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
Comments
July 26th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Nobody (I think) has pointed out that MOST abuse/neglect of children comes from either parents or relatives or family friends. To suspect the parents is horrible but I am afraid it is not a silly assumption to start ones thinking. The British Police would start with this premise (if they had no firm evidence otherwise). And I’m sorry to say as the single father of a nine year old girl, and although I do not think the world is full of pedophile monsters, I would not leave children so young on their own: these children are so very young. We are not talking about letting a twelve year old go into town, we are talking about leaving BABIES (or very near) on their own. Even if the parents came back every hour or so what if a child woke up in the meantime - how would they feel? I’m sorry, the parents were wrong to do what they did: even if something had not happened and Madeleine were still with us, I would still think so. I stress again MOST abuse to and neglect of children is done by parents - so don’t blame those here for looking at the parents first of all - it is a sensible approach to take… not nasty.
July 26th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Goodbye Cathy Hello Star!
July 26th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
The situation is very very simple…
Mcanns are not focussing on what they SHOULDNT have done on May 3rd for OBVIOUS reasons RIGHT NOW.
They are focussing right now on what they SHOULD do going forward.
THEREFORE>>>>>>FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED (hello Mike)
It is right that he is
‘’still jettin around with his campaign manager”
and it is right that he should keep doing so until he finds his daughter.
It is also right that while he is searching and rallying very powerful agencies TO COME ON BOARD AND JOIN THE SEARCH that we should support him in this IF we are sincere in wanting Madeline back AND THE FULL STORY(S) UNCOVERED!
When this little baby has been found safe and well then the hard questions can be asked for the parents to answer. Until then it is just a smoke screen for the real issue>>>>>>>No child should be subjected to this type of abuse or any other type of abuse that doesnt bear thinking about.
July 26th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Mr McCann was FORCED to defend himself to reporters in the US?
Well we want to know WHY!!
This was in an article:
“We have been assured by the authorities that what we did fell within the boundaries of good parenting,” he said
I didnt know there were “boundaries of good parenting” I mean are they written dn some place? What you did was wrong!! You dont leave 3 small children ALONE so you can go eat dinner with your friends. And to try and make it right by saying you were only 50 yards away, and checked them and could see the room. Apparently you were not close enough. I mean when they are at home do you just toss them out in the yard and check them now and then? A 3 yr old and two 2 yr olds need constant supervision. I dont know if the drugging is true or not, but that makes me wonder how often these children were left alone. I see dad is still jettin around with his campaign manager. Going out to eat with friends, etc. I hope you find your daughter soon and i hope we all learn from this…Our children are precious and should come first!!
July 26th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
p.s. Cathy you still havent answered any of the questions that YOU were asked …. I wonder why? hmmmmm
July 26th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Cathy DonkeyWankey Tom Bill Marian Mike what ever name you are dropping…
i dont believe a word you say. You are too full of hatred in general that it will have to vent it self somehow unless you get some serious help it will eat you up. What a waste of a life. The Mcanns are just one outlet for that serious type of bile.
No doubt you will write again, under a different name of course. Yes we will see your poison pen. But remember, You can no longer hide under false auspices. Be honest with yourself at least if no one else.
Go get help life is too short.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
cathy.
wise move!
July 26th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
But can’t you see that what they did is irresponsible and wrong? The Mccann’s know it was wrong, too, or they wouldn’t be lying about how often they checked the kids, the distance they were at from Maddy’s room, etc. Doesn’t that make you suspicious? And, to top that, they’re making money from the whole thing.It just doesn’t look good. I just hope the Portuguese don’t think all British parents are like that. What a bad impression they’ve given! And they’re doctors, supposedly among the most respectable and responsible members of our society!By letting them off the hook, the message to the general public would be that it’s ok to neglect your kids. As a mother you wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?
July 26th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Jojo and Maureen
Thank goodness there are some people with a bit of compassion in this world. You are both so right. All these people are interested in is attacking this poor family it seems. Its all a bit weird isnt it.
July 26th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Yes, all very strange.
