Robert Murat, the first person named by Portuguese police as an official suspect in the Madeleine McCann investigation, is to launch one of the UK's largest libel cases involving the media.

Mr Murat, who lives with his mother in the Praia da Luz resort where the young girl was abducted last May, is to sue 11 of the UK's largest newspapers as well as Sky broadcasters. He has always denied involvement in the abduction of Madeleine McCann and could be awarded damages of up to £2m.

A statement issued by Simons Muirhead & Burton, a London-based media law firm, said libel actions were being raised against the Sun, Scotsman, Daily and Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Mail, Daily and Sunday Mirror, News of the World, Metro and Evening Standard in London. Portuguese police questioned Mr Murat 11 days after Madeleine disappeared from her holiday apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, ate with friends at a nearby restaurant.

His home was searched after a Sunday Mirror journalist reported him to police because she thought his behaviour was suspicious.

Mr Murat had become known to journalists and told them he had been helping police with translation work during the search for Madeleine.

Kate and Gerry McCann are the only other people to be officially named as suspects by Portuguese police.

Caroline Kean, of media law specialists Wiggin, said that if Mr Murat successfully argued the papers inferred he was involved in Madeleine's abduction or murder, he could win a record payout.

She said: "You could expect £200,000 per paper, per claim, and that would clear £2m."

David McKie, a media lawyer with Glasgow firm Levy & McRae, said: "In each of these actions the key issues will be: firstly, what is the natural and ordinary meaning of each story involved and secondly, whether the media outlets can prove or justify what they have written.

"The onus will be on the media organisations to stand up their stories. If they fail to do so, they will be bound to pay damages to Mr Murat."

Last month, Kate and Gerry McCann won a libel settlement and apology from Express Newspapers for suggesting they were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

The newspaper group paid the couple £550,000 in damages and printed an apology on the front pages of the Daily Express and Daily Star newspapers.