Two girls return safely to Israel after father kidnaps, takes them to Thailand

Following surveillance in Greece, Turkey, Russia, Israeli police and Interpol bring sisters home.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: JUNE 25, 2015 17:45
Generic airplane (photo credit: Reuters)
Generic airplane
(photo credit: Reuters)
The Southern District police completed a cross-border rescue mission to bring back two girls who were abducted and taken by their father to Thailand over a month ago. In a joint mission by national and local police units, the girls were safely returned home last Friday, it was revealed Sunday afternoon.
On April 27, the girls were not returned to their mother on time, so she alerted the police in Beersheba. Upon investigation, they learned the father had taken the girls out of the country and flown to Greece. From there they boarded a flight to Turkey - then Russia - until they finally reached Thailand.
Israeli police worked with their representative in Thailand to come up with a plan to rescue the girls, ages three and five, amid growing concern for their safety. The father was arrested on Friday for staying in the country illegally, and at the same time the mother flew to Thailand to take custody of the children while he was in detention.
Within hours, she was on a plane back to Israel with her two daughters.
Southern District Chief Yoram Halevi said the story had all the elements of a Hollywood action thriller, except that it was a real event in which the lives of these sisters were in imminent danger.