Update

The Political Teen has the Scarbrough & Co. video of the EquuSearch group.

Tom and Red at Scared Monkeys have the audio from Tom's radio appearance of last night.

I had a call from someone involved in the Holloway family's search on Aruba early this morning. They were asking questions regarding the EquuSearch team. Co-ordinating things is a major problem down there and there's an incredible amount of frustration, as well as understanding.

The family and friends do understand the nature of the Dutch legal system - but with a process which provides scant little independent oversight, there's an overwhelming drive to take things into your own hands when you don't have answers. I am not an Aruba bash-er by any means, but that overwhelming drive isn't a simple lack of patience, it's an American instinct and , personally, I'm not of a mind to apologize for it to anyone.

We talked a little about how the newly arriving search group might deploy - not that they aren't the experts, or we are - we talked about it from a problem solving perspective, only. If you can't get much information, it can be hard to employ resources efficiently as you may be covering ground already covered and not even know it. Has the dump been searched? Some specific areas of the island, with dogs or without? Those are questions to which the answers would be very helpful - and so far as I know from this earlier conversation - the family can't get them.

So, as Fox reported about the lawsuit on behalf of the family to gain access to information, keep in mind it isn't simply butting in - it's trying to do the best thing on behalf of a missing loved one while working within a legal system that is far from transparent.

American democracy is, by definition, participatory. And that general paradigm flows through most of our institutions. That isn't the case in Aruba.

Comments

[Mauricio Dolce]

Laci Peterson went missing from Dec 24 to April 18 and nobody suggested to boycot California.

Scott Peterson was not arrested until Laci's body were found.

Why the killer (s) of Natalee is been more agressively pursued than Scott Peterson was?

Can somebody explain why Aruba, the Aruban Police and the Dutch should be held at a higher standard than the Modesto, CA Police and the FBI?

Could it be that we are unable to see our own faults/short comings and are quick to point fingers at foreigners and strangers?

Its a crime as any other, you can spin it around as much as you want, its no diffrent.

[MarkyMark]

It's not the speed of the investigation that's the problem.
It's the fact that nobody knows what the hell is going on besides the Peabody Police!

[Mary]

I do not know who you are and why you are even comparing the Scott Peterson case to this case of Natalee. If you even bothered to follow the case of Peterson then you know that. Obviously you did not. You can try to spin it the way "you" want but it does not jive. These boys "know" what happened.
These are boys. Scott was a man. SCOTT preplanned the whole thing he did.There is a lot of difference here and if you would take the time and look at the facts you would know that.
Now, crawl back into the hole you came out of and
get a life.!

[Justice4All]

Mauricio
There was no evidence in the Scott Peterson case upfront, if you remember he was being taped with the help of Amber and was taken as he tried to escape. VDS and buddies have been detained by a Judge based on the evidence found. Here is another fact, we couldn't wait until Scottie was sent to the big house too.

[Ari]

Mary: You did not answer his question. Your logic is flawed. Of course we should compare FBI and Modesto Police to this case. And it seems that they were moving even slower than the Aruba police. Try to stop this foolish self-righteous attitude of yours.

[JimmyJoeBillyBob]

Mauricio,

You are partly right, but that is all. Totally different situations, and oh, by the way, Americans universally wanted to see Scott P. strung up by his testicles. For the most part, the average American is big on seeing justice done and not afraid to get involved to try to make it happen.

But yes, it seems many people from all cultures have the instinct to point fingers at foreign things. And yes, coming from a big island ourselves, many Americans do not understand foreign cultures as more travelled societies. But many do, so you can't really generalize from the comments from the few. People generalize about other peoples a lot, and that is the cause of much of the unfortunate misunderstanding in the world today, imo.

[jrkweed]

FUCK ARUBA!!!!!! GIVE US THE GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dar]

My comments are addressed to Mauricio Dolce. How do you compare apples to oranges? What does Scott Peterson have to do with this travisty.

