Irish mother to take criminal case in Egypt to get her children back from their father
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The mother of two Irish children who were abducted by their father while on holiday has said she is going to take a criminal case in Egypt where her children are being held.
Zayn (5) and Kareem (3) Mohamed were snatched from their mother’s care in April 2022 during a visit to see their grandfather.
The children had gone on holidays with their parents when their father, Ramy Gamal Maamoun Mohamed locked their mother, Mandy Kelly, into an apartment and drove them away in a car.
Ms Kelly, 39 from Dundalk, Co. Louth, has asked for the Department of Justice to re-start talks on a bilateral agreement on child abduction with Egypt, because the country is not signed up to the Hague Convention.
On Thursday, Ms Kelly met with the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee over her concerns.
She said afterwards that she felt heard by Ms McEntee.
“I am very thankful that the minister agreed to meet with me, regarding my case,” she said.
“I’ve been asking her for a long time to meet and I feel after a 45-minute meeting, that I was listened to and that the voices of my children were heard and respected.
“I would like the minister to meet with the Egyptian ambassador here with the view of setting up a bilateral agreement or a memorandum of understanding on child abduction.
“I am aware the Egyptian authorities are very sympathetic to my case but without some sort of agreement, nothing will change.
“An international agreement would be a deterrent for anyone who commits this crime.”
A bilateral agreement between both countries was first raised by the former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter in 2013, when Faris Heeney from Dublin was abducted from his mother.
The child was smuggled through Dublin Airport on his sister's passport and his father never returned him. However, no further progress was made on the issue.
“When I was returned to Ireland after my children were taken by their father, the diplomats in Cairo said someone would check on my children but to date, no welfare checks were carried out.
“This is something I will continue to address even when my children are returned.”
Ms Kelly said she will also begin work on a criminal case in Egypt over her children’s abduction.
“There are European arrest warrants being issued very shortly.
“I want to begin a criminal case in Egypt on the grounds of child abduction and extortion and that a return order will be issued.
“I made all that clear to Minister Helen McEntee who said she will consider the issues and come back to me."
There has been no communication between Ms Kelly and her children since they were abducted.
She said:
“Looking back, there were red flags, he was abusive towards me, always putting me down. But I never in a million years saw this happening.
“He said I could see them again if I paid him money. I must go through this process now to make sure that I get my children back and that it never happens to anyone again."