Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Under what situation where these two people asking about the translation role of him?
Were they joe public who just asked PC Plod, or are they involved in the investigation themselves and asked a spokesperson for the police? Remember, in Portugal the police aren't allowed to release information relating to the case like they do in the UK, leaving a void for the media to fight over (hence the reports of incompetence regarding the police).
It could be that these two asked PC Plod "Has he ever translated for you?" and PC Plod said "No" meaning "No, he's never been my translator, I have John to translate for me"


Prime example of the media trying to get people to jump to conclusions so that they'll get more ratings. If it turns out to be a non-event and the guy is actually a translator and totally innocent, the media will move onto someone else, not giving a damn about any damage they've caused by leading people to conclusions without proper investigation.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Both journalists, one for the nationals and one for Sky news, both were suspicious at the way he was hanging around the incident scene without any apparent connection to the investigation and when asked about why he was there, he told them he was working for the police as a translator and this became taken as read (hence your belief).

Both later went to the police with their suspicions and it was then they were told it would have been highly irregular for that to happen and confirmed he was nothing to do with them. Again, according to Sky News.

Although I don't like the way they keep making references to him having a glass eye as if that automatically makes him a wierdo. It's like when there a bald bloke about, it's always "Oh my word he's bald, he must be guilty" :disturbd:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Interesting as the SkyNews article linked to earlier states that Ian Wood of SkyNews is totally aware of him, from day one, as the journalists asked around for people who knew Portuguese, and he'd been working as their go-between with the police.
So Sky are now hoping people will forget that then?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I think you're getting confused with his reported role - Wood has stated he was given the guy's name by colleagues as someone who could translate. His role was more of someone who offered himself to the journalists as a go-between, as opposed to being chosen or officially recognised by the police.

It seems he incorrectly (deliberately or not) painted the picture of himself being offered or even recommended by the police.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Sounds like the media are the ones to have made him out to be an interpreter.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

On the contrary - he told more than one journalist that was why he was there. By the way it was Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell who alerted police over her suspicions about him.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

So journalists asked for Portuguese speakers to translate and be go-betweens, he stepped forward (I would guess along with others) to help, Ian Woods reported that he had been acting as a go-between and translator with the police, which it strikes me as working for the media, the media use that to make out that he's said he's working for the police as it makes him look dodgy.
Then of course the police won't say he worked for them.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

No! Why won't you listen?

2 journalists have gone on record and stated he told them he was working for the police.

They then asked the police if he was being used by them in any capacity and on both occasions the police said he was nothing to do with them.

This could be wrong of course but Sky News were playing this on loop for about 45 minutes earlier.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Her son, Robert, who has told journalists he has been helping police with translation work during the investigation, is a frequent visitor to Casa Liliana.

I got the same bad feeling Russ

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6655907.stm

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

So why would Ian Wood say that he was well known to the media as he responded to a call for Portuguese speakers and he'd been working with the media for 3 to 4 days?

Either way there's some dodgy reporting going on.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Some dodgy understanding surely?

He was well known to the media because he'd offered his services to them as a translator. Two of the said journalists became suspicious of his claims he was working for the police.

They approached the police with their suspicious and it was confirmed he was not employed, used or endorsed by them.

How difficult is that to understand?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

That'll be the same police who wont discuss anything in relation to the case?

Who interpreted their question to the police and the police's response?
"Gaynor De Jesus, who has been working as a translator for Sky News, went to school with Mr Murat and played with him as a child, but had not seen him for years until last week.She said: "I do know that he has been the official translator for the police. All witness accounts, everything that's been coming into them, he has had first-hand information."


All very "weird".

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Also another translator speaking on Sky News said that the man got on well with police and they did not do anything to say he was not working with them when he brought it up to her (in the company of those officers)

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

As Mr A says, it's very wierd indeed.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

15.05.07 05.50am http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6656451.stm

current http://news.sky.com/skynews/madeleine
(Good video footage)