HiDeHo, whilst I admire your willingness to make the effort to do everything possible to help the PJ, I really don't think some of the things you are proposing to send them would be of that much assistance. The thread I started entitled "The Theory of the Crime," for instance, was based on my thinking, and I know nothing about Portuguese law. Please at the least leave that one out.

I also doubt very seriously that they will have time to look through a thread that is 1931 pages long, written in a language that many of their officers probably do not speak. I do not know how many inspectors they have, but I cannot imagine that in a nation of 10 million people their force is that large. This case has probably taxed their manpower considerably, as they will have all their regular casework, as well as this additional burden.

Instead of sending them all this stuff, how about writing them an e-mail, include the links to the threads bearing good wishes, and explaining to them what the Mirror forum is and how it might possibly be helpful? Invite them to get in touch with you if they would like you to read all the threads and send them links. (If you should receive a favourable reply to that question and need help going back and reading cached material, let me know; I'll gladly help you.) Ask them if there are particular topics they would like to see, such as links to articles in the British papers or any specific issues they would like you to keep an eye out for. Perhaps they might provide an e-mail address to an English-speaking analyst or administrative person who could receive the e-mail directly, screen the information for them, and pass along anything that might be useful. It's a very good idea, but if we inundate them, nothing is likely to get read.

If there are specific things we could do for them, perhaps they could let us know about it. For instance, I have been researching the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals cases (both decisions, Daubert I and II), which were referenced in Judge Weir's decision in the Omagh case. I have the help, via e-mail, of an American friend who is a senior attorney for the United States Department of Justice and works with that decision all the time and have amassed quite a bit of information about it in the past week. Perhaps all of it is available in Portugal, but I have it all in one document, with links and sources, so it would make for quick reading.

Above all, I don't want to insult them. That is one of the most competent investigative agencies in Europe. They will have their own sources of information, and I am not at all sure they need the help of members of an internet forum. It doesn't hurt to ask, as a means of expressing our support, but we should also be prepared for them to say they do not need our help.<o:p></o:p>