By PETER PRENGAMAN
The Associated Press
Friday, July 1, 2005; 5:17 PM
ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- Three young men detained in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager have been charged with murder since their arrest more than three weeks ago, Aruba's chief prosecutor told The Associated Press on Friday.
The charges were not announced at the time to protect the feelings of the family of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway, said Attorney General Karin Janssen.
"At the time, we didn't want to upset the (Holloway) family talking about murder while they searched," Janssen said.
Janssen, who has said several times in the past three weeks that no one was charged in the case, said they also kept the information quiet in order not to compromise their investigation. Authorities have said they have no physical evidence suggesting Holloway is dead.