A former police officer raises concerns that Madeleine McCann may have been abducted under the direction of a well-known pedophile network previously associated with Belgian child-killer Marc Dutroux. The assertion comes from Marc Verwilghen, a former justice minister of Belgium who supervised the Dutroux investigation. He disclosed that alarming information shared among European law enforcement agencies shortly before Madeleine disappeared in May 2007 indicated the involvement of a trafficking syndicate searching for a young child. Madeleine, a three-year-old, went missing from a vacation rental in Praia da Luz, Portugal, while on a family trip in 2007. Just before her disappearance, Belgian authorities had alerted that a pedophile ring had made a request for a young girl.
Verwilghen expressed, “Upon hearing about the case, it immediately reminded me of Dutroux. Considering the circumstances, it is plausible that Madeleine was taken to fulfill an order. The warning should have been treated with utmost seriousness.”
Dutroux, serving a life sentence since 2004, was notorious for kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering girls during the 1990s and was suspected of connections to broader trafficking circles. Verwilghen noted striking parallels between his crimes and the disappearance of Madeleine, stating, “The abduction of children required coordination, planning, and the involvement of multiple individuals to execute successfully. Intelligence indicates that a pedophile ring in Belgium placed an order for a young girl three days before Madeleine McCann was abducted.”
Speculations that Madeleine was targeted for abduction align with the imminent release of prime suspect Christian Brueckner. Brueckner resided in the Algarve region when Madeleine vanished and is scheduled for release after serving a sentence for assaulting a 72-year-old woman.
Despite indications pointing towards organized networks, German authorities have primarily focused their investigation on Brueckner, dismissing the network aspect. A source familiar with the case emphasized the seriousness of the claims from Belgium, highlighting the belief that the abductor could not have acted alone. However, authorities prefer concentrating on the current suspect to avoid complicating the case with new agencies.
Concerns have been raised about Brueckner potentially evading interrogation following his release without monitoring conditions. Detectives from Operation Grange confirmed that they sought an interview with him, which he declined. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell stated, “We have requested an interview with this German suspect, but due to legal constraints, it can only be pursued via an International Letter of Request, which was rejected by the suspect. Despite the lack of an interview, we will continue to explore all feasible lines of inquiry. Further details cannot be disclosed as the investigation is ongoing.”