Locals Spot Robert Murat By Madeleine McCann’s Flat
MADELEINE McCann is in the news.
“New witnesses say they saw suspect near Madeleine flat,” says the Express on its front page.
“We saw top suspect near Madeleine kidnap flat,” says a headline deeper inside the paper. The Express says these witness statements cast doubts on Robert Murat’s alibi.
A police source tells us: “On Monday and Tuesday a number of witnesses were questioned at police headquarters. They claim they saw a man matching Murat’s description outside the Ocean Club on the night Madeleine disappeared.”
The source says the statements appear to contradict Murat’s alibi that he was home all night on the evening of Madeleine’s disappearance. “As a result of this evidence we will question Mr Murat again later this week.”
Robert Murat was questioned by police for more than 30 hours last week, says the Express. The paper tells its reader that the investigation has reached a “critical stage”.
“MADDY ALIBI QUIZ FOR MURAT,” say the Mirror. The paper says “Portuguese locals” told police they saw a man resembling Murat outside the McCanns’ flat “on the night she was snatched”.
The Mirror has established that’s Madeleine McCann was snatched. It tells us: “The sightings back up identical claims made by friends of Gerry and Kate McCann last week.”
Good that progress has been made in this case. And by the tabloid press. But Madeleine McCann is missing. Still missing…
Posted: 18th, July 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (74) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- June on Why The Royal Mail Rejected Benny Hill
- Karen on The Ten Craziest Reasons Why Nidal Malik Hasan Did It
- Karen on The Ten Craziest Reasons Why Nidal Malik Hasan Did It
- Pam on Interview With Survior Of James Arthur Ray’s Sedona Sweat Lodge
- To christ on The Ten Craziest Reasons Why Nidal Malik Hasan Did It
September 5th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Everybody has an opinion, but no matter what, the MCcanns left those children alone and this is a fact that should never be forgotton. Its so simple - if they had not done so, they would still have their daughter. Parents across the globe are aware of the dangers of paedophiles etc. which however horrible, remain a fact. It is not a self-rightous thing to say but myself and my wife would never dream of leaving our two and a half year old daughter alone. Its like popping across the road for a drink or a pint of milk, whilst she is sleeping. NOT DONE. Do they not realise what can happen if a child wakes and calls out and a carer is not there. My God, a childs sleeping state is never guaranteed, its an unknown quantity. they wake up for so many reasons. To leave them is neglct. It is cruel, selfish and beyond stupid. Of course everyone sympathises that this has happened, that poor child. But the parents should not escape proceedings against them for nrglect.That would simply be unjust. Their grief is a result of their own actions.Do you know that I wouldnt leave my twins in a creche after such an episode, It would result in me keeping an even tighter reign on my remaining offspring, and inviting a friend or two to play with them but under my watchful eye. I just cant get over how they left them alone, and judging from their friends comments in past interviews, their friends had left to check on their children too. What a dysfunctional bunch of idiots.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Murat didnt do it….. they used him as a scape goat!!
July 29th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Mmmm- Have n’t thought of that. I suppose this could have happened if by some chance it could not have been witnessed- but there is a chance.
I agree- his wife does look scared of him- I think she knows that leaving the children was wrong but ‘tows the party line’!
You would have thought that at the very least, the MCcanns would have used all of this publicity to come forward to warn other parents who leave their children alone , NOT TO. Alas, no.
July 29th, 2007 at 8:28 am
I beleive that a ‘chance’ snatch by a peadophile highly unlikely. If it was abduction, it was by someone known to the McCanns or the McCanns know more than they let on- certainly him- his wife looks terrified of him.
I think it strange that the MCcanns seem only to want to go down the abduction route. It is perfectly plausible that the child awoke, got up and made her way out of the apartment only to be hit by a car- it was pitch black!! The terrified driver could have bundled the child into the car, driven off and disposed of her- all while her parents were well into their second bottle of Chianti.
They wouldnt want to consider such a scenario though as it really would make their parenting skills look, well pathetic wouldnt it.
July 27th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
No Tarina, you are missing my point: being with your child 24/7 x 52, people aren’t ,its impossible. But there are alternate people who can be in loco parentis, including teachers, but a child can be abducted walking to or from school. But in the case of the 3 tiny children left alone with supposed random checks, that is a different matter.
No one is persecuting the McCanns, just not accepting their perception of what is ok.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:44 am
[...] readers are told of eyewitnesses who claim to have seen Murat on the night Madeleine went missing. He says he never went out. They maintain they saw him near the [...]
