Sky apology to Robert Murat.

Sunday Mirror journalist, Lori Campbell.

1:17pm UK, Friday November 14, 2008

Between May 2007 and September 2008 we published on this website a video of, and an article about, an interview with Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell.

The interview strongly suggested that Mr Murat was guilty of the abduction of Madeleine McCann.

It also suggested that Mr Murat had lied about his role in the police investigation.

These allegations were seriously defamatory of Mr Murat and untrue.

We accept that Mr Murat had no involvement in the abduction of Madeleine and we would like to apologise to Mr Murat for the hurt, distress and damage to his reputation our publications have caused.

Sky News 14/11/08

Robert Murat receives damages from BSkyB.

Today, at the High Court in London, Robert Murat, who was not present, accepted substantial damages from Sky over claims that there were strong grounds for believing he was involved in Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

From ITN news:

"His solicitor Louis Charalambous told Mr Justice Eady that an article and video on the Sky News website claimed that in the early days after Madeleine's disappearance from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, Mr Murat's behaviour was reminiscent of child murderer Ian Huntley."

"Outside court, Mr Charalambous said that the settlement represented the final stage of Mr Murat's claims against those sections of the British media "which defamed him so terribly".

"He has been entirely successful and vindicated," he said.

"It was particularly important to him to nail this particular lie - that he acted in some way reminiscent to the Soham murderer Ian Huntley when, in fact, he was working flat out to help try to find Madeleine."

Anything to say, today, Ms Campbell?

Enfants Kidnappés 7/10/08: Lori Campbell's statement to Leicester police May 2007

Enfants Kidnappés

Lori Campbell

Leicestershire Constabulary

On May 6th 2007, the PJ receives a document from their British counterparts in which it us stated that:

Lori Campell, Sunday Mirror journalist has contacted the Leicestershire police to inform them of the following facts:

Lori has spoken to an interpreter who is helping the Portuguese authorities in the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance. He introduced himself as, "ROB," and gave no substantive information about himself. He looked rather worried when he noticed that the Mirror photographer had taken his photo. "ROB," told Lori that he was going through a difficult divorce in the United Kingdom at the moment, that he had a three year-old daughter, just like Madeleine, from whom he is separated for the moment. He made a "show" for the reporters while he was on the telephone with his daughter, and Lori found that making such a show while speaking to his daughter on the telephone was somewhat forced. The things "ROB" said aroused Lori's suspicions.

The Portuguese authorities can make contact with Lori who is still in Portugal to obtain more details and to identify the said, "ROB". She is contactable on no. ...... ....

What we can assume.

The first question to be asked, faced with this document, is to find out why this journalist, present in Portugal, in contact with the country's PJ, refers to the police of a foreign country (in this case the UK) facts concerning an investigation the UK is not in charge of? Is the Mirror journalist so unaware of procedures on the subject?

The act of going through the UK police to speak of her suspicions creates red tape and considerable loss of time.

Indeed:

1. You have to go and talk about it - or send a fax, which has to be typed first - to the UK police (instead of the Portuguese police present on the spot).
2. The UK's administrative system has to get itself moving.
3. You then have to send back to Portugal (where the journalist is) a document to attach to the police statement.
4. This document has to be translated by a professional to be accepted in the case file.

Fortunately Robert Murat was not holding Madeleine captive because Lori was giving him ample time to disappear!!!

With hindsight, it could be said that we can see here an attempt at manipulating the investigation. An attempt to distract attention. An attempt to slow down the investigation. Certainly these theories make sense as it's not the first or last manipulation in this case. * Especially if we add the fact that, as it happens, it was on the advice of the British consulate that Robert Murat was chosen as interpreter by the Portuguese police!! Has he been the victim of a trap?

Other people will say that Lori was afraid to raise her suspicions of Robert Murat, who was too often with the Portuguese PJ, and that she would have preferred to go directly to the UK. That theory is difficult to defend. If Lori had contacted the Portuguese PJ directly, she would have been heard without the presence of Robert Murat and the PJ could have directly interviewed Murat or placed him under discreet surveillance. Instead of that, Robert Murat carried on with his translations for many interviews.

