The mother of missing British four-year-old Madeleine McCann
will be formally declared a suspect, a spokeswoman for the family
said.
The sudden shift in the investigation came after authorities
received forensic evidence recovered from the holiday apartment in
the Algarve where Madeleine vanished on May 3.
Since her disappearance, Madeleine's parents have campaigned
relentlessly to draw attention to the case.
Their efforts led to a meeting with Pope Benedict in Rome who
blessed a picture of their daughter.
"She will be formally declared a suspect," said Justine McGuinness,
a spokeswoman for the McCanns.
Both Kate and her husband Gerry are expected to be interviewed
separately by police.
Under Portuguese law a suspect has more legal protection than a
witness, including the right not to answer questions.
A witness must answer all questions put forward by police or
possibly face legal action.
However, Kate McCann will be more closely monitored by police.
On Thursday, she was questioned by police for about 11 hours at a police station in the Algarve.
Her husband Gerry is expected to be questioned by police on
Friday.
A friend of the McCanns who spoke to Kate in the early hours of
this morning said she was stunned and disappointed at being
declared a suspect.
"I did speak to Kate in the early hours of this morning and clearly
she is stunned and disappointed. Disappointed, not only to be at
this stage a suspect, but I think (at) the realisation that they
are not actually looking for Madeleine," the family friend
said.
"She sounded disappointed, calm, disappointed, tired."
A Briton living in Praia da Luz had until now been identified by
police as the only suspect in the investigation and his house has
been searched twice.
British business tycoons and celebrities ranging from "Harry
Potter" author JK Rowling to soccer stars have contributed to a
reward for her return.
