Madeleine parents believe she is safe
The
parents of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann said they had taken
"tremendous strength" from the "warmth and spiritual outpouring" from
all around the world.
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Gerry
and Kate McCann issued a brief statement from the Portuguese holiday
resort of Praia da Luz 11 days after their little girl disappeared from
their hotel room.
The pair said
they were "fully supporting" the police investigation into their
daughter's abduction and reaffirmed their belief that their daughter is
safe.
Mr McCann said: "Until there is concrete evidence to the contrary, we believe Madeleine is safe and is being looked after".
Madeleine's
mother also emphasised that the couple had no intention of returning to
Britain from Portugal in the immediate future.
A
British legal team has flown to Praia da Luz to help them and has
launched a special "fighting fund" to help in the hunt for Madeleine.
A
statement from the International Family Law Group, the firm instructed
by the McCanns, said details of how people could make donations would
be released within days.
A QC,
Michael Nicholls, has also been instructed by the family as their
determined battle to find Madeleine enters another week.
Madeleine's
uncle John McCann, who lives in Glasgow but was in Praia da Luz last
week, said the lawyers would play a liaison role and would not
interfere with the criminal investigation.
A
spokesman for the International Family Law Group said yesterday: "Gerry
and Kate are very grateful for all the support and generous offers of
help that they are receiving.
"Details
of how contributions can be made to help get Madeleine back to the
safety of her own family will be made available in the next couple of
days."
The McCanns were among
around ten British people who have been re-interviewed by police in
recent days to clarify their statements.
This
week some of the witnesses are expected to appear in court behind
closed doors to record their evidence before they go back to the UK.
The McCanns themselves are not expected to be asked to take part.
The
procedure, known as "memory for the future", means taped statements can
be shown during a future trial so the witnesses do not have to return
to appear in court.
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