Bournemouth grandmother’s joy - A’ishah is found safe and sound

Bournemouth Echo, England

8:40am Monday 25th January 2010
By Paula Roberts

A BOURNEMOUTH woman has spoken of the moment she discovered her missing two-year-old granddaughter had been found safe and well in Egypt.

Barbara Maas, of Throop, said she has not been able to stop smiling since her daughter Leila called to say she had been reunited with little A’ishah Sabra.

A’ishah went missing in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada on May 16 last year while on holiday with Leila and Barbara.

The trip was also an access visit to see A’ishah’s father, and Leila’s ex husband, Saber Mesbah Sabra.

Leila, 32, has always insisted A’ishah was bundled into the back of a car by her father but he had consistently denied any involvement in her disappearance.

Since May, Leila has fought tirelessly to push the Egyptian authorities to find A’ishah and attended countless court cases.

Two weeks ago Leila’s MP Ivan Lewis travelled to Egypt to push Leila’s case forward and on Thursday evening Leila was eventually reunited with her baby.

In a statement her lawyers, Gamble Investigations International Ltd, said Egyptian Police detained Saber and ordered him to hand over the child.

Barbara said: “It is over. It is so wonderful. I don’t know when I am going to see Leila but I know she has A’ishah in her arms – that’s mind-blowing.

“The first time I heard A’ishah on the phone – I melted.”

Leila told the Echo: “When I first saw her I wasn’t allowed near her. We had to go into court and Saber held her. I just sat there for two hours, she was next to me but I couldn’t touch her.”

Speaking of the moment she was eventually reunited with A’ishah, Leila said: “She wrapped her arms around me and didn’t let go. No one told her I was her Mummy but that is how she immediately referred to me. “It was surreal, I had waited minute by minute, hour after hour which turned into months. I mourned the loss of my baby and yet here she was cradled against my chest. It was a dream come true.

“It has been so lovely being a Mummy again. “She looks exactly the same as when I last saw her eight months ago but a little taller.

“She cannot speak any English so it is a good job I can speak Arabic.”

Leila praised her legal team at GII Legal Services and Gamble Investigations International Ltd.

“They have had four lawyers working solidly on my case and they have spent thousands of pounds of their own money to help me get A’ishah back. All parents who have missing children should know about them.

”Leila, who lives in Manchester, said she will never forget the support she has received including people from Bournemouth, the cast of Coronation Street, her MP Ivan Lewis and all those from a Facebook group set up to help find A’ishah.

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