seems to be no probability involved. The question is very direct and the answer is equally so.

To reinforce this, at the start of the program the voice over says “the family of missing British toddler Ben Needham say they’ll spend the first Christmas in decades coming to terms with the knowledge that he will never be found alive”.

It’s not said he won’t probably be found alive but that he will never be found alive.

Although it has to be pointed out that none of the 3 women of the Needham family present did pronounce the words “Ben is dead”.

But from from the above, one can ascertain that 56 days after the South Yorkshire police concluded that Ben was dead and after Kerry Needham having been photographed distraughtly holding a bouquet of white flowers, the Needhams believed that Ben was dead.

However we could not help to notice that Ben’s age progression photo was kept up on the Ben Needham website. Why?

As a sidenote, doesn’t this remind us all of the “stubbornness” of the McCanns in keeping up the picture of Tannerman on their website after Scotland Yard had clearly stated that in their opinion the presence of that man was explained by him being Crèche Dad?

In the Sun’s article of January 6 2017 by Sam Christie and Jenny Awford “‘NO ONE CAN HIDE FROM THEIR CONSCIENCE’ Ben Needham’s mum issues passionate new appeal for clues into disappearance of tot who vanished in Kos in 1991” some doubt is cast on this certainty that the Needham’s were certain that Ben was really dead:

“Cops told Kerry last year that they fear Ben was killed by a digger on the Greek island.

(…)

But at the end of the eight-week long search, police told the Needham family they believed he was involved in a fatal accident with a digger.”

We go back to the hopeful terminology of “they fear” and “they believed”. And note that in the title the word “vanished” is used instead of “killed”.

Please do note that with the exception of the title (vanished v killed) the uncertainty can be read as it’s about whether he was killed by the digger rather than about if he is or not dead.

But the point is that in January 2017 there continue to be uncertainties.

On October 17 the South Yorkshire police was very certain about Ben’s death and how, when and where it happened. Let’s recap DCI Cousins’ words then:

“However, based on the information that I have now, as a result of an extensive and thorough investigation, it is without doubt that the current line of enquiry is the most probable cause for Ben’s disappearance.

My team and I know that machinery, including a large digger, was used to clear an area of land on 24 July 1991, behind the farmhouse that was being renovated by the Needham’s. It is my professional belief that Ben Needham died as a result of an accident near to the farmhouse in Iraklis where he was last seen playing.

The events leading up to and following that incident have been explored by my team of experts to great lengths. The fact that we have not had a direct result during this visit to Kos does not preclude the facts that we know to be true.

An item found on Saturday, which I have shown personally to some of Ben’s family, was found in one of the targeted areas at the second site, very close to a dated item from 1991.

It is our initial understanding that this item was in Ben’s possession around the time he went missing.

The recovery of this item, and its location, further adds to my belief that material was removed from the farmhouse on or shortly after the day that Ben disappeared.”

“Without doubt” that’s what he said then. Now it’s “they believe” and “they fear”.

Is the South Yorkshire police taunting the Needham family? Because it indeed seems that to be the case.

Maybe they’re not.

Please note a very interesting paragraph in this article: “Kerry was later seen collapsing in tears during a visit to the spot where it is feared Ben was killed.”

Kerry and Christine Needham were photographed holding the white flowers near the farmhouse. Not near the house where Dino Barkas was supposedly to have been working at the time a 100 yds down the road. Nor near the 2nd digging site.


5. The chosen option?

If one pays close attention, the Needham acceptance of Ben’s death after 56 days of apparent denial – with the exception of that first day when it seemed all said by the South Yorkshire police had been fully accepted – marks a very interesting twist in the case.

That twist being the apparent choice of Option #1 – Silence by the South Yorkshire police.

Please note how the fact that the family has accepted that Ben’s death has taken second place to what is now being pressured to be pursued on the case: find Ben’s body.

Unquestionably, that would expectedly be the following step to take after having been determined that Ben was indeed dead. What is and should be questioned is why it took 56 days for that to happen.

The expected reaction from the family on learning that the police had no doubts about him being dead would be to ask if they knew or had any idea of where body was and what was the planned way forward to find it.

