PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT

The Buddy System?


A clear picture has emerged in regards to Paulus van der Sloot and his connection to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The image appears to reveal that professional and personal relationships within all levels of the Dutch/Aruban administrations, as well as the judiciary, have resulted in preferential treatment - preferential treament which implies that a friend and colleague will never be held accountable for his participation in the events that occurred on Aruban soil during the early hours of May 30, 2005.


A. CHRONOLOGY

01. DETAINED

FOX NEWS - 06-24-05
The fifth man, Paul van der Sloot (search) — the father of 17-year-old Joran — was being held on suspicion of complicity to pre-meditated murder, complicity to kidnapping and murder and kidnapping. Under the Aruban system, complicity is a lesser charge.

02. RELEASED

Amigoe - 11-12-05
ARUBA – ... Paul van der Sloot was detained from June 23rd up till the 26th in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The examining-magistrate decided then that there was not sufficient evidence against Van der Sloot and released him. Translation Credit: Aruba Gretagrip

03. NO LONGER A SUSPECT

'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 11-14-05
COSBY: ... Late Friday, an Aruban judge said Paul Van Der Sloot is no longer a suspect in the search for the Alabama teen. In fact, Paul Van Der Sloot could even receive damages from the government of Aruba after being held for three days in an Aruban jail

04. AWARDED COMPENSATION - DETAINMENT NOT JUSTIFIED

Expatica News - 08-03-06
AMSTERDAM — Dutchman Paul van der Sloot, father of the chief suspect in the Natalee Holloway disappearance case, has been awarded financial damages. A court on the autonomous Dutch island of Aruba ruled that Paul van der Sloot was arrested and detained for four days without due cause last year as part of the investigation. He was awarded 50,000 Aruban Guilders in compensation. This is equal to EUR 21,800 or USD 27,900.

05. COMPENSATION APPEALED

FOX NEWS - 08-08-06
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Aruban prosecutors said Tuesday they will appeal an order to compensate a man detained in the disappearance of U.S. teenager Natalee Holloway. A judge on the Dutch Caribbean island ruled on July 28 that the prosecutor's office should pay $30,190 to Paulus van der Sloot, a former justice official in Aruba who was detained in the case for three days, for defamation and legal fees. "The public prosecutor's office does not agree with the amount granted, since this is much higher than usual," spokeswoman Mariaine Croes said.

06. GOOD CONDUCT DOCUMENT

Bon Dia Aruba - 01-06-06
On the basis of this letter, the attorney told the judge that the prosecutor let it be known that the case against van der Sloot was over. The judge said in his decision that he is in agreement with the attorney. Given that the prosecutor herself said that Mr. van der Sloot is no longer a suspect, which according to the judge can be looked at as the prosecutor saying that the case is over, since the prosecutor will no longer pursue the case. This signifies that Paul van der Sloot will soon start working as a lawyer in Aruba and the case he brought forth against the Public Prosecutor will not go forward since he obtained his good conduct document, which is the document he was missing to be registered as a lawyer. Translation Credit: Aruba Getagrip

07. SWORN IN AS AN ATTORNEY

Aruba Today - 01-18-06
Paul Van Der Sloot, once held in connection with the disappearance of an Alabama teenager was cleared on of suspicion in the case last November and has now been installed in the capacity of a lawyer on the island. Paul van der Sloot entered the courthouse yesterday to present his application to the “raad van toezict” (Supervisory Commission) and the members of the Aruban Lawyers Association. The commission, together with the lawyers association reviewed his application and attached documents, concluding that he satisfied the qualifications to be accepted as an active lawyer working on the island of Aruba.

08. JOINS ANTONIO CARLO'S LAW FIRM

Expatica News - 02-17-06
Joran is represented by lawyer Antonio Carlo, who is also Paulus van der Sloot's boss on Aruba. Paulus van der Sloot joined Carlo's legal firm as a lawyer in January this year.

09. COMPENSATION DENIED - DETENTION JUSTIFIED

Aruba Diario - 02-14-07
The whole case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway gets a different twist now that the information has come out from no less than the Superior Court, and in which mention is made of the declarations of witnesses and a phone tap that show or give an indication that Paul van der Sloot had on two occasions personal contact with Natalee during the night that she disappeared. Mention is made that, according to one or more official reports of the phone tap and also the declaration of Paul van der Sloot himself, that Paul fetched Joran and Natalee at McDonald and took them to the Holiday Inn. Based on this information, the judicial authorities and the police had at that time a justified basis to arrest Paul van der Sloot based on different suspicions. Translation Credit: Diario Aruba


B. THE SUPERIOR COURT RULING


The implications encompassing the rulings of the Superior Court in January, 2007 are very far reaching, and many questions are left unanswered. The ruling which denied Paulus van der Sloot compensation and the ruling which deemed that his detention was justified were based on Paulus' own declaration as well as incriminating wiretaps.


1. Was the Judiciary protecting Paulus van der Sloot?

*Why was Paulus van der Sloot released after only three days of detention on suspicion of being involved in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway?

*Why was Paulus van der Sloot declared in a ruling by the Aruban court to no longer be a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway?

*Why was Paulus van der Sloot initially awarded compensation for wrongful detention by the Aruban court?

Inquiring minds want to know if the judge/s who ruled in these three court proceedings were unaware of the wiretap and declaration which were revealed by the Superior Court in January, 2007 or - was there preferential treatment involved? Also - was the judge/s unaware of interrogator Lt. Roland Tromp's contention that Paulus van der Sloot changed his declaration regarding his knowledge/participation in the events pertaining to the morning of May 31, 2005?


2. Was Karin Janssen part of the coverup?

Karin Janssen's professional capacity dictated that she was in a position of knowledge when she wrote the letter of recommendation on Paulus van der Sloot's behalf - the letter of recommendation which was required if Paulus was to receive his accredidation as a qualified attorney. As the prosecutor for the Natalee Holloway investigation - Janssen had to have been aware of the evidence revealed by the Superior Court in January, 2007 which denied Paulus compensation for wrongful detention and also deemed his detention as justified.

Also - when the letter of recommendation was submitted - the prosecutor of the investigation had to have been aware of interrogator Lt. Roland Tromp's contention regarding Paulus' changing declarations concerning the morning of May 31, 2005.

Inquiring minds want to know why Karin Janssen bowed to the threat of a lawsuit for non-compliance and thereby composed the letter of recommendation.


3. Why does Paulus van der Sloots' non-suspect status as well as his attorney status remain unchanged?

When the January, 2007 ruling of the Superior Court is considered - the rulings which deemed that Paulus' detention was justified based on his own declaration as well as incriminating wiretaps - inquiring minds want to know why the earlier court decision that ruled Paulus was no longer a suspect has not been reversed and ... why does this man continue to legally hold a position as a practicing attorney on the Island of Aruba?

Jossy Mansur - Aruban Editor -
NANCY GRACE - 10-04-05 GRACE: … Jossy, regarding the connection, what I perceived to be a close connection between the judge, Paulus Van Der Sloot and the retired chief of police who initially handled Natalee`s case, Van Der Stratten, were they friends?
MANSUR: Of course, they were friends. It stands to reason they were friends because Paul Van Der Sloot had many friends within the police department; he had many friends within the Department of Justice. And he had many friends with -- and he was friendly with all the judges in Aruba. He worked out of the same office as they did and did the same work

Lt. Roland Tromp - Interrogator - CBS NEWS - 08-05-05
Tromp, who declined to provide details about exactly what investigators believe happened to Holloway, said that Paul van der Sloot has also changed his account the night Holloway vanished. "Why should you do that if you are telling the truth?" he said


Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee’s Freebirds

ARUBAN AUTHORITIES IMPLICATE MAIN SUSPECTS IN NATALEE HOLLOW CASE

Within one week of Natalee Holloway's disappearance on Aruban soil under suspicious circumstance - there have been posts continually submitted to various internet message boards which depict an obvious agenda - an agenda to detract from the truth, and to obscure the real issue that a perceived corrupt investigation is distancing the main suspects from implication in the events encompassing the morning of May 30, 2005 while shifting the focus on the victim and her family. Recently, the same agenda has been mirrored in the Aruban, Dutch and American media.

The following sourced quotes will reveal the truth regarding the main suspects - Paulus, Joran, Deepak and Satish - through the words of those with a foundational inside knowledge of the Natalee Holloway investigation.


A. GEROLD DOMPIG - DEPUTY CHIEF COMMISSIONER

1. Gerold Dompig stated on American Television to Rita Cosby that based on Joran's lies he was convinced that Joran, Deepak and Satish were guilty of wrongdoing.

Gerold Dompig - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 11-08-05
DOMPIG: I still believe that these boys have been lying, they're still lying, and everybody knows that by now. So there's no doubt in my mind that they know something, they're guilty of something.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12187266/

2. Gerold Dompig conceded to Rita Cosby on American Television that he had stated that it was his belief that Joran, Deepak and Satish were guilty - guilty as Hell. He also believed they were involved in her disappearance.

Gerold Dompig - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 11-02-05
COSBY: Do you believe, Chief—you said to me even before this interview that you believe the boys are guilty as hell. Do you believe they‘re involved in her disappearance?
DOMPIG: Yes.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9910586/from/RL.3/

3. Gerold Dompig stated on American Television to Rita Cosby that none of Joran's statements could be believed because his decarations kept changing in regards to the events of the morning of May 30, 2005 when Natalee Holloway went missing.

