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Mark Harrison MBE
National Search Adviser
Homicide, Missing Persons, Mass Fatality Disasters
OP TASK Madeleine McCann
Search Activity 1 – 8 August 2007
This document follows on from the author’s two
previous search documents and provides a summary of
the search activity undertaken by the Policia
Judiciaria (PJ) in Praia da Luz, Portugal between
20-07-07 and 10-08-07 following the authors search
review and submission of his decision support
documents.
The authors search review terms of reference were
set and agreed with the PJ Algarve regional Director
Guilhermino Encarnacao, they were;
1. Assist the Judicial Police and GNR in assessing
new or previous areas searched and give opinion on
the best methods and assets to provide assurance as
to the absence or presence of M McCann's concealed
remains.
2. Act as a "critical friend" to the officer in
charge of search planning and management and offer
immediate and enduring peer review until case
resolution or search suspension.
3. Assist in the development of framework models
such as scenario based searching to aid homicide
disposal searching.
4. Consider further opportunities or areas for
search in order to locate M McCann as applicable to
the latest intelligence and information provided.
5. Where appropriate, provide independent and
impartial advice on the enabling and disabling
factors of specialist resources available either
within Portugal or elsewhere in body detection.
6. To assist in decision support where requested by
testing and challenging claims made by persons
offering unorthodox search methods or devices to aid
locating M McCann.
7. Where appropriate and requested, assist in
advising on procedures to procure any non Portuguese
specialist assets that are deemed to be relevant and
useful.
In complying with these terms I undertook a series
of briefings and site visits. These were with GNR
and PJ personnel who had been involved in the
previous searches conducted the week following
Madeleine McCann’s disappearance in Praia da Luz.
The output of this process of reconnaissance and
review was a written document entitled “Madeleine
McCann Search Decision Support Document” (see
appendix 2) and submitted to the PJ with copies
supplied to Leicestershire Police and NPIA on
23-07-07.
It recommended considering re searching:
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All accommodation occupied by the McCann family and
their friends as well as any hired vehicles.
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The villa and garden occupied by Robert Murat and
any vehicles he had access to.
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Areas of wasteland adjacent to Murat’s and the
McCann’s apartment.
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Areas of the beach in Praia da Luz.
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A portion of the coastline east of Praia da Luz.
These recommendations were based on the fact that
these areas had not been previously searched with
the specific intent to locate Madeleine McCann’s
concealed and deceased body and that the areas
recommended afforded likely and obvious places to
consider for concealment in such an investigation.
This document was discussed on 23-07-07 with the PJ
Director, myself and the Leicestershire Police
liaison officer DI Neil Holden who made relevant
notes.
On 25-07-07 the PJ Director decided his officers
would re-search some of the areas suggested within
the report. He also decided the order of their
priority. These were the accommodation the McCann’s
and their friends have occupied in Praia da Luz, the
villa and the grounds occupied by Robert Murat,
wasteland that surrounds these locations and any
known vehicles the suspect, the McCanns and their
friends had access to when Madeleine disappeared.
On 26-07-07 the PJ Director requested I consider the
beach and marine environment at Praia da Luz for
re-search and compile a report. I held meetings with
coastal dynamic experts from the University of the
Algarve in the presence of PJ officers and submitted
a report to the PJ on 31-07-07 entitles “NPIA OP
TASK Search Doc Beach and Marine” (see appendix 3)
with copies sent to Leicestershire Police and NPIA.
On 30-07-07 a meeting was held with the PJ Director,
myself and Leicestershire Police liaison officer DI
Alan Orchard, who made relevant notes, to discuss
the beach and marine environment at Praia da Luz and
set a timeline for the PJ to re-search areas.
The search process was then initiated and continued
over the following eight days. Throughout and at all
locations I acted as an observer and search adviser.
