Madeleine McCann: Robert Murat And More Questions
MADELEINE McCann is missing. Still missing.
But today there is news. The daily front-page shots of Madeleine’s traumatised parents are moved further within the papers to make space for the head of Robert Murat.
“MADELEINE BRITISH MAN IS QUIZZED!” says the Mirror’s front-page headline.
Robert Murat
After the speculation the paper delivers a welter of facts. Robert Murat lives with his mum. Robert Murat is in his 30s. Robert Murat lives with his mother in a villa 150 yards from the apartment where Madeleine McCann was snatched.
The Sun (“MADDIE: BRIT QUIZZED”) says Murat lives 100 yards from that McCann apartment. Like the Mirror, the Sun produces a front-page picture of “one-eyed Murat”. The Mail hears that Murat lost his eye in a BMX accident when he was a boy. The Mail says Murat lives 80 yards from Madeleine’s holiday apartment.
Murat is “stocky”. He offered to help the police hunt as a “translator”. He lives in Casa Liliana, with his mum Jenny.
The Suspect
The Sun’s Julie Moult considers the evidence. And delivers a piece entitled “stories of a fantasist”. “He always seemed so eager to get involved in the police investigation,” says the Sun’s woman–on-the-scene. “Robert claimed he had a daughter just like Madeleine and said he felt compelled to do anything he could. But to me he seemed like classic fantasist.”
The Sun introduces Martin Brunt, the crime news correspondent from its sister organ, TV’s Sky news.
He says Murat told him he’d been taken inside the McCanns’ apartment by police.
Sky news correspondent Ian Woods says he asked Murat to help him speak with locals.
“I met him and had a conversation with him. I tried to find out as much as I could about him,” says Woods, who checked out Murat’s details. “They did check out, and I left it at that for the time.”
The Mail’s Neil Sears also spots Murat. In “My encounters with a man ‘who just wanted to help’”, Sears tells Mail readers, “There was something more to the friendly expat who called himself ‘Rob’ than met the eye.”
Murat made Sears “feel slightly uncomfortable”.
But it was the Sunday Mirror’s Lori Cambell who alerted police to Murat’s behaviour, she saw as “creepy”.
Writing Wrongs
So much for investigative journalism. Questions were asked but nothing more was done. Murat is with police because he made a show of himself, because he acted as if working in an official capacity. Even though the Times says Murat was acting as “an official translator”.
So now the man in the chinos, with the glass eye, who lives with him mum and whose estranged wife, from Hockering, near Norwich, tells a neighbour “How could someone do something so terrible to little girl like that?’ is all over the papers.
Is Murat guilty? The papers produce nothing to indicate that he is. But if Murat is involved, look out for the stories of how British journalism cracked the case.
And look out for Madeleine McCann. Still missing…
Posted: 15th, May 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,194) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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July 21st, 2007 at 11:24 pm
How can we be proved wrong? It’s now an established fact that the Mccanns were negligent. Whether their child had an accident and they’re covering it up or she just wandered off and got killed or kidnapped-whatever happened- they’re STILL responsible!
July 21st, 2007 at 11:16 pm
You guys are all nuts! You seem to really want the Mccanns to be bad. Now thats just weird to me. I’m sure you’ll all be proved wrong, Hope so anyway. Stop being so angry about things and try to find a little compassion in your cold cold hearts! Thats what most human beings do.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Hey kim = One minute you are feeling sorry for the McCanns - understanding why they want to stay in Portugal -= OK - Then you support them jetting off to the USA. I really do hope that when all of this comes to a conclusion - everyone will stand up and be counted and realise that the only ones responsible for this whole issue are the parents. OK - if someone took her - they did so while the parents were not conducting themselves in a way that any responsible parents would. Just stop feeling sorry for these people and OK put your energy into feeling a sorrow for the little girl who is either suffering, has suffered or maybe - just maybe (and we all hope so) is safe and well and being looked after. Whichever way you look at it the best possible senario is that the parents set up the whole issue to raise money. If this is not the case, then the child is in danger, but sorrow for the parents under these circumstances will not help find her nor feeling sorry for the McCanns bring back their daughter. For the sake of the twins, the McCanns need a good kick up the arse and need to be told in no uncertain terms that the reason their daughter is missing is down to their neglect. Of course being wise after the event is always a good excuse, but being a parent does not leave room for excuses when a childs well being is put at risk. I know that all the donations have been flowing in to help find Madeleine, not to help finance the parents, but in my opinion the parents have jumped on a seemingly lucrative bandwagon to line their pockets to compensate for their guilt
July 21st, 2007 at 11:05 pm
The Pope, President Bush? Where will it end? There’ll only be God left and even he will probably be a disappointment to Gerry. Cathy, like you, I’ve been wondering if this couldn’t be some kind of cover-up. It just seems strange that Jane Tanner happened to be walking past Maddy’s window at the time of the supposed abduction. It also seems strange she was the only one who saw the man with the child in his arms and that another Englishman passing by at the same time says he didn’t see anyone. Plus, do we know where Russell O’Brien was during the meal that night?. It seems he was absent quite a lot. I don’t think for a minute, the Mccanns would ever have intentionally done anything to their child but I think there is a possibility there could have been an accident of some sort due to their negligence. An abduction just seems unlikely to me. If they really were checking as often as they say the abductor would have to have been really lucky. Robert Murat is evidently a scapegoat. I think he just wanted to help. He strikes me as one of those naturally gregarious people who like to be the centre of attention and get genuinely involved.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Rachel Thomas-
Yes it was stated in several newspapers that the McCann’s friends have/had a code of silence. BUT they were allowd to question Murat. Now where is the fairness?