Gerold Dompig - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 10-17-05
DOMPIG: .... Joran went back and forth with his statements, and he withdrew two statements which he had already given to us. So basically, none of his statements were really trustworthy. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9727957/

4. Gerold Dompig conveys to Dan Abrams on American Television that Joran cannot be believed as inconsistencies abound in his official declarations.

Gerold Dompig - THE ABRAMS REPORT - 10-12-05
DOMPIG: Well, it would take me, I think, a little over two days to go over all the inconsistencies. None of the stories match up, let me put it that way. So when it comes to believing this individual, we know in which category to place him.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9676188

5. The implications of Gerold Dompig's words to Dan Abrams on American Television are huge. He states that those within the investigation are of the opinion no other person than Joran, Deepak and Satish could be responsible for whatever happened to Natalee Holloway.

Gerold Dompig - THE ABRAMS REPORT - 10-12-05
DOMPIG: Exactly. And I go by the rule of thumb that, in the first 40 days -- as I said in a different program -- the first 40 days, law enforcement has probably also already spoken to the perpetrators. So we feel strongly that we have already spoken to them. And there's no one else outside this group that could be involved or responsible. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9676188/page/2/

6. On American television Gerold Dompig tells Dan Abrams that every direction the Natalee Holloway investigation takes - the outcome implicates Joran, Deepak and Satish.

Gerold Dompig - THE ABRAMS REPORT - 10-12-05
DOMPIG: So sometimes people will ask us that, "Are you not tunnel-visioned? Maybe you should look at other possibilities." Of course. We did that. But we still feel that, every time you go on a path, a different path, that path leads back, comes back to these three boys. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9676188/page/2/

7. In a released statement to the Associated Press - Gerold Dompig revealed that there was an admission by one of the suspects in regards to what happened to Natalee Holloway. Dompig stated that the suspect was leading authorities to the location where this happening occurred.

Gerold Dompig - Associated Press - 06-12-05
Deputy Police Commissioner, Gerold Dompig, told The Associated Press that one of three young men arrested in the case admitted "something bad Happened" to Holloway and was leading police to the scene. Prosecutors refused to comment on Dompig's statement, and Dompig himself refused to identify which of the three young men who took Holloway to the Northern beach the night she went missing made the statement. http://archive.seacoastonline.com/2005news/06122005/world/47255.htm

8. In the 48 Hours' interview with correspondent Troy Roberts - Gerold Dompig revealed that the investigation team was of the opinion that Joran, Deepak and Satish were all lying in regards to the Marriot Beach account of what took place on the morning when Natalee Holloway went missing.

Gerold Dompig - 48 HOURS - 03-22-06
Dompig laid out the latest scenario of what happened after Natalee was last seen driving off with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers shortly after 1 a.m. He says investigators think the group did not go to the beach but that they possibly brought Natalie back to the van der Sloots' home. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/22/48hours/main1430644_page5.shtml

9. Dompig stated in interview with Bryan Burrough (Vanity Fair) that there is a possibility that something unfortunate may have happened when Joran lost his temper when Natalee resisted his advances.

Gerold Dompig - VANITY FAIR ARTICLE - 01-02-06
"The F.B.I. profiled him as a person who never has been corrected by his parents. He's the boss of what happens in that house. He's the boss in the family. He is allowed to do anything.… If a person like that is in a position where a person says, 'No,' well, that person may change completely. Maybe he blew a fuse when she wouldn't have sex with him, and something happened."
http://www.vanityfair.com/fame/features/2006/01/natalee200601?currentPage=9

10. Gerold Dompig stated to correspondent Troy Roberts in the 48 HOURS interview that Paulus was not being forthcoming regarding his knowledge of the morning that Natalee Holloway went missing.

Gerold Dompig - 48 HOURS - 03-22-06
Dompig says he believes Paulus Van der Sloot does know more than he has been telling about the circumstances surrounding Holloway's disappearance. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/22/48hours/main1430644_page3.shtml

11. Gerold Dompig's words in the 48 HOURS interview with correspondent Troy Roberts imply that Paulus played an active role in concealing the remains of Natalee Holloway.

Gerold Dompig - 48 HOURS - 03-22-06
The Aruban authorities’ new theory is that someone, someone possibly very close to the young suspects, took the time to carefully hide the body, not once but maybe twice, literally re-burying her.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/22/48hours/main1430644_page4.shtml

12. Gerold Dompig's official position within ALE implies that he must have derived his words to Rita Cosby from a foundation of knowledge - Dompig states that Joran's dispicable actions towards the person of Natalee Holloway consititues a felony under Dutch law.

Gerold Dompig - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 10-17-05
DOMPIG: They only went so far as to say that they fondled sexually. At least, Joran did that, and the others denied everything.
COSBY: Chief, you know, that Joran was claiming in some statement that she was gong in and out of consciousness. Have you seen that anywhere?
DOMPIG: Yes, that's definitely in the statements, and that‘s why we were kind of disappointed when the judge didn‘t accept that because that‘s basically a felony in Aruba. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9727957/


B. STEVE COHEN - SPOKESPERSON FOR THE INVESTIGATION

1. Steve Cohen's function as spokesperson for the Aruban investigation into Natalee Holloway's disappearance was to proclaim the truth to the media - the truth that was derived from a foundation of knowledge.

Steve Cohen - The Strategic Communications Task Force - 12-7-05
Aruba Selects Spokesman For North America A coalition of groups announced Friday the appointment of Steve Cohen to act as spokesperson to North American media, in regards to the Natalee Holloway disappearance case. AHATA and the ATA appointed Cohen to deal with all media relations concerning the case which still commands media coverage in the United States. Mr. Cohen has been part of the Strategic Communications Task Force since its creation in June. He has a full knowledge of the case and is an associate of the Strategic Message Design. http://www.arubatruth.com/?p=17

2. In his address the Caribbean Marketplace that was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico - Steve Cohen reveals that two of the main suspects in the Natalee Holloway investigation had sexual relations with the eighteen year old American citizen. This is the position that Natalee's mother - Beth Holloway - has stood by since the initial stages of the investigation.

Steve Cohen - Caribbean Voice - 01-18-06
Aruba stays afloat through Natalie Holloway's investigation By Hazel Heyer SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico ... Aruba believes it is most important to get a hold of her mental state and most importantly, Natalee's physical state at the time of disappearance. "Two of the boys said they had consensual sex with her. Whether consensual or not, depends on her ability to be conscious and make a choice," said Cohen.
http://www.caribvoice.org/travel&tourism.html

3. Steve Cohen concedes to Phil McGraw that Joran, Deepak and Satish are guilty of wrongdoing and possess an indepth knowledge of events from the early morning hours of May 30, 2005.


Steve Cohen - Dr. Phil Show - 01-29-06
Steve explains, "Forensic materials continue to be collected. I think we've got our hands on some forensic material now that may actually open up the doors to the final results of this case." Dr. Phil asks him, "From your opinion, based on what you know, do you believe that these boys are guilty of wrongdoing here?" Steve says that he does. "Do the prosecutors believe they are guilty of wrongdoing?" Steve says that they do. "Do you believe that [the boys] have available, intimate knowledge of what happened to her that night?" Again, Steve confirms that he does. http://www.drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/3041/?id=?id=&slide=7&null=null

4. In December, 2006 - Steve Cohen informed Rita Cosby on American Television that it was the intention of Aruban officials to bring Joran, Deepak and Satish in for questioning regarding timelines and other descrepancies in their official declarations. However, the planned interrogations never took place. Joran's attorney reminded those in the investigation that the conditions of the September 2005 release - which had dictated that the suspects were to remain available for questioning - had been lifted by an Aruban court.

Steve Cohen - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 12-21-05
COHEN: I do want to make the distinction for you and your audience between questioning and rearrest. This is a questioning procedure that Chief Dompig is going to go through with them because as they‘ve analyzed the timeline, they‘ve found some other discrepancies and they want to review these discrepancies with the three suspects.
COSBY: Hey, Steve, what are those discrepancies exactly?
COHEN: Well, I think it‘s mostly timeline discrepancies, Rita. As you look at their testimony and their interrogations of where they were at different times between 1:30-something in the morning and between 3:30 in the morning, these are very important two or three-hour blocks that the investigators want to review in detail.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10572846/

5. Steve Cohen shared with Phil McGraw that he felt defeated while he escorted Joran, Deepak and Satish from jail following the ruling of the Aruban court.

Steve Cohen - Dr. Phil Show - 01-29-06
"I was the guy who had to let them out," says Steve. "I opened the jail door for all three of them. It was nobody else. It was me. And my feeling was that we had lost ..." http://www.drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/3041/?id=1&slide=8&null=null


C. KARIN JANSSEN - PROSECUTOR

1. In a telephone interview - Karin Janssen stated that Paulus obstructed the investigation but that his detainment resulted from the suspicion that he was involved in Natalee's disappearance.