Enfants Kidnappés

7/10/08 * This sentence makes sense thanks to the translation by frencheuropean on the 3 Arguidos forum.

That Lori Campbell video: interviewed by Ian Woods of Sky News

This video was posted on YouTube by xklamation on December 13th 2007.

Ian Woods of Sky speaks to Lori Campbell about her suspicions concerning Robert Murat. Transcript follows.

LC: I was so suspicious by the Monday that I just felt I had a duty to pass those suspicions on. I spoke to my news desk back in London and then they said they thought that that was the right thing to do.

IW: Now, let's discuss why we were a little suspicious of him, because your suspicions were aroused first of all and you shared those suspicions with me. I then talked to him, investigated it, tried to find out whether his story was true and I have to say I came back and said his story checked out. What first of all made you suspicious of the fact that he was spending so much time around the scene?

LC: It was just very reminiscent of the Soham murders was my first instinct. There was a local guy. He was hanging around the scene an awful lot. He was asking us questions about what was going on in the investigation, maybe trying to find out what we knew and he just seemed to be giving an air that he was authoritative and he was working in an official capacity for the police. And I was just very suspicious about that, that they would take on board a man who was just a local guy. They have many people, I am sure, who speak Portuguese and English. Why would they ask him to, you know, go into the apartment, speak to the family and have that sort of contact with them?

IW: Now, how co-operative was Robert when you were talking to him, because first of all he wouldn't do any interviews with me. I have asked him to do interviews on camera. He declined and you approached him to do a proper interview and asked his identity and things like that?

LC: Well, he was very vague when I tried to ask about his background. He would chat to me quite openly, but he wouldn't give me his surname. He wouldn't tell me really where he was from, where he lives over here. He wouldn't give me a telephone number for him. And then I asked him what he did for a living. He was very vague. He said he worked for real estate. And I just had a really uneasy feeling about him from day one.

IW: You reported him to who and what was the response?

LC: My first call was to Leicestershire police back in the UK and they took all my details. A detective constable called me back and she suggested that I also speak to somebody out here. We didn't really have a police contact last week. So, I called the British Embassy and they said to speak to a policeman on the scene. So, I walked up to a GNR policeman and said, you know, "I've got suspicions about a gentleman who's been near the scene and I'd just like to pass those on." And one of my main suspicions was that he said he was translating witness statements and I asked them if that could be true and they said, "No, that's highly unlikely."

Transcript ends....................

I have tried to transcribe the video as accurately as possible, missing out the ..erms...and ....ums!
I guess this could have been the scoop of the century for Ms Campbell, but judging by the latest news from Mr Murat's side of things, probably not! And that reference to the Soham murders! Oh dear! That may just come back and bite your bum, Ms Campbell! I shall wait and see what happens when Robert Murat's legal team gets to work!

Well, we have seen what happened when Robert Murat's legal team got to work! This was originally posted on this blog on April 15th, but here it is again, just to remind everyone of what Ms Campbell said and how she arrived at her conclusions about Robert Murat.

Knowing Maddie's fate depends on the McCanns' return (SOS Madeleine McCann)

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

Connaître le sort de Maddie dépend du retour des McCann

Absents de Praia da Luz pour le premier anniversaire de la disparition de leur fille Madeleine, Kate et Gerry McCann ont, une nouvelle fois, été invités par la Police Judiciaire à retourner au Portugal afin d’y participer à la reconstitution de leurs mouvements le jour et la nuit du 3 mai de l’année passé.

Absent from Praia da Luz for the first anniversary of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance, Kate and Gerry McCann, once again, are invited to return to Portugal by the PJ to participate in the reconstruction of their movements on the day and the night of May 3rd last year.

Le couple, qui n’est plus retourné au Portugal depuis qu’ils ont été constitués arguidos dans l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine et leur immédiat retour à Rothley, continue à refuser tout déplacement malgré l’importance accordé par la police portugaise et britannique à cette reconstitution que permettrait de faire évoluer les investigations.

The couple, who have not been back to Portugal since they were made arguidos in the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance and their immediate return to Rothley, continue to refuse to go in spite of the importance placed on this reconstruction by Portuguese and British police, which would allow them to make progress with the investigations.