Also i read that Madeleine was drugged because she was a sleepwalker…(that is something a doc would have record of.) Was it a prescribed med or something the parents just used cause they are doctors?
So now we have parents out having a good time and leaving 3 small children in a hotel room alone and possible drugging of Madeleine?
IMO that seems a bit WRONG to me.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:53 pm
I never realised that there were so many perfect people in the world who have never ever made any mistakes!!!
Why do you all feel the need to be so mean about them?Does it make you feel better? What would you do if it happened to you? Its not the Mccanns fault that there are sickos in the world. God leave the poor people alone if you havent got anything nice to say!!! Get on with your lives and leave it to the people who care.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Gerry off on another Jolli - What a bloody sham - If Uk and Europe cant help - then God alone knows why this prat should be jetting off to the US. The whole lot stiinks
SKY NEWS REPORT
“The father of missing Madeleine McCann is flying to Washington where he may meet Laura Bush.
Gerry McCann will visit WashingtonGerry McCann will be in the US tomorrow to talk to American politicians and child abduction experts.
But he is also reportedly hoping to meet the wife of President Bush during his three-day trip.
The Daily Mirror said Mrs Bush had read about the family’s plight and wanted to lend her personal support to the family.
A source told the newspaper: “Plans are still being finalised but it is hoped Gerry and Laura will meet at some point during the trip.”
Mr McCann will visit the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children to learn about techniques that might help find his daughter.
“We want to to work closely with the police and child welfare agencies in maintaining the profile of Madeleine’s disappearance and other children’s disappearances,” the source said.
The NCMEC was set up in 1984 following the murder of six-year-old Adam Walsh.
He was abducted from a Florida shopping centre.
Madeleine was snatched from her hotel room in the resort of Praia da Luz in Portugal 11 weeks ago
July 21st, 2007 at 10:17 pm
I still feel terrible pity for Maddys’ parents. They understandably do not want to leave Portugal for the time being and I’m sure that anybody in the same situation would feel exactly the same way. I certainly wouldn’t leave if I were them. I agree they shouldn’t have left their children and I’m sure they know that too but they did and this awful thing happened but how can that make people feel less sorry for what they are going through. I doubt that they are the callous uncaring people that so many seem to want them to be. They must be suffering dreadfully. People think themselves as so perfect that they never do foolish things but everyone does. I know that this was obviously a huge mistake but I think the poor people will be feeling terrible enough without others who dont even know them, judging them and saying what dreadful parents they must be. As for them drugging the children well all I can say is how can people be so silly as to believe the rubbish they read in the tabloids. Also judging them looking happy with the twins, well of course they have to put on a brave face for them. Just proves what strong people they are. I’m sure they are not living it up and having the time of their lives but they cant go around weeping and wailing in front of their children, they have to keep things as normal as possible for the sake of those children. People love to judge others but what they should do is imagine how they would feel in the same situation and get off their high horses. There is no point in blaming the Mccanns. Whats done is done. They are not murderers, they are grieving parents looking for their beloved daughter.