Karin Janssen - Associated Press - 07-01-20
Janssen also alleged Paul van der Sloot, a 52-year-old judge in training in Aruba, obstructed authorities' investigation by asking one of his son's friends, who had been interrogated, what he told police. But Janssen said Paul van der Sloot was detained for being a suspect in the disappearance, not for obstructing the investigation. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161294,00.html

2. The Prosecutor's office released a statement upon the rearrest of the Kalpoe brothers. The new "facts/circumstances/suspicions" that comprised that statement implied that dispicable acts were perpetuated by Deepak and Satish against the person of Natalee Holloway prior to her subsequent demise. Also, Aruban Attorney and investigation spokesperson - Arlene Ellis-Schipper - publicly affirmed that the prosecutor must have "real, real evidence and new facts" to have arrested Deepak and Satish again.

Statement from Prosecutor's Office - CNN - 08-27-05
(CNN) -- After being detained and then released last month in Natalee Holloway's disappearance, two brothers were arrested again Friday in Aruba on suspicion they acted "together with other people" in raping and killing the Alabama teen, the prosecutor's office said. Without elaborating on the evidence, the office said in a statement that "new facts and circumstances" led them to re-arrest Satish Kalpoe, 18 and brother Deepak, 21. "They are suspected of the primary criminal act of together with other people committing premeditated murder, alternately together with other people murdering somebody, more alternately rob a person of her liberty with fatal consequences and even more alternately raping somebody," the statement said.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/08/26/aruba.arrests/index.html

Arlene Ellis-Schipper -On the Record w/Greta - August 30, 2006
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, I think it's a big moment, Greta. You know, the prosecution and the investigation is moving very carefully. They don't want to make more mistakes, and they are very careful. So they must have had some real, real evidence and new facts that they felt confident enough to haul them back in. ... the investigation is moving forward and there's hope that we might go towards a trial because, at first, I was doubting whether we were even facing a trial. It shows that the police have done some good work and apparently gathered evidence, new evidence enough for to bring them back in custody.. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,167372,00.html

3. In a release to the Associated Press, Karin Janssen stated that various communication records were the foundation on which she was "centering" her case.

Karen Janssen - Associated Press - 07-02-05
Janssen said the prosecution was centering its case around e-mail and cell phone text messages written between the suspects the night Holloway disappeared. Janssen declined to offer further details about the messages, but said not having a body would make getting a murder conviction "more difficult but not impossible." http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050702/aruba.shtml

4. Under Aruban law there must be "serious" suspicion to warrant pre-trial detainment and suspect status. Inquiring minds would like to know what foundation the "serious" suspicions were drived from to warrant the pre-trial detainment of the suspects in the Natalee Holloway case.

Noraina Pietersz - Associated Press - 06-09-05
Under Aruban law, only serious suspicion from investigators — not solid evidence — is needed for a judge to rule that suspects can be held, Pietersz said. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8079019/

Joran/Deepak/Satish/Steve/Croes/Paulus - FOX NEWS - 06/24/05
Joran van der Sloot (search) and his friends Deepak and Satish Kalpoe are being held under suspicion of murder and kidnapping as well as being an accessory to murder. A fourth man, party boat DJ Steve Croes, is being held under the same conditions. The fifth man, Paul van der Sloot (search) — the father of 17-year-old Joran — was being held on suspicion of complicity to pre-meditated murder, complicity to kidnapping and murder and kidnapping. Under the Aruban system, complicity is a lesser charge. None of the men have been charged with a crime, but all are in police custody. An Aruban government spokesman confirmed the allegations. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160654,00.html


D. ROLAND TROMP - POLICE INTERROGATOR

Roland Tromp - Paulus' interrogator - stated to the Associated press that those within the investigation believe Joran is the prime suspect in regards to what happened to Natalee Holloway. They also contend that Paulus assisted his son after something went tragically wrong that fateful morning.

Roy Tromp - CBS NEWS - 08-05-05
Tromp said investigators believe van der Sloot, who turns 18 on Saturday, is the prime suspect and that he had some assistance from his father, Paul, an apprentice judge on the island. "We believe something went wrong with the girl, and the first person you are going to call is your daddy," said Tromp. "In this case, daddy would know exactly what to do." Tromp, who declined to provide details about exactly what investigators believe happened to Holloway, said that Paul van der Sloot has also changed his account the night Holloway vanished. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/05/world/main763210_page2.shtml


E. SPOKESPERSON - THE ARUBAN JUSTICE MINISTRY

An Aruban Ministry of Justice Spokesperson informed FOX NEWS that Natalee had been confirmed dead and the location of her body was known.

Aruban Ministry of Justice Spokesperson - FOX NEWS - 06-11-05
David Cruz, a spokesman for the Aruban Minister of Justice (search) told FOX News Natalee Holloway (search), who was on vacation with friends with a graduation trip when she disappeared, was confirmed dead and that authorities knew the location of her body. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159252,00.html

Rick Leventhal - FOX NEWS - 06-15-05
The next day, another official spoke to one of our producers. Edward Croues, a spokesman for the minister of justice, told Craig Rivera he had "official information" that Natalee was "confirmed dead," and told Craig her father had asked police to take him to the body and to do it before the press found out where it was. We reconfirmed the information with Croues before going on-air with it.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159664,00.html


F. SUPERIOR COURT

When Karin Janssen appealed the compensation which was awarded to Paulus for wrongful detainment - the Superior Court's ruling sided with the proscutor. It ruled that - according to tapped information and Paulus' own declaration - Paulus' detention could be considered justified.


Superior Court - Diario - 02-14-2007
The whole case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway gets a different twist now that the information has come out from no less than the Superior Court, and in which mention is made of the declarations of witnesses and a phone tap that show or give an indication that Paul van der Sloot had on two occasions personal contact with Natalee during the night that she disappeared. Mention is made that, according to one or more official reports of the phone tap and also the declaration of Paul van der Sloot himself, that Paul fetched Joran and Natalee at McDonald and took them to the Holiday Inn. Based on this information, the judicial authorities and the police had at that time a justified basis to arrest Paul van der Sloot based on different suspicions. (Translation Credit: Diario)
http://www.diario-aruba.com/2007/2/14/


G. DIANE EMERENCIA - ARUBAN ATTORNEY

Diane Emerencia - Freddy Zedan-Arambatzis’ attorney - revealed that Joran, Deepak and Satish are under suspicion of involvement in a previous sexual assault which occurred prior to the disappearance of Natalee Hollowy.

Diana Emerencia - Associated Press - 08/31/05
Zedan-Arambatzis, 21, is also suspected of photographing the girl in "tempting poses" and showing the images to other people, Emerencia said. The Kalpoe brothers and van der Sloot are also suspected of involvement in the incidents, which allegedly occurred before Holloway disappeared, she said. Emerencia said Zedan-Arambatzis has denied having any physical contact with the girl or taking photos of her, but has admitted to being present when the photos were taken.
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050831/aruba.shtm


H. DOUG SHIPLEY - FBI

On June 10, 2005 one of the FBI agents who was on Aruba was informed that Natalee Holloway may no longer be alive and he passed that devasting news on to the family.

Doug Shipley - 'Scarborough Country' - 07-12-05
TWITTY: And that was the day that the FBI came in, Doug Shipley (ph) came in and said that the way the interrogations are unfolding, there‘s a strong possibility that Natalee may not be alive. That was huge. That was the day that—I think, Joe, everyone buried Natalee that day, on June 10.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9813596/


I. UNITED STATES REP. SPENCER BACHUS

What information was Spencer Bachus and the family privy to on June 5, 2005 that convinced them that the circumstances encompassing the disappearance of Natalee Holloway warranted FBI involvement?

Spencer Bachus - The Birmingham News - 06-05-05
U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, said Saturday there were circumstances surrounding Holloway's disappearance that warranted the FBI being heavily involved. He declined to give details. "The circumstances were disturbing," said Bachus, who formally requested the FBI's involvement. "I can't get into it, but it's something the family is aware of. There was an immediate recognition that this was not simply a teen who wandered off." http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/111796344124200.xml&coll=2

In conclusion, the following statement from former Aruban police commissioner Stanley Zaandam lets us know there were questionable actions from within Aruban law enforcement that possibly began the wide spread collusion by Aruban officials to protect their own. This collusion included public Aruban figures, such as those who recently gave interviews to an Aruban newspaper – once again denigrating the family of this victim, and utilizing a public platform in an attempt to shift the focus of blame in this case.


Ex-commissioner Stanley Zaandam Bon Dia Aruba 9/19/2005
Zaandam keeps on saying in his book, two days after 5/29, the body of Natalee H. may have already been found and Cvp [police commissioner] looked the other way to do a favour for Paul vd Sloot (ex of chief staff of Cabinet PG [prosecutor general] J. Zwinkels). To exculpate the son of Paul, the CvP and fiscal chief prosecutor Karen Jansen made the false arrest of two ex-security guards, Jones and John , called this a ‘tactical maneuver’ , and denied them their freedom for another 10 days.

Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee’s Freebirds

RICK SMID- ARUBA’S DIRTIEST JUDGE

Many of the judicial rulings by the Dutch judges in the Natalee Holloway case have been highly questionable, some so openly biased in favor of the Van der Sloot family they smack of corruption. For instance, when a search warrant was being executed on the Van Der Sloot home on June 15, 2005 investigators were surprised to find Curacao Judge Bob Wit open the door and inform them their search would not include the main Van Der Sloot residence or the surrounding property.