If there was even the slightest glimmer of hope that Natalee was still alive, and if time were of the essence to rescue her or save her life Aruba and its inept, bungling has botched up any chance of her survival. Aruba's failure to respond quickly and given the retracted statement of "Something Bad Has Happened" leads me to believe that those in power know much more of her fate and are hiding and covering up to protect one of their own.

Scott Peterson is guilty we never let up until he went down!!! We are not seeing any activity in Arbua that even remotely looks as though they think Natalee is alive. What we want is for those in charge of this hopeless operation to come clean and reveal to the parents and the world what has happened to Natalee clearly someone there knows more then they are saying and this is now bordering on cruelty to her family.

[candy]

good afternoon all!
I don't know if anyone has touched base on my view of what maybe happened, so please excuse me if so.

I've been going over the facts as we know them the past two days and this is what I'm thinking;
What IF the brothers really did drop Joran and natalee off, went home as they say, get a text message from Joran as that he would get online when he got home to tell them what happened.
Okay so far that is what we've heard. Then joran calls daddy and tells him what has just happened (supposedly accident or not) and dad picks joran up 3am of MickyD's, they go back to the scene, get Natalee and dispose of her. My guess would be the mine-shafts. Then 6:30 am Joran calls Steve to corrobrate an alibi. Joran then hooks up with brother/s and they come with other alibi.
Todays news does state Steve was arrested because he corrobrated the original story about seeing the boys drop off Nat at hotel which we all know is false.
I do beleive Daddy knows! And momma shouldn't be able to talk to Joran without supervision by police/prosecutor. Momma can relay any info. from daddy..... Any ideas?

[Ari]

Guys, the US can't "take over" the case. We don't just show up in other countries and hijack their justice system because we don't like how they do it. Just as Aruba could not come here and take over a case because they don't like how WE do it. We are fortunate that our FBI has been INVITED to partcipate - most foreign countries would not allow even THAT.
Gosh, no wonder we as American's are considered "ugly" by people in other countries. We feel entitled to have everything our way and the laws of the country be damned. It is their country and their justice system and their laws. The family and everyone else will just have to accept their way of doing things and their laws - which are to release NO infor to the public OR the family

[candy]

BREAKING NEWS! Not to change subject, the UTAH boy has been found ALIVE!

[FORREAL]

Dan, I agree that the family should do anything they can to find Natalee as long as they respect Aruban/Dutch law. I also believe that folks who are hysterically bashing the people and the system of Aruba should come down a bit and keep things in perspective.

The Chandra Levy case is probably a better comparison than Laci Peterson's. Chandra was missing in DC, a city roughly the size of Aruba, and her body wasn't stumbled upon until 1 year later. Remember Rep. Gary Condit a government official, who many people still believe to be involved in her death? He is a free man today and the DC police and FBI have not solved her case. When the media was asking the cops for answers about Gary Condit's possible involvement, the answers were either vague or non-existent. They eventually brought him in for questioning after all the media pressure. Imagine how the Levy's feel about everything that happened.

In short, Mauricio has a point.

God bless Natalee.

[JimmyJoeBillyBob]

Wow! His parents must be ecstatic. Finally some good news for a change. I just wish Natalie had been camping in the mountains instead of hanging in a bar in Aruba.

[Hope]

All those who live in Aruba with their eyes open know the horrors in the shadows. Arubans choose to look the other way as in times past it protected their very lives….but this crime has placed the little dutch island in a very bright light…the purest form of light know as the Lord. She is in his care and will be delivered safely into his kingdom or her mothers arms, but Aruba will never recover, noone will accept she died of a OverDose and dumped into Boca Mahos, that story, told for so many years, is finally finished. She has been abducted and sold as too many of Gods lambs have been over the years. The DEA has well mapped out human trade routes and now all the world is exposed to the evil.