July 24th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Hi Themis
I appreciate your comment, but this idea would make all parents of missing/ abducted children negligent., or are we still persecuting just the McCanns.
Hello Marian,
I wouldn’t personally like to see Madeleines parents in wet suits dredging rivers, or with spades digging up peoples gardens. I can’t see it helping. Highlighting her abduction and keeping it in the public eye is about all they can do, isn’t it?
July 24th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Tarina, I know one parent cannot be constantly at their child’s side, but there are alternatives, such as baby sitters,friends, neighbours ,family, the other parent? nannies.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Hi Tarina, you go on about the McCann’s suffering, its there on every billboard, television set, newspaper, photo-op and trip abroad. Lets see a photo of them looking for their child it would go a long way, don’t you think?
More so than their jogging, and sunbathing.
July 24th, 2007 at 8:33 am
What! no prayers or sympathy for a deviant like myself - you’re a hard woman.
July 24th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Jim, I’ve come to the conclusion you’re just trying to wind me up. I cannot believe Madeleines parents are as wicked as you paint. I agree they shouldn’t have left them alone, it was wrong, but motives for anything more sinister, I don’t think so. I’m not going to summise anymore, no more entries on this forum from me. My prayers are for Madeleine, my sympathy for her family.
Bye bye Jim
July 24th, 2007 at 7:56 am
Themis, I appreciate people’s fears, unfortunately these wicked people are every where. Just a few months ago I reported to the police a man in a park in Peterborough hiding behind trees and taking photos of children with a long lens camara, apparently he was known to the police, I can’t believe he wasn’t locked up.
The McCanns shouldn’t have left their children , and they will live with the weight of that around their neck forever. But it is impossible to be there for your children 24/7, if we were, no child would go missing.
July 24th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Tarina
Have you ever heard the american expression “hide in plain sight”? Sums these people up perfectly. Who could possibly suspect people who are so up front and in your face - me for starters.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:33 pm
I think I would put a knife through my heart if it could/would stop my child going through all of what we prefer not to discuss. I’d certainly find it very easy not to leave her alone and unprotected, in fact she would have been taken only over my dead body.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:41 pm
AM: You’re right, they should have been more responsible and apart from Poor little Madeleine (may God protect Her), Who’s suffering now? They are! and I would rather put a knife through my own heart than go through their pain.
So I have been wondering what all of the Anti- McCann Clan would do now, in their situation.
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:36 pm
It’s a pity they didn’t use their intelligent and resourceful brains to protect their children adequately.
Wherever you go on holiday you see parents with children in pushchairs, being carried, some asleep, tetchy whatever, but they are with them. That’s common practice. You find yourselves in bed at 9pm sometimes - that’s what a family holiday is all about.
I know it is too late to carp on about this but to read that Gerry and Kate are outraged at criticisms of them just shows how blinkered they are. They must be surrounded by sycophants to feel that they were at worst naive. They were at best selfish and at worst astoundingly negligent.
Something was waiting to happen and it did. Poor Madeleine - her father receives a standing ovation and now jets off to America to learn more about their child protection methods. A course in child protection would be more appropriate.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Well Jim,
The McCanns should not have left their children alone. Though I believe it was naieve and not negligent, they will never forgive themselves for that.
If the McCanns are acting, as you suggest, then they belong in America, they both deserve oscars for their breathtaking performances. I for one have not seen acting like it.
As for me contributing to the fund, you are right, I was probably one of the first, and far from it being their holiday money as you seem to think, I have no worries contributing to a fund that I am sure will help many children in the future, and I shall love to see you eat your words. If any thing good comes from this, it will be the McCanns using their resourceful and intelligent brains and the fund to help other children and organisations.
Do you really think, if they had done anything to Madeleine they would want worldwide coverage day after day, think again, you’re way off track.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:31 am
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:19 am
I have read many pages on this case and there are as many theories as there are posts. I myself have swung from one opinion to another, but this is my conclusion.
I think Murat is probably involved, probably in a business deal, maybe he needs to clear some debts.
I think he has been in a position to watch the Mccanns without being spotted and to know they did not use a babysitter and when someone last checked the room, and the time gap before the next check.
Having set up the deal to ’sell’ Maddie he was in a position to act as look out whilst others abducted her and took her away by the route the sniffer dogs followed and by the route the Tanner lady saw someone carrying a child, maybe to a waiting car or boat.
