Now I begin to wonder how unprofessional the Portuguese Police are handling this case. Where in the world would one have to keep quiet if somebody is missing? I would have published in CNN News and let everyone knows about it. I am continuing to pray for the safe return of Maddie and God's power to find her. And God's healing on Mccann family.

Ben, London, UK

The publicity has given parents a wake-up call. Please look after your children. Importantly, a little girl is lost and energy should be focused on finding her, not on finger-pointing.

eve, santa barbara, ca, usa

How can you have DNA from a corpse from the car for hire and then after say there is DNA that could be from a living person in the clothing bundle turned in recently? By the way check the T-Shirt arm pits, the fleece arm pits and the inseam and seat of the genes from the newly found bundle.. Who's DNA is present?
Speaking of the car for hire, is there a gap between when the car was turned in and when the corpse DNA was found? Check those mileage receipts.
I hope innocent people are not unjustly found guilty. Please check everything.

Phi, Ventnor, New Jersey USA

Up until this time I have refrained from commenting on the allegations made by the Portuguese police about Gerry and Kate McCann’s involvement with the media in their attempt to locate their daughter, Madeleine McCann who was abducted on May 3.

However, the most recent statement by Carlos Anjos, president of the Association of Criminal Investigation Staff, is so egregious as to make a response necessary.

When Mr. Anjos accuses the McCanns of creating a “monster of information” he is contributing to the very thing – the “monster of information” of which he accuses the McCanns. I have to wonder why he would do such a thing.

The media attention is the result of an incident - the abduction of a beautiful little girl and not the result of the McCanns “pushing stories into the papers” as Mr. Anjos alleges.

The media got interested in the abduction because it was news. The McCanns got involved with the media because they had no choice in the matter – they became newsworthy. “Those press conferences” which Mr. Anjos singles out for particular criticism, were actually an attempt to handle the overwhelming media attention in an orderly fashion. If the McCanns dealt with the media in a manner so as to reach an audience that would be on the lookout for their daughter, can anyone blame them?

Once the media spotlight is turned on, it stays on - as long as there is public interest in the incident. It has very little to do with what the McCanns did or didn’t do.

I would agree with Mr. Anjos that Madeleine’s abduction has generated an untoward amount of media attention. However, to accuse the McCanns of creating an “information monster” is not only counter-productive but it misses the point. Mr. Anjos should concentrate his resources on finding Madeleine.

Guy, Winter Park, USA

Surely even if it was thought she was spotted somewhere it should be kept out of the media? It seems if there is a suspected sighting its in the papers immediately - giving abducters time to move

Claire, Westport, Ireland

Has anyone checked the swimming pool filtration system?
I know that in Portugal there have been at least two or three children go missing in water theme parks. Their bodies were later found drowned trapped in the filtration system into which they had obvioulsy been drawn.

DC, Aylesbury, Bucks

I believe that the Mc Canns are doing what they think is best to find their child. Stop placing the blame on the parents but find the child!

Ken, Hong Kong,

Carlos Anjos is a bigger joke than Amaral, does he really think the British public are this stupid. Is it pure coincidence he chooses now to attack the media campaign when even low ranking police officers have decided to publicly criticise their own investigation or is it because their own press (24 hours) are now running a story claiming there is no forensic evidence whatsoever that points to the fact Madeleine died in the apartment that night or that the McCanns are linked to her disappearance. Doesn't take a genius to work out!

kathryn, derby, UK

This is all a little bit funny, becouse even on the Interpol side, where we can find Madeleine picture her eye is mention and it is place in section Distinguishing marks and characteristics. So, if the Interpol has put this characteristic why would Portugese police say that this is not a good thing. I don't understand since we have heard that in Portugal "they do not have missing children".
And why didn't he say anything about feeding the press by portugese police?!

kristina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The press campaign is an absolute essential not just in finding a missing child but in preventing future abductions. Children end up in 'distasteful' films because not enough people care enough about them. The press campaign downvalues a child for that purpose, because you cannot watch those films if you care, so you won't pay for them. Remember how man-focussed the first few days were, football matches and so on? It's because in those crowds are potential customers of those films. So we must do this again for the next lost child, and the next, until eventually UK children would be avoided as the abductor learns what to expect of us. Would that children all over the world could rely on this kind of support.

Diane, Sutton,

All this publicity and no response. Even the British police would be looking closer to home by now.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Mr Anjos makes a very good point, but I don't believe that the McCanns themselves are necessarily to blame.
Just like today, hardly a day goes by without Clarence Mitchell having something to say about the case. And what does he say? Almost invariably he tells of how innocent Kate and Gerry are, how they are suffering, about slur campaigns against them etc. Never does he talk of the plight, the suffering of the real victim in this case. The poor little girl, missing for more than six months.
I believe that his continued and repeated defence of his clients only serves to create doubt in the public's mind as to their innocence. It does nothing to help find the girl.
As far as I can tell, the media has published so much, and yet so little is actually known, except, perhaps by the Portuguese authorities, and those directly involved. All is based on rumour, gossip and leaked statements from people who should know better.

