31/03/2008

'Group Of Seven' Facing Missing Madeleine Questioning

Police are set to question the 'group of seven', as the friends of missing Madeleine McCann's parents have come to be known.

They were on holiday with the family when the little girl went missing in Portugal and are to be re-interviewed by police in the UK about the circumstances surrounding little Madeleine's disappearance.

The incident happened days before her fourth birthday - during a family holiday in the resort of Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, on 3 May last year.

The 'seven' will be questioned this week by Leicestershire Police, but with Portuguese detectives present.

Madeleine's parents - who deny any wrongdoing - still remain as 'arguidos' or formal suspects. However, they will not face questioning.

The seven friends dined with Kate and Gerry McCann on the night of Madeleine's disappearance.

One of the group, Jane Tanner, has already told the police she saw a man that evening carrying a child, close to the family's apartment.

The Portuguese detectives will not conduct the interviews - but instead watch as officers from Leicestershire Police put a list of questions agreed in advance through the Home Office.

The questioning of the McCanns' friends will begin on Tuesday and should be completed by the end of the week.

Police interviews are also planned with relatives and advisers who were with the McCanns during the early days of the investigation.

Separately, lawyers for the couple have requested that two dozen other witnesses be interviewed, including staff from the Ocean Club complex and several British holidaymakers.

(BMcC)


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