ORANJESTAD, Aruba – A judge has ordered the conditional release of a Dutch teenager in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway (search), but he must remain available to police and is still a suspect, his attorney said.
Joran van der Sloot (search), 18, could be released as early as Saturday and remain free pending the outcome of the probe of the missing American girl, said Antonio Carlo.
The judge's decision "only has to do with the pretrial detention. The primary condition is he has to remain available to police," Carlo said.
The announcement came after Carlo argued in a hearing that prosecutors have produced no evidence that his client was involved in Holloway's disappearance or a crime had been committed.
The prosecutors office declined to comment, saying it hasn't received the entire order for the release, but expected it Friday.
Van der Sloot was arrested June 9 with two friends, Surinamese nationals Satish Kalpoe (search), 18, and Deepak Kalpoe (search), 21, on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance. All three have denied any connection to the disappearance.
The Kalpoe brothers were released on July 4 but were re-arrested last week.
Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen May 30 leaving a bar with the Kalpoes and van der Sloot, hours before she was to end a vacation celebrating her graduation. No one has been charged, and extensive searches have produced no sign of her.
Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty (search), has repeatedly said she believes the three young men were involved in Natalee's disappearance .
The Aruban lawyer for Natalee's father, David Holloway, said van der Sloot could still be tried in the case.
"It doesn't imply there will be no trial. It's a sort of bail without money. There are conditions instead of money," Benvinda de Sousa said.
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