Hier, Alipio Ribeiro, directeur nationale de la Police Judiciaire (PJ) à réaffirmé l’importance du retour des McCann à Praia da Luz dans le cadre de l’enquête, soulignant que Kate et Gerry doivent se plier aux exigences de la loi portugaise.

Yesterday, Alipio Ribeiro, national director of the PJ reaffirmed the importance of the McCanns' return to Praia da Luz within the framework of the enquiry, stressing that Kate and Gerry must comply with the requirements of Portuguese law.

Une opinion partagé à Enderby (Leicestershire – RU) où plusieurs officiers britanniques ont confirmé l’importance du retour de Kate et Gerry McCann, accompagnés des sept amis du couple, à Praia da Luz : "Connaître le sort de Madeleine peux dépendre de leur retour et de leur participation aux diverses diligences demandées par la police," à dit un des officiers.

An opinion shared in Enderby (Leicestershire - UK) where several British police officers confirmed the importance of Kate and Gerry McCann's return, accompanied by the couple's seven friends, to Praia da Luz: "Knowing Madeleine's fate may depend on their return and their participation in the various activities requested by the police," said one of the police officers.

Jusqu’ici, malgré les affirmations contradictoires de leur avocat au Portugal et de leur chargé en communication au Royaume-Uni, Kate et Gerry McCann ont toujours refusé d’effectuer le voyage, imposant comme condition à leur retour que leur statut d’arguidos soit levé.

Until now, in spite of contradictory statements by their lawyer in Portugal and their Media spokesman in the UK, Kate and Gerry McCann have always refused to undertake the journey, imposing the condition on their return that their arguido status is lifted.

Contrairement aux McCann, Robert Murat, l’autre arguido dans l’enquête, à manifesté sa totale disponibilité pour participer aux nouvelles diligences demandées par les enquêteurs, comme le confirme son avocat, Maître Francisco Pagarete.

Unlike the mcCanns, Robert Murat, the other arguido in the enquiry, has shown his total willingness to participate in the new activities requested by the investigators, as his lawyer, Me Francisco Pagarete confirms.

Murat, voisin du complexe touristique de la Mark Warner, était devenue arguido dans l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine après avoir été dénoncé par deux autres britanniques, parmi elles la journaliste Lori Campbell, qui continue à accompagner l’affaire McCann pour le tabloïde The Mirror.

Murat, a neighbour of the Mark Warner tourist complex, became an arguido in the enquiry into Madeleine's disappearance after being denounced by two other British people, one of them being the journalist Lori Campbell, who continues to follow the McCann case for the tabloid The Mirror.

"J’ai trouvé très étrange qu’il parle beaucoup de la fillette, surtout du travail de la police et de l’état de l’enquête. Par ailleurs, il était très flou sur son passé", avait raconté Lori Campbell aux autres journalistes après avoir fait part de ses soupçons à la police britannique et à l’ambassade du Royaume-Uni au Portugal, qui ne s’est pas privé d’intervenir dans l’enquête de la PJ.

"I found it strange that he talked a lot about the little girl, especially about the work of the police and the status of the investigation. Also, he was very vague about his past," Lori Campbell had told other journalists after having shared her suspicions with the British police and the UK ambassador to Portugal, who did not hesitate to intervene in the PJ enquiry.

Brian Kennedy avait rencontré Murat

Les enquêteurs de la Police Judiciaire et leurs collègues britanniques s’interrogent toujours à propos des réelles intentions du multimillionnaire Brian Kennedy après la récente révélation de que celui-ci est retournée au Portugal, à la fin de l’année passé, pour y rencontrer Robert Murat, un des arguidos de l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine McCann.

Brian Kennedy had met Murat.

The PJ investigators and their British colleagues still question the actual intentions of the multi-millionaire Brian Kennedy after the recent revelation that he returned to Portugal at the end of last year, to meet Robert Murat, one of the arguidos in the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

Le multimillionnaire soutient financièrement Kate et Gerry McCann depuis plusieurs mois, c’est lui qui prends en charge une partie des honoraires et frais de l’agence de détectives espagnole Metodo 3 et la totalité des salaires de Clarence Mitchell, le responsable en communication du couple.

