RBN # 12 - 6/19 - 6/20/05

[katya]

Okay, so the rumours about Natalee disappearing before are false.

So, what about the U.S. reps remarks? Those really really really have me intrigued.

Same here...but I'm betting he doesn't know the whole story either.
There's no way for us to know, though. He isn't going to tell, and he shouldn't.

They have undercover DEA agents on the ground. Probably reported a girl was to be sold into the sex trade the same time Natalee disappeared - just my hunch.

Right..hundreds of girls are stolen and sold into the sex trade from Aruba, but it has never ever been mentioned before. Natalle is a pretty young girl but really nothing special; sex rings don't really like to get in the news and there are plenty of much more beautiful blonde women who can be trafficed from Europe.  This whole trading her for a gambling debt sounds like something from a Romance novel.

[iquitos]

DEA regularly liases with local governments to cooperate on cases, exchange intel, familiarize, etc.  No mystery here. Why does it keep coming up?  DEA has a large presence overseas because that is where most of the drugs consumed in the US come from.  Aruba sits betwen Colombia and the US.  It is a natural transit point.  We watch it.  That is not Aruba's fault.  It is a matter of geography.  Aruba cooperates with us.   Without them and others like them we would be lost.  This is something the Neocons seem to ignore.  We live in a world where we have to work together, not alone.  This current cooperation with Aruban LE is an example.  Alone, the FBI could do nothing in Aruba.  They don't know the culture, the language, the geography, the legal system,  It has to be an investigation where each part give what they have and do best.  that is how it is out there.  No magic bullet.  Uncle Sam does not know everything and can't do everything.  

And a CNN story that ran on the 14th:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/14/drug.money/

I don't see anything about Aruba in these articles, am I missing something?

No, but it could explain why the DEA was already there. They have been working in the area on this bust for quite some time. Not sure if Aruba has anything to do with this bust. I am still researching that.

[NativeLingo]

FYI...The DEA is ALWAYS in Aruba...

[JessesMom]

Okay, here's a question that has probably already been asked at some point, but I don't recall it if it has.

I know that there was some sort of Soul Festival on the island the night she went missing.  Were there people coming in boats from other surrounding islands for that event?  I'm assuming there probably were.  What if Joran really did take Natalee to the beach near the Marriott by himself and then walked her back (or maybe not walked her back) to the HI.  At some point a person attending this festival could have grabbed her, put her on their boat and away they go.  Maybe no one even saw this happen, unless it might possibly be the report of someone seeing 2 men grabbing a girl near there.

I'm just thinking maybe we're not getting any real info because there is no more info to tell by these suspects, witnesses, etc.  They've told what they know, and these unknown persons just whisked her away.  If their stories differed, maybe it's because they knew they were with her and she was missing and they were scared.  So being young and unworldly they just tried to deflect the attention from themselves.  I honestly can see a lot of the teenagers I know doing something like this, just because they wouldn't think it through and would be scared.

[Whitney]

SPSII Thanks for the link...and it just goes to my point....

When I thought "Aruba"....I just blanked on its proximity to our nemesis Venezuela and Colombia....geez...Medellian (sic) is sooooo close.

[arubagirl]

My favorite calypso is sung by Ruben Trappenberg, the guy who is the government spokesman.

It's so damn funny.

[CaliGirl]

Be back in a bit everyone. I head a nice hot relaxing bath calling my name.... ((Hugs))

[Juvenal]

I know DEA was already in Aruba. They have an office Curacao and I am aware of the port trafficing problems.

Something warranted 12 FBI agents to come. Something warranted the DEA to go first but it's something will not get an answer too.

My point is over than Aruba not letting information out for legal fairness, there in turn is a tight lip on the FBI etc involved. FBI seems to being playing dodgeball also.

I think perhaps a part of Natalee's disappearance has to do with their ongoing DEA operation. Did anyone see the news about the DEA finally busting one of the largest drug rings? 77 people and millions recovered recently.

I like the angle you are checking out.  I too am surprised at the magnitude and exposure, perhaps even exagaration of Aruba in the Press. On one hand I can 't see Aruba coorperating with FBI and yet have the name of Aruba getting so many negative press.  It almost seem that some concerted effort is being done to destablelize the current government by undermining the current economy...Too early to say. and I am left wonder what did the Arubian Gov't do lately that would prompt this. (i.e just extending relationships to Cuba can cause such rift .. see what happened in Jamaica when Manley went to Cuba)..