But the family shouldn’t need to ask, it should be the South Yorkshire police to take that initiative and explain to the family and us all what they intended to do about it.

Instead, we had silence, total silence from the South Yorkshire police.

And, it has to be noted that there seems to be no pressure from the family to know the details as to what has happened to Ben. If they were told by the South Yorkshire police, then why haven’t the general details of what happened been shared with the public?

Besides, it seems the family hasn’t been informed of much.

This is what DCI Cousins said on the Good Morning program: “They’ve had 25 years wanting an answer in relation to this and this is the answer that we are able to give them – at this stage.”

Interesting of the use of “at this stage”. Do they know something that they don’t want to share with the family at this point in time but can or will do so later on?

They don’t want to share it with the family nor with us public. We do find it strange that not having been fully informed by the South Yorkshire police, as it seems to be the case, the family does not show, at least publicly, any want to know from the authorities what they think really happened to Ben after he went, allegedly, missing.

But it seems that the South Yorkshire police told the Needhams that they know there are people who know what happened to Ben:

Piers Morgan (PM): But it may be that the key person is now dead and therefore you’ll never be able to ask the key question of potentially the key witness, if that is the case.

Kerry Needham (KN): We have, we have been assured really, by South Yorkshire police, that people do know, they do know but they’ve lied.

PM: Other people?

KN: Other people. Yes, on the island.

Christine Needham (CN): Yeah, also, there is one other guy who was with the digger driver that day who swears he was with him 24/7, 24/7… quotes – I was his banksman. I was this, I never left his side, we went to lunch together- They didn’t go to lunch together at all because our police have checked.

PM: So you think there are people still alive who are lying?

CN: Yes, there’s at least one person, yes absolutely, yes.”

So, according to the Needhams the South Yorkshire police know who is lying but apparently is doing nothing about it.

It is leaving it all up to the family to make public appeals.

Almost 3 months after declaring Ben dead it not only says nothing but says that it has nothing further to say… at least for the moment.

One must wonder how long this moment will last.

In our opinion it seems that it does wish for that moment to go on for a long, long time.

Maybe, if wishes came true, forever.

That’s why we think this is said in the Sun’s article:

“After thanking police for their efforts, she [Kerry Needham] said: “They know he’s dead but just can’t find him. Police said it’s time we ended our 25-year search.

They are right but I can’t say goodbye knowing he’s still on that island somewhere. I feel physically sick. I can’t feel any worse than I do.””

Isn’t it like when it comes to the Ben Needham case that we are being told “Ben is dead, we’ve told you that, no need to bother you with any of the boring details about what happened, we know you have better things to do and worry about so do move along people and if you have to worry about anything about this case, let it be known that efforts – no need to know which – are being made to find the body”?

That the mystery of Ben’s death has been solved and that people should move on to the next mystery, the only one that matters now, the only one that should have their focus, attention and energy, the only one that is still unsolved, which is to find out where the body is.

Let’s be honest, if they really wanted to look for the body, wouldn’t that have been done while in Kos? They were there, they had just found the breakthrough object for their investigation, so why not request further time on the Island? Surely that would have been conceded by both the national authorities of the UK and Greece.

Instead we got a “hey we’ve found what tells us that Ben is dead, so let’s pack up and go home, there’s nothing more to see here”.

We were told the toy car alone has proven that Ben was killed by a huge digger and are supposed to take South Yorkshire police word for it that it is so without questioning.

Basically by sending us all off to “find” the body, the objective is that when we look back on this case, the public thinks that the digger did it – with time it will be forgotten, if it ever was noticed,  that the South Yorkshire police never said such a thing and it was only the media saying it in their name – and that the case is still open because there’s a body to be found. A classical cold case with little chance of ever being closed.


6. Conclusion

With 3 months having passed after the announcement of Ben death, we are practically the only ones apparently interested in the case.

People have become aware that something is wrong with this case. But, as far as we can see have gone silent about it.

It’s as if Great Britain is completely satisfied with the “conclusion” that it was Dino Barkas who killed Ben accidentally, without being told how, where and when it happened nor why would the man hide the body of a little boy he happened to have killed accidentally after he, supposedly, appeared unexpectedly out of nowhere.

