Re: 'Anti-McCann' websites plotted to kidnap one of Madeleine's siblings - Daily Mail INCLUDES TWEETS FROM JERRY LAWTON RE MICHAEL WRIGHT TESTIMONY
Post Tony Bennett Yesterday at 11:52 pm
Whatever the views of members of this forum about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, some sober observations about the 'twins kidnap plot' story must be set out.
I think it has appeared in at least four British newspapers, the Mail, the Express, the Mirror and the Star.
These three British newspapers alone have a combined circulation of around 6 million - and a combined readership of double that number (around 12 million).
I have done a quick check on Google News. The 'twins kidnap plot' story appears in the online editions of at least 21 publications so far. Top of the list at the moment is this one:
http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2013/09/20/madeleine-mccann-did-conspiracy-theorists-plot-to-kidnap-twin-brother-sister/That means that millions, maybe tens of millions, will read a story that recycles, as a plain fact, Michael Wright's evidence that 'anti-McCann conspiracy theorists' actively 'plotted', on 'several anti-McCann websites', to kidnap the twins (even though, if there ever was such a plot, it must have been discussed well over 4 years ago and has never been reported on in the media hitherto).
It is alleged by Wright that there was a long thread on the former '3 Arguidos' site discussing this. I was a very active member of that forum for nearly a year, when it was at its height, and I never saw such a thread.
I can only presume that Michael Wright, when he was surfing the net trawling the 'anti-McCann' forums (as he has admitted), took screenshots of the said thread(s) and kidnap threats and has formally exhibited them to his signed witness statement.
However, we shall probably never know.
The fact is that a large number of people will believe that there are indeed 'anti-McCann' forums out there (and this one is the leading one and has been for 2 years) which really do stoop to discussing plots involving active plans to kidnap the twins.
I am prepared to bet that, before long, the idea that there really are 'anti-McCann forums full of conspiracy theorists who are even prepared to discuss abducting the twins' will be recycled as fact by certain newspaper columnists and media commentators.
And of course the story hugely feeds the claim that the interrnet is a lawless place that needs to be tightly regulated and controlled by governments, echoing comments last year by the anti-free press Lord Leveson in his clunking report, backed by 'Hacked Off', which recommeded state control of the British press.
The 'twins kidnap plot' story may therefore have a very long way still to run.
Unless someone can think of a quick way of killing it.