The PJ appointed a Chief Inspector as a search
manager who was present throughout. Additionally,
separate PJ officers were appointed to record and
map each search location and provide a
contemporaneous video commentary of all search
activity undertaken. This system of management and
recording was based on my reports recommendation to
ensure record accuracy, transparency and facilitate
any future clarification of any search activity
undertaken. It was also essential that the official
management and recording of the search was conducted
by the Portuguese Police themselves rather than by
British officers without any powers and not
conversant with Portuguese law and judicial
processes.
The search process used personnel to physically,
intrusively and invasively explore all areas of
disturbance, voids and concealment within the areas
searched. The search utilised dogs trained to locate
human remains and human blood, ground penetrating
radar to detect sub surface disturbance and
concealment, clearance teams to remove concealing
vegetation, endoscopes to search drains and voids
and metal probes to search the ground. These teams
were supported by experts in Forensic Anthropology
for human bone identification and a professor in
geophysics.
The timeline of these searches was as follows:
On 31-07-07 the PJ conducted canine searches with a
search warrant at apartments in Praia da Luz that
had been previously occupied by the McCanns and
their friends.
On 01-08-07 the PJ and GNR assisted by a canine,
conducted searches on the eastern beach and
wasteland in Praia da Luz.
On 02-08-07 the PJ conducted a search warrant at a
villa in Praia da Luz currently occupied by the
McCann family.
Later the same day PJ officers conducted a screening
procedure involving items removed from the McCann’s
villa.
On 03-08-07 PJ and GNR officers were given
instruction based on translated extracts from NPIA
doctrine on search management and procedures. This
focused on search procedures relating to buildings
and vehicles.
On 04-08-07 and 05-08-07 a search warrant was
executed at the villa and gardens belonging to the
PJ suspect Robert Murat. This search involved both
PJ and GNR personnel supported by civil defence,
geophysical equipment operators and a canine
handler.
On 06-08-07 ten vehicles were searched associated to
the enquiry.
On 07-08-07 the western beach and remaining
wasteland areas were searched using canine and GNR
personnel.
On 08-08-07 the drains around the apartment block
where Madeleine McCann disappeared from were subject
to a visual inspection by PJ officers.
Summary
The aim of the search activity was to re-search
known and relevant locations in the immediate
vicinity of the place Madeleine McCann was last seen
using solely a search scenario that she was deceased
and her body had been concealed by a third party. No
human remains were located during the searches
undertaken.
During the searches two Police dogs were deployed
and although it has been stated that no physical
remains were located in the area these dogs did give
indications in several areas. These areas have been
subject to a separate forensic examination that is
beyond the scope of this report and at the time of
writing laboratory tests are being undertaken. The
dogs’ handler has submitted a separate report
regarding the performance of the dogs (see appendix
4). However, it must be stated any such indications
without any physical evidence to support them can
not have any evidential value, being unconfirmed
indications. Additionally I consider no inference
can be drawn as to whether a human cadaver has
previously been in any location without other
supporting physical evidence.
The searches described in this document were limited
to certain locations. Therefore, it can not be said
that the concealed remains of Madeleine McCann are
not within the village of Praia da Luz. During the
first week of her disappearance the GNR tasked
personnel to search through the village for the
scenario of Madeleine still being alive. This
involved visiting dwellings and business premises
and a physical search of the refuse bins. A full
scale re-search of the village is not currently
advised due to its speculative nature and resource
implications. Should new information or intelligence
identify a specific location then it would be
recommended to re-search it adopting the similar
model of reconnaissance followed by a search using
several detecting methods as detailed in this report
to provide a high assurance of detection for a
concealed body.
At the conclusion of this initial process of
“clearing the ground under your feet” I am satisfied
a systematic review and search procedure has been
conducted and accurately recorded by the PJ.
I
am currently of the opinion on the available
information and statistical datasets that if death
has occurred, that it is possible that Madeleine
McCann’s body has been disposed into the sea at
Praia da Luz. (See my second report entitled “NPIA
OP TASK Search Doc Beach and Marine”).
Should further advice or support be required
regarding search activity then I would be happy to
consider such a request.
29-08-2007 |