Eight days later when Joran’s father Paulus Van Der Sloot was arrested for "reasonable suspicion" in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway Judge Bob Wit intervened again, disallowing a search of the Van Der Sloot home. Ironically, no such limitations were ever placed on the search of the homes of two black security guards who were arrested on June 5, 2005. In fact, Aruban police ransacked their homes and perp walked them in front of the media, only later having to release them because there was no evidence that, unlike Joran Van Der Sloot and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, they had ever been in contact with Natalee Holloway.

Since when do suspects in a murder investigation get a free pass from having their house searched? Prior to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway it is well known that Paulus Van Der Sloot had been a Dutch judge in training. Did his connections to the judiciary in Aruba and nearby Curacao have any influence on these rulings by Judge Bob Wit?

Judge Bob Wit's early decisions in the Natalee Holloway case would start a chain reaction of pro-Dutch, anti-victim rulings that would eventually free the Van Der Sloots from facing criminal charges.

JUDGE RICK SMID, ARUBA’S DIRTIEST JUDGE, IGNORES INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE AGAINST THE MAIN SUSPECTS

“Aruba’s Dirtiest Judge” honor, however, goes to Dutch Judge Rick Smid for his extremely questionable rulings in the Natalee Holloway case. This one judge has caused as much damage to the Holloway case being solved as is humanly possible. IT WAS RICK SMID WHO SET THE STAGE FOR JORAN VAN DER SLOOT TO FLEE THE ISLAND OF ARUBA.

Police statements from Joran and the Kalpoe brothers—the last people to be seen with Natalee Holloway-- have revealed many disparities in their accounts of what happened that night she disappeared. In a secretly recorded conversation in a police van on June 25, 2005 the three suspects engaged in heated arguments about who was responsible for Nataleee’s demise, implicating not only each other but Joran’s father Paulus.

It is clear from these tapes and other statements the suspects gave to police, that the three suspects had detailed and intimate knowledge that something bad had happened to Miss Holloway. Joran even described the victim’s undergarments in great detail. Judge Rick Smid chose to completely ignore the fact that the main suspects were telling different accounts of what happened to Natalee that night. Why did judge Smid ignore such glaring and obvious contradictions in the stories of the three suspects? Even the simplest of minds would know that some of the parties were telling lies, indicating a clear measure of guilt.

JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR DIARIO ARUBA
Monday, November 21, 2005

No one has accused them of murder, but they themselves admitted to police during interrogations that something bad happened to Natalee while she was with them, without specifying what ‘something bad’ was! That they admitted to committing sexual abuse against her.

It is not extensive that the judge who presided over the case and decided that some things were inadmissible. He could be the best judge in the world, but in this case, he made light of and greatly neglected to pay attention to the three suspects’ admissions, since he didn’t even interrogate them about what was left hanging in the air, such as the declaration of Joran at the beach that he believes that Deepak raped and killed Natalee! How did this matter end there? How were the other accusations and counter-accusations among the three suspects not evaluated for their just content?

RICK SMID SHIELDS THE SUSPECTS FROM FURTHER TESTIMONY AND ALLOWS THE MAIN SUSPECT TO FLEE THE ISLAND

Judge Rick Smid was very aware of the discrepancies and inconsistencies in Joran Van der Sloot’s and the Kalpoe’s stories when he made several of his rulings in the case. Judge Smid was also aware Joran had lied about dropping off Natalee Holloway off at the Holiday Inn and had told four differing and contradictory stories as to how he got home that night. The Kalpoe brothers to this day disagree with Joran Van der Sloot on how he got home early that morning.

In an Aruban court on August 30, 2005 Judge Rick Smid ruled there was enough evidence that Joran Van Der Sloot should be held in police custody another 30 days. Then Judge Smid does something very unusual. He returns to his office in Curacao and faxes in a reversal of his ruling only hours later. Citing an obscure Dutch case dubbed the “Ponson Rule”, Judge Smid ruled that Joran’s schoolwork was more important than the case of a missing, and most likely, murdered, tourist. It should be noted the Ponson Rule was originally instituted for a baseball player who was involved in a case nowhere near as serious as murder.

As a direct result of Judge Rick Smid's ruling, Joran Van Der Sloot (to this day the main suspect in Natalee Holloway’s disappearance) was released from police custody on September 3, 2005 and immediately fled the island of Aruba to the safety of Holland three days later.

Less than two weeks later three Dutch Superior Court judges in Curacao delivered their final coup de grace. On September 14, 2005, in a ruling by three Dutch judges from Curacao, Joran Van Der Sloot and the Kalpoes brothers were all released unconditionally. This order prevented law enforcement from taking any further testimony from the three suspects in the Natalee Holloway case - despite the fact their accounts of what happened the night Natalee Holloway disappeared in their company are drastically different. Why would these three judges release the three main suspects from giving further testimony when those same judges knew full well the suspects lied to police, with conflicting stories from one suspect to the next?

Rogue Judge Rick Smid's rulings would be a devastating blow to the Natalee Holloway case. When Aruba spokesperson Steve Cohen promised the American public the three suspects would be brought back in for questioning in December 2005, it was revealed they would never have to testify again. All of this as a result of Judge Rick Smid's abuse of his position on the bench.

ASSOCIATED PRESS
September 1, 2005

The judge in the case issued two rulings: In the first, he agreed with prosecutors' request to extend the period of van der Sloot's pretrial detention by 30 more days.

But later Thursday, the judge issued another ruling that sided with the defense — an order to immediately suspend the execution of his earlier pretrial detention order. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9163292/


BETH TWITTY ON NANCY GRACE
September 13, 2005

GRACE: What was the grounds? Why did they release them?

TWITTY: You know, Nancy, there was absolutely no -- no grounds for them to be released. And I spoke with the Dutch interrogators. And even as of September the 1st, things were really progressing well, and Joran and Deepak and Satish, they had -- these young men had divided, and they were not denying a crime anymore. They were merely implicating each other. And the list of inconsistencies was presented before Judge Smit. The reasonable doubt was there. I don`t have any idea why he fled the island and then faxed a reversal decision. It just is incredible. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/13/ng.01.html


JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR DIARIO ARUBA
Monday, October 1, 2005

Did the judge who came from Curacao probably plan take the decisions he took, spoiled the case? With all due respect for the position you have taken, have you seen what happened?

The case was resolved in phases the same judge planned: first release Paul v.d. Sloot , then he came back to release the Kalpoe brothers and the third phase he executed now when came to set Joran free because Joran expressed his wish to continue his studies.

I have similarly not made any accusations of any sort against the Kalpoe brothers; what I have repeated is what can be found in the Polis reports where they started pointing the fingers one against the other! It is in these three phases here that Americans see the corruption of our justice system.


THE DUTCH JUDGES ARE PART OF THE ARUBA "GOOD OLE BOY" NETWORK THAT PROTECTS THEIR OWN

The Aruban government and law enforcement are riddled with good ole boy friendships that usurp their ability to exact justice when one of their own is involved in a crime. It has been rumored that Judge Rick Smid was a close personal friend of Paulus Van Der Sloot and had stayed in his residence on occasion during his visits to Aruba. Judging by his rulings, this would seem to be the case.

Jossy Mansur points out that the Dutch judges were in collusion all along in an editorial that ran in his newspaper, El Diario Aruba. Given such a biased series of rulings in the Natalee Holloway case it is hard not to believe these judges all worked in unison to deny justice to the American victim in favor of saving their fellow Dutch nationalists' from facing their crimes in a court of law.

To this day Joran Van Der Sloot is considered the main suspect in the Natalee Holloway case, and his father Paulus was recently denied compensation when it was revealed through a wiretapped conversation he had met Natalee Holloway the same day she disappeared – not once, but twice. It is well known that Paulus Van Der Sloot is suspected of covering up his son's criminal acts against Natalee Holloway and some believe he had direct involvement in her demise. His lies in police statements concerning his whereabouts the night Holloway disappeared, in addition to stating he had never met Holloway, exposed in court, serve to reinforce such suspicions.

But yet the Dutch have chosen to do nothing in the case even though it is well proven all of the suspects lied as both witnesses and suspects, and thanks to the Dutch judges' orders they will not have to face questioning again.


EDITOR JOSSY MANSUR OF DIARIO NEWSPAPER ON NANCY GRACE
October 4, 2005

GRACE: … Jossy, regarding the connection, what I perceived to be a close connection between the judge, Paulus Van Der Sloot and the retired chief of police who initially handled Natalee`s case, Van Der Stratten, were they friends?

MANSUR: Of course, they were friends. It stands to reason they were friends because Paul Van Der Sloot had many friends within the police department; he had many friends within the Department of Justice. And he had many friends with -- and he was friendly with all the judges in Aruba. He worked out of the same office as they did and did the same work. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0510/04/ng.01.html


RICK SMID'S HISTORY OF LENIENCE ON CRIMINALS RAISES QUESTIONS OF HIS INTEGRITY AND ABILITY TO SERVE AS A JUDGE. IF RICK SMID WILL DO THIS FOR NON-DUTCH CRIMINALS, IMAGINE WHAT HE WILL DO FOR HIS DUTCH FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS

Rick Smid refuses to have human traffickers and drug dealers arrested:

PHILIPSBURG - Two men considered to be the local organisers of what the Prosecutor’s Office believes to be a Chinese-led human smuggling operation are facing six- and eight-year prison sentences. They were also accused Thursday of involvement in the drug trade, mainly cocaine.

