A Little Help from Friends
I am looking for the following information to include on my upcoming boycott website at www.truthfornatalee.com. Any and all help is greatly appreciated; let's show Aruba that the truth is hard to hide from thousands of pissed-off Americans! I need:
- Any verifiable, reputable news articles or official governmental reports on organized crime in Aruba, especially from 1980 to today;
- Any verifiable, reputable account of crime of any kind by or against tourists to Aruba; I am especially interested in any reported rapes or sexual assaults, kidnappings and missing persons cases, murders, and an armed casino robbery that occurred in 1998 I believe;
- Verifiable, reputable tourism figures from not only Aruba but also from companies that do business in Aruba (arilines, cruise lines, hotels, etc) from May 2005 to the present. Tourism figures from other Caribbean islands (remember they all compete and Aruba's loss is someone's gain) are also welcome;
- Verifiable, reputable articles and reports on internal and political strife in Aruba since the MEP came to power, the more recent the better.
I say verifiable and reputable so much for a reason. Here's the caveat: anything you want to send me must include the URL, website address, or other source so I can link back to the source and give proper credit to the original author when it goes up on the truthfornatalee.com website. I intend to use such information not only to show America what a sleazy place Aruba is under the well-crafted veneer of paradise, but to back it up with reputable sources. Send anything you find to lionhunter053005@yahoo.com, or even post your findings on the message boards here (I've enabled anonymous posts now). I'm not interested in theories or tips (send those to the FBI, Dave, or Beth please but NOT to the morons in ALE), but anything you find doesn't necessarily have to pertain to Natalee's disappearance. Anything that shows Aruba's true nature is welcome. As always, anything that I consider slanderous or insulting to myself, Natalee, her family, or any of their supporters will be deleted and will not see the light of day on this blog!
I know there are more people that support Beth than do not in the U.S. Jump on even a markedly anti-Beth, anti-boycott website like Riehlworldview and check out the messageboard; you'll see what I mean. Here's your chance to help, folks. Remember: Beth and Dave and a handful of dedicated people are up against a corrupt government that is calling all the shots on Aruba, and the U.S. and the Netherlands are markedly uninterested in trying to resolve this through political pressure. It is up to us, and as of today I am still convinced that destroying the island's economy and pressuring the Aruban people to force their own government into honest action, transparency, full and unconditional cooperation with the FBI, and real progress is the best way to find Natalee.
- Any verifiable, reputable news articles or official governmental reports on organized crime in Aruba, especially from 1980 to today;
- Any verifiable, reputable account of crime of any kind by or against tourists to Aruba; I am especially interested in any reported rapes or sexual assaults, kidnappings and missing persons cases, murders, and an armed casino robbery that occurred in 1998 I believe;
- Verifiable, reputable tourism figures from not only Aruba but also from companies that do business in Aruba (arilines, cruise lines, hotels, etc) from May 2005 to the present. Tourism figures from other Caribbean islands (remember they all compete and Aruba's loss is someone's gain) are also welcome;
- Verifiable, reputable articles and reports on internal and political strife in Aruba since the MEP came to power, the more recent the better.
I say verifiable and reputable so much for a reason. Here's the caveat: anything you want to send me must include the URL, website address, or other source so I can link back to the source and give proper credit to the original author when it goes up on the truthfornatalee.com website. I intend to use such information not only to show America what a sleazy place Aruba is under the well-crafted veneer of paradise, but to back it up with reputable sources. Send anything you find to lionhunter053005@yahoo.com, or even post your findings on the message boards here (I've enabled anonymous posts now). I'm not interested in theories or tips (send those to the FBI, Dave, or Beth please but NOT to the morons in ALE), but anything you find doesn't necessarily have to pertain to Natalee's disappearance. Anything that shows Aruba's true nature is welcome. As always, anything that I consider slanderous or insulting to myself, Natalee, her family, or any of their supporters will be deleted and will not see the light of day on this blog!
I know there are more people that support Beth than do not in the U.S. Jump on even a markedly anti-Beth, anti-boycott website like Riehlworldview and check out the messageboard; you'll see what I mean. Here's your chance to help, folks. Remember: Beth and Dave and a handful of dedicated people are up against a corrupt government that is calling all the shots on Aruba, and the U.S. and the Netherlands are markedly uninterested in trying to resolve this through political pressure. It is up to us, and as of today I am still convinced that destroying the island's economy and pressuring the Aruban people to force their own government into honest action, transparency, full and unconditional cooperation with the FBI, and real progress is the best way to find Natalee.
posted by Dan in Tx | 9:23 AM
6 Comments:
Oh my goodness, you folks don't seem to comprehend the Queen's English! What is so hard to understand about 'anything I consider slanderous will be deleted'?
