The prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance taunted police and poked holes in their investigation in a leaked letter, according to reports.
In May 2007, Madeleine vanished from her bed in a ground-floor apartment during a family holiday in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz, sparking an international search.
Despite tireless efforts, what happened to the three-year-old girl remains a mystery almost two decades on from her disappearance.
Christian Brueckner - who is currently behind bars for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz but is set to be released in a matter of months - was named as the lead suspect in June 2020 by authorities.
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However, he has never been formally charged with any crime about Madeleine's disappearance, and he denies any involvement.
In an alleged letter published by The Sun, Brueckner, 48, allegedly claimed that German officials would never be able to tie him to the infamous case without a body or without coming up with an answer for a string of 'decisive questions'.
After discovering some disturbing findings in his home, police confirmed earlier this week that a new search would begin between Praia da Luz and a house near the holiday resort where Brueckner used to live.
It was then called off after three days, with local media reporting that some material had been collected and sent for analysis, with cops hoping it could unearth some new leads.
Now, a chilling letter, which was reportedly penned by Brueckner and sent to the police, has emerged, and according to the letter, the suspect seems to strongly believe that officials will not be able to pin Madeline's disappearance on him.
Brueckner allegedly wrote: "It is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered. Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime?
"Is there DNA evidence of me at the crime scene? Are there DNA traces of the injured party in my vehicle? Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos? And, not to forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no."
He then appeared to suggest that the structure of the German legal system would work in his favour if he ever were charged in connection with Madeleine's disappearance.
"You don't have to be a realist like me to predict that the accusations made against me will not hold up and that the investigation will be dropped," the letter continued.
"You know, of course, that in Germany, you don't have to prove your innocence as a suspect, but that the public prosecutor's office has to prove that you are clearly guilty.
"Even the slightest doubt leads to an acquittal, if there is a court hearing at all."
According to the letter, Brueckner claimed that the allegations being levied against him in relation to Madeleine were merely based on the accounts of 'purchased witnesses'.
The letter went on: "Now, my path is paved with misjudgements, so to speak, but from now on, the whole world is watching. Not even the Braunschweig regional court will now dare to make an obvious misjudgement.
"Even if an attempt is currently being made to create a shocking overall picture of me through purchased witnesses, it is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered with 'yes'."
Brueckner also claimed that reports discussing links between him and the notorious missing person's case are 'lies'.
"Right from the start they plotted a miscarriage of justice to make me vanish into thin air," he said. "And now half the world knows why.
"I am not exaggerating when I say that 80 per cent of what I have heard from the reports is not true. A large proportion of these lies are clearly being spread by the investigating authorities.
"My words are directed at those who are taking this seriously and are not laughing about it. Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true."
Last month marked the 18th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.
Topics: Madeleine McCann, Crime, World News, UK News
Olivia Burke