Aruba Update 1

This is a quick update prior to a brief meeting, after which I hope to have a fuller update posted between 5:30 - 6:00 PM.

Just a day after some were hopeful one piece of this mystery might fall into place as a result of search efforts, news so far today from Aruba hasn't been comforting.

The most troubling news now beginning to be discussed and said to have come from "reliable sources" close to the investigation point to a possible release of all suspects currently being held at the time of their next hearing, believed to be this coming Monday.

A report that is said to have started on Fox and Friends this AM that a high level police official is Joran's Godfather could not be confirmed as yet. I questioned the report, as Joran was born in Holland, not on Aruba - it has been suggested that while the formal term of Godfather may not apply, current information and a previous report of a high level police official having referred to Paul(us) v d Sloot as his "best friend" could indicate that Joran has benefitted from connections, especially during the early part of this investigation.

A last item for now, I have been told that Aruba is surrounded by radar, manned in three shifts with nine members comprising each shift - and despite persistent rumors of off-island intrigue as regards Natalee Holloway, they're likely unfounded, as this radar would have documented such an effort. That report not officially confirmed.

More later.

Comments

[gallowaygirl]

I find it funny that DUTCH nationals will get on here and bash Americans when it is AMERICANS who play a major part in keeping the ARUBIAN economy chuggin along and in making sure Chavez keeps his sticky fingers off their island. Realistically, I think the Arubians wish that certain DUTCH family would just get the hell back to The Netherlands.

[gallowaygirl]

I find it funny that DUTCH nationals will get on here and bash Americans when it is AMERICANS who play a major part in keeping the ARUBIAN economy chuggin' along and in making sure Chavez keeps his sticky fingers off their island. Realistically, I think the Arubians wish that a certain DUTCH family would just get the hell back to The Netherlands.

[waldorf]

If an Aruban girl went missing in America, and Arubans started complaining about how the USA was handling it, and saying they wanted to harm the American suspects and their families and even saying they were going to go to America to open up a can of Aruban whup-ass on them, and that Aruba should take over, would most Americans be symapthetic to those Arubans?

[Island Hopper]

please ignore the stupid posts it is one person posting over and over agin to incite a mess here. please do not respond to them.

[tanya]

Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
Justice for Natalee.
No more secrets.
Joran and his family are not victims. they have destroyed a girls family and future.

[Sarah]

Hayseeds??? Thats a new one! hahahah

[Not a Hand Wringer.]

[[[ Some of you seem to be so Anti-American which I find ironic considering that this is the only FREE DEMOCRATIC society in the world. The only place you can have your own opinion and freely express it is here. We (Americans) are madder than hell about this case because we are used to truth and justice. It's what our Grandfathers, brothers, sisters, children have been shedding their blood for these past two hundred years. So you are entitled to defend the Van der Sloots and come up with any theory you choose but know this...DON'T TREAD ON ME. God Bless America. ]]]

Oh boy. Here's another hayseed that thinks free speech, freedom, democracy, and the associated constitutional protections associated with democracy EXIST only in America.

Folks. You're embarrasing yourselves with your self-absorbed hysterics and handwringing.

[Stumped]

Waldorf - ha ha ha....lol..pretty funny. Maybe that's what the Aruban Polis need to do, open up a can of Aruban - Whoop-Ass on Joran to get him talking!

[gallowaygirl]

You're right Island Hopper...gotta remember not to feed the trolls...sigh.

(I'd rather kick the trolls butts anyway...arguing is incredibly unsatisfying.)

[not good]

This is certainly terrible news as I will be bringing two 17 year old girls down to Aruba later in July. I used to SO look forward to going there...it was paradise. I will feel differently this time and will only go because we had to book a year in advance. The trip next year will be to a different spot....it gives me the heebie jeebies to think of a cover up! How unbelievably sad for the H's & T's. Maybe I will see them there, but I was praying she would be found by then. With sincerest regrets to the families. I guess this is how governments work....remember Chandra Levy? It's who you know!

[Justice]

The stupid thing about Americans is their outlook on life. They want justice for Natalee, (that is fine, everyone wants that), but only because she is an American. Those American jerks care a damn about people from other countries. America, a country of double standards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ALL ARROGANT AMERICANS: First look at your own dirty government, and then accuse others. By the way, which country is next on Bush's list, I wonder. After Iraq, which country r u Americans going to bombard next, huh???? People over there die as well, but you don't care a damn.