The Prosecutor further requested the immediate arrest of both suspects, who had been released from pre-trial detention in April, but this was turned down by Judge Rick Smid. http://news.caribseek.com/Sint_Maarten/The_Daily_Herald/article_50851.shtml
Posted: Jun 15, 2007 20:05 UTC


Rick Smid gives human trafficker 38 days in jail:

PHILIPSBURG--While investigations are ongoing into the alleged involvement of a police commissioner in human trafficking, a 28-year-old man was found guilty by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday of having tried to bribe Chief Immigration Officer Ademar Doran.

Judge Rick Smid sentenced Stephen Bruney to 180 days, 142 of which to be suspended, with three years’ probation and 200 hours of community service. http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k024/bribe024.html


IN COWARDLY FASHION, SMID RELEASES THE SUSPECTS UNDER THE MEDIA BLUR OF HURRICANE KATRINA

Had Hurricane Katrina not taken the spotlight off of Aruba, Judge Smid may have reconsidered his ruling. Instead it seems he found the catastrophe the perfect time to make such a bold and suspicious judgment. While American eyes were turned to the Gulf Coast of the U.S., Rick Smid took full advantage to free Joran van der Sloot and allow this suspect’s flight to Holland.

Smid takes advantage of a catastrophe to deal his own damage:

NANCY GRACE
September 13, 2005

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY`S MOTHER: Well, you know, Nancy, I was thinking, I knew there was corruption and cover-up involved. But I certainly didn`t know they were cowards either, and to hide beneath the cloak of Hurricane Katrina is just reprehensible. And you know, I think -- I think of the Dutch government, and I want to keep the focus on this political party in place, NEP (ph). I think of this judge, Rick Smit. And I can`t imagine putting the suspects` rights or the suspects, you know, before the victim of Natalee, and that why should he choose to be concerned about Joran attending university in The Hague? It just is unbelievable.

GRACE: What was the grounds? Why did they release them?

TWITTY: You know, Nancy, there was absolutely no -- no grounds for them to be released. And I spoke with the Dutch interrogators. And even as of September the 1st, things were really progressing well, and Joran and Deepak and Satish, they had -- these young men had divided, and they were not denying a crime anymore. They were merely implicating each other. And the list of inconsistencies was presented before Judge Smit. The reasonable doubt was there. I don`t have any idea why he fled the island and then faxed a reversal decision. It just is incredible. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/13/ng.01.html


QUESTIONS ABOUT RICK SMID AND HIS FELLOW JUDGE BOB WIT:


*Why would a judge block the search of the home belonging to a suspect in a murder investigation? Was this because Paulus Van Der Sloot was a Dutch judge in training? If not, why were the two black security guards not given the same consideration days earlier when their homes were ransacked by investigators and police?

*Why would Judge Rick Smid rule a suspect be held in custody for another 30 days and reverse his own ruling within hours after he had fled the island of Aruba to his office in Curacao? Was he afraid he might have to explain his ruling to the media while he was still on the island of Aruba? What was Judge Smid afraid of? Why the deception?

*Why did Judge Rick Smid overlook incriminating testimony by a suspect and release him by citing his “schoolwork” as being the more important factor in the case? Since when does a suspect’s "schoolwork" take precedence over finding justice for a murdered tourist? Is it because Joran Van der Sloot is Dutch and Natalee Holloway is merely a missing victim?

*What kind of judge can look at basic, rudimentary statements with conflicting testimonies from three suspects and release them from further questioning by the authorities?

*Why have all these Dutch judges made such favorable rulings in favor of Joran Van Der Sloot, shielding him from further legal action when, in fact, he is the main suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway? Joran Van Der Sloot, who has been diagnosed by both Dutch and U.S. investigators as a "pathological liar", remains free today as a result of such obviously biased rulings.

*What kind of judicial system places favoritism over justice through the use of ambiguous rulings in favor of suspected criminals? The judges from Curacao, including Rick Smid, have given the Dutch judicial system a black eye worldwide.

"And he (Paulus Van der Sloot) was friendly with all the judges in Aruba. He worked out of the same office as they did and did the same work."

Jossy Mansur


Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee's Freebirds

Aruba Accuses US Government of Interference

Aruba says the United States Government interfered with their investigation…………What is the Truth?


YOU BE THE JUDGE

It was quickly discovered by the family of missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway that Aruban officials had arrested two innocent men in the early days of their investigation.

That fact was just as quickly broadcast over American airwaves, and the American public was baffled at the news.

That was simply the first questionable action undertaken by Aruba that was brought to the public’s attention, but it certainly wasn’t the last.

Since then, we have learned about evidence that was mishandled, thrown away, or that has simply disappeared once in the hands of Aruban investigators.

We’ve also learned how Aruba soft-balled the interrogations of the actual suspects in this case, and of highly questionable rulings by the judiciary involved.

These instances, combined with several others, eventually brought many to believe there were some less than honest people handling this case on Aruba.

Recently, two Aruban spokespeople, Julia Renfro and Gerold Dompig, gave interviews to a local Aruban newspaper, openly, and we believe falsely, accusing the United States Government of causing the problems in the Aruban investigation – up to and including US Vice President Dick Cheney.

We have also learned that an Aruban delegation in Miami who met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the first week of June attempted to convince her they were making good progress in this case, right after they falsely arrested the two innocent men on June 5, 2005.

Was it not enough that Aruban spokespeople have denigrated Natalee and her family for the past two years?

Was it not enough that Aruban officials failed to conduct a proper investigation into this matter?

Apparently not.

Now for some unfathomable reason, they are casting the blame and attacking the integrity of the United States Government.

Is protecting their tourism really this important?

Or is there something bigger at stake for Aruba that they are desperately trying to keep hidden?

1. Aruba accuses Condoleezza Rice of interfering in their investigation

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with an Aruban delegation the night of June 5, 2005. That date is a notorious one within the case of missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway.

June 5, 2005 was the date Aruban officials arrested two innocent, framed, black security guards for the disappearance of Ms Holloway.

June 9, 2005 -
Associated Press Authorities in the Dutch Caribbean island can hold 30-year-old Nick John and 28-year-old Abraham Jones without filing formal charges for up to 116 days The pair were arrested Sunday on suspicion of first- and second-degree murder and capital kidnapping, the latter of which is invoked when kidnapping victim is killed. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8079019/

Four days prior to that arrest, Aruban law enforcement and the prosecutor's office knew those two innocent men were nowhere near the Holiday Inn the night/morning of May 29/30th...........as they also knew neither was Natalee Holloway. Video surveillance footage viewed by them on June 1 2005 proved that tale to be false.

Yet by June 3, 2005 Aruban officials were setting up the security guards for a fraudulent arrest.

NANCY GRACE INTERVIEW JUNE 3, 2005
"SANCHEZ: I was monitoring a conversation not long ago with a lieutenant who is in charge of one of the investigations there in Aruba. And he said, and I’m going to quote him now, that he expected there could be arrests soon. And then he said that they expected to have some more news tomorrow."
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/03/ng.01.html

Two days later, those arrests took place, and that same night Aruban Prime Minister Nelson Oduber proceeded to lead his delegation in Florida with this tall tale to our own United States Secretary of State – Condoleezza Rice.

June 6th - In spite of these fraudulent arrests with no evidence, Judy Hassell had a massive search re-directed to a part of the island these guards resided in, and Aruban government employees were let off for the day to help.

June 6, 2005
The initial search idea called for an island wide effort, but later changed to focus on the southeastern area of Seroe Colorado and part of San Nicolas, police commander Judy Hassell said. San Nicolas is where the two charged men were arrested. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/06/national/main699807.shtml

Aruban spokesperson Julia Renfro stated on July 3, 2007 that Ms Rice interfered with the Aruban investigation to local Aruban newspaper Amigoe.

Did a US official interfere into Aruba’s “investigation”? Or was she deliberately deceived by the Aruban delegation in an effort to have her withdraw her support and concern from this case?

YOU BE THE JUDGE

Interview With Juan Carlos Lopez of CNN Espanol

Secretary Condoleezza
Rice Fort Lauderdale, Florida
June 6, 2005

QUESTION: Have you received any update on the case of Natalee Holloway in Aruba?

SECRETARY RICE: We are in constant contact. And I was able to thank the Aruban delegation here last night for the very good efforts that they are making. It's obviously a case about which we're very concerned and we're all watching and working and also praying that this will come out all right.
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2005/47289.htm

What does this say about the knowledge of Aruban officals knowing the basis for these arrests was false? And yet they proceeded to expound this frame job? All the while lying to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice – after having arrested these innocent men, they proceeded to tell her they were making progress.

