Nick Lampson: “Nadia Dabbagh was kidnapped in 1993 by her Syrian national father. She was 2 years old. Her mother has not seen her…”

“Nadia Dabbagh was kidnapped in 1993 by her Syrian national father. She was 2 years old. Her mother has not seen her since. A Federal warrant was issued for the arrest of her abductor. Syria even issued a warrant for his arrest. Her mother, Maureen, went to the Islamic court in Syria in an effort to have her custody rights recognized in Syria. Amazingly, this American Christian woman also won, almost unheard of in Syria. In the last Congress, Senator Charles Robb sponsored a Senate resolution calling for the return of Nadia. It passed the Senate and has been ignored. With all of this effort, Nadia is still not home. Maureen has had no contact with her, no photos, nothing. She knows that Nadia is in Saudi Arabia. Even though she is not a Saudi, nor is her father, and even though her mother has custody orders and warrants from both the United States and Syria, she is no closer to bringing her daughter home. Nadia is now 10 years old. Her father has arranged a marriage to her cousin living in Syria. So even in adulthood she will not have the ability to come home if she so chooses. Nadia must be returned in order to protect her welfare and guarantee her American freedoms throughout her life. It is time now for us to act to bring our children home.”