[Bartholomew]

how about the sloots??? the father was in jail for no good reasons, the mother cries out, the sons life and the mothers life is destroyed
________________________________________

All opinions should be respected. But the Van Der Sloots are not the victims in this case. They are not on the same moral plane with Beth Holloway. Natallee and her familiy are the victims.

I just want that to be said.

[Caro]

ARI:

In most european countries (who have the continental law-system) you actually can hold people in prison for a very long time before an actual trial. In my country,Belgium, you will appear before a judge within 24h after the arrest and when the judge decides to keep you in jail, because there is a reasonable suspicion that you're involved in something, you will be held for a month. At the end of the month, you'll appear in front of three judges and they decide on wheter there is enough evidence to hold you or wheter there is a risk that you will flee the country. To that decision you can make an appeal.

[Mark D]

Not an hand wringer,

again, I am pissed off at the investigation which is either a blatant cover up to protect their tourist economy or their/your polis force is entirely incompetent. Also, if Arubans hate us Americans so much, we'll simply take our money elsewhere. There are plenty of other places to spend our money

[Stumped]

Tsunder, you are missing one important point in your comparing of the Sloots versus the Holloways....at least the mother Sloot has her child...Beth Holloway Twitty DOES NOT

[gallowaygirl]

IH is right....don't respond.

[Arubacoverup]

People

I have been reading this blog as well as others and have been closely following the MSM about this story.

I feel for the family of Natalee, but my conclusions are this.

She was murdered or kidnapped

The Aruban authorities are covering it up to protect their own. They are just appeasing the MSM and public because this is has turned into big story, giving them little information, misinformation to keep them off the factual trail. What do they have to worry about? As long as they keep the truth hidden, this will all blow away and people will forget. Already it has started to fall off the headlines.

Police ....why did they not bring the three "suspects" in immediately instead of after 10 days. It gave them enough time to hide whatever evidence they had. As well as enough coaching by PVDS and local athorities.

PVDS....Why did he tell Joran not to say anything..if he was innocent "your not an American you do not have to say anything"

PVDS knows the legal system there..no evidence, no body, no conviction...just 100 plus days at the most in prison and it will all be over.

JVDS...Why did he beat his chest and tell Natalee's mother "What do you want me to do about it" If he did not think something happened? Common sense tells you, you just do not leave a foreigner on a deserted beach in the middle of the night miles from home. If that is not a BS story what is, the 1st story they gave?

Face it, this story is dead!!! I hate to say it, but it has been history weeks ago. It is just being drug out. The Arubans know this and they are playing the game.

We will never find out what happened to Natalee because the individuals that know can not be made to talk. All they have to do is stand there ground "holding up" as mentioned by PVDS and there lawyers.

Lets be serious here 20 days under intense interrogation? has anyone witnessed this interrogation after the 1st week when the FBI stepped out? heck the FBI has already pulled up their stakes and headed home. A month and this case has gone no where.

So people face reality or at least accept the possibility that the truth will never be known. Natalee is gone period.

Aruba may have the face of a nice resort tourist attraction but underneath the cabanas and flashing night lights is a place full of corruption, drugs, prostitution and deception. No regard for human life, especially for an American which they secretly hate, as long as they flash the money.

Heck even the locals are a bunch of wannabees who left their countries because they could not succeed there, case in point wannabe judge PVDS. It would not surprise me if he held a secret life as the head of a prostitution ring either on Aruba or a neighboring island.

There are allot of facts that point to an "incompetent" local authority. So who is going to do something about it? NO ONE, they were not incompetent, they played their game to protect their own and No one can tell them otherwise. Corruption is a way of life there. What makes this story more BS is how foreign countries can do whatever they want without repercussions. It is totally obvious what happened. It is the lack of solid proof that these individuals involved will walk away, unscathed. The individuals know it, the police know it, the higher officials know it and that is why after a month there is still no resolution to the disappearance of Natalee Halloway.

The Aruban Authorities are providing a elaborate cover-up.

[Jaxbelle]

gallowaygirl I am going to take your advice and ignore the trolls.

Does anyone know the latest out of Aruba? How did the quarry search go today?