2. Aruba accuses the United States FBI of interfering in the Aruban investigation

Aruban Prosecutor
Authorities on the Dutch Caribbean island requested a special FBI diving team to search waters with rough currents, Aruba Attorney General Caren Janssen said. http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,158666,00.html

FBI Spokesperson
Seven FBI agents from Miami are in Aruba, including two divers and evidence collection and analysis experts, and one agent has come from Barbados, the spokesman said. http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas...7/missing.teen/

Senator Spencer Bachus
U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, said Saturday there were circumstances surrounding Holloway's disappearance that warranted the FBI being heavily involved. He declined to give details. "The circumstances were disturbing," said Bachus, who formally requested the FBI's involvement. "I can't get into it, but it's something the family is aware of. There was an immediate recognition that this was not simply a teen who wandered off." http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/inde...4200.xml&coll=2

The first week of June 2005 brought an FBI diving team from the USA to Aruba, as per what appeared to be a "welcome" given by Aruban authorities to allow the FBI to participate in the "search" that Aruban officials felt was key in their investigation.

FBI spokesperson Judy Orihuela lets us know that the invitations and welcome Aruban officials extended to our FBI dive and search teams were merely a charade, as once they arrived on the island they were sidelined by local officials to merely roles of observers and advisors.

FBI Spokesperson
Aruban authorities also appealed for the FBI to send expert divers. The U.S. agency sent two search-and-rescue divers, but they never got in the water.

"They never had any information like: she could be in this place or that area," FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said. "That target would have come from the investigation of Aruban authorities because we can't investigate in a foreign country."

The decision not to dive was "bizarre," said Joe Huston, a rescue diver with Dickinson-based Texas EquuSearch. The volunteer group began a new search in Aruba on Saturday that included divers and sonar equipment. "If her body was put in the ocean, there's a good chance now she'll never be found," Huston said.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160701,00.html

June 9, 2005 FBI dive team has left the island, http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/09/missing.teen/index.html

Were our FBI personnel being strung along by Aruban officials as they were merely puppets in Aruba’s charade of cooperation and transparency for public consumption?

It seems our FBI grew wise to the farce early on in this case.

Former Aruban Chief Gerold Dompig tells Aruban newspaper Amigoe on July 3, 2007 that not only were the FBI interfering in Aruba's investigation, but that they also issued threats to law enforcement and Aruba's prosecuting office.

"The American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has systematically hindered the work of the police and the judiciary on Aruba in the investigation of the missing student Natalee Holloway.

“Myself and also the field officer of the justice department on Aruba (at that time the European-Dutch Karin Janssen ) not only had to deal with the enormous pressure from the FBI, who arrived on the island in no time, but we were also obstructed and even threatened.” http://www.nu.nl/news/1139105/22/

Did our government officials interfere in the Aruban investigation into the disappearance of Natalee Holloway?

Or is the United States government once again being used as pawns in what will no doubt become another failed attempt to detract from the facts of this case?

YOU BE THE JUDGE

Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee’s Freebirds

THE IMPOSSIBLE TIMELINE

May 31, 2005


What events were taking place under the cover of darkness in the early morning hours of May 31, 2005? Something important enough for the 3 main suspects in Natalee Holloway's disappearance to have contrived a false timeline.

Steve Cohen - Investigation Spokesperson
COHEN: This is a questioning procedure that Chief Dompig is going to go through with them because as they‘ve analyzed the timeline, they‘ve found some other discrepancies and they want to review these discrepancies with the three suspects.
COSBY: Steve, what are those discrepancies exactly?
COHEN: Well, I think it‘s mostly timeline discrepancies ...
'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - 12-21-05

Roland/Roy Tromp - Interrogator/Lead Investigator
Roland Tromp, who declined to provide details about exactly what investigators believe happened to Holloway, said that Paul van der Sloot has also changed his account the night Holloway vanished.
"Why should you do that if you are telling the truth?" he said.
CBS NEWS - 08-05-05


In December, 2005, it was the intentions of Gerold Dompig to bring Joran, Deepak and Satish in for questioning. Discrepancies within their declarations in regards to timelines required clarification. When all was said and done, the questioning of the main suspects never happened. Dompig failed to take into consideration that within days of the main suspects' release from detainment, the judge reversed the condition of the release which required Joran, Deepak and Satish to remain available for further questioning.

In November, 2005, it had been ruled in an Aruban court that Paulus Van der Sloot was no longer a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The implication of that ruling was that further questioning by interrogators in regards to timeline discrepancies was never a consideration.

MAY 31, 2005 - PAULUS, JORAN AND DEEPAK

1. Paulus van der Sloot 2:00 AM

May 31, 2005 Paulus' delaration of June 23, 2005 states that he is awaken by the Twitty group's arrival.

2. Joran van der Sloot 2:30 AM

May 31, 2005 Joran's declaration of June 14, 2005 states that Paulus calls him in the Wyndham parking lot.

3. Deepak Kalpoe 2:40 AM

May 31, 2005 Deepak's declaration of June 13, 2005 states that he and Joran arrive at the van der sloot residence after receiving Paulus' call.

++++++++++++++++


MAY 31, 2005 - THE TWITTY GROUP

1. Aruban Case file log 2:50 AM

According to the official witness log that was obtained through disclosure by Phil McGraw, the Twitty group gives a statement to police prior to going to the van der Sloot residence.

KALPOE V. MCGRAW, ET AL.
Name: Holloway Group and MR Stamper Date: 31 may 2005 / 02:50
Pages: 3 Writer/Initiator. Robert Kock / Lindo Pantophlet / Eric Ras
Description: witness statement

2. Jug Twitty 3:00 AM

Jug Twitty conveys to Nancy Grace to Nancy Grace on October 3, 2005 the time that that the group arrived at the van der Sloots Residence.

3. Charles Croes 3:00 AM

Charles Croes, who was part of the group, tells Greta Van Susteren on June 30, 2005 that he went straight to van der Sloot residence after leaving the police station.

4. Jug Twitty 3:15 AM

Jug Twitty conveys to Nancy Grace on October 3, 2005 that it took approximately fifteen minutes for Paulus to emerge from the house following the groups arrival.

5. Jug Twitty 3:30 AM

Jug Twitty states to Nancy Grace on October 3, 2005 that the group leaves for the Wyndham Casino after Paulus speaks to Joran on a cell phone.

++++++++++++++


In conclusion, a collaboration must have taken place when statements were taken by the Aruban Law Enforcement. Paulus, Joran and Deepak could not have pulled their respective timelines - outright lies - out of thin air and have them all syncronize perfectly.

Why was there a collaboration to change the actual timeline back one hour in regards to the events of the morning of May 31, 2005?

Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee’s Freebirds

Crimes Against Natalee Holloway When did the Cover up Begin?

May 30, 2005


BUSY DAY IN ARUBA - MAY 30, 2005

Police statements given by Joran van der Sloot and Deepak Kalpoe purporting the Holiday Inn drop off lie was created in haste after receiving a phone call from Paulus van der Sloot in the early morning hours of May 31st, while on their way to the van der Sloot home. Yet movements of these suspects on May 30th, as well as communications records and statements from Aruban officials regarding these events that were taking place on May 30, 2005 imply that the cover-up had begun prior to Beth and Jug Twitty's setting foot on Aruban soil.

1. FREDDY KNOWS

The following words of Freddy Zedan in his June 12, 2005 witness statement would imply that the Holiday Inn fabrication was collaborated on May 30, 2005 - many hours prior to Jug and Beth Twitty's arrival at the van der Sloot's residence on the morning of May 31, 2005.

(a) On Monday afternoon on the 30th, Joran came to my house. He told me that the previous day, Sunday, he had befriended a girl in the Holiday Inn casino and that she had invited him to come to Carlos and Charlies that evening.

...They drove to the Lighthouse, she wanted to see sharks. But Deepak only drove up to the Lighthouse because his car is very low to the ground and cannot drive up to the North side of Aruba. The girl had said to Joran that if Deepak and Satish would have lived in her town, they would be slaves. After that they drove to the hotel. When the girl had pushed open the door of the car, she fell to the ground. Joran wanted to help her but she shoved him away.

(b) The next day, Tuesday May 31st 2005 in the afternoon, I was with Joran at the raquet club.


2. THE EARLY MORNING PHONE CALL

Paulus Van der Sloot claims in his witness statement of June 18, 2005 that he went to bed after picking up his son at the McDonalds at 11:00 PM on the evening of May 29, 2005 and slept through the night. Paulus denies Beth Twitty's claim that he stated on the early morning of May 31, 2005 that he picked up Joran and Natalee at McDonalds at 4:30 AM on May 30, 2005. However, according to Greta Van Susteren, Paulus concedes to a Dutch TV correspondent that he may have used his phone throughout the night. Also, the Superior Court judgment in January, 2007 which denied compensation for wrongful detainment ruled that the Department of Justice acknowledges that Paulus own declaration states that he picked up Natalee and Joran. The court stated that this could be considered just cause for detainment in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

3. THE MISSING PERSON'S REPORT

According to Jan van Straten, a missing person's report was filed with the Aruban Law Enforcement by the beach patrol on behalf of the chaperone, Paul Lily on the morning of May 30, 2005. It could be assumed that this report would have included a description of the people who Natalee Holloway was last seen with as well as a description of the vehicle. It could be concluded that those within the ALE who had a personal and/or working connection to Paulus van der Sloot would have clued in regarding the identities of those described in the report. Is it possible that the van der Sloots were forewarned in regards to what info Natalee's friends had reported - information that could implicate Joran in the happenings of that fateful morning of May 30, 2005.