July 26th, 2007 at 4:19 am
Check out this news clip…
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91210-1276925,00.html
I notice how some message boards are shutting dn comments, due to the things people are saying about the McCanns. I mean do you blame them?
Again Mr McCann is trying to defend himself…The USA wants to know WHY…why he left his 3 small children alone so him and the wife could go eat with friends. He said kids were sleeping? they were only 50 yards away and could SEE the room? And him, the wife and their friends checked the kids like ever 10 minutes? And they didnt think they needed a babysitting service? Well, that confuses me. They also have some odd friends that seem to remember things on cue……From one seeing a man with a girl they now think was Maddie, then they saw Murat, now someone saw a man and woman run toward docked boats……Come on, it’s been how long now? And we are JUST now remembering? Amazing!!
July 25th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Jo jo - I am me - just me - nobody else so please do not assume that I have several identities. I shall not be posting on any of these sites again
July 25th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
I have read all your postings with interest.Personally i don’t feel there is enough evidence to suapect anyone, parents or Robert Murat and i long for it all to be over, to get some answers.
July 25th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
By the way Mike/Cathy/Donkey , whatever name you are using today, I read your blog. Are you aware that its just a very angry site.
Its all attacks and put downs towards the Mcanns and really very hurtful stuff.
Do you have anything constructive to add or are you just interested in attacking them on every level?
Is there something personal going on i.e. are you harbouring abandonment /poor parenting issues yourself. Anger is a form of defense.
Isnt this just a waste of energy.
You have never expressed a desire to find Madeline. Why is this?
Nothing or nobody is going to stop them until they find solve this case one way or another and find Madeline. They realise they have made a mistake. Is this any reason to continue tormenting them?
Its is quite likely that they will be faced with questioning by the police on this issue.
But for now all efforts are focused on what is important - finding Madeline.
and this wont go away until she is found.
Right now there are millions of people who are commited to this case in a very real way.
I fail to see any rationale to your attacks.
You attack the fund because it is a limited company to help the parents. Yes that is exactly what it is. There is no secret in this. The information is readily available on the internet.
Some people have their children abducted through no fault of their own. I would support these equally for the sake of the children if I knew of them but up till now I didnt and there was nothing organised to do so. now there is. And hopefully going forward any parent can do likewise.
What do you want to see happen?
July 25th, 2007 at 5:46 am
A bit from the McCann blog….
There is a very upsetting story on the front page of a British National Newspaper today. The headline suggests that Kate and I face prosecution for neglecting our children by dining 50 yards away and checking on them regularly. We know that there has been criticism in some quarters of our actions but at the time, we felt our actions were responsible. We were essentially performing our own baby listening service although we have talked of the guilt we felt at now being there at the moment Madeleine was taken.
We have been advised that legally our behaviour was well within the bounds of responsible parenting and subsequently been assured that no action will be taken. These types of criticism, particularly at this stage, as well as being hurtful are extremely unhelpful in the search for Madeleine. From the moment we discovered Madeleine missing Kate and I have done everything in our power to try and help get her back.
**Please, IMO no one should leave a 3 yr old to tend to 2- 2 yr olds so they can go eat dinner and have a good time with friends. I see the restaurant is now 50 yards away from the room, wasnt it 100 before? and their own baby listening service? If they were responsible, they would of either had dinner WITH the children OR would of taken the children to the babysitting service provided and then went out to eat. Yes i know it has been repeated TONS, but if they didnt leave her, she would still be with them, so they did do wrong!!
July 24th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I suppose they’re only looking into the sightings now because this new witness has come forward who says he saw a man with a child in his arms heading towards the marina. But what I don’t understand is why this witness has only just come forward. Surely if they had seen anything suspicious they would have reported it at the time.
July 24th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Here is something else I dont understand…I read this in the news today…..
Madeleine McCann might have been smuggled out of the nation of Portugal by boat. Police are now working this new theory according to a report by the Daily Express.
If you recall, last month there were multiples sightings of a child who witnesses thought might be the missing 4-year-old in Malta. One in particular allegedly spotted her getting onto a luxury yacht on the island.
