Source
ummuhammadOP•

Original story if you are interested.

2
Yaz3D•

I've never heard of this situation before. I hope your children are returned to you and everything works out.

1
ummuhammadOP•

Unfortunately I have now heard of too many of them. Not just to Saudi Arabia, although Saudi Arabia makes it easy for father's to abuse the laws to keep their children from their mothers.

2
tg_wl•

Seems like they (Saudi government) want to pressure you into living here.

0
ummuhammadOP•

That's what it seemed like at first, but then the lawyer specifically said that she thought it would be best if the children would be returned to me in the US. I think they really want the charges against Majed dropped, and I made it clear that the only way that would happen was if the children were allowed to return. When I spoke to the FBI, they made that very clear.

The thing is, the law making international parental kidnapping a crime is specifically designed for this exact circumstance- to be used as pressure for kidnapping parents to return the children, in exchange for dropping or reducing charges against them. At one point, she said, "maybe they would drop them if you moved there voluntarily," to which I replied, "No, that's not how it works. Even if I have to move there to be with my children, the charges will still be there waiting for him."

To be honest, I was completely taken off guard when she said something like, "Well, the best solution would be for the children to be able to return to the US." And also, "the Saudi government is interested in assisting in returning the children to you here." I think I must have just sat there stunned for a good 30 seconds after each of those statements. I even made her repeat herself.

I know that it's not exactly written in stone, but for real, I have never heard of this happening, in all the cases I have read about, researched, spoken to other left-behind mothers about- it simply does NOT happen. The Saudi government does not intervene in custody cases. It does not tell foreign mothers that it will help them get their children back. These things are, quite frankly, unheard of.

4
tg_wl•

I see. Goodluck..hope it works out soon.

2
ineededanewname•

It would take me forever to be able to read that article because my Arabic is poor, and google translate is shit. But your comments on this thread may be revealing details not supposed to be mentioned.

I obviously don't know the details nor am I a lawyer. But perhaps it's best to not update us until your ex-husband(?) is charged and your children are safe in your hands in your home.

0
ummuhammadOP•

The original article is posted. Everything I am doing is on public record. My stance has always been one of openness. My ex operates in secrecy- not me. By making everything open, I hold people accountable for what they say. It is possible that the lawyer who spoke to me was only trying to placate me, to quiet me. I want it to be clear that I will not be quiet until I have my boys again. I can only hope and pray that they were in fact serious in their desire to help me. And it was not indicated to me in any way that anything that was said was confidential.

Another reason I am free with information is that I want it to be clear that I am not trying to deceive anyone as to my intentions. I do not want to act furtively. At the same time, I am careful not to say anything in public that is of a sensitive nature- it does not often happen, but sometimes there are things that are not to be made public immediately. Also, I have been asked by several media outlets for my ex's contact information. I do not provide that information either, as I think it is not right to hand out other people's private information.

A very wise woman, whose own children were kidnapped from her 30 years ago, told me that she made a decision at one point, that she would always be a person that her children would be proud of. I have tried to make this my personal motto.

2
MalcolmY•

Why does it say kidnap? It's their father? Couldn't we also say the mother is also trying to kidnap them too?

This term is pushing my buttons. I don't know what happened between you and your ex husband, but kidnap is way too extreme in this situation. Both of you are doing similar things, taking them you one's own country away from the other. I just hope the kids be alright in all this mess.

-1
ummuhammadOP•

He kidnapped them in the sense that he took them out of the country in violation of a custody agreement that he willingly signed, and took them to a country where I cannot even go, as of today. I NEVER took the children from him, and I NEVER would. I actually am trying, have been trying to negotiate a new custody agreement, he has refused. I have told his family members that I am willing to negotiate terms, if he wanted to live in Saudi Arabia (instead of America, as he had said for years), that we could arrange for the children to live part-time in the US and part-time in Saudi. I have NEVER tried to take the children away from him, because I always have wanted what was best for them, and I believe having two parents in their lives is the best. I AM NOT TRYING TO KIDNAP THEM. I am trying to go through legal channels to get my parental rights. He decided to take the children to fulfill his selfish whims. He ABSOLUTELY kidnapped them. I never even took them out of Saudi- we moved to the US when we were married. After we separated, he told me many times that it was his intention to stay in the US until the children grew up. Our US custody agreement made allowances for the children to travel to Saudi with him during school vacations, as long as protections were in place that would ensure that they would come back to me- he deliberately KIDNAPPED them before those protections were implemented.

And no, the children are not alright- their father ripped them from their normal lives, and has kept them from their mother for 6 months.

7