A mum who hasn't seen her three children since they were abducted and taken to Libya by their father five months ago is desperate to see them again this Christmas.
Dawn Daley, 44, says she feels 'empty' after her kids, Khalid Aljehani, nine, Aasiyah, seven, and Maimunha, five were taken by their father, Fares Aljehani, under the ruse of a holiday.
He picked the children up from Dawn's house in Wythenshawe on July 30, under the pretence that he was taking them away to North Yorkshire. Instead, he 'clandestinely' boarded a flight to his home country of Libya, a High Court judge ruled last month.
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The children haven't been seen or heard from since, leaving their heartbroken mother in turmoil. "The children loved it when we celebrated Christmas. It's massive over here and it doesn't feel right that they aren't here," Dawn said, speaking to the Manchester Evening News .
"I just feel empty. Some days I don't even know what to do with myself. My life feels like it's on hold until I get them back.
"We do try and keep busy as I do have four other children as well who keep me on my toes. The older two have been supportive but the middle two miss their siblings so much."
During a recent hearing at the Family Division of the High Court in London, Mr Justice Peel said the children's father had 'wrongly removed' them from their mother and said the kids had been the victims of 'on the face of it' a 'blatant abduction.'
As the judge appealed for Mr Aljehani and the Libyan authorities to help bring the children back to the UK, Ms Daley voiced her own pleas for their safe return.
Last week, she flew to Tunisia in the hope of getting the backing of the British Embassy there, who she has asked to contact Libyan authorities to help her find her children.
Mr Justice Peel said Mr 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," he added. "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."
Speaking to the M.E.N ahead of Christmas, Dawn said she feels anger and confusion towards her ex-husband, and is urging him to let her see or speak to the children.
"Obviously I’m angry. I never stopped him once from seeing the children when he was here," she said. "It didn't matter how badly I felt towards him, the children still loved their dad and I never wanted them upset by stopping them from seeing him.
"Before he took them he made it seem like everything was okay. He just made everything seem like it was going to work out. I feel like everything was a plan now."
Since the children were taken nearly five months ago, they have all celebrated birthdays. "I've just had to do my best not to think about it," she said, as she urged her ex-husband to bring the children home, and at the least let her speak to them to make sure they're okay.
"Personally I think they would be scared to say to him 'I want to speak to my mum' because they don't want to upset him.
"He has told someone in the police he asked the children if they wanted to speak to me and they’ve said no and I feel they are too afraid to say they want to speak to their mum."
In a direct appeal, James Netto, who is representing the family, said: "We remain gravely concerned for all three children. Ms Daley has had virtually no contact since their abduction from this country in the summer of 2022.
"Christmas is approaching and with each day that passes, the more painful it is for the children and for their mother. On behalf of Ms Daley, I urge you to do the right thing and bring these children home."
Greater Manchester Police has been contacted for an update on the investigation. In a previous statement, they said: "On the 10th August 2022, police received a report that three children aged 8, 6 and 4 were missing from their home in Wythenshawe.
"The children are believed to be with a family member. Enquiries are ongoing to trace the whereabouts of the children."
An Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson has previously said: "We are providing assistance to the family of three children who have been reported missing and are in contact with Greater Manchester Police."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 8566051 quoting log number 3480 of the 10 th August 2022. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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