Aruba Witness A No Show In Court

A man who claimed he saw a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway driving with two friends the night she vanished failed to appear in court Thursday and has possibly fled the country, officials said.

The witness had been summoned to give sworn testimony in court Thursday, but authorities were unable to locate him, Chief Prosecutor Karin Janssen told The Associated Press.

The man told police last month that he saw Joran van der Sloot, an 18-year-old Dutch high school student who had been detained in the case, and two Surinamese brothers driving near the Marriott Hotel around 2:30 a.m. on May 30.

The man's account is significant because van der Sloot told authorities that he was already at home at 2:30 a.m. that night. Van der Sloot has admitted he was alone with Holloway that night, but said he left her unharmed at a beach near the Marriott Hotel.

Defense lawyers on Wednesday appealed a judge's ruling that Aruban authorities could share information with the FBI about missing teen Natalee Holloway.

Last week, a judge struck down a motion by the defense to prohibit file sharing with the American law enforcement agency, which is acting in an advisory role in the high-profile case.

"It's not a question of having something to hide but about the legality of their (FBI) involvement," said defense lawyer David Kock.

Kock, one of three lawyers who argued the appeal Wednesday in a closed court session, said a decision was expected Monday.

FBI agents have been on the Dutch Caribbean island as observers since Holloway disappeared May 30. They were granted access to material last month at the urging of the Aruban prime minister.

Lawyers for van der Sloot and the two Surinamese brothers have argued the FBI didn't have jurisdiction and shouldn't have access to the investigation.