July 21st, 2007 at 9:37 pm
That is just it Rachel - nobody knows anything about it. If you log on to Companies House UK you will see exactly how this company has been set up as a Private Limited company with the prime consideration to provide financial support for the McCann family. Maybe they are anticipating needing really good legal aid
July 21st, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Absolutely! The fund is the thing I have most difficulty understanding unless they have hired private detectives and we know nothing about it.
July 21st, 2007 at 8:04 pm
If some terrible accident happend to that child and there is a cover up - God forbid me - I would see that lot hung drawn and quartered. I did see a post on one of these boards a few days ago suggesting that maybe their reputation and careers would be on a line if they admitted that their neglect had caused a fatal accident. They would, of course , be absolutely distraut and the loss would of course be real, BUT - the delays in calling the police, the details between the friends not quite adding up and - which I think is the most important - even after all of the exceptional news coverage and huge rewards - NO MADELEINE. The fund is growing by the day, and has been very carefully set up as a private limited company by Gerry McCann, managed by his brother, and the purpose according to the Companies House UK registration is to support the family financially. If you think you might need the best lawyer in the land - you would need to have the money to pay for it. No chance of legal aid in this one
July 21st, 2007 at 7:45 pm
I don’t agree with Kim. What the Mccans did is surely neglect in anyone’s book. It’s not about being self-righteous. It’s about being PRACTICAL. Anything could have happened and it did!They are doctors, too, so they should know better. I agree with Star2006. Apparently they did drug their children, probably because, as I heard from another blog, the kids used to cry when their parents left them alone to go out and eat. There are so many inconsistencies about how often the friends and they were checking because they are obviously lying and didn’t get enough time to rehearse their version of events. Wasn’t there some kind of pact among them reported?Either they are lying because they’re trying not to look bad about leaving the children or there is something else they don’t want us to know.
July 21st, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Kim…..I think what has alot of people commenting on these boards is a small child is missing…usually when a child is missing we see the mom or dad on the news or in the papers crying and very upset, asking whoever took their child to bring them back!! In Madeleine’s story we have seen them look sad BUT we see lots of pics of her mom and dad having a good time with the twins or we read what they do daily, donations are being used to pay for the apartment they are in, for them to fly around and buy things and having things made. How many times has anyone set up a paypal account for a missing child and actually asked for donations? We see them at the zoo with the twins, having balloon launches, dad MCann calling this a campaign, Mom saying she will not wear the shirt with Madeleine’s pic, emailing and having meetings, reports that they drugged their children(why) and reports that these children were left in an unlocked apartment so their parents could eat and have a good time with friends(how many times while on holiday?) and inconsistencies about who and when the children were checked and now how after all this time their friends say they saw Murat near the place Madeleine was takin. I guess reading some of these things would have parents and others scratching their heads and asking why. IMO they regret leaving their children every day. I’m sure we all want the same end result. That Madeleine is found alive and well and soon.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:17 am
Its not about ego its about doing everything they can to get their daughter back. Sure it was a mistake to leave the children but they obviously thought it would be safe or otherwise they would never have done it. We cannot possibly judge because we were not there. It was not neglect. My goodness these poor people couldn’t be in a worse possible situation. I think the people who judge these poor parents are the self righteous ones and cant have much feeling for anyone. They are never going to give up because they are strong people and they have faith. At least they are positive unlike some of the people who write in to give their silly negative views.
July 21st, 2007 at 12:32 am
this is the Gerry blog for today - !!!???
Kate and I spent a few hours with our campaign manager discussing longer term strategies to maintain Madeleines profile, in case she is not found soon. We had a long conference call with two organisations that are keen to help us with the campaign but there is still quite a bit of work to be done before this venture can be announced.
We also managed an early morning run together, thanks to my mum supervising the kids breakfast. We made it to the top of the cliffs overlooking Praia da Luz in 16 minutes although we did have to walk at the steepest part. I had my first visit to a nearby beach for a while with the kids late on this afternoon whilst Kate took the opportunity to get through lots of e-mails. The twins took great delight in burying me in the sand, building (well mainly knocking down) sandcastles and trying to jump out of the waves, which were tiny although the water was certainly colder than I was expecting.