I don't think that's very fair. If the Aruban gov't wanted to extend diplomatic relations with Cuba, and the U.S. gov't was unhappy about that, they would say so, not clandestinely try to ruin Aruba's economy.

[writenow]

It's important that they not reveal anything that could harm the investigation.

And yet, "Steve". On the air. Should I attribute that to stress?

YES. And frantic frustration.

[friend of monkeys]

Professor, I meant with the friends is friends instead of rel. but someone, sorry, forgot who, explained it already to me

Seems Beth Twitty spoke the name "Steve" on air on Fox.

Guy by same name got arrested.

is steve also on the air in aya?
or is that harri?

[boxopen]

arubagirl, could you see your PM's please.

[inspector_detector]

Okay, so the rumours about Natalee disappearing before are false.

So, what about the U.S. reps remarks? Those really really really have me intrigued.

Same here...but I'm betting he doesn't know the whole story either.
There's no way for us to know, though. He isn't going to tell, and he shouldn't.

They have undercover DEA agents on the ground. Probably reported a girl was to be sold into the sex trade the same time Natalee disappeared - just my hunch.

Right..hundreds of girls are stolen and sold into the sex trade from Aruba, but it has never ever been mentioned before. Natalle is a pretty young girl but really nothing special; sex rings don't really like to get in the news and there are plenty of much more beautiful blonde women who can be trafficed from Europe.  This whole trading her for a gambling debt sounds like something from a Romance novel.

I don't think the FBI really gets involved in the sex trade from foreign countries. I think it's a function of Natalee being American. I'll post up the statement for you.

[Juvenal]

My favorite calypso is sung by Ruben Trappenberg, the guy who is the government spokesman.

It's so damn funny.

LOL! Are you serious? Can you explain? I'm really interested in that!

[friend of monkeys]

My favorite calypso is sung by Ruben Trappenberg, the guy who is the government spokesman.

It's so damn funny.

did i hear that at carnival?
sorry it wuz cxld there/ i heard that somewhere
not officially

[Another K in Texas]

Thanks for clearing that up.

Aruba girl, I think it was probably just not knowing. In our counry except for minors, and frankly Jorans name might even be withheld, arrests are public record.  
Some newspapers  publish a blotter of every call just about the police make.
So we would think nothing about mentioning a name.  Now with minors their names are usually withheld.  They woud say for instance  John Doe, Jane Doe, and a juvenile were arrested.

Even if she had been told not to use the name, with all the stress, it would be so new and different she would forget.

I think it is as simple as our police blotters being public record.

[MominTN]

And a CNN story that ran on the 14th:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/14/drug.money/

I don't see anything about Aruba in these articles, am I missing something?

It still doesn't list the countries in the Caribbean that cooperated in the drug bust but if you look down you will see Curacao is listed under U S Drug Enforcement Administration.
Did Joran's dad make a recent trip there after Natalee's disappearance?  I know the judge on the case is from there.   I believe that the two waiting extradition to the US are in prison there.

http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr061405.html

[inspector_detector]

Here are some interesting (disturbing) comments from U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills,

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.”

[NativeLingo]

It's important that they not reveal anything that could harm the investigation.

And yet, "Steve". On the air. Should I attribute that to stress?

YES. And frantic frustration.

Maybe that´s why they shouldn´t be giving her all the info!?!?!?

[Dallas Also]

It's important that they not reveal anything that could harm the investigation.

And yet, "Steve". On the air. Should I attribute that to stress?

YES. And frantic frustration.

Arubagirl, that was an American mistake.

In America, when someone is arrested, as long as they are 18 years old or older, their name is announced.

Beth Twitty is accustomed to that approach regarding people who are arrested.

One time last year, a guy in Dallas was arrested for child molestation, and he was a teacher.  His name was announced.  24 hours later, he had committed suicide.  Really, the press had destroyed his reputation, but that is our common approach when someone is arrested.

Even if it is someone popular like our popular actor Russell Crowe who was arrested last week for throwing a telephone at a hotel employee.

[friend of monkeys]

Be back in a bit everyone. I head a nice hot relaxing bath calling my name.... ((Hugs))

omfg does that sound good cali!
nite