Caren Janssen

ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Aruba's attorney general said Thursday she could prosecute a case in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway even if the Alabama teenager's body is not found.

Caren Janssen also said investigators have found no evidence to suggest that the 18-year-old Holloway, who disappeared May 30, was dead.

"There are no traces or facts to come to the conclusion that Natalee is no longer alive," Janssen told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Janssen declined to reveal Thursday what other evidence investigators might have.

Massive searches by FBI agents, Dutch Marines, Aruban police and thousands of islanders have produced no trace of Holloway, who was celebrating her graduation from high school in Mountain Brook, Ala., when she disappeared.

...Holloway's stepfather, George "Jug" Twitty, said the family was not surprised by Janssen's comments and was not losing hope the truth would be found.

"We may have no physical evidence, but there is a lot of other evidence of what may have happened in this case," Twitty told the AP.

Janssen, who has been tightlipped during the investigation, said she had decided to speak out because "there has been so much misinformation in the American press."

"I'm the lead prosecutor and I want to show that we are not a bunch of cowboys here," she said.

Janssen declined to be more specific about what she believed had been reported inaccurately.

Paul van der Sloot, an island judicial official, was arrested June 23 but released a few days later when a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold him.

Janssen said the elder van der Sloot gave his son and the Kalpoe brothers legal advice, telling them that "without a body there is no case."

"He confirmed to me that he told them that a few days after she disappeared," Janssen told the AP.

Janssen also alleged Paul van der Sloot, a 52-year-old judge in training in Aruba, obstructed authorities' investigation by asking one of his son's friends, who had been interrogated, what he told police.

But Janssen said Paul van der Sloot was detained for being a suspect in the disappearance, not for obstructing the investigation.

Janssen decided to give this information because she's concerned about the impression the American media are giving the rest of the world about Aruba.

I'd like to know what she thinks was reported inaccurately. She should back up her statement with some specifics, some evidence. That's asking too much I guess. They've shown that they don't know how to handle and analyze evidence on the island.

It's not misinformation that's hurting the reputation of Aruba and its legal system. It's the incompetence displayed throughout the investigation of Natalee's disappearance that proclaims them to be bumbling fools.

Janssen comes out and makes a statement about Paul van der Sloot obstructing authorities in their investigation; yet she says he was detained as a suspect in Natalee's disappearance, not for obstruction.

What?

The lead prosecutor points out that the elder van der Sloot impeded the work of authorities, but she doesn't hold him accountable for that.

It's a perfect example of why Aruban authorities are being criticized.

My heart goes out to Natalee's family. This nightmare is made even worse for them by having to deal with such bumblers.

If Natalee is dead, and that does appear to be the case, the family deserves to see justice done.

If those involved are allowed to walk free after the 116 days, I hope no American chooses to visit Aruba ever again.