We repeat that this blog is about Maddie McCann case.

Ben Needham deserves a completely separate one as his case is as intricate as is Maddie’s. If for nothing else, the games being played around it by the South Yorkshire police and the media prove it.

We don’t have the police files of the case. Nor do we have a book written by the detective responsible for the investigation.

But we do have enough documentation to come to fair and reasonable conclusions.

For starters we have Kerry Needham’s book “Ben”, written in 2013, which we urge readers to read, particularly pages 291-293 where she writes about the scenario of Ben being killed by the digger driver and dismisses the suggestion categorically.

Then watch the video – which is referred to in the book – “SOMEDODY KNOWS. A Ben Needham documentary”.

If the option would be either #2 – Patsy or #3 – Truth, it would tell us which way the Maddie case was intended to go. With option #1 – Silence (which as we said represents an archival in Ben’s case) leaves all options open for the Maddie case.

The messages intended to be sent from the Ben case to the Maddie one were sent and we believe were received by those they were destined for.

This is a waiting game, everyone is waiting for the Lisbon trial final decision. Including, we believe, the Ben Needham case.

We also know how to play the waiting game and refuse to get distracted from what we think is important.

That means we don’t know when we will publish again. We will be patient. We are certain our readers understand and trust us to return when we think is the most opportune.

43 comments:

  1. Excellent as per usual Textusa.
    At the heart of all this is the South Yorkshire Police.
    A disgraced force, responsible for the Hillsborough cover up, Orgreave and the lack of justice therein and now this.
    As a force they are discredited and shameful.
    How unsurprising that they are in charge of this "Investigation"
    Interesting to note too, a further link, that of our esteemed Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Yorkshireman, once a member of South Yorkshire Police (1979), rising to become District Commander of the Doncaster West region and now overseeing the farcical Madeleine McCann enquiry.

    I'm always fascinated by links, you find them everywhete, should you go looking !

    The links between the McCann enquiry and Ben are there for all to see.
    Thank you for making them clear.
    Once again, as in the Maddie case, the whiff of corruption permeates the air.
    The underlying sense that something is not right, hence as you rightly point out, the silence.
    Deafening at times.
    The three options you present are concise and feasible.
    Which one will they choose?
    They need to crack on as they are still deciding which option to choose to present to what they see as a gullible public in the Maddie case.
    Everything swings on the Lisbon court verdict.
    The games they are playing, the similarities, the Patsies and the lack of truth.
    I will follow with increased interest in how this pans out.
    Bearing in mind who is running the show!
    Good to see you back.
    No doubt your many readers will share the same sentiments.





    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Textusa, I wish you a happy New Year.

      Delete
    2. Textusa, wish you a happy New year.
      I was sad, waiting so long for you.
      Since october 2016, busy all the time with reading your wonderful blog.
      If you recieve this comment, may I continue to write to you ?
      Thank you, textusa for your greatful job, I am astouned.

      Delete
  2. Absolutely... the Lisbon Verdict is pivotal to what happens next....an unhindered Gonçalo emboldened by a successful outcome will surely be in every paper and discussed on TV around the world with every prospect of more details of the case in the public forum.....the truth has a habit of opening floodgates ....ones which would be even more difficult to lock again!?

    ReplyDelete
  3. What happened to the 60-70 items found which were sent to Aberdeen University for forensic tests?
    Some of these items pre-dated the latest dig.
    Would it not have been better for SYP to wait for the full results before coming to any conclusions?
    Or are the results being kept secret "at the moment"?

    ReplyDelete
  4. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4119220/This-news-dreaming-receiving-Parents-Maddie-McCann-fresh-hope-American-girl-safe-18-YEARS-abducted-child.html

    Tracey Kandohla for MAIL ONLINE!

    ReplyDelete
  5. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teenager-stolen-baby-18-years-9619390

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous 14 Jan 2017, 09:58:00 and Anonymous 14 Jan 2017, 10:54:00

    When I first heard of his story, yesterday afternoon I dismissed it as I saw that it bears no relationship to Maddie case and the McCanns would have to be desperate to use it – which, proving me wrong, they have and proving me right, they are.

