MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner says he has information to end the “scandal of the century”.

The newly-freed rapist, 49, hinted of a dark secret as he shopped for a phone.

Dan Charity

Christian Brueckner said he could solve one of the ‘greatest mysteries ever’ as he shopped for a phone[/caption]

Dan Charity

The freed sex offender plonked his foot on a phone shop counter to show off his ankle tag at one point[/caption]

Dan Charity

The paedophile told staff he’d ‘not last long’ — because he holds dirt on people who want him killed[/caption]

His claims raise the prospect he withheld knowledge on the disappearance of Madeleine in Portugal in 2007 despite being a suspect for more than five years.

The paedophile, freed last week at the end of an unrelated rape sentence, also told staff he’d “not last long” — because he holds dirt on people who want him killed.

His phone buy has sparked fears he could try to flee his home country.

Shop manager Farouk Salah-Brahmin, 32, said: “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.

“He said he would end all the accusations against him. He said he can bring his own solution. He said something about USB sticks.”

Brueckner had refused to answer any questions on the case while in prison, or engage with police.

It sounded to me like he was part of something wider. Something he clearly had knowledge of. Some network or something maybe

Farouk

Farouk added of their 90-minute chat: “The way he said it he must have been talking about the Madeleine McCann case. What else could he be talking about?

“It sounded to me like he was part of something wider. Something he clearly had knowledge of. Some network or something maybe.

“I thought maybe he knows other people who were involved – but it’s clear he knows far more than he had been telling the police.

“That struck me as weird – that he said he had knowledge of this but hadn’t told police. I don’t understand why he would do that.”

Brueckner spent £90 on a Xiaomi Redmi Android phone and bought a SIM using his ID card.

Farouk revealed the fiend also claimed his life was in danger.

‘Want to make him cold’

The shop boss said: “He told me that he has special information about some people, and that’s why they want to finish him.

“I don’t know if it is linked to all the USB sticks and information they found at his lair.

“Brueckner told me there are some people out there who ‘want to make him cold’.

“He told me, ‘I won’t do long here — maybe someone will murder me. He made it sound like there were people from his past – maybe from when he was a paedophile.

Dan Charity

Shop manager Farouk Salah-Brahmin said: ‘Brueckner told me he had some information’[/caption]

“Maybe he had clients who are worried about being revealed.

“He was a client of someone famous? I don’t know.” Brueckner then showed off the monitoring tag.

Farouk added: “He said, ‘Look, I’m under control’ then started laughing. It was weird. He clearly finds it funny and he thinks it’s unfair.

I had no idea he was in my town before he walked in. I thought what does he want here in this area?

Farouk

“He told me his case is finished, the prison is finished and we have the GPS. He clearly wants to get on with people, win their confidence.

“But to find an tag you have to wear because you are so dangerous funny is crazy.”

BILD Fotoservice

Brueckner enjoying a McDonald’s following his release[/caption]

Brueckner spent an hour in the shop because he needed help setting up his phone and WhatsApp account.

At one point he came in munching a kebab – a day after gobbling a McDonald’s

‘Injustice’

Farouk said it was clear he was the first “real person” Brueckner had spoken to since his release.

Farouk said: “I had no idea he was in my town before he walked in. I thought what does he want here in this area? He was just carrying a backpack and a load of supermarket shopping bags.

“I admit I was afraid. It’s a dangerous guy, and I have to be careful and keep a distance. He was directly in front of me. No space, no barrier. There he was, Christian Brueckner.

“He claimed everything that happened to him was an ‘injustice’.

My colleague recognised him straight away, it was Christian Brueckner wearing a long fake beard. It was stupid. It was obviously still him

Shop worker

“He said he has nothing to do with the things he has been convicted of and accused of.

“I said to him, ‘They found your DNA in one of the victim’s bed’. And he told me, ‘Yes, but also 14 other DNA. He said it wasn’t him. He said all the claims against him had been invented.”

AFP

Madeleine McCann went missing on the May 3, 2007[/caption]

Dan Charity

Brueckner was released last week after finishing a seven-year term for the 2005 rape and torture of an American woman[/caption]

Farouk said: “I don’t know what he’s really like. Maybe he’s playing a role, being someone he isn’t. Maybe he was lying to me. I think he has been telling people for so long he is innocent he has started to believe it.

“He speaks to you so directly and without any shame so you might believe him. I think he believes what he’s saying. But it’s not true.”

Meanwhile, a Domino’s pizza worker said Brueckner had been into their branch twice in two days — disguised in a fake beard.

The worker said: “This guy came in and asked if we had any free pizza. He said he had just got out of jail and he was hungry.

“My colleague recognised him straight away, it was Christian Brueckner wearing a long fake beard. It was stupid. It was obviously still him.”

Brueckner has been seen twice at different kebab shops, and partying at a nightclub 48 hours after being freed from JVA Sehnde prison, near Hannover.

He was released last Wednesday after finishing a seven-year term for the 2005 rape and torture of an American woman, 72, in Portugal’s Praia da Luz — the same village Madeleine disappeared from.

While he remains German cops’ prime suspect over the disappearance and murder of Madeleine no arrest warrants exist, so there is nothing to keep him behind bars.

Investigators say they have physical evidence Madeleine is dead but no forensic proof tying Brueckner to the case.

Police have confirmed his phone was near Ocean Club, at the time when the McCanns were staying.

Witness Helge Busching claims a year later Brueckner confessed to him at a music festival, in Spain, saying “she didn’t scream”, as the pair discussed Madeleine.

Overwhelming evidence

An exclusive Sun investigation aired as a Channel 4 documentary in May revealed cops are in possession of images that help contribute to their understanding Maddie is dead.

They also seized stories where Brueckner daydreams about snatching and abusing girls.

Despite the overwhelming evidence investigators have been reluctant to charge over the case fearing the lack of forensic proof would harm their chances.

They were also spooked by a court last year clearing Brueckner of other rape and sex assaults — an acquittal which put him on the path to freedom.

Since it became clear that Brueckner would be released this month, the Met have significantly stepped up their activity on the case.

Last week we told how British detectives secretly jetted to Portugal to re-interview as witnesses a German couple he once stayed with.

It also emerged last week that investigators take seriously the prospect Madeleine was snatched to order by human traffickers, potentially with links to Belgium.

Brueckner’s lawyers continue to protest his innocence on all matters.

AFP

The beast has been seen twice at different kebab shops, and partying at a nightclub 48 hours after being freed from prison[/caption]

Handout

Christian denies involvement in Maddie’s disappearance[/caption]