RSSArticles from the Aruban News
Police discovered cocaine balls factory in Seroe Blanco
ARUBA — The police discovered a cocaine balls factory by accident. This happened during an incursion in an apartment in Seroe Blanco. The police arrested several people and confiscated professional equipment and four kilo cocaine. Apparently, the two escaped prisoners were hiding in this apartment.
The fugitives were not in the apartment when the police dropped in. While the search is continuing, Justice-minister Rudy Croes (MEP), KIA-governor Freddy Maduro and manager Ronny Paskel of Cuerpo Especial Aruba had a meeting last Tuesday to discuss the escape. After the meeting, Croes indicated that heads will roll when it becomes clear who is responsible for the escape. Adi Thijsen, party chairman of the MEP and lawyer praised the KIA-personnel. He indicated that probably, absence through illness (60 percent) and lack of personnel played a big part in the escape. It is not easy for the KIA-personnel. Mentally, they have to be strong and they are under a lot of pressure due to the absence through illness. Logically, things go wrong sometimes. He says that the government has to take measures to avoid such escapes. The government has a personnel freeze and this is not good for the KIA. More people should be hired here in order to protect the community. The KIA-personnel should work less overtime and rest more. This way they can enjoy their work which will be to the advantage of the society.
Minister gives OM an ultimatum
ARUBA — Justice-minister Rudy Croes (MEP) gave the public prosecutor (OM) till December 17th the time to solve the internal problems. The conflict between chief district attorney Karin Janssen and Attorney General Theresa Croes-Fernandes Perna has been going on for six months already. The minister is now threatening with taking measures against the chief district attorney, because the Attorney General (PG) is her superior.
Scared Monkey’s Interview Transcript with Tim Miller – July 24th, 2005
Tim Miller from Equusearch Interview -2pm EST July 24th, 2005
SCARED-TOM
It is with sincere pleasure that Scared Monkeys welcomes Tim Miller of EquuSearch to our page. As most of you know, Tim founded Eqqusearch in honor of his daughter, Laura Miller. Eqqusearch was founded in 2000, and is a 501 (c) 3 non profit organization with over 250 volunteers to date. In 2004, Tim stated that he had returned three out of twenty missing children back to their parents, and since that time he has done so much more. Tim continues this tribute to his daughter day by day, searching tirelessly for missing loved ones until they are brought home. He has promised no less to the Holloway family, and today he takes some time to sit down with Scared Monkeys and answer some questions…… We would also like to mention our prayers are with the Indonesia people that have suffered a 7.8 Earthquake today and tsunami warning. Our prayers are with them. Without further ado, here is Red and Tim Miller.
RED
Tim, It is a pleasure to meet you and for you to take the time to speak with Scared Monkeys … Thank you … Welcome
TIM MILLER
We appreciate your concern and all of the wonderful emails of encouragement we’ve received.
RED
Tim, There are many people who have just learned about Texas Equusearch from the Natalee Holloway disappearance. Can you tell us about the mission and history of your organization?
TIM MILLER
We started our organization in memory of my 16 year old daughter Laura Miller that was abductedand murdered back in 1984. Our mission was to never leave another family alone during a periodof time when a loved one was missing. We started just using horses as a resource for law enforcement and other search teams. We’ve grown from there to now having horses, 4-wheelers, boats, certified divers, airplanes, helicopters, certified search dogs, infrared equipment, night vision equipment and a lot of determination.
BREAKING NEWS: 4th Person Arrested in Natalee Holloway case (CORRECTION NO 5th PERSON)
9:14am **** UPDATE ****
4th arrest made in Natalee Holloway case
9:17 am: From one of our great sources in Aruba, americaninaruba …
today 6am police go into house in Sta Cruz where they go with one person ……with initials S.C. this arrest took place 6am this morning…surprised the family with this arrest….we got different information, but we want to get all concrete things together before we bring this news to you…..we dont want to confuse anyone! we want to say that their is suspicion that she is ALIVE! but we dont want to bring up any suspicion to anyone but we will be back with info if this person has information for this case…also in Savaneta they took someone for interogation…..we are hoping this will come to an end, with all this suspicion we believe shes alive…..stay pending…..thank you harry
****
At 9:50 am: MSNBC & Fox have just reported the arrest of a fourth suspect. A 27 year old man.
