Nick Lampson: “on April 30, 2000, Maya and Omar Murad, ages 3 and 5, were forcibly abducted by their father, Ruwayn Murad, who had…”

“on April 30, 2000, Maya and Omar Murad, ages 3 and 5, were forcibly abducted by their father, Ruwayn Murad, who had resided in the United States for nearly 20 years but retained dual citizenship in Lebanon. The children, who had spent only 2 weeks of their lives on Lebanese soil, were spirited to Lebanon where they have now been held for nearly 6 months. Their exact whereabouts are presently unknown. Prior to the abduction, the children's mother, Elizabeth Henry Murad, had been informed by a colleague of her husband that Mr. Murad was planning the abduction. After a judge in New York family court failed to take emergency action, a divorce action had been commenced by Mr. Murad, who ultimately abducted the children after having been granted an adjournment in the case. In advance of his flight, Mr. Murad also wired all the family's liquid assets from their accounts in the U.S. to Lebanon. Elizabeth Henry Murad, the custodial parent of Maya and Omar, is now waging a desperate battle for the return of her children to New York, the only home they have ever known. Mr. Speaker, it is time now to assist Mrs. Murad and others like her to bring our children home.”