Kate and Gerry McCann (Reuters)
Kate and Gerry McCann held a secret meeting with the rest of the "Tapas Nine" amid reports that Portuguese police are coming to Britain to re-interview them, it was revealed yesterday.
The friends met last month for the first time since the McCanns' four-year-old daughter Madeleine vanished in Portugal seven months ago.
They were all dining with the couple in a tapas bar near the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, where Madeleine was sleeping with two-year-old twin brother and sister Sean and Amelie.
Portuguese police were furious about the meeting. A source close to the investigation claimed it was "highly suspicious" that they had met up to "talk tactics".
Detectives are said to be awaiting formal clearance to come to Britain and question the nine again about alleged discrepancies in their statements.
But the couple's spokesman Clarence Mitchell denied that the nine had gathered to square their accounts before a police visit.
He said the emotional reunion "a few weeks ago" at a hotel near the couple's home in Rothley, Leics "was just to discuss the overall situation.
"They weren't comparing notes or doing anything untoward. It was an operational meeting to discuss what might be coming up in the next few weeks.
"They are in touch all the time by phone and emails anyway but decided to meet face to face. They were together for a few hours and discussed the overall position. They wanted to see each other because they hadn't done so for some time."
He added: "It was a private meeting and I therefore don't want to say more about it."
The other seven members of the party are heart specialist Dr David Payne, 41, his doctor wife Fiona, 34, hospital consultant Dr Russell O'Brien, 36, his partner Jane Tanner, 37, endocrinologist Dr Matthew Oldfield, 37, and wife Rachael, 36, and Dr Payne's mother Dianne Webster
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They are key witnesses who gave police crucial evidence supporting the couple's belief that Madeleine was kidnapped.
Jane Tanner claims to have seen a man carrying a small child in pink pyjamas like Madeleine's away from the flat. Three have given statements claiming they saw Robert Murat, the first official suspect, outside the apartment - though he claimed he was at home with his mother.
A friend of the couple claimed the meeting gave the lie to a rumour that some of the party had fallen out with the McCanns and were preparing to change their statements.
The source said: "It was a show of solidarity under police claims that one or two had wanted to change their stories. That is not the case and the meeting showed that.
"It was a meeting to express support by the friends and just to see each other again. They hadn't all seen each other for months."
The friend said the reunion last month was kept secret because of the huge interest it would have generated.
The McCanns were officially made suspects on September 7 by Portuguese police, who believed they accidentally killed Madeleine and hid her body. Some detectives are said to have suspected that some or all of the seven helped cover up the crime.
A furious Portuguese police source said: "This meeting is highly suspicious.
"The McCanns left Portugal and flew home the moment they were made suspects and refused to answer many key questions about what had happened.
"Now, they and their friends are about to be re-interviewed and it is revealed they have met up in secret in a hotel.
"The McCanns are suspects and their friends are witnesses who could soon also have arguido (official suspect) status. They should not be meeting to discuss the case and certainly not the evidence."
http://madeleinemccann.aimoo.com/url.cfm?link=ZQ32$j05kzFvXx88gtAAcvxW7eOCjIwtmBmMpckilLacOtv6SGImmIaKU4Recs6zdBUS7pZQrdFg0QfVITOFaqrLuaMcozP0u/b3OhmxPxNdaftOnOYgZbk9yRGVkVPD
The friends met last month for the first time since the McCanns' four-year-old daughter Madeleine vanished in Portugal seven months ago.
They were all dining with the couple in a tapas bar near the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, where Madeleine was sleeping with two-year-old twin brother and sister Sean and Amelie.
Portuguese police were furious about the meeting. A source close to the investigation claimed it was "highly suspicious" that they had met up to "talk tactics".
Detectives are said to be awaiting formal clearance to come to Britain and question the nine again about alleged discrepancies in their statements.
But the couple's spokesman Clarence Mitchell denied that the nine had gathered to square their accounts before a police visit.
He said the emotional reunion "a few weeks ago" at a hotel near the couple's home in Rothley, Leics "was just to discuss the overall situation.
"They weren't comparing notes or doing anything untoward. It was an operational meeting to discuss what might be coming up in the next few weeks.
"They are in touch all the time by phone and emails anyway but decided to meet face to face. They were together for a few hours and discussed the overall position. They wanted to see each other because they hadn't done so for some time."
He added: "It was a private meeting and I therefore don't want to say more about it."
The other seven members of the party are heart specialist Dr David Payne, 41, his doctor wife Fiona, 34, hospital consultant Dr Russell O'Brien, 36, his partner Jane Tanner, 37, endocrinologist Dr Matthew Oldfield, 37, and wife Rachael, 36, and Dr Payne's mother Dianne Webster
.<script type=text/javascript>//</script><script type=text/javascript src="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/dailymirror.4240/news_mputwo__300x250;blu_bt=sageamp4Y2UPY5E;blu_bt=sageampHYQA8A5U;;sz=300x250;pos=;sect=topstories;psect=news;zone=news;templ=page;sip=null;oid=20232103;tile=4;ord=899982348566987300?"></script><!-- Copyright DoubleClick Inc., All rights reserved. --><!-- This code was autogenerated @ Fri Mar 05 04:30:09 EST 2010 --><script src="http://s0.2mdn.net/879366/flashwrite_1_2.js"></script>
They are key witnesses who gave police crucial evidence supporting the couple's belief that Madeleine was kidnapped.
Jane Tanner claims to have seen a man carrying a small child in pink pyjamas like Madeleine's away from the flat. Three have given statements claiming they saw Robert Murat, the first official suspect, outside the apartment - though he claimed he was at home with his mother.
A friend of the couple claimed the meeting gave the lie to a rumour that some of the party had fallen out with the McCanns and were preparing to change their statements.
The source said: "It was a show of solidarity under police claims that one or two had wanted to change their stories. That is not the case and the meeting showed that.
"It was a meeting to express support by the friends and just to see each other again. They hadn't all seen each other for months."
The friend said the reunion last month was kept secret because of the huge interest it would have generated.
The McCanns were officially made suspects on September 7 by Portuguese police, who believed they accidentally killed Madeleine and hid her body. Some detectives are said to have suspected that some or all of the seven helped cover up the crime.
A furious Portuguese police source said: "This meeting is highly suspicious.
"The McCanns left Portugal and flew home the moment they were made suspects and refused to answer many key questions about what had happened.
"Now, they and their friends are about to be re-interviewed and it is revealed they have met up in secret in a hotel.
"The McCanns are suspects and their friends are witnesses who could soon also have arguido (official suspect) status. They should not be meeting to discuss the case and certainly not the evidence."
http://madeleinemccann.aimoo.com/url.cfm?link=ZQ32$j05kzFvXx88gtAAcvxW7eOCjIwtmBmMpckilLacOtv6SGImmIaKU4Recs6zdBUS7pZQrdFg0QfVITOFaqrLuaMcozP0u/b3OhmxPxNdaftOnOYgZbk9yRGVkVPD