At any rate, I will respond to the person whose post I did just delete, who told me 'eveil wishes come home to roost'. Ha! Aruba has some dirty secrets, big dirty evil secrets. To me, this is more than finding justice and answers for a lost girl's family. It is a battle of good versus evil in a Biblical sense of the words. On the one hand, you have the victim- by all reliable accounts a good, well-behaved, well-adjusted Christian girl and her Christian family (both Holloways and Twittys). On the other hand you have a suspect who gambles and drinks and does who knows what else with his buddies on an island that has a long and notorious history of corruption scandals, money laundering, and drug traffic. The government and law enforcement officials of said island keep bungling, retracting their statements, and investigating everything BUT the last three people known to be with our girl.
So to answer your questions of why I am so dedicated to this disappearance? Well, because just this once I can't allow evil to triumph- and if Natalee's disappearance does go unsolved, there will be other victims. Remember, Natalee wasn't the first to disappear without a trace in the Netherland Antilles. You are right that what goes around, comes around. This applies to Aruba as well.
Yo Dan,
Although being an Aruba, I don't agree with almost anything you state so far on your website, I do think you should try to check out scrux.com.
Some of these guys there seem to be able to find ANY information you might want or need.
As per acts against tourists, I remember this case of the kid that went with his father out on a 2 person waverunner, but only the father came back. Searches didn't find the kid. This must have been 3 or 4 years ago.
As per the casino robbery, I can't remember hearing anything about thta, but I was still living in the Netherlands back then. But there was a bank robbery, where one teller ( a lady ) got killed. All the robbers were caught a couple of hours later though.
Also, january 2 years ago, a local girl was shot through the neck by a stray bullet in the Havana Beach Club. She died a couple of days later.
I know, most of it not really tourist related, but it will show you 2 things:
1) Yes, Aruba is not "Fantasy Island" (Remember: with Ricardo Montalban and Tattoo)
2) We do have about 2 murders/year the last 5 years, which still leaves us with an average of 1 murder/ 50.000 persons living here. Is there any state, city or county in the US that can come up with the same numbers?
I remember during the first Gulf war, more people got killed in New York, then that US Soldiers got killed during action (CNN aired this report a few months after the war was over). So does that mean that you are now going to boycott New York too?
Do you know what the boycott has caused so far?
- A team of local divers, that were searching for Natalee in their free time, stopped their searches and help the day that Governer Riley announced the boycott
- Another group of locals that were searching on land, again during their free time, also quit searching
- Any help the ALE was getting from the locals in the search for Natalee, has dreid up almost completely
- It made it very difficult for BH to return to Aruba. This is bad, because here presence on Aruba at least put some pressure on the local government, ALE, prosecuters, etc.
So, has the call for boycott helped? NO, in fact, it has only made the Arubans react strongly against Beth, Natalee and whomever is pro-boycott.
Before the boycott, the van der Sloots, Kalpoes were paria's, but since the boycott more and more Arubans are closing ranks behind these 3 shady characters (4 if you take into account PVDS), instead of putting pressure on them to talk.
On a side note, I see you describe Natalee as the perfect Christian girl, while Joran is a gambler and drinks. Now correct me if I am wrong, didn't the MB kids, who were with Natalee on the trip, state that she met Joran in a Casino on Aruba, and didn't she dissappear from C&C after a drinking alcohol?
Does it mean she's evil? NO.
Does it mean she's not Christian, and well-adjusted? NO.
But you never met ANY of the perpetrators in this case, so please don't describe chartacters of people through hear say!
Thanks, and if you don't like my comments, too bad. I am trying to help you though. If I have 'independent' information about crime in Aruba, and Tourism numbers (The Minister of Tourims and ATA still haven't published them), I will post them for you.
Greetings from Walter in Aruba
Actually, Walter, I am not going to delete your post! In fact, I would like for you to e-mail me at my blog-related inbox:lionhunter053005@yahoo.com. I see a real possibility of meaningful exchange here, not just the usual rhetoric from both sides of this conflict.
Here's one, dan in tx.
best,
tuesday
Over two tons of cocaine seized off coast of Aruba
Jim Kouri
October 19, 2005
Suspected foul-play involving American teenager Natalee Holloway isn't the only big crime story in Aruba these days. Known as a favorite transshipment for drug traffckers, the waters surrounding Aruba were the scene of a major drug interdiction operation by US officials.
United States federal agents seized 4,488 pounds of cocaine on board the Bolivian-flagged vessel M/V Sea Atlantic at approximately 150 nautical miles off the coast of Aruba. The seizure was part of Operation Caribbean Corridor, an investigative/law enforcement initiative by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the US Coast Guard in the Caribbean Basin.
