Man questioned in connection with Madeleine disappearance
Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are interviewing a man as they searched a villa 160 yards from where she was snatched.
Intense police activity surrounded the house lived in by British man Robert Murat.
Murat's mother Jenny, who is believed to own the house, has been running a stall on the seafront in the village of Praia da Luz, Portugal, appealing for information from members of the public about Madeleine's disappearance.
Murat was a regular sight crossing the police tape and approaching the McCanns' apartment following Madeleine's disappearance.
He said he was helping the McCanns as a translator. But journalists told police earlier this week that they had suspicions about him.
The Policia Judiciara confirmed that they were questioning a man. A spokesman for the investigation did not confirm the nationality or identity of the person and described it as a "normal development".
On May 4, the day after Madeleine's disappearance when media descended upon the area, Murat made himself known to journalists, chatting about the case but refusing to reveal what his role was initially. He told people that he had a daughter the same age as Madeleine.
A few days later Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell reported him to the Portuguese police because she thought he was suspicious.
She said: "Basically he surfaced on Friday afternoon last week and was walking around as if he was somebody official. He claimed that he was just a local guy who spoke fluent Portuguese and English and was helping the family. He was coming in and out of the family apartment speaking with the media and acting like he was somebody official. But when questioned about it, he was very vague about his position. He said he just volunteered to help the police with their investigation."
Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa said that more than one person had been taken to the police building in Portimao to make statements. He emphasised that the people had not been arrested.
The operation began as early as 7am, it is understood. Men in white suits with facemasks were seen entering the house, where a swimming pool was said to have been drained.
Ms de Jesus, 32, said of Murat: ``He said he had a daughter who was Madeleine's age and looked very like her.
“I remember him saying a couple of years ago that he had become a father.
“I lost touch with him. This was the first I’ve seen of him for many years.
“I didn’t realise he spoke that good Portuguese, to be honest, I never pictured him as a translator. I never even realised that he had such a good relationship with the local police.”
Dave Shelton, a local expatriate Briton who organised volunteer searches across the area since Madeleine’s disappearance, had been due to help organise Murat’s mother’s stall in the town.
The idea was to gather information from people who otherwise might be unwilling to speak to police.
He said he had known Murat for many years but they had not been particularly close.
“I had a coffee with him on Saturday morning. He was telling me how he was working with the Policia Judiciaria and had to sign a declaration of secrecy, or whatever it was, and that he couldn’t discuss the case with me at all.”
Madeleine was snatched from her bed 11 nights ago while her parents were dining in a tapas bar opposite their holiday apartment.