[color]

I like everyone else wants Beth to have the answer as to what happened to Natalee. However I disagree with having the State Dept getting involved. There are so many crimes in our own country we cannot solve. Do any of you have any idea how many missing 18 yr olds are missing here?
Yet we are going to send the US State Dept into another Country and tell THEM how to do it.

If in fact this is some kind of cover up (not saying I agree) so that Joran goes free.
If it is coming from a high government level.
Then.
1. No body will ever be found.
2. Joran will go free.
3. There was never any chnce of Joran not going free.
4. The arrests were just to pacify BH and Americans.
5. BH. absolutely wasted her time no matter what she says or does it will make no difference.
6. Sadly very sadly this will never be closed for BH and she will have to go home eventually not knowing what happened to Natalee.

[Not a Hand Wringer.]

[[ You're right Island Hopper...gotta remember not to feed the trolls...sigh.

(I'd rather kick the trolls butts anyway...arguing is incredibly unsatisfying.)]]

For the record. I'm not a troll. I am however a rational person who can seperate hyperbole, speculation and gossip from fact.

When I don't have the facts. I wait for them, instead of endorsing a 'gossip-filled' trial by the media that seems to captivate and satisfy most of you.

The outrageous comments by many of your leave a bad taste in the minds of any rational person who values this principle of democracy.

A person is innocent until proven guilty.

You can round up all the posses you want in America. But, Aruba isn't America regardless of how entitled you feel in telling others how to go about their business.

[Justice]

"Take your dollars elsewhere! haha we got the Euro's!! American Ignorants.. Go get drafted and shed some iraqi's blood that is the best thing you guys are made for! :-D Aruba will live long and strong, and the party will go on.. ;-)"

WELL SAID, TSUNDER !!!!!!
IGNORANT AMERICANS, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[DutchPulse]

Tanya -- get a real job, you being on here all day.

Peace and Love to PAULUS! Pay no attention to these losers. They're desperate.

[Mark D]

Tsunder,
American money makes up at least 60% of your tourist economy. Your math obviously is not very good..what good would your Euro's do if 60% of your tourist money dries up..its called economic chaos

[JrzyGrl]

*sigh* Nice story, Tsunder. Maybe los tres amigos should have told that one THE FIRST time.

Kalpoes: "We dropped Joran and Natalee off at the beach."

Joran: "We had sexual contact (as Mommy Dearest claimed he admitted) and parted ways. She was going back to hotel and I caught a ride home."

Why didn't they say that in the first place, huh? Why the lies and story changing. I'll tell you why...they keep trying to come up with something that'll make sense. But the only thing that will make sense is THE TRUTH.

I've been following this since the first week in June (as most of us have) and have read one ridiculous thing after another: LE telling the Holloway-Twittys to check CnC's the next night -- she might show up, arresting two security guards who aren't "connected" like the VDSs (they were victims of "classism"), not searching the suspects homes or cars IMMEDIATELY, not utilizing the divers the FBI provided. And the list goes on...

I don't think these men represent all of Aruba...just the "elite"...the people in power.
Yes, crime happens in America...as I type, there is most likely a crime (or crimes) being committed. And, yes, we don't always catch the criminals. I have NO DOUBT that cover-ups take place here in the states. We have places where the locals take advantage of tourists and look down upon them as if they're non-human. Where "Uncle Bo-bo" will bail them out if they get caught doing something to the "parasitic tourists". But, you can't hide for long...not under the same umbrella of justice system.

I've been overseas...Europe, the Carribean...and never once have I thought I was "safe". You're NEVER safe. And, if nothing else, I hope that everyone learns that from this tragedy.

[DutchPulse]

Mark D -- after Iraq no one is paying attention to you guys. Bunch a losers/liars.

[TheAvenger]

Tsunder, have You ever Danced with The devil In the Pale moonlight? Joran and the brothers will. You could too if you keep playing your cards right.

[Caro]

I find this troll thing rather amusing... why would one only correspond with someone who agrees? the essence of a democacy (wheter it is USA or any other country) is debate, so there must be interaction between opposite sides! Aslong as all of you continue to give reasonable arguments to back your opinion..; there is no problem.

I have not made up my mind yet, I don't feel that I have seen enough proof and we don't know what statements the boys made but I agree that lying in the beginning is very bad... But then again I study law and am told from the beginnning that no one is guilty until proven:)

I feel sorry for everyone in this case, no matter which family there from and am concerned by the loss of evidence that my have occurred in the beginning of the investigation.