[Maarten Mannee]

Well, it seems that the family of Natalee Holloway isn't used to the Aruban / Dutch law system yet. In Holland everything takes time, a lot of time. Everything but the jail sentence I must say, because that is alway extremely short.

http://www.bloggie.nl/english/archives/family_is_preparing_a_lawsuit.html

[Bostonian]

This comment is for Ari

I am a friend of this family and you obviously have not given any thought as to how agonizing this situation has been for them - I can't even imagine the torment they are going through. I believe that they have been patient enough while awaiting information about their missing daughter. The Aruban government has done very little if anything at all to help the situation. If you feel that we are "ugly Americans" then get the hell out of our country. I am proud to live in a place where someone will fight so ardently to find a missing loved one. Do you really think that if you had a missing family member in another country that you would just sit back after four weeks of no answers and not try to do something?

[tanya]

Missing Utah boy found alive
11-year-old had vanished Friday from Boy Scout site 4 days ago

jimmyjoebillbob
thanks for some good news today

[RealPotential]

You know, folks, I am new at this blog stuff and I don't post often, but isn't the topic here supposed to be to try to sift through what evidence we can as a group to put the pieces together to try to help find Natalee?

I find it frustrating and distracting and a big waste of my time when I am reading through tons of posts to gleen information, and I have to sift through posts of beratement reguarding others ideas, attitudes and opinions.
This is not condusive to teamwork, and if by the slimmest chance something might get posted that would help break this case, it could easily be missed if folks who stay on the topic should get frustrated and leave due to the bashing they see go on here...

May I suggest that those of you who have something to say particularly about a PERSON POSTING here, rather than direct info reguarding the topic at hand ("FIND NATALEE"), that you click on the name of the person you have a gripe with (at the bottom of thier post) and email them directly rather than take up Dan's bandwidth with your personal attacks?
Dan is HOSTING this site because he cares about Natalee and her family (among other issues), and it is a gift to us, at his discression.
Thank You.

Interestingly, I've also noticed that although Natalee's natural mother and her step-father have been predominate in the news this past few weeks, I have rarely heard mention of her natural father, so I did a little research, and found:

*Natalee's natural father, Dave Holloway, is retired special ops, so he has connections in Wa-DC, which is why the US got on this case so fast.

Her father is an attending member of the Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church (Meridian, MS, 39305)

Pastor/Support for the family on Natalee's fathers side:

Rev. Glenn Jackson, Minister of Education/Administration
Email Address: Glenn@psdbc.org

From the website : http://www.psdbc.org/ :

"... Her father and step-mother, Dave and Robin Holloway, live in Meridian. Dave is a State Farm Insurance Agent. Natalee lives with her mother, Beth Holloway Twitty in the Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook. It is our desire to support their families in this time of crisis and pray for Natalee's safe return.

There is a fund at Trustmark Bank for you to contribute to. It is called Natalee Search Fund. The expenses for travel alone are enormous. Give as God directs you."

Trustmark National Bank*
P.O. Box 291
248 East Capitol Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201
1-800-844-2000
*Offices in Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee & Texas

http://www.trustmark.com/

[candy]

Thank you! RealPearson for the info. and your remarks, my thoughts Exactly

PRAYING for Natalee and her Entire Family!

[Ari]

Bostonian: I am an American too and I have as much right to express my opinion as you do. So you get the hell out if you don't like it. The manner the media has been handling this case is simply horrible.

[Chris]

MSNBC suggest that the U.S is doing the same thing that many suggest aruba is doing.
Hmmm are we not the people we say we are after all?

U.S. hiding secrets about Saddam, Iraqi official charges

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8298669/

[Ari]

IMO, the massive FBI involvement conjurs visions of Reagan descending on Granada to cover the Iran/Contra thing.

Thousands of murders are committed in America every year. Most go unsolved. Where is the FBI to solve those crimes.

In Aruba, we have no evidence that a crime has even been committed. It is a foreign country. By their laws we must abide.

[RealPotential]

Ok. Here's an off the wall possibility...

What if it IS White Slavery or a sex ring the authorities in Aruba are trying to bust, and if they leaked any evidence at all, it might jeapordize a currently LIVE Natalee?