    Hospitals abductions are unfortunately very common. It is a major security concern which they address daily and even so they do happen. As opposed to children allegedly abducted from family home or holiday apartment.

    We think that the McCanns are making a big mistake by latching themselves to this case. It only highlights that whoever is supposed to have abducted Maddie, if they did it for parenting reasons, they would have taken one of the twins, and never the little toddler.

    Also means the McCanns aren't supporting the latest story about the paedophile gang being investigated by SY, as gangs, if they exist as such, aren't likely to raise children to their teenage years.

    ReplyDelete
  7. As an aside, Tracey Kandohla is a freelance writer covering the Midlands for national newspapers and magazines who has previously worked at the Sun and Daily Mirror as a London-based staff reporter - ACCORDING TO HER
    profile at THEGUARDIAN.COM

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your blog makes sense & given me another angle of the word my Angel cards gave me last week when I asked if the truth would come out & made public I took it that PJ & SY working together very well
    The word was Syncronicity.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Textusa,thanks for the post"Corrugated sheet",would this be the same South Yorkshire Police Force,who "Failed 1400 young girls"by not pursuing obvious lines of inquiry on child abuse allegations within the Care Home System of UK Government,much the same as the Boroughs of London IICSA,Kincora Boys Home Northern Ireland,Bryn Allyn Estyn,which were given a clean bill of Health by William Hagues Inquiry into child abuse,wher upon a Former Police Commander was found guilty of child abuses and has now passed away(Suicide)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Textusa,the"Corrugated steel"won't be strong enough to protect the dubious person's involved in the Madeleine McCann case,may have served a use in the early 1940' as air raid shelter cover,but the "Bombs"that could be uncovered are once detonated will leave behind some Shrapnel?

      Delete
  10. 'Dark deeds on a dark night' makes you wonder....

    ReplyDelete
  11. http://portugalresident.com/portuguese-journalist-wins-landmark-case-over-freedom-of-expression

    An interesting outcome which may help Mr Amaral:



    Posted by portugalpress on January 17, 2017
    Portuguese journalist wins landmark case over freedom of expression

    A Portuguese journalist condemned to pay €60,000 for an opinion article he wrote in 2006 has finally won what will undoubtedly become a landmark case for freedom of expression.

    José Manuel Fernandes - formerly editor of Público (now publisher of news review website Observador) - was found guilty of defamation by the full gamut of Portuguese courts.

    But the European Court of Human Rights has now ruled that these courts “exceeded their margin of appreciation” in maintaining Fernandes’ enormous indemnity - one which it pointed out was equivalent to a sum attributed over a death.

    The State has thus been ordered to pay Fernandes €9,400 “plus expenses” within a three-month deadline from today.

    It hasn’t been explained this way, but the “plus expenses” clause is likely to run to hefty sum, considering Fernandes has been fighting this judicial battle for the best part of a decade.

    The article that started Fernandes’ litigation nightmare centred on a critique of the appointment of Noronha do Nascimento to head up the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.

    Noronha do Nascimento took exception to being considered the personification of the “dark side of our justice system”, and took out a prosecution for defamation.

    As Observador explains, the ECHR is available to any citizen who has exhausted the judicial means at their disposal and who feels their human rights have been violated.

    And today the ECHR ruled in Fernandes’ favour, saying there was “no reasonable relationship of proportionality between the restriction of freedom of expression of the complainant and the objective pursued of protecting the good name of Noronha do Nascimento”.

    For anyone following ‘freedom of expression’ cases - like that of former Maddie cop Gonçalo Amaral, or of currently jailed activist Maria de Lurdes (click here) - this ruling may well set a valid precedent over “reasonable relationship of proportionality”. The pity is that people have to fight so long to win it.

    natasha.donn@algarveresident.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello Sisters

    Please see article below regarding missing serviceman Corrie McKeague.

    http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mum-corrie-mckeague-confirms-missing-9643398

    Apart from the normal stigma surrounding swinging, interesting point about swingers having member accounts online. Perhaps OG and intelligence agencies have been able to confirm what home IP addresses regularly visited what sites amongst a certain group of holiday makers ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4131428/Corrie-McKeague-girlfriend-members-fab-swingers.html