[brian]

i have a question and maybe someone can answer. lets say all three of these guys walk, along with PVDS and croes...can they be arrested again under the circumstances of new evidence or a discovery made from old evidence?

[Xebastian]

but this is a serious question on the teenager that is missing in Aruba how come none is saying that the chaperones that should have been aware of her every move ,they were no where to be found the night she dissapeared,that instead they where parting in another casino enjoying them selves, instead of doing there job, which should have been making sure everyone was safe at all times, but they didn't even notice her even missing till the next morning, as a parent, i see negligence on there part for what ever happened to natalie , i feel if they were doing there job, she would have returned safely back to Alabama instead of what ever tragedy she has encountered ..........my prayers are with the family and with her soul ..........but the chaperones were responsible for her well being and were there to make sure that nothing happend,but as i can see they only went to have fun and there irresposiblities may have costed Natalie her life and for that the chaperones need to be held accountable for there actions
Sebastian

[Justice]

Of course, DutchPulse, no American will care!!!

THOSE AMERICANS ONLY SEE WHAT THEY LIKE AND IGNORE EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!

I bet...If Natalee was Dutch or something else, not a single American would care. All I can say is that: AMERICA ! MAY GOD HELP YOU TO OVERCOME YOUR HYPOCRISY!!!

[Mark D]

Arubacoverup,

I totally agree with your post. A girl just doesn't vanish off of a small island in thin air. You would think that rather than cover this thing up, they would have done their best to get the truth and get on with their life. I really believe that they just tried to sweep this under the rug and didn't realize the media storm they created and put together a half assed attempt at an investigation to please the Holloways and the Media

[Trock]

I swore I would not inteject here but feel I must. Should we boycott Aruba? No that would be ridicuolous.. generally Aruba is a safe island. If we were going to boycott an island due to murder no one would go to Manhattan.. I feel they were not experienced and equiped to handle this crime.
If Americans pulled out of visiting aruba.. they would be devastated.. It wont happen. Wanna feel safe, go to Bermuda..
As far as Iraq... We have saved millions of people from a vile murderous dictator.. Mass graves are found on a monthly basis.. So for some of you 'islanders' to blast us for this is ridiculous.. Remember the Hague is a product of your part of the world and they can not even convict Milosivec.. Oh thats right.. You didnt fight that one.. THAT WAS US SAVING THEIR ASSES.. From another brutal savage murderer...

No where is perfect.. People suck no matter where you go.. But nepotism on the judicial level is scary...

[JrzyGrl]

"No where is perfect.. People suck no matter where you go.. But nepotism on the judicial level is scary..."

Trock, I agree wholeheartedly...

[Bartholomew]

"Innocent until proven guilty" doesn't mean we have to suspend our intelligence.

"Innocent until proven guilty" only applies to criminal defendants in the dock. We don't have to apply "innocent until proven guilty" to a country. We can just stop going there and spending our money.

Have to stop feeding the trolls and go feed myself.

[truthwillout]

I mentioned the Fox and Friends report this morning. It was a little after 7am and the "spiritural advisor" of the Holloway's (aka just a Christian friend according to the man...who had a British accent, I think) made that comment. He also made urgent pleas to the Netherlands (mentioning that the Hague meant justice) to help Aruba bring justice in this case. Who knows, maybe the police commissioner is also from Holland and they knew each other there?

[hope]

Whoa!!!!! What happened?! If you don't care about helping find Natalee....THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE???!!!

[DutchPulse]

Trock -- you did Iraq for your damn interest not to save millions.

Nepotism --- please! This coming from the country that ran the greatest preferential treatment of people in the history of the world.

[trock]

Wasnt it the Dutch boy and Suriname who blamed the black security guards?