I think that is why the police are having so much trouble piecing things together and making a case against Murat.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:33 am
Well Tarina, thank you for such an informative post. Why is it rubbish? Why must we take it for granted that these parents are such hard done by innocents? The assumption is that they could not possibly have been involved, a similar assumption was no doubt made about Harold Shipman, or the grieving boyfriend of the girl who he had actually murdereded and shoved under his floorboards.
Just because these people have mooned about looking sad - and of course they are “professionals” - we are not allowed to point the finger.
Heaven forbid that a parent could actually be involved. Take a look at the papers some time and see what parents are capable of doing to their kids.
Your unwillingness to see anything but good in these people stuns me. Open your eyes, weigh up the arguements and think for yourself.
But I suppose it’s too late by now, you probably have the yellow ribbon, the balloon and the bracelet, so they have you where they want you.
Interesting to see that the father - a term I use grudgingly - is off to America. No doubt he will spend a bit of time with the Beckhams to raise their profile - what a waste of a “fighting fund”.
Before you start - no I am not an angry person, no I am not a sick person and no I am not envious of the money (although why they need £1 million is beyond me).
I am a happy and caring person who cannot stand by and watch these excuses for parents manipulate both the media and the public in this way.
I see now that they are considering legal action because some people are daring to suggest that they aren’t the new Joseph and Mary - well come on Gerry boy, bring it on.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:06 am
Jim, You talk a load of rubbish!
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:01 am
So it was dodgy to just sit there and then it was dodgy to get involved. Seems like the guy couldn’t have got it right whatever he did.
Look to the parents and their “friends” for your answers - these friends who didn’t see Murat at the time but amazingly have suddenly remembered after all this time. Wonder how much of the “fighting fund” it took to pay them off.
July 21st, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I wonder ????? makes a very salient point there. If he was all that helpful, in an out of the apartment and offering his translating services to officials, how come he was able to sit in his Mum’s apartment while all this alleged pandemonium was going on outside?
Good thinking wonder!!! Very dodgy behaviour indeed to just sit there.
July 20th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
July 20th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Just an observation not a judgement but why does everyone keep trying to prove that Mr Murat was there on the night Maddie went missing. So he says he wasn’t and it would make him a liar. Big deal. Unless they saw him carry Maddie off it would prove nothing.
More relevant I think is that here we have a guy who gets involved right at the heart of what is going on and is very interested in developments and even portrays homself as an official police translator (apparently).
Yet on the night Maddie goes missing he is sat in his villa presumably watching tv or some other pass time whilst chaos and pandamonium breaks out on his door step with people running this way and that, looking over fences, in pools sheds etc and shouting out a little girls name. The police arrive.
Many locals and presumably some of his neighbours get involved and yet he hears nothing.
I wonder how many of his neighbours heard nothing
July 20th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Re these alleged sightings of Murat by vacationers at the Portugal resort….. Madeleine’s dad looks a lot like Murat from a distance. Looks like about the same build, same color hair, similar hair cut, etc. Madeleine’s father checked on Madeleine at 9:00 or 9:30 according to his statement and the statement of the McCann’s friends. Isn’t it possible that all of the witnesses actually saw Madeleine’s father during his 9:00 check and are mistaking him for Murat? I’m not saying Maddie’s father did anything wrong. I’m just saying that he was there at the time checking on the kids and that he could have easily been mistaken for Murat from a distance.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
I do not think it is up to us judge these parents. At first I was very shocked to know the parents went out and left three children unattended, sleeping like ghosts on a foreign country, would they know how to talk to ppl if they woke up? do they speak any portuguese?
I am a mother of a 15-month girl and I overprotect her by watching her day and night, but I cannot be blamed if something wrong happens to her. I do my best, maybe they thought they were doing their best as well, but their best wasnt really good enough.
They must be suffering a lot, I do hope this little angel comes back home safe and untraumatized (though I doubt this last one).
Lets use all our strength, good thoughts and everything else to pray for her returning home, lets not waste them on blaming the parents, God will judge them and the pain and guilty they´re going through are already enough.
July 19th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Hi Jim, I’m going to make an attempt to answer your questions and respond to your statements.
“If, as some of you claim, the money isn’t being used for “trips around the world” etc, what is it being used for?”
Have the McCanns flown out of Europe yet? I don’t think their biggest enemy would accuse them of a trip “around the world”. But to answer your question, I don’t know what the money is being used for, and since I don’t know I’m not going to speculate. Indeed, it’s not my money so I don’t feel huge anxiety about it.
“In fact why was the fund needed at all?”
I believe I’ve read on here that it was set up to handle the influx of spontaneous donations. I fully admit ignorance here, so is there anyone who can confirm or deny this?