The multi-millionaire has been supporting Kate and Gerry McCann financially for several months. It is he who pays a portion of the fees of the Spanish detective agency, Metodo 3 and the whole salary of Clarence Mitchell, the couple's media spokesman.

Avec nouveau contrat Metodo 3 "se doit de penser que Maddie est en vie

L’agence de détectives Metodo 3, basé à Barcelone, à vu le contrat avec Kate et Gerry McCann prolongée pour six mois de plus, comme l’a confirmée son directeur, Francisco Marco, dans une entrevue à la télévision espagnole.

With a new contract Metodo 3 must think that Maddie is alive.

The detective agency Metodo 3, based in Barcelona, has had its contract with Kate and Gerry McCann extended for six more months, as confirmed by their director, Francisco Marco, in an interview for Spanish television.

Plus prudent que par le passé, le controversé directeur de Metodo 3 n’a pas affirmé catégoriquement que Madeleine soit toujours en vie, comme il l’avait fait à plusieurs reprises par le passé. Selon Francisco Marco, quand il parle à la famille de Madeleine il se doit de penser que l’enfant est encore en vie sinon "il est très difficile de faire son travail."

More circumspect than in the past, the controversial director of Metodo 3 did not state categorically that Madeleine was alive, as he had done several times in the past. According to Francisco Marco, when he talks to Madeleine's family he must believe that the child is still alive otherwise, "it is very difficult to work for them."

Francisco Marco à encore affirmé que son équipe aurait suivi des signalements de Maddie dans 25 à 30 pays, sans toutefois préciser comment son agence, très limité en personnel, aurait pu le faire.

Francisco Marco further stated that his team had followed up sightings of Maddie in 25 to 30 countries, without being precise about how his agency, of very limited staff, could have done this.

Pour le directeur de Metodo 3, "les parents de Madeleine sont absolument innocents" même si le détective reconnaît baser base son opinion sur ses convictions personnelles prises après avoir vu le comportement des parents avec les deux autres enfants du couple (Sean et Amélie) et un entretien de cinq minutes avec Kate McCann.

For the director of Metodo 3, "Madeleine's parents are completely innocent," even if the detective admits basing his opinion on his personal convictions after having seen the parents' behaviour towards the couple's two other children (Sean and Amelie) and a five minute interview with Kate McCann.

"Ils étaient dans un pays étranger, ne parlaient pas la langue, alors quand leur enfant a disparu leur première réaction a été de prendre contact avec des personnes et les médias au Royaume-Uni," à conclu Francisco Marco.

"They were in a strange country, did not speak the language, so when their child disappeared their first reaction was to make contact with people and the media in the UK," concluded Francisco Marco.

Nouveau cas de négligence par des parents britanniques à Algarve

Un nouveau cas de négligence, mettant en cause un couple de nationalité irlandaise et ses trois enfants, devra être examiné aujourd’hui par le Tribunal de Faro (Algarve). Selon le magistrat de permanence, la GNR - l’équivalent de l’ancienne gendarmerie belge - à été alerté ce week-end par le personnel d’un hôtel de Loulé signalant la présence d’un couple complètement ivre, dans un état proche du coma éthylique, en compagnie de trois enfants.

A new case of negligence by British parents in the Algarve.

A new case of negligence, involving a couple of Irish nationality and their three children, will be examined today by the court in Faro (Algarve) According to the residing magistrate, the GNR - the equivalent of the former Belgian gendarmerie - were alerted this weekend by staff at a Loulé hotel, reporting the presence of a totally drunk couple, close to a state of alcoholic coma, accompanied by three children.

Constatant l’état des parents, les agents de la police ont pris en charge les trois enfants, un bébé d’un an et ses frères de trois et six ans, jusqu’à l’arrivée d’une assistante sociale.

Noting the state of the parents, the police officers took charge of the three children, a one year-old baby and his two brothere aged three and six, until a social worker arrived.

Pendant que le couple, de 32 et 35 ans, a été conduit sans connaissance par une ambulance vers l’hôpital de Loulé (Algarve), les enfants, après avoir été examinés par un médecin, ont été confiées au Refúgio Aboim Ascensão, un centre d’accueil et d’aide à l’enfance, où ils sont arrivés vers cinq heures du matin.