[bamamom]

Not a bad theory RealPotential. That is what worried me about the broken English of the reporter calling in on Fox the other night...saying he was following a car that may have Natalee in it...Did anyone hear anymore on that?
On dogs following trails. How long can a dog follow a scent? Could they take clothing belonging to Van der sloot and see if the dog picks up his scent, or that of the Kalpoe boys...It might pinpoint if they were in the lighthouse or at the other beach together.
Pray for Natalee

[Matt]

Hi Dan,
I just wanted to clarify that perhaps its wrong to characterize the legal action filed on behalf of Natalee's family as "a lawsuit". If you monitored MSM from last evening only FOX NEWS characterized it as such. Both MSNBC and CNN (link provided) did not refer to it as a lawsuit but rather as a motion which allows Natalie's family to be a part of the prosecution team as a victim and thereby be aware of all the investigatory details till now. Such a process is allowed by Arubian law. This was also clarified on two FOX programs earlier. And certainly it provides for more transparency to the investigation as demanded by Natalee's parents.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/21/aruba.holloway/index.html

As per above link that motion has already been filed by the local counsel Sousa on behalf of Natalee's parents and it was also suggested earlier this morning that this motion will be heard and ruled upon by the same judge hearing the evidence.
I am personally hoping that Equusearch team comes up with something useful and obviously hoping for Natalee's safe return.
Keep up the great work Dan

[MarkyMark]

IMO, the massive FBI involvement conjurs visions of Reagan descending on Granada to cover the Iran/Contra thing.

Ari, you don't have a clue what you are talking about.
The FBI is not massively involved!!!
They are there as observers only.
As a matter of fact I read an article that said the Aruba Police are giving there forensic evidence to Dutch officials so there not even being used for that.

[Moscow girl]

I don’t blame ANY PARENT from ANY COUNTRY wanting to get involved in a search for their child and become proactive. Good for Natalee’s parents for taking charge.

If it was my child, missing in any country, my own or abroad, I would not care who’s doing the search, 007, Sherlock Holmes, Israeli Madad, InterPol top investigators….. I’d tell them “the heck with you all, it’s my child and I am searching”!

But I am sick and tired of Ameri-Centric superiority attitude coming from some US Media and individuals.

It’s a big world out there……. And “American way” is best only for “Americans”, and even that is not always the case for all groups of people in USA. The rest of the countries have their own legal system, their own police processes, their own views and approaches to involvement of media in criminal cases, their own life style and social environment….. and they are JUST AS VALID and citizens are often quite happy with them (or unhappy just like in ANY country).

- Dutch/Aruban legal system is not inferior to American. It’s different. It’s based on a combination and elements of European civil law and British common law. And the variations of such are seen in many countries on European, Asian and other continents. It works fine, and as you see……… there are no revolts against it by the citizens.

- The “Media Circus” so popular and expected in USA at each high profile criminal investigation and trial, is NOT A NORM in many other countries. People in the rest of the world are not spoiled by a sense of entitlement to “instant gratification” to satisfy their curiosity “this very second” because most of them are “sensation junkies” or bored with favorite soap opera…

- Media involvement often does contribute to fact fining and investigative processes that benefit the outcome, but there is not reason to bring it to a level that it has reached in USA…… I am surprised there was no arthroscopic camera inserted in Michael Jackson’s penis at the trial…….. and certainly was surprised there was no “sperm stained dirty panties” were put on big screen at 200% enlargement in the Kobi case….. (I guess Americans got bored with the sperm from Monica Lewinski).

- Let’s not forget that Media wants RATINGS, and there is a fine line between investigative reporting and “sensationalism”.

- There are MANY unsolved kidnapping and missing people cases in USA and other parts of the “civilized” world.

- Sandra Levy case took over 6 months to solve, the murderer was never found, but the media circus did ruin the career of a politician, who had nothing to do with her kidnapping.

- Amy Bradley, also an American, was missing on the ABC islands, but interestingly enough, nobody “went crazy” over the event. I guess media had more important cases……. OJ Trial?