[GHB]

I agree with pessimism at this point. Some of these reports, or false alerts rather, more often than not on this site, that at first appear to be scoops then fall flat, seem to be driven by an increasingly clouded perspective. It's amazing how much leg work must go into these "reports" but how few of the biggest reports have been accurate and have caused a lot of people to have a high degree of false hope, however unintended. But look at it the other way around: If FOX or ABC were churning out some of these outragious headlines unfounded on relevant facts, they would be strung up on the blogs. I had come back here to find out what happened with the quarry. Am I right w/o reading every single post here that the answer is basically nothing? I hope we pessimists are wrong but at this late stage isn't it true that there would have to be a lot of evidence and incriminating testimonty to actually prove in any civilized court murder? The 3 are going to walk free and probably quite soon, and why shouldn't they without anything more than circumstantial evidence & wild speculation based on a couple of emails or phone calls from sources. There are people working hard on this in Aruba if not the Arubans themselves. If it's not time to move on, then when is? August? Will Dan taper off by September? If he does, will he be guilty then of forgetting about her? Will he then be a pessimist? How many weeks of obsession before one no longer qualifies as a pessimist if he drops this? 4? 8? 16? 52? I think under the circumstances 4 is about right. If she was my daughter I would NEVER drop it but she isn't and people can let this go without being unreasonably negative... RANDOM THOUGHT: Given that J does know something or he wouldn't have made up that story, release him and let some proper interrogators get a hold of him. He must be laughing right now and she was part of someone's family and they are left to suffer because he made a mistake which people do (I think there was an accident, personally, and he was there and knows where her body is (inside sharks probably(?))) but what is worse is that he refuses to come up with a credible story. There should be a crime that says if we can prove that you lied during the course of a murder investigation, then the punishment is 2x the punishment for acutal murder, and the only way your punishment can be reduced to murder is if you produce the body. Sorry to take up so much real estate, Dan. It's your blog and you can zap this.

[Trock]

What interests would that be? The high price of lives lost? The high price of gasoline? Geez I thought it was for oil.. How ignorant of me

[Caro]

Brian:

I don't know the legal system in Aruba but if it is based on the Dutch system, very likely you can be arrested again if anything new comes up. Probably you can walk away from a penal convicition after a couple of years ( maybe 20 years in a murdercase, I have no idea) but then the relatives of the victim can go to a civil court for moral damages and stuff.

[DutchPulse]

Hope -- because this is a place to bash us Dutch. Like your justice system is fair. A man got shot in NY by 4 cops and they all walk free. Talk about preference/cover up.

[Not a Hand Wringer.]

For the record Trock, it was NATO that moved in on Milosivec. Of course I'm not surprised. Many Americans it seems, think America does everything alone, even when they have allies working alongside them.

As far as Iraq goes. You're entitled to your opinion, but the fact is this. Much of the free world disagrees with it.

As for a boycott of Aruba. That's a knee jerk reaction that would pacify jerks I suppose, but it would do neither of these things.

1) bring back Natalee Holloway
2) significantly hurt Aruba. There are plenty of other currencies that would fill the void should American dollars dry up in Aruba.

Your point about boycotting Manhatten is an excellent one and I applaud you at least for that.

[Justice]

COME ON NOW, DUTCHPULSE,

TELL ME PLSSSSSSM TELL ME: Which American is gonna admit: "yes, we killed the Iraqis out of interest, because of the profit: the oil, the money."

Instead, they talk about being saviours, my goodness. May God protect us from such saviors!!! Hey everyone, Aruba is a safe island, keep that in mind. Not to mix it up with your own dangerous country.

[DutchPulse]

Trock -- they learned that from u guys.

Iraq is your last gasp. Power is shifting to Asia. You can't dominate there. Vietnam already proved that.

[findthetruth]

lets see them take a polygraph test

[Trock]

Not a Hand Wringer.. Reread my post. I never called for a boycott of Aruba, I think that is ridiculous..
If Americans in vast numbers did it certainly would hurt the island .. One crazy crime does not a ghetto make.
Nor would I hold the aruban people responsible for this. You are correct about Nato but look at who makes up Nato... Much of the 'free" world does disagree on Iraq, but they were not the ones who were attacked on 9/11 and I personelly witnessed the attack. Because of financial interestes France and germany were against it.. Hey everyone has a price. But mark my words.. We will be victorious no matter how long it takes...

[Carol]

Tsunders:
Okay the next time your country is taken over by some rogue, renegade, control freak don't be looking to the ole USA to use our man/fire power to save your a--! Go ahead and ask the Euro's. Try France.

[DutchPulse]

findthetruth -- give one to Bush first.

[jetline]

Word of advice: Don't talk politics with someone who can't spell chaperone correctly.