Custody Feud Lands Grandmother In Prison

[Dymphna]

Today is the grandmother's 106th day in prison, where she sleeps on the bottom bunk of a two-inmate cell.

No longer does Afaf Khalifa, wife of a wealthy businessman, jet from her marble-floored flat in Cairo's fashionable suburb of Heliopolis to her family farm in Giza, with its view of the Great Pyramids. No longer does she relax at her ski-resort apartment near Zurich or her condominium in San Diego.

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Excuse me, are we supposed to feel sorry for this woman? The article makes it seem so. She helped kidnap those kids and take them to Egypt. It would be one thing if there was alleged abuse by the father or if Dad moved to the US away from Mom and their life together in Egypt, but that's not the case. The family lived in the US and Mom chose to return to Egypt after the divorce. The reason she gives for kidnapping is that she can't live without the kids and because she now lives in Egypt, she would never be able to see them again. What about the father? What about the idea that he'll never see his kids again? It was her decision to move. Her parents have houses all over the world, I think they can spot her a few bucks to live here or to visit here regularly.

Grandma commited a crime and continues to do so, as long as she helps her daughter keep those kids away from their father. She deserves to stay in jail.

 

[alex]

I didn't think the story was slanted towards grandma, just the opposite. For somone one who can't bear to be away from her kids she still has to employ a nanny and work full time?

 

[UMANYAR]

ADAM & JASON ARE THE VICTIMS...

CMCDANAL is correct, and the State Appelate Courts agree. Afaf has been through four appeals with sleazy, high profile, over-paid attorneys. She is up for 'Open' Parole hearing in April.

ALEX, neither Nermeen nor Afaf have worked a day, nor ever will.
They are the wife and daughter of one of the richest men in Egypt, close personal friend of President Mubarak, and George Bush Sr.

The horror here is that Osama Khalifa sent his wife to sit in an American prison in exchange for two grandsons. She bore him 4 daughters, they in turn 4 grand-daughters. All meaningless in his Arabic culture.
Adam and Jason were only options. Both boys were born in U.S., and both their mother and father were born in the U.S. Yet U.S. government will not lift a finger even when Adam asks his father and grandfather in U.S. "When are you coming to get me???"

Jason is 3, Adam will be 7 next month. Both have lost much. Adam loved to ice-skate, sleigh ride, trick-or-treat, fishing, and Santa Claus.
Both have lost their native country and family that loved them dearly.
The Khalifas have failed to appear four times in Cairo's highest court to face their own nation's questions.

Afaf got 3 years, my sons were condemned to life in a mental and physical Hell.

I repeat what I said to John Walsh, these most innocent of victims will be the focus of my attention until they are home in Maryland, or I shuffle off this veil of tears...

 

[tlatchaw]

You tell 'em Mike. Hey guys, before you respond to this guy you should check out his siggy line. This is Adam and Jason's dad and a good friend of mine. He can tell you sh*t about Nermeen and her Mom that will make you wonder why the heck we even have a state department if it can't be used to protect the rights on US citizens.

Mike, didn't you once tell me that there are HUNDREDS of US citizens (mostly children) being held illegally against their will in Egypt alone? Tell these folks some of the details.

 

[UMANYAR]

LOST CHILDREN...

Hello, Tom
Yes, I was on a John Walsh show about America's Lost children.
The other 80+ nations in the U.N. recover 90% of their kidnapped children, the U.S. is at 18%. This is because EVERY nation uses their 'Ministry of Justice' to protect their most innocent citizens. ONLY the U.S. uses the 'Ministry of Weak Sisters", or as we call them 'State Department'. Congressman Lampson and several U.S. Senators are trying to force the numbers, but best guess is about 11,000 U.S. children held from Mexico to Germany to Egypt and everywhere in between.
We will not use Justice Department once they pass over the bordor.
One fellow sufferer once wrote me 'They do not vote or pay taxes', so they get little attention...

 

[alex]

Don't misunderstand me, I totally agree with what the courts did. My comment about working and the nanny was that if she couldn't stand to be away from her kids why is she working and employing a nanny? One would think she would be taking care of them herself.

If our government is for supporting families why aren't they doing anything in this case to get those kids back? I do not think they should let this woman out until the kids are returned and even then Mom should be allowed only supervised visitation.