Brückner released from prison as McCann case stays open

Christian Brückner, the German national long held by prosecutors as the prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann, was released from Sehnde prison near Hannover on Wednesday after serving a sentence for an unrelated assault, officials and media reported. German prosecutors said Brückner remains under investigation in the McCann case but has not been charged.

Prosecutors in Braunschweig have repeatedly said they believe Brückner is responsible for Madeleine's disappearance but that evidence so far has been insufficient to secure a conviction. Hans Christian Wolters, the lead prosecutor, has said he regards Brückner as "our only suspect" while acknowledging there is not yet a case strong enough to file charges. The Metropolitan Police in London, which has been conducting its own review under Operation Grange, said Brückner remains a suspect for them and confirmed he declined a request for an interview conveyed by an international letter of request.

Officials and media gave differing accounts of the precise circumstances of Brückner's release. Authorities said he left prison after completing a term related to the 2005 rape of a 72 year old woman in...