could this be the good news about Madeleine we've all been waiting for?

[cutekids]

just heard on Sky news that her parents are on "standby" due to a credible phone call from someone who says they know of her whereabouts.Hope this is good news!

but you don't know that. You only know what the media, predominatly sky who are that trusted source of bollocks are saying. And the media are angry. angry because the portuguese police are not reporting on their every move as the Brittish police would, and thus the media feel it is their duty to portray the police as being useless. Remember sky had Robert Murat tried and convicted because "a journalist thought he was suspicious" and there hasn't even been enough evidence to charge him with a crime, so I would be very careful about what you believe in the press.

mogwai agree. although I wonder how many criminals watch crimewatch to see if they're on there?

just re-checked sky website.

The story is still running, exactly the same story, but the headline and first line have changed to "nothing of interest"

Why don't they pull the story then? I'm wondering whether they realised they shouldn't have broadcast it.

It's 11.45pm here in Sydney so I'll have to go to bed but just praying they've got her.

(if I was a criminal I might watch crimewatch so I'd know if I'd been rumbled - I always have that conversation in my head when I watch it)

Loobyloo

The mccanns say they are very satisfied with the way the portuguese have handled the case from the beginning, if it were my child that was missing and these reports were true, I would be shouting from the rooftops that they are useless.

Yes, true. However the Portuguese people keep being defensive of their police (as many people in UK would be too) and they keep saying that if it was a portuguese child then she would be all but forgotten now. Maybe so, however if it was similar circumstances in the UK I truly believe that it would be even bigger news (if that is even possible). Yes, it is different if an older child is taken, still heart-breaking but different as the child is more likely to be able to rationalise the situation or cry for help. And more often than not when a little tot goes missing it is by a vengeful parent or relative not a complete stranger. I just can't see our police making so apparent many cock-ups, perhaps the privacy laws are why things are slow, in which case surely they need to be reviewed. We live in times when hoards of international media can be in any given location in a small amount of time, its a fact and they should be used as a tool as they aren't going anywhere.

If I had one wish it would be thatthey are hot on the callers trail and thats why they have removed or toned down the story.

na, if there was a media block they would pull all coverage. they probably posted this in haste and only after they'd posted did it become apparent that it wasn't a credible lead after all. to pull the story altogether would just spark such discussion as to whether they "had to pull the story because they're on their way to get her" or similar.

I'd imagine almost certainly a hoax, or a sighting of a child that turned out not to be MAdeleine.

Actually the McCanns were close to taking legal action against the police as they withheld the description of the man seen carrying a child for days and days. I think they are incredibly frustrated with to portuguese police but what can they do? They need them on their side. The fact that they are relying heavily on British police and private incestigators says a great deal.

Loobyloo when Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went missing the police failed to notice one of their mobile phones on Ian Huntley's draining board just days after they went missing. I'd say a very definite cock-up on the part of the British police there...

but they're not relying on private investigators. that was ruled out as an option when Gerry Mccann returned to the UK.

and they're turning to Brittish police because Brittish police have more experience which in itself is sad IMO.

For fear of being shot down in flames, you must remember the Mccanns are feeding this media freny. They are have the journalists travelling with them.

They received some 'direct' questions yesterday that they didn't like. So of coarse they have let this story run, it gets the sympathy back again.

It has turned into a media circus that is going to bite them in the arse if they are not careful. I would be ashame to let the plight of the little girl suffer in the name of publisity.

Presumably he returned to the UK to have a proper discussion with people involved in law enforecement who could actually do something. As sad as the result was for Holly and Jessica's family it was at least solved and someone was brought to justice. Maybe the PJ are playing it down in a way after the criticism from their own people. Who knows but reports directly from potential witnesses is quite shocking - Marie Ollie - no-one from the PJ contacted her despite her very credible claim for days. The people that stayed in the McCanns apartment the week before have not been contacted at ALL by the PJ. It just seems all a bit half arsed, and yes the media can be brutal, intrusive and exploitative but at least they have been trying to keep the momentum for the McCanns at top priority where possible.

tbh i thought the mccanns expected that question about them being involved?, they didnt seem shocked by it and answered it without getting defensive or angry, i wouldnt have handled it so well if i had been put on spot?!

Agree this was probably a publicity stunt. The McCanns were asked if they were involved. Now that one journalist has asked the question it gives others licence to publish the suspicion. So what better way to bring the media attention back into your favour than to have a mystery phone call with a credible lead.

No way. If it was it would be ludicrously dangerous. Someone who is really holding her might panic and think someone is snitching on him. ~It is either something important or some sick freak playing games. Personally I think that if she is still alive someone is biding their time in order to get some money out of this but they will be really panicky and not sure which way to get out of the situation.

But if you took that attitude then the media would be prevented from reporting anything for fear that someone holding her would panic. It just seems too much of a coincidence that the McCanns are essentially accused of having something to do with Madeleine's disappearance and almost at the same time someone rings in with some credible information. Too convenient.

But then I think that whoever took her is someone known to the family.

I suppose from the McCanns' pov at least any publicity , be it simply a blind alley, is good. It is a reason to keep it in the public eye a little longer.

I think the more publicity this case receives, the less chance there is of a positive outcome. If someone is holding Madeleine the amount of publicity will prevent that someone coming forward with a ransom demand or even to hand her back so the only option for someone holding her would be to get rid of her. If the media just shut up now then maybe there might still be a chance, if it's not already too late.

"I think the more publicity this case receives, the less chance there is of a positive outcome."

For the love of God, shut up then!

thats a bit rude!!

I agree, rude. I hardly think that a few mums discussing this on a website is going to change anything. Fur real - got to agree with you about publicity. If that call was real then it came just as things were going quiet.

Perhaps the call was a lead of some sort, but with the amount of media following this case imagine if they broadcast that they knew where the call was from, the location etc.
Clearly the kidnaper wld hear that and panic, either leaving town or harming Maddy if he hadn't already done so.
I think the police have been good to withhold information from the media and perhaps their decision to withhold info from the McCanns is incase they leak it to friends, who leak it to the media. Its a highly stressful situation and it would be easy to mention something to a reporter and the next thing the whole world is publising that the polive have a desciption and location of the kidnapper.
I think they are trying to avoid the person panicing and harming maddy. But then still get as much publicity as possible to raise awareness.

apparently,mobile phone was registered in argentina and her parents have delayed their tour for now.lets keep praying for her safe return.