      No wonder his mother seemed defensive in earlier interviews! She was trying to protect his image.
      She's correct to say swinging has nothing to do with this case, from a moral point of view. She refers to haters picking up on this aspect,
      What we don't know is if he used other sites to meet people which put him at risk

      Delete
  13. 'Old' news but an interesting comment:

    http://www.dn.pt/mundo/interior/jovem-raptada-a-nascenca-encontrada-18-anos-depois-5604430.html

    Fernando Araujo · Escola industrial e comercial de Elvas
    a Madie MCCANN já ao tempo que morreu isto é tudo uma fantochada p/arranjarem dinheiro fácil porque desistiram de trabalhar,acusam tudo e todos e sabem bem o que aconteceu,esses deviam de ser condenados ,abandonaram os filhos pªandarem no Swing e agora andam cheios de mêdo de serem descobertos!!!ainda bem que são estrangeiros...
    Gosto · Responder · 2 · 13 de janeiro de 2017 21:22

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't make sense 15:30 comment as I don't know who the person referred to is.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous 18 Jan 2017, 19:45:00,

    We are assuming that Fernando Araujo is the person you don't know to be. He's the person making the comment and not being someone being referred to!

    Will take the opportunity to translate the comment:

    "It's been a long time that Maddie is dead all this is a puppet show to get easy money because they gave up working, they accuse all and everyone and know well what happened, those should be condemned, abandoned their children to go swinging and now are scared they're found out!!! Thank goodness they're foreigners..."

    ReplyDelete
  15. The swinging group was FabSwingers of Stobo Castle post around a year ago?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous 18 Jan 2017, 22:38:00,

      So readers know what you're mentioning, it's on our 'Post Scriptum 27Feb16' to our "Tide Change" post.

      http://textusa.blogspot.pt/2016/02/tide-change.html

      Delete
  16. Unpublished Anonymous at 18 Jan 2017, 23:11:00,

    Thank you for the info but we thought best to not publish. Hope you understand.

    ReplyDelete
  17. https://twitter.com/anotherviv/status/821861404596731904

    Viv ‏@anotherviv
    #McCann took children to restaurant on nudist beach according to witness statement given to Portuguese Police http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JOAQUIM_MUCHACHO.htm …
    15:26 - 18 jan 2017

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous 19 Jan 2017, 10:58:00,

      Thank you for your comment and heads-up.

      On May 09 2007 the Maritime Police (which is directly under the Portuguese Navy) officer, was taking diligences in the area of Zavial beach, to find Maddie when he talked with Mr Muchacho:

      “Ernesto Joaquim Muchacho (…) referred he knew the parents of Madelein (sic) McCann, as clients of his restaurant and that he remembers having seen them for the last time in his establishment in the month of April (Easter holidays), accompanied with the 3 children [filhos]; since that date, as he his functions are in the kitchen, doesn’t remember of having seen them in that beach/restaurant.

      Of it was said, it’s considered relevant to refer that the Zavial beach e usually frequented by naturist individuals, which consequently attracts some voyeurs [mirones]”


      Mr Muchacho is the concessionary (concessionário) of the Zavial beach. The concessionary is someone who basically rents a beach, more often a portion of a beach so he can explore it commercially. A concessionary is responsible for the life-guards on the beach. These are not paid by the state but by these people who have got a concession from the state to explore in exclusivity, a beach.

      If this statement is true, at this point in time we have no reason to believe it isn’t, then it means that the McCanns were in the area before the week of April 28 – May 05.

      Zavial beach is between Praia de Luz and Sagres.

      In 2007, Good Friday was on April 6, quite early in the year. We estimated in our post “Tourism Diet” that the Easter holiday that year was from March 24 – Apr 08.

      On May 09, the McCanns face was very familiar and constantly on the news, so it’s unlikely to have been confused with another family, especially as it was one with 3 children.

      Also, he speaks of them as if he has seen them more than once, so would be familiar with them.

      Delete
  18. http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2017-01-20/son-of-greek-digger-driver-my-father-did-not-kill-ben-needham/

    ITV Report
    20 January 2017 at 8:35am

    Son of Greek digger driver: 'My father did not kill Ben Needham'


    The son of the digger driver implicated over the death of Ben Needham on Kos says there is "no evidence" his father killed the Sheffield toddler and covered it up.