What a pity they couldnt have made it back to the apartment every 16 minutes
July 21st, 2007 at 12:16 am
Having a clue about life is not neglecting the most precious thing in life - children. If the McCanns are “doing a grand job” then God help the rest of us. Nearly 80 days on and the begging and globetrotting activities of this pathetic irresponsible pair has not “found” their daughter - has it. Please do not praise them - If, as we all hope, Madeleine is found safe and well, - Just imagine in a few years time when she reads all the news jargon (uncle McCann will keep all the cuttings!) - Just imagine how bitter she will feel that her parents chose to leave her to the mercy of anyone who happened to be around for the sake of a jollie and a few drinks with mates. The whole thing disgusts me - and saying it will not delay Madeleine’s return - but the last thing anyone in their right mind would want is to boost the egos of her self rightous parents
July 20th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
God it makes me so mad when I read some of the things these ignorant people write! How disgusting is Honest Jo accusing the Mccanns of freeloading and living it up on holiday when their beloved daughter is still missing. This person has obviously never had anything bad happen to them so couldnt possibly begin to understand. What a stupid idiot he or she is. They should learn to keep their ridiculous opinions to themselves and stop talking such rubbish. Obviously not quite right in the head. The Mccanns obviously adore their little girl and just want her back and that is the only reason they are doing the fantastic job they are doing. I feel positive that Maddy will be found. Never give up, don’t listen to nasty people like that who really dont have a clue about life or anything.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Cathy….Rite after Madeleine went messing and donations were coming in…i remember hearing Mr McCann say he had to get with someone to find out how to spend the money. The donations are being used to SUPPORT his family?!?! What flying around, going home to the UK for a baptism, going to the zoo, bringing gramma and other relatives back to Portugal with them?
I do hear more about him and his daily affairs then what is going on with Madeleine’s search.
July 20th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Cath, please check on www.polícia judiciária.pt algarve “pessoas desaparecidas” (disappeared persons )and you can read the official publication of the Portuguese police about Madeleine.
The Algarve police publishes there that Madeleine disappeared at 10.40 pm(22.40 hs- this is probably what the Mccanns told them at the time) and I have seen on TV a Potuguese policeman telling they have been called (about the disappearence) at midnight, and that ik took them 10 minutes to arrive at the resort.
Between 10.40pm and midnight the Mccanns and their friends were searching for the girl.
July 20th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Just wondering how many folk who have donated to the Gerry fund realise that unless there have been some very devious methods used - 40 per cent of the money will go to the UK government in tax. This fund is a private limited company and rules are rules whoever you are. Anything over £32,400 will be taxed at the highest rate and all of this fund is unearned income. there may be concessions for charities (I dont know) but this fund is not a charity it is a private limited company with one of the provisos to “provide financial support for the family”.
Bearing in mind that Gerry McCann has probably got an “earned” salary in excess of £32,000 - then surely the whole of the fund money will be classed as unearned income and taxed accordinglyat the high rate. This money has come without expense to the McCanns so the whole would be taxable - I hope that an accountant somewhere can put me right if this is not the case - and I will immediately form a private limited company for my assets to be stored in and just quote that it is to support my family (so sod off tax man - you cant have it)
July 20th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Has anyone read anywhere exactly what time the McCanns reported their daughter missing to the Police? I know that everyone in the restaurant would have known what time Ms McCann appeared shouting “they have taken her” - but how long after were the police called and did the Mc.clan rush off to find the man with the bundled child who was seen - apparently less than 1/2 an hour before, because they said that they checked every half hour, didnt they? - by one of the late arrival in the McCann party - who had said when she arrived at the bar that she had noticed someone carrying a child. NOW - would you particularly take note of someone carrying a child late evening in a holiday complex. It could well have been a common sight when “responsible” parents are collecting their sleepy kids from the creche - whooops - sorry - the McCanns wouldnt know how that works would they? They chose to ignore the facility and leave their brood to fend for themselves. So - late arrival friend of McCann gets to the bar - says “just seen something funny - man rushing with child in blanket” - rest of party - do they immediately rush off to check their kids? Apparently not. What time did the “late arrival” get to the bar? Did Ms McCann go straight away to check and find Madeleine missing? Did she and Gerry man think - Wow - our kids are alone - we left the door open - if someone is racing off at a pace they could have one of our kids? Not one bit of it. The following morning there was no mention on the news of a suspect with a child in a blanket - was there? If all of this had been mentioned the night before the first thing the police would have asked for is the man to come forward to eliminate him had he genuinely been carrying his sleepy kid from one part of the complex to another. This is not something which would be kept quiet for days - it was a bit of crucial evidence - the only thing it appears that anyone had to go on - it was not mentioned in the initial report that the girl was missing.