It has been confirmed by Fox speaking to individual in Justice department 4th arrest 26 year old friend of joran
Fox News now reporting: Sources: 4th Person Arrested in Aruba Mystery
Authorities in Aruba arrested a fourth man in connection with the disappearance of missing Alabama honors student Natalee Holloway, sources told FOX News.
The new person detained is a 26-year-old friend of Joran van der Sloot — who was with Holloway the night she disappeared, sources said. Van der Sloot, 17, has been detained but not charged.
****
Unbelievable, after 18 days a fourth suspect now confirmed arrested, 26 year old, son of a prominent businessman and alleged friend of joran van der Sloot. Aruban authorities state there is an search going on with regards to this arrest but did not state where.
The boy has the initials SGC, and his father is also high in the judiciary.
Update: 1045 There is a rumor of another person taken into custody, his father recently committed suicide and that he has had serious mental issues since. He has two homes, a house on the main road of savaneta and also another one in Seroe Alejandro, and was know for having underground parties.
This is getting a little bizarre.
From the AP: Fourth Person Detained in Holloway Disappearance
11:00 am:
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) – A fourth person has been detained in Aruba in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, authorities announced Friday.
The person “suspected of being involved” in Holloway’s disappearance was identified by the attorney general’s office only as a 26-year-old with the initials S.G.C. The office did not disclose the gender or say when the person was detained.
According to Top 95 via American in Aruba
The arrest this morning was of a 26 year old. There wwere 2 dutch brothers questioned yesterday may have provided some information that led to this arrest. Also , a family friend of Joran Van Der Sloot was on the radio saying the Joran was a quiet nice boy who liked to go out with friends. The station is holding out hope publicly on the radio that she may be alive.
Let us hope and pray.
UPDATE: Initials S.C. born 21 -07-1978 –> Has only one hit in national health system: Steve Gregg C. J. Croes
Update 2 CORRECTION – WRONG STEVE CROES… credit goes to reader Dallas Also on the message board.
This is the book on Steve Croes site.
UPDATE- CORRECTION
Fifth person was detained, but released last night.
Volunteers Search For Natalee Holloway
Hats off to the “Volunteers” who made the effort to search for the missing teen, Natalee Holloway.
From the AP:
ORANJESTAD, Aruba – About 700 volunteers joined police, soldiers and FBI agents on Monday, combing scrubland and beaches on Aruba’s southeastern tip in an unprecedented search for an Alabama teenager who vanished a week ago on a trip to the Dutch Caribbean island.
Aruba’s government let 4,000 civil servants off work early at 2 p.m. to hunt for Natalee Holloway, 18, of Mountain Brook, Ala. The expanded search began a day after police charged two men in her disappearance.
Kenneth Angela and three co-workers from Aruba’s lottery company were among the hundreds who boarded 10 buses in the community of Santa Cruz, about six miles from the capital, Oranjestad, to be taken to the search site.
“It’s the first time Aruba has done such a big search,” said Angela, a 31-year-old lottery supervisor. “We want to keep Aruba’s name good. That’s why we’re here, to help find Natalee.”
The initial idea for the search called for an islandwide effort, but later changed focus to the southeastern area of Seroe Colorado and part of San Nicolas, police commander Judy Hassell said. San Nicolas is where authorities arrested the two men who were charged in the case.
Hassell said Aruba’s 74 square miles, slightly larger than Washington, D.C., made a full search of the island impractical. “We’re going to do as much as we can,” he said.
One of several search parties scoured barren terrain spotted with sequoia cactus, prickly pear and sea grass in view of Valero oil refinery. A helicopter hovered overhead. Other groups searched abandoned houses, remote roads and bushes. Lizards skittered across their paths.
Some of the volunteers were tourists, including Bill and Sarah Wise, both 22, of Cleveland. “We couldn’t leave without trying to help a fellow American,” Bill Wise said.
Sarah Wise said the case touched her because she and Holloway are about the same age. “It could be me,” she said.
Hassell said she asked the Justice Ministry for permission to conduct another big search Tuesday but had not yet received permission.
The coast guard said Aruba’s shoreline already had been searched on foot, by boat and helicopter, but the new search was more thorough.
Holloway’s disappearance has shaken the sense of security many of Aruba’s 97,000 people took for granted. Only one murder and six rapes were recorded last year. So far this year, there have been two murders and three rapes on the island, where the average annual income is a comfortable $22,000.
