Gran's nightmare after tot abducted in Egypt (From Bournemouth Echo)

Gran's nightmare after tot abducted in Egypt

8:00am Tuesday 22nd September 2009 in

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A WOMAN has spoken of the “living nightmare” her family has been going through after her two-year-old granddaughter was snatched in Egypt.

Barbara Maas, 56, from Bournemouth, was on holiday with her daughter Leila when little A’ishah was bundled into a car in May.

Leila claims A’ishah’s father, Saber Mesbah Sabra, abducted the toddler outside a café in Hurghada on May 16, but he has appeared on TV apparently denying responsibility and saying he doesn’t know where the child is.

Distraught Leila Sabra, who is divorced from A’ishah’s dad, believes the child is with her father and she has been fighting through the Egyptian courts to get her daughter back.

She managed to speak to A’ishah five days after she went missing by contacting her ex-husband but hasn’t spoken to her since.

Leila, 32, met Saber Mesbah Sabra when she went to Egypt on holiday in November 2005 and they married the following July.

Leila became pregnant but decided to return to Manchester after suffering complications.

They divorced in Manchester in June last year, agreeing that A’ishah would live with her mother but visit Egypt once a year to see her father.

They visited her father’s family home in Kafr El Sheikh last December and returned to Hurghada on May 8.

Barbara, from Throop, who works as a clerk in Beales, said: “For me it has been a living nightmare. Two weeks ago I felt like I was in mourning. My heart felt very heavy. I just cannot imagine what my daughter is going through. I am so proud of her and to see her go through this is just heartbreaking.

“We need to get her back.”

Speaking of A’ishah, Barbara said: “She is a little ray of sunshine. She had just started to string words together and she sang all the time. She is the cheekiest little monkey with the softest heart.”

Leila, who lives in Manchester, told the Daily Echo: “It is an absolute nightmare. I just want my baby back. I just keep wondering is she happy? Does she miss me? The worst thing is does she think I abandoned her? She has been with me every single day of her life. She doesn’t know her father. She doesn’t speak Arabic.”

Speaking on TV, Saber Mesbah Sabra said: “I don’t know where is my baby. I want to see her. I want to be with my baby.”

Leila has appeared on GMTV and Coronation Street stars are pledging to do all they can to help. Leila has received the backing of Bury MP Ivan Lewis, who is also foreign officer minister with special responsibility for the Middle East. He said: “It is a tragic situation and I will be doing everything to ensure A’ishah and her mother are reunited.”

Leila is planning to return to Egypt at the beginning of October in a bid to find A’ishah and bring her home. “I have got to get my baby back.”

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “On July 7, police received a report that a two-year-old child had been abducted on May 16 while on a visit to Egypt. While Greater Manchester Police has no powers to investigate the matter, officers from Bury CID are providing the mother with support.”

The Echo tried to make contact with Saber Mesbah Sabra yesterday but his number was unavailable.