While the couple, aged 32 and 35, were taken unconscious by ambulance to the Loulé hospital (Algarve), the children, after having been examined by a doctor, were admitted to the Refúgio Aboim Ascensão, a reception centre for helping children, where they arrived around five o'clock in the morning.

Le même jour ou, à Praia da Luz, ont signalait le premier anniversaire de la disparition de Madeleine McCann, que ses parents avaient laissé sans surveillance dans leur appartement de vacances, ce nouveau cas de négligence renforce la conviction des autorités portugaises de qu’il est nécessaire sensibiliser les milliers de touristes, à majorité des britanniques que chaque année choisissent le sud du Portugal pour ces vacances, à propos des consignes de sécurité à prendre avec des enfants.

On the same day when, in Praia da Luz, the first anniversary was marked of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, whose parents had left her without supervision in their holiday apartment, this new case of negligence reinforced the conviction of the Portuguese authorities that it is necessary to make the thousands of tourists, the majority British who each year choose the south of Portugal for their holidays, aware of the security measures to take with their children.

Malgré la mise en danger des enfants, le magistrat du Ministère Public (MP), contre l’avis du responsable du centre d’aide à l’enfance, a accordé que les parents puissent récupérez les enfants après leur sortie de l’hôpital. Le couple risque une peine de prison allant de 2 à 5 ans pour mise en danger, voire abandon d’enfants.

In spite of the children being put in danger, the magistrate of the Public Ministry (MP), against the opinion of the head of the centre for helping children, decided that the parents could recover their children after they left the hospital. The couple risk a prison sentence of 2 to 5 years for placing children in danger by abandoning them.

Selon Luis Villas-Boas, responsable du centre d’accueil et d’aide à l’enfance, "il s’agit d’un cas grave de négligence" ou, heureusement, un drame à été évité grâce à la réaction du personnel de l’hôtel qui avait fait appel aux pompiers et à la police.

According to Luis Villas-Boas, head of the centre for helping children, "it is a serious case of negligence," where happily, a tragedy has been averted thanks to the reaction of the hotel staff who had called the fire service and the police.

Selon les agents de la police locale, dans le frigo de l’appartement de vacances occupé par cette famille il n’y avait rien de prévu pour les enfants, uniquement de l’alcool pour les parents.

According to the local police officers, in the fridge of the holiday apartment occupied by this family there was nothing planned for the children, only alcohol for the parents.

L’information est reprise aujourd’hui par la presse britannique et portugaise ou, une fois encore, ont constate la différence de traitement donné par les journalistes des deux pays : si les portugais ont gardé l’habituel anonymat du couple, la presse britannique n’a pas hésité à divulguer l’identité des parents et, par conséquence, des enfants.

The information was taken up today by the British and Portuguese press where, once again, the difference in treatment by journalists of the two countries, was noted: if the Portuguese maintained the usual anonymity of the couple, the British press did not hesitate to divulge the identity of the parents and, as a consequence, of the children.

http://sosmaddie.dhblogs.be/

5/05/08

Observer 13/04/08: Madeleine 'suspect' in massive libel claim

Observer Sunday 13th April

"British media face record payout as family of Robert Murat demand apology and damages."

The best news I have read in a long time is that Robert Murat has engaged a firm of solicitors to take legal action on his behalf against a list of UK newspapers and one TV channel. Robert Murat's life has been blighted since the award-winning Mirror group journalist, Lori Campbell, decided that Mr Murat, far from being just someone trying to help, was an object of suspicion.

"Murat, 34, who lived close to the Praia da Luz apartment in Portugal where Madeleine went missing, was made an arguido, or formal suspect, after a British tabloid reporter voiced her concerns to Portuguese police shortly after the child disappeared. The Sunday Mirror journalist claimed that Murat's behaviour was reminiscent of Soham murderer Ian Huntley."

Sunday Mirror, day 18, "WHY I SHOPPED MADDY SUSPECT"

"He added with pride: "I helped the McCanns communicate what had happened the night before to the police. They were frantic with worry and frustrated that they were not being understood.

