Basically, I'm just an ordinary, straightforward guy who's the victim of the biggest f***-up on this planet - if you'll excuse the language
Robert Murat [circa. June 2007]
The enigmatic Robert Murat, with more faces than the Pentagon - or if you prefer a more theatrical approach, more disguises than Rod Steiger at his finest.
Robert Murat previously unheard of in the public domain, played a pivotal role in the aftermath of Madeleine McCann's disappearance. He, by all appearances, of a humble background with an extensive career path from Matthews Norfolk turkey farm in the UK to Praia da Luz on the Portuguese Algarve as a property developer. A career path with little notable success if judged by the many twists and turns en-route.
Robert Murat with a self confessed penchant for 'adult viewing' and if rumour be believed, an interest in sexual deviance that some might find abhorrent. Such is the mystery surrounding this enigma that nothing can be validated by way of evidence. One important factor concerning this enigma that can't be dismissed lightly is his presence in Praia da Luz before Madeleine McCann's alleged disappearance and his direct involvement with the PJ, rumoured to be by way of the British ambassador to Portugal in the summer of 2007.
Robert Murat's testimony and his reported account of his arrival and subsequent movements in Portugal are far from consistent - so contradictory are they, that his integrity needs to be carefully examined. One wonders why, despite his being made arguido so early in the PJ investigation, nothing I repeat nothing concerning his behaviour, has ever been adequately scrutinized to clear him of all suspicion. Much like the McCanns themselves, he managed to evade the law even though his prominence cannot be denied. Again like the McCanns themselves, he managed to sue UK newspapers for a considerable sum of money. So much of a parallel that it can't be ignored.
Ostensibly, he returned to Portugal on the 1st May 2007 on urgent business relating to his line of work, this might have been acceptable but for his actions in the subsequent days and his contradictory version of events. So far not so good. According to his version of events, the night Madeleine McCann disappeared - assuming it to have been the night of Thursday 3rd May, he was at home at his mother's villa only a stones throw from the Ocean Club complex where the McCann family were accommodated. Despite all the reported commotion following Kate McCann's 10:00 pm alert, Robert Murat and his mother, both well known locally, didn't budge from the villa until the following day when they claim to have heard the news about a missing child on Sky News.
This same day, Friday 4th May, Robert Murat took himself off to the crime scene and offered his services as interpreter for the PJ, to assist the English speaking witnesses, being himself bi-lingual in English/Portuguese. This act begs the question as to why the PJ so readily accepted the services of a local resident as a witness interpreter when, following normal diplomatic protocol, accredited interpreters/translators are recommended in the interest of professionalism. Perfectly understandable and acceptable that the services of a by-stander might be useful at the informal interview stage but a very unusual precedent for a stranger walking in off the street to be accepted as an official interpreter, this indeed raises eyebrows. In the circumstances, there is a strong indication that Robert Murat was assigned to act in the capacity of interpreter/translator for the PJ, although this has never been verified by evidenced documentation - or even hearsay.
It was only a matter of hours before a British journalist, Lorry Campbell (a close associate of Clarence Mitchell, at the time the British governments spin-doctor within the Media Monitoring Unit), raised doubts about Murat's motives which swiftly led to him being made an arguido. A very curious move allegedly based on the word of a stranger who just thought Murat's behaviour was very suspicious.
NOTE: Extensive research and analysis has been undertaken over the past ten years, delving into Murat's background and his connection with the aftermath of Madeleine's McCann's disappearance. It can be found here..
https://jillhavern.forumotion.net/
Suspicion however reigned supreme as regards Robert Murat's motives. An officer of the law, one Inspector Pedro Varanda, had this to say about Robert Murat in a PJ service information document dated 11 May 2007, relating to an informal conversation with Robert Murat..
"The work [the DW interview] being concluded, and during an informal conversation that the undersigned began with that interpreter (as would be characteristic in this type of situation), Robert Murat displayed an unusual curiosity about the investigation that was developing around the disappearance of the minor Madeleine McCann that occurred on 3 May 2007.
As an example, it will be proper to point out that he has insistently and repeatedly questioned me about the identity of possible suspects, about the strategy outlined by the lead coordinator of the investigation and the work that might possibly have been considered for the coming days.
Before such an attitude, that was so unusual and absolutely inappropriate that I immediately became highly suspicious, I always countered, insistently requesting that person to be aware of the contractual duties pertaining to the role which he has assumed in this investigation, pointing out that it was presently the inquiry phase, and, naturally, covered by judicial secrecy.
It behoves me further to state that that suspicion became even more consolidated, following the fact that I became aware that Robert Murat would covertly attempt to catch glimpses of various procedural pieces [items being prepared for the case file] that make up the present inquiry, to the point that I followed my own consultation [hunch], in order to conduct the Diane Webster interview.
Finally, and in the sense of reiterating the suspicious attitude shown by Robert Murat, I venture still to state that, beyond having manifested an enormous knowledge about the dynamics inherent in the functioning of the "Ocean Club Garden" (in which the events under investigation had taken place) and of the routines followed by the McCann family and their companions during their respective stays in in Praia da Luz, he has tried persistently to influence the conduct of the present investigation, suggesting various analyses the agreement with which [i.e. had they agreed to follow those suggested lines of inquiry] could be intended to impute the consummation of the present illegal act [the missing child] to foreign third parties [i.e. to put the blame on, or to attribute the blame to, outside foreigners].
The above being exposed - and without intending in any way to place in question the competence of the above individual, nor the slightest imputation that that [my suspicions] was what he wanted to be [actually intended to do] - I have to bring the above incidents to your attention, in order for you to determine what may be appropriate."
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/ROBERT-MURAT.htm
It wasn't very long before Kate McCann expressed her suspicions about Murat, this was followed by a direct campaign activated by the McCanns group of friends, known affectionately as the Tapas group, together with assorted alleged independent witnesses, to frame Murat by placing him at or around the crime scene on the night of 3rd/4th May. Friend Jane Tanner, another pivotal player in this saga, was even taken on a clandestine trip in order to confirm his identity as present at the crime scene.
As stated, Robert Murat was made arguido as a result of these extraordinary occurrences, without any hard evidence as to any involvement with Madeleine McCann's disappearance. If you look carefully at all the evidence and documented information concerning Murat, the sequence of events raises questions as to the authenticity of his role as reported. First and foremost, why was Murat fingered by the McCanns, their friends and allotted associates with no effective result other than being named arguido. The PJ certainly thoroughly investigated Murat but found nothing to directly implicate him in Madeleine's disappearance.
Robert Murat's mother, such was her maternal instinct to protect her loving son that she laid claim to his being at home with her on the night of Madeleine McCann's alleged disappearance but uncharacteristically, she also set up a street stall to encourage people to impart any evidence or information to her if they were reticent about going to the police. A strange cross over between protecting her son's innocence and seemingly protecting the McCanns at the same time - was this even permissible under Portuguese law? This peculiar aspect is consistent throughout Robert Murat's history on the periphery of Madeleine's disappearance and the McCanns campaign. On the one hand alienated by the McCanns and their friends and associates as a suspect - on the other hand the closest closet ally they had at their disposal.
When asked by a reporter if he knew Robert Murat, this was Gerry McCann's response..
Why didn't Gerry McCann just say no - why did he adopt a churlish attitude when asked such a simple question .... "did you know Robert Murat?"
On the surface, Robert Murat appeared to be a great threat to the McCanns but proceedings indicated otherwise - he was seemingly very much on board.