    In his first television interview with Greek media Valantis Barkas also claimed South Yorkshire Police had apologised for the "trouble" his family had been put through after the allegations about his father, Konstantinos, became public.

    Ben, who was 21 months old, went missing in July 1991 after being taken to a remote farmhouse on Kos where his grandfather, Eddie, was carrying out renovations.

    But it wasn't until last year that detectives were given Konstantinos Barkas's name following a fresh appeal on the Greek island.

    It was claimed the digger driver, who died in 2015, had accidentally killed Ben on the day the 21-month-old went missing in July 1991 before burying his body.

    The information led to excavations on the island, which failed to uncover a body but led to the discovery of a toy car he was playing with on the day he vanished.

    South Yorkshire Police returned from Kos saying it was their "professional belief" Ben had been killed.

    But speaking to Athens-based programme Tatiana Live Valantis Barkas denied his father had anything to do with it.

    “We wonder who made this story up. He was very careful while working and never ever caused an accident. No one ever blamed him on Ben's case. He was only accused after he died, so he couldn't defend himself. It's so unfair for him and my family. There's no proof and no one believes it.” – Valantis Barkas

    Mr Barkas said his father believed Ben had been abducted and would never have covered up such a crime.

    "I have a child I can understand her pain, my father would never do that, he was an honest man."

    He said the family had received threats after his father was connected with the case.

    He said: "The police officer in charge of the investigation in Kos came to me and apologised for all the trouble my family went through. I told him he can't just fix all this damage with an apology. I want to help but they shouldn't have given out my dead father's name."

    South Yorkshire Police have maintained their position.

    Det Insp Jon Cousins, who led the excavation in Kos, said: “Based on those facts and the information I have to date, it is still my professional belief that Ben died as a result of a tragic incident at the farmhouse involving heavy machinery."

    “The fact that we did not have a direct result during the most recent visit to Kos, does not preclude the facts that we know to be true. Primacy for the investigation lies with the Greek authorities and South Yorkshire Police remain committed to assisting them in any ongoing enquiries they may have.” – Det Insp Jon Cousins, South Yorkshire Police

    Last updated Fri 20 Jan 2017

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting evolution:

      From "It is my professional belief that Ben Needham died as a result of an accident NEAR TO to the farmhouse in Iraklis" on Oct 17 2016 to "it is still my professional belief that Ben died as a result of a tragic incident AT the farmhouse involving heavy machinery" on Jan 20 2017(our CAPS).

      Delete
  19. https://www.facebook.com/helpfindben/posts/1498173403544396

    Help Find Ben Needham
    1 hr · Turnovo, Bulgaria ·
    On tonight's ITV Calendar
    Ben's grandfather Eddie, has spoken exclusively to ITV's Mark Witty. He appealed for anyone with information on Kos to come forward as the family is desperate to bring Ben home - and he wants the Greek authorities to instruct a fresh search. He said the family would continue to struggle as long as they did not know Ben's last resting place
    Ben's sister Leighanna , talking to Calendar , also called for anyone with information to let the Police or her family know . She said there was no 'closure' without physical evidence of Ben's whereabouts . She backed South Yorkshire Police's assertion that Konstantinos Barkas probably caused Ben's accidental death but had sympathy for his family too , after Mr Barkas Sr was named following his death
    #helpfindben 💙 #BenNeedham

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "South Yorkshire Police's assertion that Konstantinos Barkas probably caused Ben's accidental death"

      Please note the vagueness of "assertion" and "probably".

      We do hope Eddie has pressed the Aberdeen lab for some kind of forensic results.

      Delete
  20. It is my non-professional belief that playing such "games" requires a fairly high level of corruption. It is sickening to see the British police spreading far-fetched conclusions about this case without any shame but, above all, without any reaction from the Greek authorities. I can only imagine the distress and anger of the Barkas family. Sadly, we witness the same paradigm as in the Maddie case, which otherwise would have easily been solved 10 years ago - let's face it. Will the official accounts, however close to the Truth, acknowledge those who deliberately obstructed justice in their own countries out of pure greed?