I will just make one comment that struck me a little with the number of volunteers. Aruba, this is a search for a missing girl and if you want to make the comments that its a sake island and tourism should not be affected than you best show you care more than 18% turnout for a search. The mission is to find Natalee Holloway; however, the Aruban government let people off work to help aid in the search. 700 out of 4000 people is not all that acceptable in my eyes.
If anyone on Aruba has better numbers than what AP is reporting please tell me. But I would really like to know where the other 3300 + Arubans were seeing that some of the volunteers were tourists?
Update:
Graphic of teen’s disappearance in Aruba
FROM FOX And CNN NEWS, Natalee Holloway : BREAKING (Updates) “Bloody Mattress Found”
12:17 A Bloody Mattress has been found in southwest part of the island in St. Nicolas, and all roads have been closed in and around this area . That is all we have so far.
12:30 pm: The finding of a bloody mattress in has been confirmed by the Aruban Minister of Tourism according to Fox News reporter. (Minister of Tourism?)
Police found a bloody mattress Sunday on the south east part of Aruba where Alabama student Natalee Holloway, 18, disappeared earlier this week while on a high school graduation trip, the Aruban minister of tourism has confirmed.
All roads have been closed in the area around San Nicolas as police continue to investigate. The mattress will reportedly undergo testing.
Meanwhile, authorities on the island detained two men earlier Sunday in connection with the disappearance of the teen.
2:00 pm The only new thing from Fox is that the 2 men taken into custody have been officially arrested. No mention of charges.
CNN is reporting Zuart Mangel is a place that the Aruban Marines are looking through the mangrove swamps in this area. CNN is reporting the mattress was in this area. This area is just east of St. Nicolas. *** News conference is scheduled in 2 hours, 3 pm Eastern. *** Arrest information on the two men taken into custody is expected.
2:30 pm AP – Police found the mattress in thick brush at Grapefield beach.
Police found a blood-soaked mattress on a beach in eastern Aruba and will conduct tests on it, hours after authorities detained two men in connection with the disappearance of an Alabama teenager missing since last week, an official said.
Police found the mattress in thick brush at Grapefield beach, prompting authorities to focus their search for 18-year-old honors student Natalee Holloway in the area, the Dutch Caribbean island’s deputy police chief Gerold Dompig said.More than two dozen Dutch marines combed the beach, a desolate coastal area of volcanic rock and sea grape plants. They poked the sand with thin probe sticks. A police helicopter sat upshore as small waves whitened and lapped the shore.
“The search is related to the discovery of a bloody mattress,” Dompig told The Associated Press.
Grapefield beach area known for its cliffs and climbing can be seen here.
Grapefield is situated on the eastern point of Aruba, near Seroe Colorado. It is reached by taking the road to San Nicolas and then following the signs to Seroe Colorado.
3:00 pm EDT: UPDATE: BREAKING NEWS FROM FOX NEWS
BLOOD FOUND ON MATTRESS NOT LINKED TO MISSING TEEN, Natalee Holloway.
4.00 pm EDT: From Aruban Press Conference via Fox TV
Aruban Authorities have formally requested from the US Embassy a Special FBI Dive Team come to Aruba to search the rocky shores. Search is being done on land and in sea.
No information was provided as to whether the 2 men arrested this morning had an link or relationship to the 3 men of interest who were last seen with Natalee.
5.30 pm EDT: AP - case will go before a local judge within 48 hours to determine whether the detentions are legal.
The men – ages 28 and 30 – were arrested Sunday morning at two separate homes in the southeastern community of San Nicolas, Attorney General Caren Janssen told reporters at news conference in the capital.
Janssen declined to provide the specific charges, saying the case will go before a local judge within 48 hours to determine whether the detentions are legal.
“The charges have a relationship with the disappearance,” Janssen said, without providing details. “There is a reasonable suspicion they may be involved.”
Janssen said authorities wanted a special FBI diving team because of rough currents in some areas. She said that authorities had not found any of Holloway’s belongings at the suspects’ homes. Authorities impounded three vehicles found at the two homes, and a team of more than a dozen FBI agents will help perform forensic testing on them, police said.
Update: Dan over at Riehl World is also doing a great job, if we have missed anything, he has everything else if not more!