4. INTERNET CHATTER WITH A PURPOSE

Deepak Kalpoe conveys in his June 11, 2005 suspect statement that after dropping Joran and Natalee off at the beach on the morning of May 30, 2005 he and Satish returned home. He states that after Satish goes to bed he chatted on the internet with a friend named John Charles Croes. In his June 29, 2005 suspect statement Deepak convey that the purpose of his chatting "was to help the police and the Office of the DA with regard to the investigation so that they could see that I was indeed home in the night from Sunday to Monday." It can be assumed that Deepak Kalpoe’s attempt to create an alibi on the morning of May 30, 2005 prior to Natalee Holloway being reported missing would imply that Deepak knew that "something bad" had happened.

5. CHANGING STORIES

On June 30, 2005 Karin Jansen was being interviewed on the "Abrams Report" when she claimed that on May 30, 2005 Paulus van der Sloot assured Joran, Deepak and Satish that without a body there is no case. However, her words changed on subsequent days. Could Karin Janssen be part of the cover-up?

(a) “He confirmed to me that he told them that a few days after she disappeared." July 1, 2005 - FOX NEWS

(b) "He also spoke about the case with his son and the two other suspects some days after Holloway's disappearance." July 5, 2005 - CNN


6. QUESTIONINGS OF MAY 30, 2005

Prior to Jug and Beth Twitty's arrival on the Island, certain happenings of May 30, 2005 would imply that someone within the ALE was assisting Joran, Deepak and Satish in getting their stories straight regarding their encounter with Natalee Holloway.

Joran van der Sloot
On July 12, 2005 Anita Van der Sloot stated in a Joe Scarborough interview that Joran was picked up from school by police on Monday, May 30, 2005.

Deepak Kalpoe
Deepak Kalpoe claims in his official statement of June 10, 2005 that he vacuumed his vehicle prior to picking up Joran Van der Sloot on Sunday May 29, 2005. He remembers telling interrogators at Bubali that his vehicle was very clean because he had vacuumed his car the prior evening. This would imply Deepak was questioned by police at Bubali station on May 30, 2005.

Satish Kalpoe
On June 29, 2005 in a secretly recorded conversation in a police van, Satish Kalpoe tells Joran he told police about the choller in his first police statement. Satish's witness statement of May 31, 2005 has been revealed and there is no mention of the choller. It can be assumed that the first statement must have been taken on May 30, 2005.

7. THE RACQUET BALL CLUB?

Art Wood's investigation revealed that Joran Van der Sloot lied in his June 14, 2005 suspect statement in regards to his tennis lesson on May 30, 2005 at 7:00 PM. Art revealed, "when I investigated the Racquet Club I found that Joran had never played tennis there that night." Inquiring minds want to know what Joran was doing at the Racquet Ball Club following his father dropping him off at 5:00 PM on May 30, 2005. According to revealed court testimony - sixteen hours prior Carlos Ramos, the gardener, had observed Joran and Deepak sitting in Deepak's vehicle near the Racquet Ball Club. It is even more curious when it is considered that Joran's June 14, 2005 suspect statement reveals that he was again dropped off at 5:00 PM at the Club by his father on the evening of May 31, 2005 to play a game of tennis which he concedes he never played.

8. STILL LYING ON THE BEACH?

Joran van der Sloot declares the following in his suspect statement of June 14, 2005 that after his tennis lesson at 7:15 PM on the evening of May 30, 2005: "I walked over the beach to the Wyndham Hotel. On the way there I saw a lot of people. I did not go to Fisherman's Hut to see if Natalee was still lying there," Why would Joran entertain the thought that Natalee would be at the exact same place he had left her seventeen hours earlier?

9. THE FABRICATION

While detained at the same time, Mickey John claimed that Deepak conveyed to him that Paulus van der Sloot was a participant in the fabrication of the Holiday Inn story. As this account was related to Natalee Holloway's mother and stepfather on the morning of May 31, 2005, the implication of Paulus' involvement is that the collaboration must have taken place on May 30, 2005.

10. ONE HOUR GAP

In his June 11, 2005 suspect statement Deepak Kalpoe declares that after leaving his place of employment on the evening of May 30, 2005, he joined Joran at the Radisson casino at 12 o'clock midnight. He states in his declaration that two hours later Joran and him left the Radisson and were in the process of parking at the Wyndham when Paulus called to inform Joran that Natalee's mother and stepfather were at the home. Deepak then declares in his June 13, 2005 suspect statement that following Paulus call, he and Joran went directly to the van der Sloot's residence - arriving there at 2:40 AM.

Inquiring minds want to know how Deepak's time line is possible when it is taken into consideration that Beth and Jug did not arrive at the van der Sloot's residence until approximately 3:30 AM on the morning of May 31, 2005. According to Jug Twitty, he and Beth were still at the Holiday Inn at 3:00 AM viewing video footage. It was at that time that one of the employee's from Universal Air who were assisting them came rushing into the Holiday Inn to inform them that Deepak's vehicle had been observed within the gate at the van der Sloot's compound. The Twittys were driven to the police station and after waiting in the parking lot for a period of time, they were driven to the van der Sloot's residence.

These facts clearly show that the four main suspects not only had involvement in the crimes committed against Natalee Holloway, but also their intentions to cover up their crimes.

That none of these criminals have yet been prosecuted is appalling and disturbing.

Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee’s Freebirds

ARUBA'S ROGUE GALLERY:

THE CORRUPT ARUBA GOVERNMENT AND DUTCH JUDICIARY- A HISTORY OF DECEPTION IN THE CASE OF MISSING TEEN NATALEE HOLLOWAY

Within days of Natalee Holloway’s disappearance the Aruban government was fast at work on phase one of covering up her crime by inserting government spokespeople onto media and internet outlets. These front men for the government immediately began a campaign of deception about the case and rumors against Natalee Holloway and her family. One most notable spokesperson is Arlene Ellis-Schippers, a relative of a suspect in this case.

The Aruban government and business leaders embarked on a disinformation campaign in the media and on the internet within days of Natalee Holloway going missing. This started by suggesting she was a runaway but soon elevated into a full blown effort to blame Natalee for her own deah and cast suspicion on her family and fellow Mountain Brook students in both the media and on the internet.

Unfortunately for Aruba their misinformation campaign backfired repeatedly, the more intense it became. Americans only became more suspicious that a cover-up was taking place for the obvious three suspects, in particular the judge's son, and were more outraged. This has resulted in the whole island of Aruba being blamed for the actions of a few.

The second phase of government corruption began when it became obvious Joran van der Sloot, the son of a judge-in-training, would be unable to avoid arrest. Both Aruban government officials and Dutch judges stepped in to block the investigation and deter evidence from being collected. Aruba public ministry official Ben Vocking and Dutch judge Bob Wit blocked a search of the van der Sloot main residence twice—once when Joran was arrested and a second time when his father was arrested. The van der Sloot residence was never fully searched for nearly TWO YEARS.

The third phase of corruption belongs to the Dutch judges from Curacao who ruled on the case. These judges, who worked with Paulus van der Sloot, used the judicial system to make sure Joran van der Sloot and the other two suspects, brothers Deepak and Satish the Kalpoe were freed from further testimony in the case. The last person to be seen with Natalee Holloway, Joran van der Sloot was freed from detention on September 3, 2005 and released unconditionally by the Dutch judge Rick Smid. Upon his release he immediately fled to Holland.

Listed below are Aruba’s key yes-men, and their role in obstructing justice in the Natalee Holloway case

1- Arlene Ellis-Schipper- media spokesperson for the tourism group AHATA and cousin of another suspect, Guido Wever

Arlene was one of the early spokespeople to appear on U.S. mainstream media. Her most famous comment, which she repeated on several occasions, was "There is no evidence!" She also made the comment "This case is thin, thin, thin..." on Fox News.

It was later discovered that Arlene Ellis-Schipper had a set of very disturbing conflicts of interest in the case: First, she is a cousin to one of the suspects arrested in the case, Guido Wever, a close personal acquaintance of Joran van der Sloot who was arrested for "heavy battery" against Natalee Holloway.

Secondly, Ms. Schippers was forced to reveal in a television interview that she was being paid by the AHATA, a tourism group that has been documented with spreading misinformation about Natalee Holloway and her family throughout the case.

Ms. Ellis-Schippers was later caught in a blatant lie, insisting Beth Twitty had met with Karin Janssen on a trip to Aruba, a fact that was later debunked by Twitty herself.

Arlene Ellis-Schippers should have been prevented from ever talking to the U.S. media as a legal analyst for Dutch law as her cousin, Guido, was brought in for questioning within the first few days of the case. Yet she was allowed to remain as a spokesperson for well over a year. Guido Wever fled the island of Aruba to Holland just seven days after Natalee Holloway disappeared.

2- Jan van der Straten- lead investigator for the Aruba Police Department and close friend of Paulus van der Sloot

Jan van der Straten's role as lead investigator in the first two months of the Natalee Holloway case demonstrates the obvious conflicts of interest found in the Aruba investigation. Van der Straten was, by Paulus van der Sloot's own public admission, a "close friend" of Van der Sloot.

Van der Straten would have been very instrumental in the decision not to arrest the three main suspects in Natalee's disappearance until 10 days after she vanished, even though he knew almost immediately that they lied about dropping the Alabama teen off at the Holiday Inn.

