Christian Brueckner 'says he can solve scandal of century and tries to buy phone'

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner reportedly told a German shopkeeper he holds the key to ending the "scandal of the century" - all while allegedly trying to buy an untraceable mobile phone just days after being released from jail.

Brueckner was released form prison this weekafter serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz in 2005. The Met Police says the 49-year-old remains a suspect in its own investigation - with Portuguese and German authorities also probing the three-year-old girl’s disappearance.

In a visit to a shop this week, 49-year-old convicted rapist reportedly warned he would "not last long" because he knows dangerous information about people who want him killed, the shop worker has claimed.

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Farouk Salah-Brahmin, 32, who said he caught the moment on his store's CCTV camera, told The Sun: "Brueckner told me he had some information. I don't know if it's the McCann case but he said he had evidence that could bring the scandal of the century to an end". Farouk claims Brueckner said the information would end all the accusations against him.

The convicted rapist also made mention of USB sticks and added he can 'bring his own solution', the store manager claims.

"It sounded to me like he was part of something wider. Something he clearly had knowledge of," Farouk said. "That struck me as weird - that he said he had knowledge of this but hadn't told police. [...] He told me, I won't do long here - maybe someone will murder me."

Farouk also claimed Brueckner pointed at his ankle and said, 'Look, I'm under control,' then began to laugh.

German police are said to be on high alert after Brueckner reportedly tried to buy the untraceable phone without registering it - which is illegal. He was also allegedly carrying an ID card that could allow him to flee the country.

Farouk claims Brueckner asked if he could buy a Sim card without an identity card.

Brueckner's ID shows no travel restrictions despite court orders, Farouk also claimed.

After his release, Brueckner spent his first in Kiel in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein - where his lawyers are based. But he reportedly grew panicked by the large police presence and caught a train to a nearby city. Shop manager Farouk said he bragged about plans to start a new life in his current city with a new permanent apartment.

Brueckner has been a suspect over Madeleine’s abduction and murder for German police since 2020 but never faced charges. He was released from prison on September after serving seven years for the rape of an elderly woman in Portugal.