The Express details that detectives are now looking into this new theory after details of an escape route the toddler’s kidnapper is believed to have taken. Authorities now believe the kidnapper had a yacht or other type of vessel on stand-by.
A police source said: “It is a strong line of inquiry. We believe Madeleine is no longer in Portugal and this is the most likely way of taking her abroad.”
The newspaper also reports that police are investigating whether Maddie was first taken to Lagos Marina on the coast. Witnesses say they saw a man and woman carrying a blonde child towards the marina hours after Madeleine was snatched.
Staff have been asked by police to provide CCTV footage. Maritime police have been searching the caves along the surrounding coastline. Patrol boats were ordered to look for signs of Madeleine’s hair, which the kidnapper might have cut off.
I hope this doesn’t mean they are just looking NOW into this theory. I remember reading about the boat that was docked for 2 years long ago.
And according to this article….they “believe” Madeleine is no longer in Portugal.
Well hope Dad and the campaign manager have luck in the US.
——————————————————————————–
——————————————————————————–
Post comments to Staff
Your full name:
Comments
Your Comments Here
© Copyright 2004-2007 by Post Chronicle Corp.
Top of Page
PostChronicle.com is best viewed with an 1024×768 screen resolution
July 24th, 2007 at 4:42 am
I see Dad McCann is now in the US and wants to visit with Mrs Bush.
Then i read this bit of news:
Thousands of yellow ribbons left as a symbol of hope for missing Madeleine McCann will be taken down because her family wants to ‘move on’. The ribbons, tied to railings outside a war memorial in the four-year-old’s home village, were left by well-wishers but will be removed by the end of the month. Brian Kennedy, great-uncle of the little girl known as Maddie, said it did not mean the family had lost hope.
‘We are not removing the ribbons because we are giving up the search, but we think that the time has come to move on a bit,’ the 68-year-old added. ‘We want to keep Madeleine in everybody’s thoughts and minds, but we feel that we must slowly begin to return to normality.
So it looks like they will continue to use the donations to fly around BUT we dont want the ribbons up anymore…Sad
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Well lets just hope and pray that the poor little darling is found safe and well whatever has happened to her. Its such a sad story. I still belive in her parents and the reason i get so upset when i hear people pointing the finger at them is because they really have no reason to. God forbid if any one of us was in that situation and we got the blame, it must be absolutely dreadful for them. Imagine being accused of harming your child if you havent when you already have so much to cope with, not knowing where she is and whether she is being hurt. I think before people say things like this they should try to have a little empathy and just try to imagine how awful it would be. Its almost like some people think that because the parents left her they deserve to be going through hell. Thats not a very humane way to think. I feel that these people really want it to be something to do with the parents because they need a little sensation in their lives. Its something to talk about isnt it. Its not nice. I didnt see the grandparents being interviewed or was the news of them saying they drugged madeleine just in the paper. Papers are full of lies and sensation. Always exaggerating the truth. If she was given medication then I’m sure her parents did it for the reason that she did sleep walk not for any other reason. Everyone stop being so suspicious and just wait until they are proved right or wrong.
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:36 am
Kim…..I want to think the McCanns are not involved in this, there are lots of crazy theories out there…from them hiding her and creating this “campaign” for $$$ and fame, to McCann friends seeing Murat there but not saying anything for months(what is up with that?), to an accidental death and cover up(we read how the parents drugged the children, even gramma confirmed this).
Who knows what is true and what is made up now…The paper says they have a new witness…and dad is off to the states….Hopefully we find out SOMETHING soon…For Madeleine’s sake!!
You talk about the parents and a high profile…Look at Scott Peterson, and Now the boyfriend of Jessie Davis…..they did not lay low…they were rite there in our face. Just a thought…
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Cathy
You mentioned that you have one child . What would you do if your child was in the Mccanns exact situation. Would you accuse him or her of the things that you are accusing the Mccanns of? Would you disown him or her? Surely you would. If not then that is double standards. So I think you probably would wash your hands of him or her. Now tell me, is that a good parent? Hmm…somehow I dont think so. I believe in innocent until proven guilty. I dont jump to conclusions i dont know anything about.