- The Patterson case took almost a year! And with a body found, and all the evidence, and given it’s in a home-country, with husband and wife involved…… there were STILL many unanswered questions.

- There are hundreds of Mexican women, in towns right across the borders from New Mexico and Arizona, kidnapped, raped, killed and dumped in the desert…. And I don’t see American investigators running there..

- Look at the records of the US organization called “Centre for Missing and Exploited Children” and see how many children are missing for years, and how many are abused with out an offender being found.

- We still don’t know who killed “Baby Benne”, and media frantic involvement almost ruined her parents.

So let’s not make “Aruba” an evil backwards country! There is a lot less crime there than in the Great US of A… I feel more safe on ABC islands at night, than I do in Manhattan…….

Aruban economy does depend on tourism from North America, but that does not give Americans any rights to demand a change of system, if the given system in the country is being followed, and in case of Aruba – IT IS BEING FOLLOWED DELEGENTLY!

Aruban economy is not just “North American Tourism”. In the 90’s the refinery was re-opened. It’s growing banking industry is providing service for more and more off-shore companies, etc.

I am certainly planning, given all that I see, to send a proposal to the Russian Ministry of Tourism and Culture and to establish the same tourism arrangements, as we did with Dominican Republic and Jamaica, for favorable visa status to Russian tourists.

As an co-partner in Sakhalin Russian airlines, I will certainly research possibilities for charter tours to Aruba next year (although personally I prefer Bonair and Curacao). And I certainly hope that Aruban Tourism Board will take all the “nastiness” into consideration and puts out a good promotional campaign to other countries and continents.

I’ve noticed that Bonair and Curacao are patronized by mostly Canadian, and Dutch, German, Scandinavian and other European tourists. It was easy to tell, average tourist was thinner and dressed better than in Aruba. I certainly see no reason why Aruban tourism can not be marketed to Europeans and other countries. The gilder-to-dollar ratio, is worst than gilder-to-EUR, and Europeans can certainly afford to travel.

The world does not any longer revolves around “America” and “what Americans want”. Most people want the same, in all countries: to be happy, healthy and prosperous. America is no different, but it’s not better.

And I am certain that ALL PEOPLE want and hope that Natalee is found alive. So let’s concentrate on HUMAN GLOBAL EFFORT to help her and her family – not “America” vs. “Evil Foreign land”.

[JJJ]

Real Potential,

I too, am new to this blog stuff but have never posted. I agree with you wholeheartedly that it is extremely frustrating to sift through all the posts, not only here but on other sites as well, that contain a very large percentage of country/culture/suspect/victim/parental/chaperone bashing and don't forget the useless chit chat and re-posting of the same question over and over again.... You hit it on the nose that this is a waste of bandwidth and is counter-productive in the search for Natalee. I am a Canadian and have been following this tragic situation daily. I read most of the posts here and on other sites, I do my homework to keep current with the information. By the time I finish sifting through everything I am exhausted and fear I may have missed a very good opinion or theory which deserves to be highlighted and repeated without the fear of being bashed. Hopefully, people will again use this space as a means to post productive information no matter which country they are from. If everyone would work together as a team we can focus on why we are visiting this site in the first place - to 'FIND NATALEE'.

Also, thank you Dan, for this fabulous site.

[patrick]

Dan, one of your more eloquent pieces...loved it. Patrick

[PHT]

Bostonian,

I don't think you can say the Aruban gov't has done little or nothing. It appears they have been spending a great deal of time on this case. It is healthy for Americans to question their ethics from time to time. That does not mean people should leave America because they don't want to consider with what might be unfair. Regardless of differences in opinion, I believe everyone wants justice. Justice is determining all aspects of the actual facts. I think people really are trying to find the FACTS at this time. I hope people continue to investigate and search without waiting for the process to unfold otherwise. We all need to realize how dangerous it really is out there in the real world and learn to protect ourselves and our children better. It is hard to find a dentist to trust much less what lurks beyond that.