The Sea Atlantic, sailing under the Bolivian flag, raised the interest of law enforcement organizations operating as part of Operation Caribbean Corridor. After successful cooperation between the USCG, the international counter drug organization Joint Inter- Agency Task Force South, the Royal Netherlands Navy, and the Coast Guard for the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, more than 65 bales of cocaine were found in a hidden compartment on board the ship.
The USCG Law Enforcement Detachment — permanently stationed onboard the Royal Netherlands Navy Ship — boarded the motor vessel, assisted by a Royal Netherlands Navy Maritime security Team. Later that morning, they found 68 bales (approximately 4,488 pounds) of a powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine during a field test.
The crew of the M/V Sea Atlantic was arrested and the ship was escorted to Puerto Rico by the USCG Cutter Vigorous. The following crew members of the M/V Sea Atlantic are now in federal custody, according to arrest reports:
Alicides Rodriguez Duran, 38, citizen of Venezuela
Carlos Julio Almonte, 59, citizen of Dominican Republic
Gandaogo Minoungou, 42, citizen of Burkina Faso
Nii Klaku Okley, 39, citizen of Ghana
Ruberts Jose Gonzalez Valero, 29, citizen of Venezuela
Ronald Jose Morelis, 32, citizen of Venezuela
Julio Cesar de la Rosa, 34, citizen of Dominican Republic
Reinaldo Jose Cabello, 42, citizen of Venezuela
Alberto Javier Padilla, 36, citizen of Mexico
"ICE and the other federal agencies in Operation Caribbean Corridor — DEA, FBI and the US Coast Guard — are working together, efficiently and intelligently to stop the transshipment of drugs and other contraband in the Caribbean Basin," according to officials from ICE.
"US Coast Guard law enforcement detachments have a proud and successful history of intercepting contraband with the Dutch navy in the Caribbean. With the aggressive work of ICE, DEA and the FBI in Operation Caribbean Corridor, our collective resources are maximized as we work together to keep drugs off the streets." Said Captain James Tunstall, Commander, USCG, Sector San Juan.
The crew members arrested will be prosecuted in federal court in Puerto Rico.
Sources: US Coast Guard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, US Department of Justice, American Federation of Police
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.
Jim writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores.
Jim holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he's a board certified protection professional.
© Copyright 2005 by Jim Kouri
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/kouri/051019
This 'well-behaved, well-adjusted Christian girl' turned into quite the wild one when her feet hit the ground in Aruba. I can't say I blame her, I would have done the same thing, but then again I don't pretend to be well behaved, well adjusted Christian American tourist virgin either.
The facts are if Natalee and Joran had sex, Natalee is guilty of sexual assault on a minor. Those are the facts and that is certainly the law in America.
The FBI has bungled cases in America for years, so if Aruba made mistakes in one case, so what? They have had 16 murders in Alabama since Jan 1 2006 compared to 0 in Aruba. Alabama has over 20 missing children and untold missing adults. AL LE and the FBI have failed miserably in those cases so who are you to cast aspersions on ALE and Aruba? While I think anyone can undestand the desperation of Mrs Twitty initially, under NO circumstances does her distress give her licence to make false accusations and attempt to discredit all those involved with lie after lie. Her own attorney has publically stated she is a liar. The Journal is factually false, yet she relies on the falsehoods as if it is was the Bible. I guess if you repeat something long enough, you'll believe it. The old Pavlov's dog comes to mind.
I'd watch my back if I were you, she won't hesitate to turn on you for her own gain. She has a new best friend just about everyday.
Incidentally for a "Christian woman," her total lack of respect and disgraceful treatment of Natalee's father proves she needs a refresher course.
Lastly, beth makes it so difficult to remember this should be about Natalee. But she has made this into something all about beth. The resulting effect has just been to become indifferent toward Natalee and very negative toward beth. This is 100% her own doing.
Jody, your post actually brings up some of the sticking points that I am already seeing. Unfortunately, I can also see that Arubans in general just do not seem to understand where us Americans are coming from.
The example of the many missing persons cases in the U.S. is definitely one of two biggest issues. To Americans, the fact is an AMERICAN girl disappeared on ARUBAN soil- plain and simple! Quite frankly, this trumps any criticism of our own crime rate or investigators in American minds. What does this mean to Americans? it means your system is under scrutiny, not ours. If an Aruban girl disappeared in the U.S. under these same circumstances you can bet America would be just as critical of our system- we demand accountability, honesty, and results above all else. This happened in the examples of American justice gone awry that you keep citing without realizing it is falling on deaf ears: O.J., Robert Blake, Jonebnet Ramsey. The difference between how America reacted in each of these cases and how Aruba is reacting to Natalee's disappearance is that America asks tough questions, we do not bury our heads in the sand and pretend that our system or our investigators is perfect. Again, my Aruban readers- please pay close attention- criticizing our judicial system or crime rate a million times does not change this in our minds. Why, you may ask? Well, simple: because Americans feel that our investigators are wholly honest and competent, and that if a case goes unsolved it is not through a lack of genuine effort. To Americans, Aruba has not yet done everything it can to solve this case because Aruba has offered no proof of progress sufficient to convince Americans that this is true. Before you complain about Beth's media attacks ask yourself if you are truly happy with the ALE's performance and your own government?