"I have also been translating witness statements for the last few days from Mark Warner workers and holidaymakers."

Much of that, we now suspect, was not true. But at the time, he made it sound like the police knew him very well and he was trusted enough to assist them."

"Like so much else about him, it just didn't add up. Later, as we drove past I deliberately glanced at him and waved goodbye.

He was holding court as usual at the centre of a dozen film crews. He stood, hands on hips, just yards from the police tape which cordoned off the crime scene. But as he caught my eye, he appeared to freeze for just a moment and his expression changed to one of a man exposed."

The Observer again:

"On 14 May 2007, Murat was questioned by Portuguese police and became the first person to be declared an official suspect. On the same day Campbell told Sky News: 'It was just very reminiscent of the Soham murders, that was my first thought. He was hanging around, asking us questions and maybe trying to find out what we knew."

So, I send my very best regards to Robert Murat and his mother, Jenny. Robert's business has gone straight down the pan since those early days of the investigation, and in my opinion, he deserves to get as much as his specialist legal team can extract from those UK news media who probably made quite a substantial sum while publishing their totally unsubstantiated stories.

Go get'em Robert! And don't spare that award-winning journalist, who acted on her, "gut instinct," when she thought she saw a comparison to the Soham murders!

(I have made at least a dozen attempts to download an interesting video from YouTube this morning, but my NThell cable is on the blink...yet again! One of these days I really will get my act together and swap to a more reliable ISP! I shall post the video when the cable is stable enough to allow the download!)

Robert Murat's possessions returned and Lori Campbell's suspicions!

http://www.kidnapping.be/maddie/maddie.html

"La PJ rend à Robert Murat les objets personnels saisis lors de l'enquête.

La Police Judiciaire a retourné à Robert Murat divers objets personnels qu'ils avaient saisis lors de l'enquête. Ces objets avaient été saisis lors de la fouille de la maison du premier suspect dans cette affaire, à environ 100 mètres de l'appartement d'où Madeleine a disparu. Robert Murat pense qu'il va cesser d'être suspect dans le dossier. Depuis 10 mois qu'il est accusé dans le dossier Maddie, la PJ l'a privé de trois ordinateurs portables, divers CD et K7 vidéos, un appareil photo numérique et quelques vêtements."

The PJ returns to Robert Murat personal things seized during the investigation.

The Judicial Police has returned to Robert Murat various personal objects which they had seized during the enquiry. These objects were seized during the search of the house of the first suspect in this case, about 100 metres from the apartment from which Madeleine disappeared. Robert Murat thinks that he is going to stop being a suspect in the case. For ten months since he was accused in the Madeleine case, the PJ has deprived him of three laptop computers, various CDs and K7 videos, a digital camera and some clothing.

"Ces objets saisis depuis mai 2007 ont été retournés au britannique mercredi dernier déjà. Seuls quelques papiers contenant des numéros de téléphone et des notes personnels resteront dans le dossier comme "pièces saisies". Avec la remise de ces objets, Robert Murat pense qu'il sera très bientôt libéré des accusations portées contre lui. Il croit, également, que son innocence sera prouvée lui permettant de reprendre une vie professionnelle qui a été suspendue depuis qu'il fut placé sous statut "d'arguido". Robert Murat a vu le site de sa société bloqué et vit, depuis lors, avec l'aide financière de sa mère. Il pourrait également préparer une procédure contre l'État Portugais."

These objects, in the police possession since May 2007, have already been returned last Wednesday. Only a few papers containing telephone numbers and personal notes remain in the file as, "seized items". With the return of these objects, robert Murat thinks that he will very soon be freed of the accusations leveled against him. He also believes that his innocence will be proved, allowing him to return to a professional life which has been suspended since he was placed under the status, "of arguido." Robert Murat has seen the company's site blocked and is living since then, with the financial help of his mother. He could also instigate legal action against the Portuguese State.

"Enfin, en ce qui concerne l'enquête, elle même, il y a peu de nouveaux éléments. La PJ prépare maintenant le voyage d'une équipe d'inspecteurs rejoindre d'autres déjà en place au R-U. Ces derniers doivent mettre au point les derniers détails des interrogatoires demandés par lettres rogatoires et dont le début est prévu pour le 7 avril au plus tard !!!"

