Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

New arrest in Holloway case in Aruba
05-22-2006

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (AFP): Police have made a new arrest in the case of the disappearance of a United States teenager in the Caribbean island of Aruba last year, the public NOS radio 1 reported on Sunday.

It said the suspect, whose identity was not released, was from Aruba and friends with Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch youth who has also been questioned in the case.

Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old from Alabama, was last seen early on May 30 last year after a week spent vacationing on the 193-square-kilometer (75-square-mile) Dutch Antilles island with about 100 schoolmates celebrating their high school graduation.

Van der Sloot spent three months in custody on Aruba last year but was finally released because the authorities said there was not enough evidence against him.

Van der Sloot, who subsequently moved to the Netherlands, is generally considered to be one of the last people to have seen Holloway alive. According to the authorities in Aruba he is still a suspect in the case.

The new youngster arrested in the case was set to be moved to Aruba later this week, NOS reported.

Holloway was to have boarded a plane home to the city of Birmingham, Alabama, but never returned to her hotel after a night out at a bar with friends and some of their local acquaintances including Van der Sloot.

Police found her packed suitcase, cell phone and passport by the door of her hotel room. No body has been found.

The hunt for the teen and criminal investigation was closely followed in the US media, and caused worries on Aruba that the vital tourist industry on could be damaged by the bad publicity.

Holloway's family believes Aruban authorities botched the investigation and have insisted that Van der Sloot knows more than he told authorities about her whereabouts. They have filed a lawsuit against Van der Sloot holding him responsible for her death and demanding damages.