Van der Straten would have also been involved in the decision to arrest two black security guards on June 5, 2005 which in effect prolonged the time given to the three suspects to cover their tracks and eliminate any evidence that should have been collected immediately upon the discovery of the Holiday Inn lie.

Van der Straten stated to Dutch media on June 12, 2005 that he believed Natalee was no longer alive and when asked by the reporter why he would make such a comment he responded, "Because I know the evidence and you don't."

Interestingly, two years later the lead investigator has never explained what that evidence is.

He also made comment months after he retired and moved to the neighboring island of Bonaire that the case should have been solved early on but that there were "people who didn't want to cooperate." Since suspects rarely cooperate, Van der Straten had to have been talking about a corrupt Aruban government and Dutch judiciary. Any high-ranking official with such a close relationship to a suspect's parent should have recused himself or alternately been forced off the case, but this is Aruba, a country in the grip of Mafia control who never saw a conflict of interest they didn't like.

3- Ben Vocking- Aruban public ministry official and close friend of Paulus van der Sloot who blocked the search of the Van der Sloot property

Ben Vocking, also known as Ben King, is an Aruba public ministry official who worked with the prosecutor's office and was the former head of KIA prison on the island. Ben Vocking curiously took a leave of absence from his government job the day after Natalee Holloway disappeared to help his friend Paulus Van der Sloot as he dealt with his son's apparent participation in her disappearance.

Joran Van der Sloot was arrested on suspicion of murder on June 9, 2005. Vocking laid low for two weeks purportedly staying at the Van der Sloot residence. He surfaced on June 15, 2005 at the door of the Van der Sloot home with Dutch Judge Bob Wit to block the search of the Van der Sloot property when the police and prosecution authorities arrived with a full search warrant.

Vocking and Wit successfully limited the search of the Van der Sloot main residence and property to Joran's small apartment only. They would do so again two weeks later when the father, Paulus van der Sloot, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Why would a government official and friend of two murder suspects be allowed to intermingle and co-conspire with a judge to block a search of their residence? This is just one more piece of evidence that strongly suggests widespread corruption in the case.

4- Judge Bob Wit- Judicial associate of Paulus van der Sloot who disallowed the search of the Van der Sloot residence

When a full search warrant was presented at the Van Der Sloot home on June 15, 2005, Dutch Judge Bob Wit of Curacao (along with public ministry official Ben Vocking) met law enforcement and prosecution authorities at the door to inform them their search would not include the main Van Der Sloot residence or the surrounding property.

Wit had personally changed the order to include only Joran’s small apartment behind the home.

Judge Bob Wit intervened again eight days later when Joran’s father Paulus Van Der Sloot was arrested for reasonable suspicion in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, once again blocking a search of the Van Der Sloot home.

Without question Bob Wit knew Paulus van der Sloot - they worked on cases together and appear to be very good friends judging from such an outrageous ruling.

Since when do arrested murder suspects get immunity from having their houses searched? Judge Bob Wit needs to answer this question in the open forum of the Caribbean Court of Justice, rather than hide behind the opaque wall of Dutch law.

5- Judge Rick Smid- Judicial associate of Paulus van der Sloot who granted Joran van der Sloot his freedom

Dutch Judge Rick Smid, also ruling from the bench in Curacao, is responsible for Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers being free today. It was Judge Rick Smid who released the three suspects and gave them an unconditional release granting them immunity from further questioning in the case. Police statements and secret recordings of the three suspects suggest intimate knowledge of "something bad" happening to Holloway. He was also aware that Joran van der Sloot had lied repeatedly in his police statements. Judge Rick Smid chose to ignore this and grant immunity instead. Upon his release, Joran van der Sloot fled the island of Aruba to Holland where he currently resides.

Why would a judge exempt a suspect from further questioning knowing he had lied numerous times in his statements and had given conflicting testimony regarding other suspects? Judge Rick Smid also worked with Paulus van der Sloot in the Dutch judiciary system and therein the answer may lie.

6- Police Chief Gerold Dompig- The man who took over the investigation and was fired for his actions

Police Chief Gerold Dompig took over the Natalee Holloway investigation after Jan van der Straten retired in July of 2005. Before getting his pink slip in March of 2006, Dompig was responsible for numerous blunders and outright conflicts of interest that no doubt sealed his fate.

It was Chief Gerold Dompig who announced in Vanity Fair magazine and in a CBS television interview that he had a witness who had seen Natalee Holloway with drugs during her trip to the island. It was later revealed that his witness was his cousin, Boeti Naar, a well-known local drug dealer who lives in a plywood box on the beach in Aruba.

What was Dompig's motivation for using such a dubious witness to tag Ms. Holloway as a drug user?

It was also revealed that Dompig was a spokesman for the tourism group AHATA, a clear conflict of interest that undoubtedly skewed his perspective of the investigation. AHATA is comprised of business and government officials who formed a now defunct committee called the Strategic Communications Task Force. Their sole purpose, it is apparent, was to combat anything the Holloway and Twitty families tried to do to force an honest investigation into their daughter’s disappearance.

Dompig’s fate was ultimately sealed with his decision to conduct a highly visible search of the dunes near the California lighthouse on the north end of Aruba. The search, spurred by a worthless hearsay tip from a local bartender, was announced months in advance and even garnered a Dutch search team with special equipment flown in from Holland. Nothing was found and Dompig endured heavy criticism for his mishandling of the investigation by law enforcement experts and pundits in Holland. He was fired shortly thereafter.

The FBI offered to bring in boats that were capable of searching for Holloway’s remains in deep water. Aruba's fleet is not equipped to search in deep waters, yet Dompig refused. Why would a police chief refuse help from the FBI? The answer may lie with the corrupt Aruban officials and business leaders he represented during his stint as police chief.

7- Julia Renfro, Editor of Aruba Today- Responsible for spreading misinformation about the victim and her family through the media and internet

Julia Renfro has contributed the lion’s share of misinformation that has come out of Aruba since Natalee Holloway disappeared. Her personal attacks against Natalee and her family have appeared on both national media and internet blogs.

It is clear she has a relationship with the Van der Sloots, in part through her association with the IFA, and has publicly stated she believes they are innocent.

Her most notorious lie is that Natalee was attracted to a blue-eyed Dutch boy during the days leading up to her disappearance, a story that has been debunked many times through statements from both Natalee’s family and her friends from Mountain Brook who accompanied her on the trip.

Although the Aruban police, prosecutor general, and most recently the Dutch authorities from Holland, have publicly stated that Joran van der Sloot is still the primary suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, it seems Ms. Renfro hasn’t gotten the memo.

Renfro’s behavior has raised questions of whether her mission is a personal vendetta against the victim and her family or, even more troubling, that she is part of a larger plot to cover up the crime against Natalee Holloway.

8- Aruba's Internet Smear Campaign- The Aruban government enlisted government employees and outsiders to help cover up the case

Aruba's highest ranking officials, including Prime Minister Nelson Oduber, and government Tourism ministers Edward Breizen and Jorge Pesquera, mounted an internet campaign in the first week after Natalee Holloway disappeared to confuse the details and eventually denigrate the victim and her family.

Government workers, tourism board members, and employees of local business owners have all been documented as using the internet for these purposes. Some of these are still very active today.

Prime Minister Nelson Oduber grabbed our interest with this announcement about his “anti incorrect news committee” on June 30, 2005:

At the weekly Government press conference Prime Minister Oduber officially presented a committee that was just appointed and with the task to minimize the effect of all the negative and incorrect information that is being disseminated on Aruba in connection with the disappearance of the American student Natalee Holloway.

“The committee has been working for some time behind the screens without too much publicity, and function on behalf of the people of Aruba in order to minimize the impact of the negative news that is being sent out.”

Jorge Pesquera is president and CEO of the tourism group AHATA and was instrumental in setting up the Strategic Communications Task Force, a group that would specialize in slandering Natalee's character and that of her family while creating smokescreens in the investigation. The SCTF worked mainly via the internet.

Tamara Waldron, an employee of the Ministry of Tourism and Transportation (headed by Eddie Breizen), made the following internet post at Scared Monkeys, falling in line with the government’s wishes:

"...looking at the picture does not mean blaming the island or its people….we should keep looking at the big picture which does involve at looking at other possibilities, other than a crime, for the dissapearance of the 18 year old. So far there has not been any indication of a murder, a kidnapping etc and we should all stick together and help in searching for his girl instead of assuming things and smearing Aruba on the news. I do believe she will be found as there have been numerous sightings of Natalee, which indicate more that this is a runaway case than any other….of course we don’t know for sure, but we must leave the windows of numerous possibilities open." Comment by Tamara Waldron June 5, 2005, 7:13 pm

Congressman Spencer Bachus said they knew immediately that Natalee's disappearance was not the case of a runaway teen, but the Arubans didn't listen and continued to float rumors rather than arrest the main suspects.

Prime Minister Nelson Oduber went on (Aruban) national radio Friday night (June 10, 2005) to say if something happened to Holloway, it would hurt the island of 97,000, which depends on tourism and has a reputation as one of the safest spots in the Caribbean.

Many examples such as those above beg the question: Was the thought of having a murdered American tourist on Aruba such a threat to their tourism economy that the government would become involved in covering up the crime and assist in disposing of the victim?

Apparently so.

Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it!
Natalee's Freebirds