“I see the McCanns as an uncaring couple who have latched on to a money making scam, bought about by their own total disregard for their childrens well being.”
That’s your right; you can see them any way you wish. Do you ever think to yourself however, that there might be a gap between how you see reality, and what the reality is? Any room for self-doubt and humility in your mind?
“I don’t know if they are involved in the disappearence, but I do know if they were I would find it hard to like them any less than I do now.”
Well, it is your right to place accepting donations from strangers on the same level as murdering one’s child or covering up her accidental death. But perhaps you’d like to examine your responses and consider why you dislike possible victims of a child abduction as much as you would dislike child murderers. Doesn’t that seem a little odd to you? It seems to me like a flattening out of moral values.
It’s interesting that you say above that “I don’t know if they are involved in the disappearence [sic]” when on other pages I see you insinuating that they are.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
It is what Robert Murat “said” about Madeleine from the start that makes me think he was involved (with the russian) in snatching her the night she went missing. He said: “Madeleine LOOKED like his daughter which made me think that he had noticed her in the first place while she was vacationing near his mothers place. If he is in the business of kidnapping children to make these films for these discusting pedofiles then that would explain why he lied about talking to the russian guy (they talked the night Madeleine was taken via cell phone), As far as the daughter-looking like madeleine is why he would have spotted madeleine to take in the first place, she is a pretty girl. Why haven’t they put pressure on Murats mom about the “dining” with her that night story of his…do they have times and proof of their alibi? The russian guy is creepy…he is no good either. Murat and the russian have something to hide…one of them will crack with enough pressure. Why did murat rent that car for a few days? Why did the russian erase his files on his computer. They are hiding something. I just hope that madeleine is safe and will be found. This is any parents nightmare! Damn all child molesters.They should be hanged and worse.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:09 am
Tonight I read back over information from yesterday and there was something about the parents gave Madeleine antihestimines to sleep because she sleep walks. According to what I read Mr. McCann’s sister supposedly made that statement. Of course I don’t have a way to know if that is true. The McCanns don’t sound very holistic in approach if that is the case. So if the nightly routine wasn’t already a case of Murphy’s Law… First three children , three, at the time, and two two year olds are alone in an unlocked (reportedly) apartment in a foreign country with a number of various people (McCann party) in and out and also peeking in windows to check (if true so other people can look inside too) Madeleine also takes medication to sleep? So, with all of that there is a stranger who happens to be around capable of abducting a child and the door is unlocked and the child is medicated? Can this be true? While I have always understood the parents could have a false sense of security for whatever reason or reasons it is hard to understand leaving the door unlocked. I read they left the door unlocked in case of fire? Only now I read Madeleine was medicated not to wake and sleepwalk so if that is true would she wake for fire? I haven’t been to the area so I don’t know if there is some unusual feeling of safety but it is easy to lock a door and use the key. I suspect the key wasn’t used because different people were going to be checking and it was trouble passing the keys around? Okay I have said all along maybe the parents didn’t feel someone might steal a child but children can wake by door knocking or phone ringing, loud neighbors and what does a three year old or two two year olds do when they wake and no one is there? I thought is was a joke or just nasty when people suggested Madeleine might be given something to sleep before the McCanns went out to eat. First of all I am not inclined to like the medicated approach to everything so I would probably think of something to do with a sleepwalking child other than medicating. With that said I didn’t have a sleepwalking child so I haven’t really been in the position to know. There was information in an article that stated the McCann children appeared to function like a clock. So, up at ? time and off to the creche and back at ? time and lunch at ? time and ? time and dinner at ? time and medication at ? time and bed at ? time. For parents who use method which sounds rigid rather than instinct or relaxed approach the parents had the opposite approach to the other part of life, such as leaving doors unlocked, curtains open, depending on other people to check, eating and drinking according to hotel staff (reportedly) until midnight so I think it is hard for people to get a grip on the McCanns for that reason. By the time people have three children three and under they must know there is not going to be much “our” time. I am beginning to understand the negative feelings people write where initially I leaned toward a false sense of security and possible peer pressure. I still think there was a false sense of security and possibly peer pressure but the more I read of what is suppose to be factual information I am understanding all of the comments better about neglect. It is also possible or maybe likely this was a holiday thing and not typical. At the same time I know the parents must be hurting worse than I can even imagine and I feel more strongly for their hurt than I do with disagreement of their lack of worry at the time.
Only for the first time tonight I read there was someone described as with half shaven head who was around the complex before Madeleine disappeared. I have been asking for while if anyone noticed a stranger who appeared to be observing the nightly routine so that hasn’t been well published, if true.
