Portugual removes detective leading Madeleine case

LISBON - The head of Portugal's judicial police on Tuesday removed the detective who had been leading the investigation into missing British girl Madeleine McCann.

Goncalo Amaral was taken off the case after accusing the British police of being influenced by the girl's parents over which leads they decide to follow up. "The national director (of the judicial police) terminated the services of the coordinator of the judicial police in Portimao," a police spokeswoman said, announcing Amaral's removal from a case which has made headlines around the world.

Amaral loses his current post with the judicial police but will not be dismissed from the force. No replacement has been named so far. Amaral was quoted on Tuesday in a Portuguese newspaper as saying British police had forgotten that Gerry and Kate McCann remain suspects in their daughter's disappearance.

Portuguese police named the McCanns on Sept 7 as formal suspects in the case, two days before the couple left Portugal and returned to England. There is one other suspect in the case.

Madeleine McCann vanished from her bedroom in an Algarve resort on May 3, a few days before her fourth birthday. The parents say they are innocent and have launched a high-profile campaign to find their daughter, who they think was abducted.

Amaral was quoted on Tuesday as telling daily Diario de Noticias that the McCanns were influencing British police.

"British police has only been working on what the McCanns want and what suits them," the Portuguese daily reported him as saying.

"They (British police) have investigated leads and information created and worked out by the McCanns, forgetting that the couple are suspects in the death of their daughter, Madeleine."

Portuguese police have not taken the case further since the McCanns left and have said they have insufficient evidence to charge the couple.

Portuguese police have been criticised in Britain for their perceived slow initial response to the girl's disappearance.