July 20th, 2007 at 5:00 am
Cathy: I believe that is one of the questions alot of us have. I mean if you saw something that didnt look rite, either yell out or report it so someone can check it out. Why after all this time do they all remember a man that looks like Murat taking the child? I believe another question we are all asking is why were these children left alone and how often. Did the friends of the McCanns also have children? It seems none of them can get the story straight as far as when the McCann children were checked on. One early story said the parents checked them every half hour, now we hear how the friends also checked them like every 10 minutes? Some report that people at the resturant said no one ever left their table. I just recenl
There are alot of things that dont add up.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:35 am
If the McCann friends are now “remembering” seeing a man carrying a child in a blanket - why are they suddenly suspicious? Why were they not more suspicious when they actually saw it. How did they know that - as the reports are saying - that it was at the time Madeleine was taken. Nobody seems to know the exact time she was taken. I thought that they were all eating together with the McCanns - but now it seems that they were wandering around and watched someone carting off a child in a blanket - did they then go back to the restaurant and say “Hey you lot - you better check your kids - we just saw something very suspicious - someone carrying a child in a blanket near your appartment Gerry” Not likely - a couple of months later they all club together and “remember” that the child carrier looked like Murat - why didnt they mention the child carrying man the same night - why wait until Murat is suggested as a suspect by journalists?
July 19th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
I questioned my mother (aged 72) after she had donated money to the tapas two’s fund, approximatly 10-15 days after the event. She was unaware how the fund had been set up and further more was not interested in how it was set up beacause her compassion is far above questioning the integrity of the victims or their families. She did seem a little concerened that it had been set up as a business by the girls uncle just a couple of days after the event, she seemed a little more disappointed with the pair that they were both doctors and lived in a large house and their stay was being paid for by the portugese tourist board. I obviously don’t share my mothers level of compassion since I have remained disgusted at their staged and managed ‘milk it for all you can attitude’ appearances since the fund was set up. Within hours the grandmother was attacking the portugese police saying they were not doing enough. These people are attacking the people who are helping them. I have never heard them or aanybody else thanking murat for helping the police with his translation skills.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Star you are asking the right questions, and saying the things we all feel. Who needs to listen to Gerry McCann talking about their jogs, and their friends, and their trips here and there.
It would be good if he told us he went searching for Madeleine.
July 19th, 2007 at 2:06 am
I was just wondering why Madeleine’s daddy tells us more about what him and her mom do all day…..and only a few words about their daughter. It seems it has become a business to him. How many children have gone missing and the paretns set up a paypal account and have bracelets made? Like i mentioned before…i have heard the dad say a few times…we know Madeleine is well and being takin care of? I hope so…But how does he know.
At this point…there are too many things that dont make sense. From leaving 3 babies in an unlocked room so the parents can go eat, to the friend that saw a man with a small blonde girl and didnt say anything, to the people that have waited 2 months to say they saw a man, to parents who continue their holiday…..I also read an article saying they didnt look well enough when they got the tip from that letter…..Who knows what is truth and what is made up at this time.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:35 am
It was stated that the lady friend of the McCann’s didnt say she saw the man take a child until weeks later and the parents now think it was Madeleine.(she is the one who’s name they would not list with the others. Dont know of a man friend. It seems now the “friends” that dined with them that nite cant get the time or who checked the children straight.
Spoke to a friend of mine in the UK today…he said there are posters of Madeleine at his gym.
IMO many people are now looking at the parents being involved? They sure dont act upset about their child being missing….
God watch over lil Madeleine and bring her home soon!!
July 18th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
eventual witnesses are not allowed to talk about what they have seen and what they spoke about during their contact with the police.This is the law in Portugal and they are right.
That is why we know so little about everything.
Who said that that man (Mccann’s friend)did not tell anything during weeks?
He might have told the police right from the beginning and requested to keep his mouth.
July 18th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
THE MCCANS ARE FREELOADING OF EVERYONE IT IS DISGUSTING THEY ARE LIVING IT UP ON HOLIDAY “”"” LOOKING FOR A DAUGHTER THEY KNOW THEY WONT GET BACK”"” TIME TO GET A GRIP AND COME BACK TO REALITY
July 18th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
BLIMEY I THOUGHT PEOPLE WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE MCCANS ANYMORE