If the nightly routine wasn’t a nightmare waiting to happen there was actually maybe a monster standing around watching? OHhhhhhhh not to mention some story that the McCanns were playing a monster game with Madeleine before she went to bed. I mean how could you write a nightmare book and think up of all that happened this particular night naturally?
Even if it was a stranger who abducted Madeleine could someone the McCanns know be involved? If all of this happened and people in my party had been in and out of the apartment I would have to wonder about them too. It is known the McCann friends were in the apartment but it is not known at this time about Murat. Murat is the only official suspect so every little detail there are 10 uncomfirmed stories but what about the people who were actually in the apartment that we know about? Could any of the McCann friends be paedophiles or have a connection? Did any of the McCann friends have financial problems? I would look first at the people who were actually in the apartment and knew the situation and the child and then more on to strangers who were around and might have just happened to notice the routine and also be capable of an abduction or planning one quickly? No, I haven’t had reason to think the McCanns are involved unless there was some kind of an injury that needed to be covered. There have been stories like that. I think I read Mr. McCann checked the children and noticed the bedroom door was open. Considering how many were in and out or had access I suppose he didn’t know how to evaluate that circumstance. Next if correct Mr. Oldfield supposedly checked and said the children were fine but next the mother supposedly checked and that was no longer the case. It is still unclear to me how many different people actually checked on the McCann children that night. Now I read the sniffer dogs go to two of the McCann friends apartments. Could that be because Madeleine had been there with parents or another reason? The article didn’t explain. Not to mention the odd circumstance the ladyfriend of the McCanns claims to have seen a man walking off with a child and the other man outside walking his son says he would have seen that sight but didn’t. A book on the way this nightmare fell into place that night would no doubt be a best seller. Sadly, there is a little girl who is missing and all of us want to know if she is okay. This is a real story and we all want a happy ending. Hopefully the reporters will quit being so shy and start hounding all the people who were in and out of that apartment as they do Murat. Regardless the doors are supposedly left unlocked, curtains open to peek, at least one child medicated, various people checking, enough activity that would be difficult of a stranger to walk in and pick up a child who doesn’t cry and walk off down the street unnoticed and disappear into thin air for this length of time. For a stranger to have accomplished that you would think there had to be an up close inspection of the nightly routine and people would have noticed probably more than once the person. The problem is other than whether Murat was at the initial search or not articles the police already have Murat. There is no other information for people to look for a particular person or circumstances. So maybe the Portugal police don’t disclose but if you notice the Murat rumors leak often. Why is it that information leaks about Murat but little else? Who leaks that information and why is that public but little else? There is not much people can do but call if they happen to see Madeleine. Unless the reporters start working harder and looking at other people who were at the scene, in and out the apartment, or observed around the apartment before the abduction this case will lose interest soon. Most likely people are interested in finding Madeleine and not whether or not the family went to a christening or Ms. Rowling is sending posters to all the bookstores. I think it is a very bright idea to send the posters with the Potter book for recognition. My point is people are looking for more significant articles and that is what it will take to find Madeleine and keep her in the news. There needs to be more investigative reporting.
The sol report was informing. Have most of you read that?
So now I have been neglecting my family worrying about how this situation will end. I had my say so from now on I will check and HOPE Madeleine is found safe. I am still actually hopeful.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:52 am
[...] Murat is to be questioned by police once more. Again readers are told of eyewitnesses who claim to have seen Murat on the night Madeleine went missing. He says he never went out. They maintain they saw him near the [...]
July 19th, 2007 at 8:46 am
too many loose ends, too many theories hanging around, the world like me is praying for a happy ending, that is Madeleine is found alive and unharmed, whoever is responsible to be punished accordingly, until then we must all just leave the detective work to the police, cos at the end of the day they are the only ones who will solve this
the money raised must be used to help find all the other missing children who’s parents are not as resourceful as the Mccanns.
If Murat is not involved in any way then he must be given a full pardon and allowed to get on with his life
every day I look for the “breaking news” telling us that she is reunited with her family, it has been a long time now and I am afraid that the longer she is missing the less chance of that happy ending
July 19th, 2007 at 8:30 am
Maz says
“If Murat is innocent framing him will not find Madeleine. I should have thought that obvious. What is he supposed to have done with her? Is an accomplice hiding her or has her body been disposed of somewhere?”
Framing him would be a damn good idea if you had already killed her and disposed of the body.
Gives you time to spend the dosh.