Finally, with regard to the investigation itself, there are very few new details there. The PJ is now preparing the journey of a team of inspectors to join the others already in place in the UK. They must now work on the last details of the interrogations requested by the rogatory letters, of which the first is planned for April 7th at the latest!!!

*******************************

And now to the subject of that award-winning journalist, Lori Campbell! She may or may not have been the direct cause of Robert Murat's having been made an arguido, but she did let Uncle Tom Cobley and all know what she thought. What was it that Lori thought, way back in the mists of the early days of the enquiry into Madeleine McCann's disappearance? Well, here is what Lori reported in the Sunday Mirror on day 18 of the mystery, "WHY I SHOPPED MADDY SUSPECT"

THE SEARCH FOR MADELEINE: DAY 18

By Lori Campbell Sunday Mirror Reporter Who Shopped Murat To Portuguese Police 20/05/2007

Lori Campbell (pic:Albanpix)

I HAVE no idea if Robert Murat is guilty of the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann.

But I would never have been able to live with the guilt had I not told police of my grave concerns about his behaviour.

Which is why I reported him to British police, the British embassy here in the Algarve and to Portuguese police.

At first, little came of it and I began to wonder if I had maybe been wrong to speak up. Then, on Monday, when Murat was arrested, my heart raced and I was gripped by a terrible sense of foreboding. Within minutes, I was thrown into the epicentre of her disappearance.

TV crews from around the world were desperate to hear what it was I told police - and what police said to me. Since then, I have replayed over and over again in my head what the prime suspect in this case said to me, desperate for any more clues that could help police.

It was on the third day of Madeleine's disappearance that I interviewed Murat - and what he said left me deeply troubled.

Having seen him with police, I assumed that he was part of the investigation and asked him for any news. He gestured at me to sit with him on the pavement outside the McCann apartment.

He told me: "Officers have turned this whole area inside out looking for her. They have thoroughly searched a 3km radius around the apartment and found nothing. Soon they will abandon hope of finding her here and look further afield.

"It is likely that whoever kidnapped Madeleine is far away by now. They could have changed her appearance. The Portuguese police didn't take her disappearance seriously at first. They thought she had just wandered off. Because of this, it was 15 hours before they alerted the Spanish border police. It is only a couple of hours' drive to Spain. The poor little thing could be long gone by now."

I found it strange that he would criticise the police operation he seemed to be part of, so I asked what his role was. He said "I've been acting as a translator for the police. I live here and speak fluent Portuguese and English. I wanted to do anything I could to help."

I then asked him when he had first heard of Madeleine's disappearance and he said: "It was first thing Friday morning. I went to the McCanns apartment and immediately offered my services to police as a translator."

He added with pride: "I helped the McCanns communicate what had happened the night before to the police. They were frantic with worry and frustrated that they were not being understood.

"I have also been translating witness statements for the last few days from Mark Warner workers and holidaymakers."

Much of that, we now suspect, was not true. But at the time, he made it sound like the police knew him very well and he was trusted enough to assist them.

Since Murat's arrest, the McCanns have said they have no memory of even meeting him. One family member said: "He is talking lies and rubbish." But it is what he said next that really set my alarm bells ringing.

I asked why he was so touched by her disappearance. "I have a daughter of the same age," he replied. "In fact, she's the spitting image of Madeleine. I felt sick to the stomach when I heard. I rushed here as soon as I could to offer my help."

WHEN I pushed him further on his background, he suddenly became uncomfortable.

He said: "I'm going through a divorce at the moment so I don't see my daughter much."

There was an evasiveness and unease about Murat that left me feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Murat was reluctant to tell me what he did for a living when I asked. After pausing for several seconds, he said: "I'm in real estate. I've just bought a couple of properties in the Algarve which I'm doing up." Why all the mystery? At this point I still knew him only as Robert, so I asked him his surname. Again he stonewalled. "It's not important," he blustered. "I'm no one really. I'd rather not say."

One minute he was desperate to talk up his role in the investigation, the next he was acting coy.

I asked him for his phone number, hoping he might be a useful source of information.

