Police 'find blood on walls of Madeleine abduction flat'
Madeleine has been missing for three months
Traces of Madeleine McCann's blood have been found at the flat where she was last seen, according to reports in a Portuguese newspaper today.
It was also reported that attempts had been made to wipe out any sign of the blood.
The dramatic discovery of forensic evidence comes three months after the four-year-old disappeared as her parents Gerry and Kate McCann dined nearby.
Last week British sniffer dogs were called in to search the apartment in the resort of Praia de Luz.
There is now a growing belief among Portuguese police that Madeleine will not be found alive.
However, in recent weeks, some elements of the Portugese media have been conducting what appears to be a smear campaign against the McCanns, in an apparent attempt to distract attention from the police's failure to crack the case.
As of this morning there had been no official corroboration of the latest find.
Police are said to believe the discovery of blood points to Madeleine dying at the flat, possibly in the course of being abducted. The newspaper Jornal De Noticias reported:
"This evidence locates Madeleine's death inside the apartment, but the investigators are still not certain it was murder, despite the fact that forensic experts have revealed that somebody did try to erase the blood traces.
"The theory most favoured by detectives to explain Maddy's death - now taken as almost certain - is that it involved an accident.
"The investigators are convinced that the blood belongs to Madeleine, but they are still holding back the detailed results of the tests until their suspicions are confirmed."
The latest discovery has re-focused the investigation on the McCann's apartment and the group of friends with whom they were holidaying at the time of Maddy's disappearance.
Today forensic experts returned to the room to carry out extensive tests using ultra-violet lights to scan the room for further clues.
The British sniffer dogs are trained to detect tiny blood traces, and can distinguish whether blood come from a living or dead person.
Portuguese police called in the specialist help after admitting they lacked the resources to carry out these searches.
A Portuguese police spokesman said: "These are very highly trained animals - we just do not have anything like this in our country yet."
Police are also investigating the potential link between the Madeleine case and a Swiss child abductor - who committed suicide last week - and who was in the Praia de Luz area when Madeleine went missing.
In the recent flurry of activity, police in the case are also investigating a third man.
Police are said to be keeping the new suspect under surveillance. He is believed to match the description of a man seen carrying a child wrapped in a blanket shortly after Madeleine disappeared .
The development came as a search of official suspect Robert Murat's garden was called off after officers failed to find any fresh evidence.
Up to 12 police officers, including two from Britain, searched inside and outside Mr Murat's Praia da Luz villa on Saturday and yesterday.
Mr Murat, who was in the house at the time with his lawyer, was not arrested.
The new suspect has been identified after police re-examined witness statements. A source close to the Portuguese police investigation said: "Murat is not the only person in the frame.
"Another man has been under surveillance for a period of time but has no idea that he is involved."
Mr Murat's friend and spokesman, Tuck Price, said he hoped there would now be a "quick resolution" so the search could be re-focused on finding Madeleine.
He added that Mr Murat, 33, was "doing fine" and that police had been "polite and professional".
The search began with officers investigating the land surrounding the property, clearing undergrowth and cutting down trees. Yesterday, their search extended inside the property.
He added that Mr Murat had been told that the house search was now complete, but that it was unclear if police needed to carry out other investigations.
Police are also following up a grim new theory that Madeleine was killed inside the apartment and then her body dumped in the sea.
A professor from the University of Algarvem, Joao Alveirinho Dias, is reported to be working with police to work out where tides may have taken her body.
Regards Satdude.
Madeleine has been missing for three months
Traces of Madeleine McCann's blood have been found at the flat where she was last seen, according to reports in a Portuguese newspaper today.
It was also reported that attempts had been made to wipe out any sign of the blood.
The dramatic discovery of forensic evidence comes three months after the four-year-old disappeared as her parents Gerry and Kate McCann dined nearby.
Last week British sniffer dogs were called in to search the apartment in the resort of Praia de Luz.
There is now a growing belief among Portuguese police that Madeleine will not be found alive.
However, in recent weeks, some elements of the Portugese media have been conducting what appears to be a smear campaign against the McCanns, in an apparent attempt to distract attention from the police's failure to crack the case.
As of this morning there had been no official corroboration of the latest find.
Police are said to believe the discovery of blood points to Madeleine dying at the flat, possibly in the course of being abducted. The newspaper Jornal De Noticias reported:
"This evidence locates Madeleine's death inside the apartment, but the investigators are still not certain it was murder, despite the fact that forensic experts have revealed that somebody did try to erase the blood traces.
"The theory most favoured by detectives to explain Maddy's death - now taken as almost certain - is that it involved an accident.
"The investigators are convinced that the blood belongs to Madeleine, but they are still holding back the detailed results of the tests until their suspicions are confirmed."
The latest discovery has re-focused the investigation on the McCann's apartment and the group of friends with whom they were holidaying at the time of Maddy's disappearance.
Today forensic experts returned to the room to carry out extensive tests using ultra-violet lights to scan the room for further clues.
The British sniffer dogs are trained to detect tiny blood traces, and can distinguish whether blood come from a living or dead person.
Portuguese police called in the specialist help after admitting they lacked the resources to carry out these searches.
A Portuguese police spokesman said: "These are very highly trained animals - we just do not have anything like this in our country yet."
Police are also investigating the potential link between the Madeleine case and a Swiss child abductor - who committed suicide last week - and who was in the Praia de Luz area when Madeleine went missing.
In the recent flurry of activity, police in the case are also investigating a third man.
Police are said to be keeping the new suspect under surveillance. He is believed to match the description of a man seen carrying a child wrapped in a blanket shortly after Madeleine disappeared .
The development came as a search of official suspect Robert Murat's garden was called off after officers failed to find any fresh evidence.
Up to 12 police officers, including two from Britain, searched inside and outside Mr Murat's Praia da Luz villa on Saturday and yesterday.
Mr Murat, who was in the house at the time with his lawyer, was not arrested.
The new suspect has been identified after police re-examined witness statements. A source close to the Portuguese police investigation said: "Murat is not the only person in the frame.
"Another man has been under surveillance for a period of time but has no idea that he is involved."
Mr Murat's friend and spokesman, Tuck Price, said he hoped there would now be a "quick resolution" so the search could be re-focused on finding Madeleine.
He added that Mr Murat, 33, was "doing fine" and that police had been "polite and professional".
The search began with officers investigating the land surrounding the property, clearing undergrowth and cutting down trees. Yesterday, their search extended inside the property.
He added that Mr Murat had been told that the house search was now complete, but that it was unclear if police needed to carry out other investigations.
Police are also following up a grim new theory that Madeleine was killed inside the apartment and then her body dumped in the sea.
A professor from the University of Algarvem, Joao Alveirinho Dias, is reported to be working with police to work out where tides may have taken her body.
Regards Satdude.