A Minute For Madeleine

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3rd November 2009, 02:13pm - Views: 1037
3 November 2009




Media Release

A minute for Madeleine
The UK's national police centre for protecting children the Child Exploitation
and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has today issued an online message,
supported by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) aimed at anyone close to the
person who was involved in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
That person could be a relative, friend, work colleague or neighbour. Whoever
they are, they have a secret that could reveal what happened to Madeleine and
protect other children.
In order to increase the possibility of reaching that person CEOP, supported by
the AFP as well as other global law enforcement agencies and specialist
charities, is asking the public to help spread the message via the internet.
It has released a short 60-second film that can be viewed at
www.ceop.police.uk. This contains the message they are looking to spread
and the public are being asked to link to it and build it into their own online
environments. The film also includes new age progressed images that show
Madeleine as she may look today.
The AFP is joined in supporting this initiative by Interpol, Europol and national
police agencies from the US, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and
Europe. Specialist charities and NGO's such as the US National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Missing Children Europe and the UK
Charity Parents and Abducted Children Together (PACT) have all thrown their
weight and expertise behind the initiative.
AFP National Manager for Economic and Special Operations, Mandy Newton,
supported the global co-operation.
"The AFP stands right behind this online initiative, reaching out to try and find
that friend, relative or associate of the person who is behind Madeleine's
disappearance," Assistant Commissioner Newton said.
"A lot of Australian families have to deal with their own anguish and
uncertainty of missing relatives and friends. Each year 35,000 people are
reported missing in Australia that is one person every 15 minutes."
Jim Gamble, head of CEOP, explains the rationale:
"The person we are looking to reach is likely to be a partner, family member,
friend or colleague of the person or people who were involved in Madeleine's
disappearance. It is also highly probable that they, or someone close to them,
is using the internet to search for any updates that may suggest the police are
getting closer to discovering the truth.


Visit our website at www.afp.gov.au for all the latest information on the Australian Federal Police



"Today we want to deliver a message to that person and we're asking everyone
who goes online to help us. We want the message to become so widespread
that it becomes just one click from any Madeleine search as a constant
reminder to that person that it is never too late to do the right thing that it is
never too late for that person to redeem themselves.
"So if you are a parent or carer, a student or member of the public who is a
social networker, blogger or emailer, or if you run any type of online
environment, big or small please look at the film today, link to it, share it with
your friends and post it in the online communities you occupy. Do everything
you can to spread it around the online world. We want to make it omnipresent
so that the person we are trying to reach sees it and is prompted to do the
right thing."
The message is available at www.ceop.police.uk and is in seven different
languages English, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
The message reads:
"Madeleine disappeared on 3 May 2007 while on holiday with her family in
Portugal. Madeline is now 6 years old ... We know that there is someone out
there who knows who is involved in her disappearance.
They may be keeping this secret out of fear, misplaced loyalty or even love.
Keeping this information secret only increases the anguish of Madeleine's
family and friends and increases the risk to other children.
If you know who is involved and are keeping this secret remember that it is
never too late to do the right thing.
We urge anyone who knows anything about the whereabouts of Madeleine or
has any information regarding her disappearance to do the right thing and to
give that information to their local police."

Media enquiries
AFP National Media Team
Phone: (02) 6275 7100





Visit our website at www.afp.gov.au for all the latest information on the Australian
Federal Police



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