PHT

[RealPotential]

A little something to give us HOPE:

http://www.kvue.com/sharedcontent/nationworld/world/062105cccacwintlions.308efcdd.html

Keep Praying for Natalee!!

[tanya]

Dan I think we should have a page Listing all credible truths ****just as a reading page to be updated each day.
just a suggestion

[Karen]

Let this be a lesson to those traveling abroad: If you become involved in anything unlawful while in another country, you will be under THEIR LAW, not the laws of the U.S. Don't believe that the American Embassy will save your hide. It doesn't work that way.

As for me, I'm staying home!

[observer]

I had much pity for the people of aruba up until I read a post from someone obviously from Aruba stating that people would still go to Aruba after the Natalee Holloway case and that they would not go to the other islands of the caribbean because these islands are shitholes.I happen to think that the other islands of the Caribbean are beautiful and safe, and I think that if NH is not returned to her family Aruba will have much more to do than trash other safe caribbean destinations.
Remember it is the fear of going to ARUBA and being abducted and have god knows what happen which has caused people worldwide to call for boycotts of Caribbean destinations uninvolved in the scandalous nature of some of the people of ARUBA. Now other caribbean islands carelessly referred to as shitholes by you have to pay the price because of ARUBA.

[CKI]

The modesto police did let scott peterson run around a long time before he was arrested.... and it did take A VERYY LOOONG time to arrest him even though all of the signs were there! He had an affair and went on a "fishing trip" on a day most people are running last minute errands to prepare a meal, buy gifts or get ready for a party...YEAH..I followed this trial whether I wanted to or not. It was plastered all over the media. However, as I noted before the flashy media conferences had us assured they were working on something. The dutch legal system is probably much better organized than in most other touristy places!! Imagine if this had happened to a teen in Tijuana..please...

[Just Thinking]

Did anyone else see the quick spot from Aruba on CNN? The reporter said that SC was taken in because he had lied to investigators that he had witnessed Natalee being returned to the Holiday Inn. I didn't catch the source of his information. Did any of you?

[GC]

I believe that these 3, plus a few others were involved in her disappearance. But, none of them are talking until one of them is given immunity from prosecution. I do not buy the sex slavery crap. If there was sex slavery, just four white American women would not have disappeared worldwide. It would have been a open season on all pretty white American women and perhaps Asian women too! Female relatives of Natalie would also be fair game..yes many of them who came on TV are very attractive. Either Natalee is being held in either Aruba or the other colony Curacao in a basement somewhere, or she is not alive! However, only the three suspects know what exactly happened.

[GC]

Karen:

As an American you are more safe in countries such as Canada, Iceland, Norway, Singapore and Japan than in the US itself. Alabama has one of the highest murder rates in the country and the rural murders in the South are higher than the rural murder rates in the rest of the country. In Singapore, kidnapping (for white slavery or otherwise) or possession of drugs would resultin death penalty. Singapore hangs drug traffickers and human traffickers on a regular basis!

[Mary]

I agree GC
observer.....
I think we should all go to ARUBA and while we are there so a little housecleaning.
Expose what really goes on there to the world.
Take your video camera's and film all the drug dealers doing there thing...the crack houses, the red light zones.
Show it on National TV and then the whole world can decide if ARUBA is a good place to go or not.
LOL.

[GC]

Netherlands is just the opposite of Singapore. Drugs are perfectly legal. I believe the laws in Aruba are similar to the Netherlands.

[kath]

Moscow girl wrote "I’ve noticed that Bonair and Curacao are patronized by mostly Canadian, and Dutch, German, Scandinavian and other European tourists. It was easy to tell, average tourist was thinner and dressed better than in Aruba."

Moscow girl was slightly credible right up until the end...then she made the above statement. Credibility gone. Oh well.

[RealPotential]

UPDATE! >>>

Tonight on FOX at 10pm ET:

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY CONFRONTS JUDGE & MRS VDS!

Don't miss it!!