"No." he replied. "I'm not giving it out to people. I don't want to be quoted. I'm just trying to help. I'll be here quite a lot for the next few days if you need me."

More mystery, more contradictions, more mixed messages.

While we had been speaking, Sunday Mirror photographer Alban Donohoe had taken our picture.

MINUTES after we said goodbye, Murat came back to our car, agitated. He was desperate for Alban to erase the photos.

"I saw you take my picture," he blurted. "I really need you to erase it. I'm not important in the investigation."

He was polite as always, but I sensed panic in his voice and it made me uneasy. Why would a man so apparently keen to attract attention suddenly be so concerned about a couple of pictures?

Like so much else about him, it just didn't add up. Later, as we drove past I deliberately glanced at him and waved goodbye.

He was holding court as usual at the centre of a dozen film crews. He stood, hands on hips, just yards from the police tape which cordoned off the crime scene. But as he caught my eye, he appeared to freeze for just a moment and his expression changed to one of a man exposed.

My encounter with him played on my mind that night. I rang my office in London and we agreed I should pass on my concerns.

I called Leicestershire Police and they took a statement and advised me to speak to the Portuguese authorities. I called the British Embassy in the Algarve and then approached an officer for GNR - the local police force - who was guarding the McCann's apartment.

I told him I had suspicions about a man called Robert who said he was translating for police. He knew instantly who I meant and assured me he would be checked out. I told him Robert had claimed he was translating witness statements and he replied: "That is very unlikely to be true."

My decision to report Murat had nothing to do with being a journalist. It was based on gut instinct and a natural sense of duty that I should share my suspicions. Given the unimaginable horrors which Madeleine's parents were enduring, it seemed the very least I should do.

Murat insists he is innocent, a scapegoat for the failure of police to find Madeleine. He also claims he is a victim of a smear campaign orchestrated by me.

Nothing could be further from the truth, or more absurd. I have no grudge against Murat - just a desire to see Madeleine found.

All I did was pass on information I thought the authorities should be privy to. The rest is in the police's hands."

ARTICLE ENDS

Now, I wouldn't have thought that Robert Murat was criticising the police with what he said about widenining the search and the borders not having been closed. I would have thought of that as more an explanation, a regret on the part of the police because they had originally thought that Madeleine had possibly wandered off and had come to feel they may have got it wrong.

I note that Ms Campbell says that Robert Murat said he was, "acting," as a translator for the police. This implies to me that he was not claiming any official status, rather that his was a temporary role.

Ms Campbell states that she approached Robert Murat to ask if there was any news, having seen him with the police. She then thought it odd that Mr Murat did not wish to discuss his personal life and background. This strikes me as being the actions of a rather modest person, not an attention-seeking person. Mr Murat was ready to speak about his part in what was happening, and like him, I would have wondered why a journalist would want to know about my background. I see nothing odd whatsoever in Murat's reluctance to discuss his personal life.

Ms Campbell, we still don't know what has become of Madeleine, nearly a year on. If Robert Murat's arguido status is lifted, his representatives may wish to speak to a few people. I read in another Sunday Mirror article that you traveled to Barcelona to, "give evidence," to Metodo3, about "Why I told cops"

"Give evidence."? You give evidence to the police Ms Campbell. Metodo3 is a private agency.

"They were intensely interested as I told how he claimed he was a translator working for the Portuguese police and, as such, had offered to brief me on the investigation. I explained how he was always present at the scene during the first few days."

Ms Campbell, you said in the article above, "Why I shopped Maddy suspect," that you had approached Mr Murat for news. So, is that the same as his offering to brief you on the investigation?

And did he claim to be working for the police? You reported his saying that he was, "acting as a translator," for the police. Seems to be quite a different meaning there, at least as far as I understand it.

"I then asked him when he had first heard of Madeleine's disappearance and he said: "It was first thing Friday morning. I went to the McCanns apartment and immediately offered my services to police as a translator."

That is what you reported in your article, that he offered his services, not that he said he was working for the police.

Well, at least it wasn't you who mentioned Robert Murat and Ian Huntley in the same semtence! The person who did may find himself being asked a few awkward questions if Murat's arguido status is lifted.