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Madeleine McCann police 'question ex-suspect Robert Murat' in Portugal

Robert Murat is understood to be one of 11 individuals who were due to be questioned in Faro as witnesses

James Rush
Wednesday 10 December 2014 10:04 EST
Robert Murat was named as a suspect in the case in 2007 and was later cleared of any involvement by police in Portugal
Robert Murat was named as a suspect in the case in 2007 and was later cleared of any involvement by police in Portugal (AP)

A British man questioned in 2007 over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been re-interviewed by police in Portugal, it has been reported.

Robert Murat and his wife are understood to be among 11 individuals who were due to be questioned in Faro after Scotland Yard detectives flew into the country to join Portuguese police in interviews with individuals who it is thought may have information relating to the case.

It is understood those being questioned as part of Operation Grange, the multi-million pound investigation launched by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011, are being treated as witnesses rather than suspects in the investigation.

Mr Murat, an IT consultant in the Algarve, was named as a suspect in the case in 2007 and was later cleared of any involvement by police in Portugal.

He was later awarded substantial damages from various media organisations and has always denied being involved in her disappearance.

British girl Madeleine McCann was allegedy abducted in 2007 from an Algarve resort apartment
British girl Madeleine McCann was allegedy abducted in 2007 from an Algarve resort apartment (Getty Images)

According to The Guardian, Mr Murat was today being questioned again by police as a witness.

Last month, Mr Murat told the paper he was willing to cooperate with police.

"My conscience is clear and I have no problem speaking to police again," he said.

British officers spent eight days searching three areas of land in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in June, close to where Madeleine disappeared more than seven years ago, but found no new evidence.

Madeleine, then aged three, disappeared from her holiday apartment on May 3, 2007, as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends. It became one of the most famous missing person cases of all time.

Portuguese police closed down their investigation in 2008 but the Metropolitan Police launched their own operation three years later.

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