'WE’VE FOUND A KIDNAPPED BLONDE GIRL'

Tuesday October 30,2007

By Padraic Flanagan in Praia da Luz

THE parents of Madeleine McCann were given new hope last night after another kidnapped girl was found safe in the mountains of Morocco.

Private investigators searching for Madeleine found a blonde girl who had allegedly been kidnapped by a North African family.

Sources in the Barcelona detective agency Metodo 3, hired by Kate and Gerry McCann to organise the hunt for Madeleine, said Interpol is now investigating the discovery.

The blonde girl was found living in the Rif mountains where the Spanish agents are concentrating their search for Madeleine.

An insider said: “She was not Madeleine but she was English-speaking, possibly an American.

“Investigators came across her in the hunt for Madeleine and have tipped off Interpol. There is a long history of girls kidnapped in Europe ending up in Morocco.

“It was obvious to investigators this girl was not with her natural family. It’s feasible that Madeleine could be in a similar situation. Seeing this girl gave investigators hope that Madeleine too is alive.�?/DIV>

Interpol detectives are working to establish the identity of the blonde girl in the hope of reuniting her with her family.

A team of private detectives renewed their mountain hunt yesterday after another girl matching Madeleine’s description was reported by 10 different people who said they had seen her with a woman aged about 60.

<FORM action=/posts/search/> Francisco Marco, boss of Metodo 3, said he believed Madeleine was abducted by a care worker on the instruction of a paedophile gang.</FORM>

He added: �?My feeling is that this woman is a carer working on behalf of other people. This little girl has slightly shorter hair than Madeleine but everything else matches.�?/DIV>

An investigation insider said: “The area of the Rif mountains enjoy official protection because of the importance of the hashish production to Morocco’s economy.

“Blonde children are a valuable commodity in North Africa. They can be sold for huge sums and give prestige to families who buy them.�?/DIV>

The group of friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished denied yesterday allegations that they had made a “pact of silence�?to protect the couple.

Reports have suggested that Portuguese police believe they are hiding damaging facts that could implicate the McCanns in Madeleine’s disappearance.

The seven friends were dining with the McCanns at a tapas restaurant in Praia da Luz when Madeleine vanished.

They insisted yesterday that it was only at detectives�?request that they had avoided speaking about the case publicly.

In a statement the friends said there was nothing secretive between them �?“just the desire to assist the search�?

Attention has focused on the McCanns�?fellow holidaymakers since Portuguese police named the couple as suspects.

The McCanns are said to be relying on faith, family and friends to help them through the six-month anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance this weekend.

Vigils and prayer services will be held in Britain and Portugal to mark the occasion on Saturday.

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