Jim Oliver, Leicester,

So Amber Alert is dangerous, too ? Is it a joke ?

nicole, obernai, france

Of course the publicity has endangered her life! A kidnapper seeing photos of the girl everywhere would have to lock her up or GET RID of her!

Ana , stockholm, sweden

I may have missed something, but it's worth restating just who Carlos Anjos is...he's actually not an especially senior Police officer (I think he's an Inspector equivalent).

He's the head of the Trade Union for middle ranking Police Officers - and therefore not an official spokesman for the portuguese justice system. He's paid to protect the interests of exactly the sorts of officers - like Amaral - who've made a mess of this case.

Expecting objectivity from him is a bit like asking Arthur Scargill to condemn strike action by miners.

Cynic, Crowthorne, Berks, UK

Of course, looking back, the Portuguese police didn't want the media storm that was created. What did it reveal about them? They would much rather this story have gone away. Then they could've done whatever they wanted to, sat in their cars in the rain at the borders, and made up their minds that it must've been the parents, since they couldn't find any evidence (which got trampled over).

That same description of Madeleine that they didn't want revealed is what has helped people to look for her. If anyone were going to do away with her b/c of her distinctive markings, then they never meant any good to her anyway. Is she any worse off because of it? At least b/c of the publicity people everywhere are looking for her.

I'm sure the McCanns would do it all over again the same, if it meant that she might be found, regardless of the horror they have gone through in the media. I applaud them.

As for their "jumpy nervous behavior that wasn't normal", well, exactly what is???

Dawn, Georgia, USA

I would have done the same as the McCanns in their place. Hopefully for Madeleine not all people will lose heart and/or become resentful at the efforts of her parents and that all the publicity will lead to discovering her whereabouts. If nothing else it has turned the spotlight on the workwise and extent of paedophilia in that area of the world - and may even lead to the discovery and freeing of other abducted children - and how can that be bad? The publicity on missing Madeleine is not a slur on law-abiding, decent citizens of those countries. Child trafficking and paedophilia are rooted throughout the world. Public awareness may in the end be one of the best weapons against this particular evil.

Jean Booth, Voorburg, The Netherlands

I doubt this case will ever be solved. The fact that the police and the Mccanns and their advisors appear to have divided into two camps surley doesnt help matters. It has been one long mess from the beginning. I do think the police were right to advise them against issuing information about her eye - if she has been taken [and who knows if she has...no matter what everyones personal opinion is, we have to accept its a possibility that she may not have been] , but if she has been taken surely anything so distinctive would have made her captors think they had better get rid of her before they are caught. Kidnappers will dye childrens hair etc, but there was nothing they could do about her eye, and that might have made them panic.. A lot of newspapers have reported it was difficult for the police to get proper information on the night she was taken because of the amount of alcohol consumed by the family and friends..who knows if this is true, but if it is, its not good.

Carrie , yorkshire, uk

Ok what ever Whos fault, who did what, does it at really matter, she want s to be home her parents want her home and as a human race we would all rejoice at seeing a happy ending to this sad sad story. Does it really matter at this stage who did what and wrong. Shes a child out there away from everything shes ever known. Just lets find her and bring her home. If anyone reading this has her its not too late give her up in a safe place and know that in the end you did the right thing. Everyday I think of you Maddie xxx

jacqui, bishop stortford, england

I agree that the spin has spiralled out of control but what on earth were the McCanns to do? The Portuguese police were messing up big time. It seems to me they were only going through the motions. Somebody had to do something and may have made the wrong choices.

k. van overzee, Haarlem, netherlands

I believe both sides should just stop arguing with one another and find her. That is all that matters right now. Just find that little girl that is suffering without her family. Placing the blame on anyone is not going to help the investigation.

Everyone keeps forgetting there is a little girl out there somewhere. I don't care whether you are mad at the parents for leaving her alone. She is still missing and SHE is all that matters.

Stop placing the blame and JUST FIND MADELEINE so she can have a happy life....

Tina, Syracuse, USA/NY

This whole story has really been blown out of proportion and I am getting really frustrated with all those claimed sightings. I mean really people what on earth are you thinking?? The latest about remains being found surely should be dug deeper as it sounds very scary. The police should look very closely to photos of madeleine and see is they resemble the body that was found. Her parents anguish should be laid to rest as this is so tormenting for them let alone for the whole world as we feel the hurt ,pain and suffering that no parent should ever endure. We live in very cruel times and I am sorry to say death penalties should be exercised with the strictest of laws possible. I do know for a fact that in certain countries it is practised. Criminals do not feel any remorse for their wromg doings so they should be dealt with harshly as well.

renee, central, london