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NATIONAL
SEARCH INVESTIGATOR |
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19
to 20 Witness
statement of Mark Harrison 2008.05.02
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TRANSLATIONS BY INES |
03-CARTAS ROGATORIAS 3 Pages 19
to 20
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cr3_19 |
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cr3_20 |
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CARTAS ROGATORIAS 3
Pages 19 to 20
LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE SQUAD
WITNESS TESTIMONY OF MARK HARRISON
Occupation: Police Agent
This statement, consisting of two
pages, each signed by me, is true to
the best of my knowledge and belief
and I make it knowing that, if it is
tendered in evidence, I shall be
liable to prosecution if I have
wilfully states in it anything I
know to be false or do not believe
to be true.
Date: 2 May 2008
Signature:
I am an official with the British
Police at the service of the UK
National Policing Improvement Agency
(NPIA) and work there as a special
advising investigator. I was asked
to respond to four questions by the
Policia Judiciaria in a document
sent by them. The questions appear
in this statement in italics.
On 20.07.2007 I was sent by NPIA to
Portugal with the goal of helping
the Leicestershire police and the
Policia Judiciaria relative to the
disappearance of a child, Madeleine
McCann, missing since 03.05.07 from
Praia da Luz, Algarve, Portugal.
The terms of assistance we agreed to
provide were directed by the PJ
Regional Director, Guilhermino
ENCARNACO after consultation with DI
Neil HOLDEN of the Leicestershire
Police and myself, the details of
which are on page two of the
document I authored, titled
“Decision Support Document in the
Search for Madeleine McCann” dated
23.07.2007 and presented as evidence
MH4.
1. What criteria was used in the
selection of local searches?
2. Considering the geographic
location of Praia da Luz, where
would a corpse be hidden?
In accordance to the referenced
terms, the charge given to me by
Guilhermino ENCARNACO was to comment
on prior search activity by the PJ
and the GNR in Praia da Luz and to
offer a new scenario for the
searches with the consideration of
the hiding of a corpse and human
remains. Assisted by Professor Oscar
Ferreira and Alverinho Dias of the
University of the Algarve, we
conducted an assessment of the
terrain of the immediate excavation
areas relative to the viability of a
superficial burial of human remains
and also considering the possibility
of a human cadaver having been
thrown into the ocean in Praia da
Luz. This assessment and the
respective conclusions are detailed
in the evidence MH4 and in “Decision
Support Document in the Search for
Madeleine McCann—Praia da Luz &
Marina” dated 23.07.2007, presented
as evidence MH5.
The documents were submitted to the
Leicestershire Police and the
Policia Judiciaria and are detailed
as to the areas of consideration in
additional searches using GNR, and
using canines and geophysical
elements. My rational was based in
the proximity of the location where
Madeleine McCann went missing and
the scenario of occultation of human
remains. The prior search activities
in these zones were concentrated in
a scenario of a missing child, hurt
or maintained captive.
After the submission of two
documents, I attended two meetings
in the Portimao Police headquarters
on the 23/07.2007 with DI NEIL
HOLDEN of the Leicestershire Police
and the other on 30.07.2007 with DI
ALAN ORCHARD of the Leicestershire
Police. At both meetings, PJ agents
were present and they were presided
over by the Regional Director of the
PJ Guilhermino ENCARNCAO who
selected and established the
priorities for the search areas.
3. How did the searches evolve?
Between the 31.07.2007 and
07.08.2007 the searches took place
in Praia da Luz were under the
command and supervision of the Chief
Inspector Vitor MATOS of the PJ. He
was personally present at the
searches and at his request I
accompanied him as an advisor. The
searches evolved were
multidisciplinary and involved the
PJ, GNR, UK Police and the
University of Aveiro. All the
searches that occurred were
documented in video by the PJ,
including location, time and date
stamps.
After the conclusion of the
searches, a meeting in the Portimao
offices of the PJ took place in the
cabinet of Goncalo AMARAL and those
present included Guilermino
ENCARNACO, an official
representative from the
Leicestershire police, Martin GRIME
and myself. During the meeting were
exhibited videos with the details of
search activities including the
sniffer dogs lead by Martin GRIME.
GRIME commented on the actions of
the dogs and added that no confirmed
evidence or information could be
taken from the alerts by the dogs
but needed to be confirmed with
physical evidence.
4. In this particular case, based on
the information and on your
experience, what is the possibility
that a cadaver was occulted?
To this question I am not in
possession of any information or
sufficient knowledge to comment.
On 10.08.2007 I concluded my posting
and returned to the United Kingdom.
This statement was made by me and is
truthful and in accordance with my
knowledge.
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---> 115
IX
- Interviews to
MARK HARRISON |
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CR 2 page 115 |
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Questions for Mark Harrison in the Letter or
Request:
IX - Interviews to MARK HARRISON and MARTIN GRIME, who were in
charge of the searches undertaken by the specialist dogs, and
who shall be notified by the Requested Authority.
MARK HARRISON should be asked the following questions :
* What criteria led to the selection of the places to be
searched ?
* How were the searches carried out ?
* Considering the geological conditions of Praia da Luz, where
would it be more likely to conceal a dead body ?
* In this particular case, based on the known information and in
your experience, what is the probability for a body concealment
to have occurred ?
* Any further questions deemed useful, necessary or pertinent in
view of the previous replies.
Martin Grimes
sniffer dog findings |
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