Police in Nordland County reported on Wednesday that a man out fishing off the coast between Fauske and Rognan found an item floating in the sea that’s been linked to Arjen Kamphuis. The 47-year-old technology expert from the Netherlands, who’s been tied to Wikileaks, has been missing since he was last seen on August 20 while on holiday in Norway.
State broadcaster NRK reported that the fisherman turned in the item after reportedly finding it in the sea near Kvænflåget. Police said they are certain the item belonged to Kamphuis but refused to say what it is, “out of consideration for the ongoing investigation” into Kamphuis’ disappearance.
Police in Norway have been cooperating with Dutch police in efforts to find Kamphuis. He’s believed to have taken a local train from Bodø to Rognan late in the afternoon of August 20.
Police launched a search in the area where the fisherman found Kamphuis’ belonging. Emergency crews from the Red Cross and a vessel belonging to Norway’s search and rescue service took part in the search that was continuing on Wednesday.
Confusing the situation is earlier confirmation by Norwegian police that signals from Kamphuis’ two mobile phone SIM cards were registered on August 30 in the Stavanger area, far to the south of Rognan. “Base station information shows that two phone numbers tied to the missing person were used for a short period on August 30,” police told NRK. Newspaper VG and TV2 have reported earlier that police have checked material from relevant surveillance cameras in the Stavanger area, without finding any trace of the missing man.
Kamphuis has been described as a “hacktivist,” information security specialist, active public speaker and a co-founder and chief technology officer of Gendo, an Amsterdam-based managment consultancy firm specializing in technological innovation. Gendo’s website notes that Kamphuis has also worked for IBM and been self-employed, advising clients on the strategic impact of new technological developments.
newsinenglish.no staff