Portuguese Detective Ordered Off Madeleine Case

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2007 — -- The Portuguese detective in charge of the Madeleine McCann investigation was removed from the case Tuesday after he gave a newspaper interview accusing the missing girl's parents of wrongly influencing U.K. police.

"Goncalo Amaral, head of the regional judicial police in Portimão, has been taken off the case Madeleine," a source at police headquarters in Portimão, who asked not to be identified, told ABC News. The source would not elaborate on the reason for the decision.

Amaral's dismissal follows a series of accusations he made in an interview with a local Portuguese newspaper in which he criticized Leicester police for chasing leads created and worked by the McCanns themselves.

"They [the U.K. police] have forgotten that the couple are still suspects in the death of their daughter Madeleine," Amaral told Diario de Noticias Tuesday.

Amaral told the Portuguese daily that the McCanns were doing their best to manipulate the investigation, saying, "they [British police] have only been working on what the McCanns want and what suits them."

Portuguese Justice Minister Alberto Costa declined to comment on the case. He said that police were focusing their attention on the investigation.

Although Amaral has lost his current position with the judicial police, he has not been dismissed from the force. A replacement for him hasn't yet been announced.

The McCann's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, also refused to comment on Amaral's dismissal. He did tell reporters that the 39-year-old doctors remain committed to helping local police find their daughter. The child vanished May 3 after the McCanns left her alone when they left their holiday flat to go to dinner.

"Gerry and Kate have consistently said that they are happy to cooperate fully with the Portuguese authorities and will continue to do so no matter who is in charge of the Madeleine investigation," Mitchell told reporters.

This is not the first time chief inspector Amaral has faced public criticism for his lead role in a murder investigation.

In 2004, Amaral and four other officers were accused of allegedly beating a Portuguese woman into confessing to the murder of her 8-year-old daughter.

Leonor Cipriano, 36, is currently serving a 16-year sentence for killing her daughter, Joana, who went missing in September 2004 in a town less than 15 miles from where Madeleine McCann disappeared. Joana's body has never been found.

Many were surprised that Amaral was allowed to spearhead the McCann investigation, particularly since the 3-year-old case against him and his officers has yet to be resolved. According to local reports, Amaral and four other officers will be in court this month to face charges surrounding the beating allegations, as well as charges that involve falsifying documents.

Reuters contributed to this report.