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McCanns to leave Portugal for UK McCanns to leave Portugal for UK
(about 4 hours later)
The parents of missing Madeleine McCann will leave Portugal for the UK on Sunday morning.The parents of missing Madeleine McCann will leave Portugal for the UK on Sunday morning.
Kate McCann's parents have told the BBC that she and husband Gerry are preparing to fly back to Britain.Kate McCann's parents have told the BBC that she and husband Gerry are preparing to fly back to Britain.
More than four months into the investigation, the couple have been named as formal suspects or "arguidos" by the Portuguese police. In newspaper interviews, the couple have accused the Portuguese police of trying to frame them after they were named as formal suspects or "arguidos".
The four-year-old disappeared from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal's Algarve on 3 May.The four-year-old disappeared from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal's Algarve on 3 May.
Kate McCann said that during the interviews, police had asked her if she had killed Madeleine accidentally. 'Incredibly frightening'
'Fought her corner' During an 11-hour interview, detectives suggested to Mrs McCann, 39, that traces of Madeleine's blood were found in the family's hire car.
Such allegations have been described by the McCanns' friends and family as "nonsense". The family say this is impossible as they did not rent the vehicle until 25 days after Madeleine disappeared.
Mrs McCann, 39, told the Sunday Mirror that Portuguese police "want me to lie - I'm being framed". Mrs McCann told the Sunday Mirror that during the interview, Portuguese police put her under pressure to confess that she killed her daughter by accident.
She said that police "want me to lie - I'm being framed".
Kate McCann was questioned for 11 hours on Thursday
Speaking on Friday, before she was made an arguida, she added: "Police don't want a murder in Portugal and all the publicity about them not having paedophile laws here, so they're blaming us."Speaking on Friday, before she was made an arguida, she added: "Police don't want a murder in Portugal and all the publicity about them not having paedophile laws here, so they're blaming us."
Her husband Gerry told the News of the World: "In a system that you don't know and don't really trust it's incredibly frightening." Her husband Gerry, also 39, told the News of the World that Portuguese officers were looking for a quick end to the case and were exploiting apparent discrepancies in the couple's account of what happened.
He said: "In a system that you don't know and don't really trust it's incredibly frightening."
Mrs McCann's parents said that the couple were returning to the UK "with the full agreement of the Portuguese authorities and police".Mrs McCann's parents said that the couple were returning to the UK "with the full agreement of the Portuguese authorities and police".
Susan Healy, Kate McCann's mother, said she was proud of her daughter who had "fought her corner" in interviews with the police on Friday.
Kate McCann was questioned for 11 hours on Thursday
"I felt quite proud that she had been able to do this knowing how distraught she is at Madeleine's disappearance," she said.
Friends and family have rallied around the couple, who are keeping away from the media camped outside their villa.
Those close to the McCanns, both 39, say the couple are determined the search for their daughter will not be "derailed".
"Madeleine seems to be receding into the background and I'm thinking, 'Who is looking for Madeleine?'" said Mrs Healy.
Family friend Jon Corner said the developments pointed to the "mindset of the Portuguese police".
"Clearly, they're not investigating or doing the detective work to find Madeleine," he said.
"They're actually looking for a very quick, clean closure on the case, and that means turning their focus into the family."
'Running away'
No bail conditions, travel restrictions or charges have been imposed on the couple, who had been questioned separately for more than 24 hours.No bail conditions, travel restrictions or charges have been imposed on the couple, who had been questioned separately for more than 24 hours.
Mr McCann was officially given "arguido" status 12 hours after his wife.Mr McCann was officially given "arguido" status 12 hours after his wife.
ARGUIDO/ARGUIDA STATUS Officially a suspectBestowed by police or requested by individualRight to remain silentRight to a lawyerMust report to police every five daysARGUIDO/ARGUIDA STATUS Officially a suspectBestowed by police or requested by individualRight to remain silentRight to a lawyerMust report to police every five days
The move allows the authorities to put certain questions to Mr and Mrs McCann, and also gives them the right to remain silent.The move allows the authorities to put certain questions to Mr and Mrs McCann, and also gives them the right to remain silent.
'Repulsive' BBC correspondent Alison Roberts in Portugal said that their status as suspects does not affect their ability to leave the country.
According to family spokeswoman Justine McGuinness the police have also suggested that blood has been found in the family's rental car, hired 25 days after Madeleine disappeared. Public prosecutors would have to outline any case against them in open court for their movements to be restricted, she added.
Mrs McCann's uncle Brian Kennedy said he found the suggestion "repulsive".
"The notion that even accidentally they killed their daughter, hid her body, then put her body in a car hired 25 days later while the glare of the international publicity is on them, and when they are always with friends and family, is fatuous beyond words," he said.
TV crews and photographers, who had been camped outside the police station in Portimao, have moved on to the McCanns' rented house in Praia da Luz.
Mr and Mrs McCann called off plans to attend a service at the village church of Nossa Senhora da Luz on Saturday night because of the amount of media interest.Mr and Mrs McCann called off plans to attend a service at the village church of Nossa Senhora da Luz on Saturday night because of the amount of media interest.