Of course, the second issue is this lack of accountability and proof that anything is progressing. Again, Aruba, please make note that there is exactly ONE way you can convince the U.S. that your system of investigation and law has any integrity or that your ALE and government is competent or even honest and not covering up Paulus, his son, and their friends. Prove without a doubt what happened to Natalee to us Americans. I mentioned this to Walter already in an e-mail, but when (or if) ALE ever does claim that the case is solved, convincing the Arubans that they did a good job will not stop a boycott or anti-Aruban sentiment in the U.S. Like it or not, your whole island is being judged and America is the jury. Should all of Aruba suffer for a few people's duplicity and sins? No; as much as I support the boycott even I do not feel that way. But do you have a right to complain about this treatment before you honestly evaluate your government and ALE and Aruba's very relationship with the Dutch? No, you do not have that right! Again, I am simply telling you how Americans sees this issue, fair or unfair, right or wrong. Neither of these opinions are going to change in the public eye over here simply by repeating your protests again and again.
I'm very sorry, folks, I can't explain this any clearer...
Now I live in a college town, and said college has a regular enrollment of 45,000 UNDERGRADS a semester. I can tell you that even if Natalee was in C&Cs drinking and she did voluntarily leave with Joran and his 'wingmen' the Kalpoes that Natalee did not do anything that dozens of college girls do here on any given weekend. The first issue that Walter and I agreed was not debatable and that we agree on is that Natalee's actions and character do NOT excuse anything that happened to her. We both agree that a victim is a victim. But neither one of us have any idea why ALE is so fixated on her 'physical and mental state' when the last three people with her that night are running around free still. Is ALE desperate to show some kind of progress or find some tiny clue to break the case or are they still blaming the victim to cover their own actions?
Jody, I will agree with you on one thing: I have always been a bit puzzled at both Beth and Dave for keeping each other at arm's length. Now I have never been through a divorce, I have no idea of the circumstances surrounding their divorce, and I do not have children myself. However, it seems to me that Natalee's disappearance would be far stronger than their past hurts. I will say that this is still about Natalee because, let's face it, if Beth and Dave won't go up to bat for Natalee and do everything they can to keep attention and pressure on the Aruban government (as fair or unfair, clean or dirty as it may be), who will? My guess is...nobody. Ask Ron and Iva Bradley how far the investigation into Amy's disappearance got after media attention faded.
The truth is not an issue here, folks; what Americans think is the truth is what is hurting Aruba. And so far Aruba has done nothing to convince us that you're right and Beth is wrong...sorry, but that is a cold, hard fact that exists.
If you go on to a website you all surely hate, http://arubadirtypolice.blogspot.com/, you will see a valid point here about Beth's media claims, her journal, and really everything that has happened in the U.S. media: because there are no facts, nothing verifiable, no demonstration of progress or honesty or integrity, it all boils down to if you believe Aruba or Beth. For Aruba to complain about us believing Beth in light of these unresolved controversies and an utter lack of any verifiable information is akin to Joran crying because he didn't get his way. You can and will solve this case, Aruba? Well then DO IT- and can your 'our system is just as good but different' arguement. America has already made up its mind about that and PROVING us wrong is the only way you're really going to change that now. Tell the ATA that they're wasting their time and money on Steve Cohen...or maybe you should ask if they're trying to convince the U.S. that everything is fine or are they trying to convince Aruba?
My buddy on ADP also says this about Aruba in general:
"That's why the guilty usually blame the media. It's when they report the truth about a person that the reaction says more than the story. The guilty deny and blame, deny and blame. It hurts when you touch an already sore spot and the new "ouch" is to blame the messenger."
Incidentally, ask any criminal profiler and they will tell you that a common sociopathic behavior is to blame the victim and accept no responsbility for their own actions against the victim. Joran has definitely exhibited this trait- but now ALE seems to be doing it too. Troublesome to say the least.
Arubans and Aruba's supporters should read through arubadirtypolice...be warned it is not friendly at all to Aruba, but the issues and sticking points that exist between Aruba and America are all there.
If any Arubans other than Walter are genuinely interested in sorting through these issues.
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