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:22 pm
And another thing… why would her parents keep it all so high profile if they were guilty? Surely they would want to slope off into the back ground and keep it low key as possible.
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I cant understand why you would come to that conclusion. Why on earth would Maddys parents want to get rid of her? It makes no sense at all. Its a big world. People vanish into thin air all the time. Just because the trail has gone cold doesnt mean that her parents are guilty of the terrible things that people are accusing them of with no evidence at all. I feel she will be found too. Have always felt that. So hope she is returned safe and sound to her family where she belongs.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Kim - I think your mind will be changed very soon when the police release all the information they have obviously gathered together. McCanns may be finding it difficult to keep up the facade - maybe that is why travelling Gerry is planning on running off to the USA - big country not so much media spotlight - able to drop the guard for a few days. No matter what the outcome and God alone knows we all want the little girl to be found and OK - nobody will ever convice me that what happend was true to the declaration by the McCanns the day after the child was said to be missing. I found them totally unbelievable from day one - and was shot down by my family for saying this - even before the fund was launched there was just something about them and their persona that rang alarm bells - my family have now come around to thinking exactly the same. AND - I still believe that from day one Madeleine was back in the UK at some safe house. - I know you may say that this is wishful thinking and maybe it is - but intuition is a wonderful thing
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
Think we will just have to agree to disagree on this one. Nothing will change what I think.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:37 am
Rachel Thomas
OH you just brought up a very good point…..If someone took Madeleine, they would have had to know the children were alone, and they would of had to know when someone would check on them.(the resturant said no one left the table) Now how could Murat know that? BUT anyone at the table with them that nite WOULD have known…Just a thought.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:23 am
Well of course it makes them bad parents Kim. They certainly are not good parents or this whole damn issue would not be taking place. With all the will in the world cannot I feel the slightest bit of sorrow for the McCann clan - and that includes grannies, uncles -the whole bloody lot of them. I can certainly feel deep deep concern for the child- but lavishing support and money on the McCanns is obscene in my book - the police and whoever else will - if atall possible - find this little girl - but lining the pockets of the incredibely complacent and unrelentful parents is beyond belief.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Cathy
Sorry maybe I got a little irrate earlier. No I have never left my children alone and I never would i agree they are far too precious. The whole thing upsets me terribly because I am a mother. I just cant help but feel so terrible for the parents of Maddy….and Maddy too of course. It was a foolish thing to do but so many people seem to be making hurtful comments about the Mccanns and I really think they must have endured more suffering than most of us will in a lifetime and they really dont need to hear negative comments about themselves. They are already suffering enough. They have made a terrible mistake but I dont think this makes them bad parents.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Kim - You seem like you have breathed a sigh of relief that this did not happpen to you. Did you maybe leave a kid unattended and was lucky enough to get away with it ? The McCanns went beyond the law - they left 3 children - all under 4 years of age - unattended for God alone knows how long, because the times which they say they checked on them just do not add up. FACT - the only time that it is conclusive that this child was disovered mssing is the time that they called the police to report the mssing child - which in some reports is a much as 2 or 4 or more hours after they SAY that they discovered her missing. their mates were sworn to silence and had to run past Gerry any reports or statements. If you have kids Kim - please learn from this lot - dont put them at risk. My only kid is over 30 years old now, married and independant - but as a mother I still look out for him and his family = a parent never stops = my mother who is 87 still reminds me to be careful when I cross the road……….a true parent never leaves anthing with regard to their kids safety to chance
July 21st, 2007 at 11:35 pm
KIM…..It was not the tabloids that told us about the drugging of the children…it was the children’s grandmother.
IF this is true and IF they did this so they could go out to dinner…IMO that is terrible.
Another thing is Mr Mccann and his diary are were we find out how they are using the donations. And the Uncle said some BIG bills are coming in for things that have been made.