ORANJESTAD, Aruba (3 Sep 2005) -- All three suspects in the disappearance of a U.S. teenager were released from jail Saturday in a serious setback to the prosecution and the biggest blow yet to Natalee Holloway's family. Joran van der Sloot, an 18-year-old Dutchman, and two Surinamese brothers, Satish Kalpoe, 18 and Deepak Kalpoe, 21, were released on condition they remain in Dutch territory and be available to police for questioning. The Kalpoe brothers emerged from prison dressed in jeans, carrying black plastic bags and accompanied by their lawyers. "It's a happy day for the Kalpoe family," said David Kock, an attorney for Satish. Van der Sloot came out smiling, flung an arm around his father's neck and squeezed his mother's shoulder. He did not address reporters. "We would like to express our happiness to have Joran back in our lives," his mother, Anita, told a crush of reporters. "What happened to Joran from being a happy 17-year-old could have happened to anyone," she added. "It is an eye opener for many parents. His life has been turned upside down." She said her family had been the victim of "slander based on rumor and gossip. It is easy to destroy the lives of people, especially through the press." Van der Sloot's lawyer, Richie Kock, said the teenager would soon be going to university in Holland: "Joran will be trusted to be on his own in Holland and to do as he pleases," he said. "We do not have a parole system." Attorneys previously have said the release was conditional on the three staying in Aruba, a Dutch Caribbean island, but Kock said they were only limited to Dutch territory. Court officials have provided no details. Despite Saturday's releases, police insist the investigation into Holloway's widely publicized disappearance will continue. "The investigation continues. The case of Natalee Holloway has not concluded with these releases," Adolfo Richardson, the police officer in charge, told reporters on Friday. But legal observers in Aruba say the release indicates the government has no case. "The prosecution doesn't know what criminal act occurred - acts which might be murder, kidnapping, rape," said attorney Arlene Skipper, a legal observer of the case. "It is still a missing person case ... The prosecution has a strong suspicion of foul play but no proof of it ... If they had solid proof, they could close the case." Van der Sloot and the brothers were arrested June 9 on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance. All three have denied any connection to the disappearance. | | According to content found on web sites associated with rape/murder suspects Satish Kalpoe, Joran van der Sloot and Deepak Kalpoe, they were involved in gang rape, pornography and abuse of young local and tourist girls. The missing teen's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, said Friday she was devastated by the news of the suspects' release. The Holloway family have insisted that all three young men know what happened to the Alabama honors student, who vanished May 30 on the last day of a vacation to celebrate her high school graduation. Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers. Her family has often been critical of Aruban authorities' handling of the case, especially for taking 10 days to arrest the three young men and two weeks to search van der Sloot's home. Authorities also have been criticized for not giving the FBI enough access to documents in the case. Prosecutors eventually agreed to a request from Aruba Prime Minister Nelson Oduber that the FBI be given access to all documents, including transcripts of interrogations. Police and thousands of volunteers have scoured Aruba without finding a sign of Holloway, often chasing apparently false leads, including a witness who said he saw men dumping a body at a landfill days after Holloway vanished. Police and volunteers wasted days picking through the enormous landfill. Another witness said he saw the Kalpoes and van der Sloot driving by a pond the night Holloway disappeared, at an hour they told police they had gone home. Firefighters drained the pond but found nothing. Widespread reports in the U.S. media - including ones critical of the investigation - have left islanders fearful for their tourism industry. Many protest they are being unfairly targeted, pointing out that Aruba is one of the safest places in the Caribbean. Just two murders have been reported this year, and neither victim was a tourist. |
