On Monday, a British High Court judge, Justice Peel raised concern about three children “clandestinely” taken to Libya by their Libyan father from their home in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
In a statement, the Judge said that the children Khalid Aljehani, nine, and his sisters, Aasiyah, seven, and Maimunha, four, have been wrongly removed from the care of their mother Dawn Daley, 44, of Wythenshawe, by Fares Aljehani.
He said the youngsters have been, “on the face of it”, victims of a “blatant abduction”.
The children, who left Britain in July, are at the center of private litigation in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
But judges involved decided that restrictions – barring the children from being identified in media reports of that litigation – should be lifted.
“From everything I have read and heard it is apparent that (the children) have been wrongly removed from this country by their father in what was, on the face of it, a blatant abduction,” he said.
“Those children are now with their father and his family in Libya.
“The removal was under the ruse of a holiday which the father said he wished to take in England.
“Instead, he took them clandestinely to Libya. In so doing it seems to me that he acted unscrupulously and contrary to the needs of these children who have always lived in this country and have been in the primary care of their mother and attending school here.”
The judge said Aljehani had been served with notification of legal proceedings, begun by Ms. Daley, and his response had been to send a “laughing emoji”.
“On the face of it, this father has perpetrated an act of great cruelty on these children and their mother,” added Peel.
“I would urge anybody who can do anything to assist the return of the children to this country to do so.
“That includes the father himself, his family, and any judicial or other authorities in Libya who are minded to take appropriate steps.”
A solicitor representing Ms. Daley called on Mr. Aljehani to do the “right thing”.
“We remain gravely concerned for all three children,” James Netto, who is based at the International Family Law Group, told the PA news agency.
“Ms. Daley has had virtually no contact since their abduction from this country in the summer of 2022.”
In press statements, Ms. Daley said, “It’s been over three months now since I last heard from my babies.”
“Three long hard months for me and all of my family.
“Some days are harder than others but I remind myself that I have no option but to carry on for the sake of myself and all of my children.
“Fares, I urge you to do the right thing and bring the children home where they belong.”
She added: “I can only imagine what’s going through their little minds. I could understand your doing what you have done if I ever restricted you from having a relationship with them, but this is something I would never do as I believe children need both parents in their lives.”