    ReplyDelete
  21. That DI Cousins spreads this assertion and probability is disgraceful. He goes unchallenged on what grounds lead him to this unprofessional claim whilst Senior Amaral has been gagged for years , his health and his family put under enormous strain because he speaks of definitive facts in MBM case. That the Needhams don't question, for me is alarming. I for sure would before I got to the pleading to further search for a body.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Unpublished Anonymous at 21 Jan 2017, 02:36:00,

    The only thing in common between Corrie McKeague and Maddie is the unbearable social shaming that swinging brings on to people once they're revealed as swingers and you seem to agree with us by saying that you think Corrie's case "adds more ammo" to our swinging theory.

    By the way, it was interesting to see you coming out of your prolonged hibernation at this particular moment - although we could see you have been quite active with your Twitter and elsewhere aliases.

    Your reactions have always told us we touched a sore which is always something very pleasant to confirm.

    Do please do catch up, libel threats concerning the McCanns went out of fashion years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  23. https://www.facebook.com/helpfindben/posts/1499216423440094

    Saturday 21st January The Mirror
    Ben's Grandfather Eddie urges Greek authorities to launch fresh Search.
    #helpfindben 💙 #BenNeedham
    http://www.mirror.co.uk/…/ben-needhams-grandfather-urges-gr…

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ben-needhams-grandfather-urges-greek-9661619

      A few things to note:

      - Unfortunately, as we hoped he would, Eddie does not press in anyway the Aberdeen lab for results.

      - Eddie says: “It is a Greek lead investigation and someone on the island knows what happened. The family is in limbo until we have an answer to where Ben is”. One would expect the family would first be in a limbo to have an answer to what happened to Ben.

      - The article has an age-progressed picture of Ben, which doesn't make any sense - it's even in some ways cruel - taking into account what DCI Cousins' professional belief is as to what happened to him.

      Delete
    2. Interesting comments on this FB post:

      Nikki Bradding ❤❤❤ never give up he may not be dead just cos Thay found a toy car don't mean he is dead ❤
      Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs

      (...)

      Jaye Aziz They must keep looking. The fact that his shorts were drying on a tree and they disappeared at the same time must mean that they were taken together. The fact that his toy car was dropped by him dosen't mean that he's dead!
      Like · Reply · 2 hrs

      (...)

      Sharon Baxter I still believe his alive
      I just do !
      The digger driver story just doesn't add up
      Like · Reply · 48 mins

      Delete
  24. Why did Kerry Needham's boyfriend and father of Ben leave the island alone when he did?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous 21 Jan 2017, 15:51:00,

      The answer, according to the Needham version of events, to that is written on Kerry's book. We could write it here but, at least for now, we would prefer that our readers read it.

      Indeed, we urge they do.

      Delete
    2. Not wanting to play any sort of games with our readers who we cherish and respect, in general terms:

      He had an argument at the hotel where she worked. He was unemployed after disagreement with employer/s.

      His travel details were thoroughly checked by British and Greek police.

      Delete
    3. As far as I can see all their stories are incredibly unbelievable. As clear as mud at best, and always talking about 'up there'.

      Delete
    4. Unpublished Anonymous at 23 Jan 2017, 22:03:00,

      Thank you, but we don't want to comment about the individuals concerned or give opinions about them.

      Not to say you are wrong. At least in our opinion.

      Delete
  25. The official timeline makes no sense to me.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Why was it Kerry's apartment? Wasn't Simon living somewhere local?

    ReplyDelete
  27. https://mobile.twitter.com/TillyTweeper/status/826346983493341184

    It seems that a decision on the case is to be made today by the Supreme Justice Court.

    Long due and needless to say what our desired outcome is.

    May justice, true justice, prevail.

    As soon as we have news, we will post here.

    ReplyDelete
  28. http://www.stj.pt/ficheiros/tabelas/Decididas/Civeis/1s-2017-01-31.pdf

    Mr Amaral has WON!!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated.

Comments are welcomed, but its reserved the right to delete comments deemed as spam, transparent attempts to get traffic without providing any useful commentary, and any contributions which are offensive or inappropriate for civilized discourse.

Textusa