A French-Jewish woman has her daughter back from Saudi Prince. Candice Cohen-Ahnine, 34, has won a custody battle against Saudi Royal Prince Sattam al-Saud, her former partner, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph. A French court has ordered the prince to return the couple's 10-year-old daughter Aya to her mother, who resides in France, as well as provide monthly child support in the amount of 10,000 euros ($13,037). According to the report, the child has been living in a palace in Riyadh for the last three years, while the French Foreign Ministry has been working to return the girl to France to no avail. The prince, part of the kingdoms founding royal family, allegedly kidnapped Aya in 2008 when she and her mother visited Saudi Arabia. According to the Daily Telegraph, Saud told the Paris-based Le Nouvel Observateur magazine, If need be, Ill go like [Osama] bin Laden and hide in the mountains with Aya." Cohen-Ahnine reportedly met the prince 14 years ago while vacationing in London, and gave birth to their daughter in November 2001. The two kept the relationship going until 2006, at which time the prince informed Cohen-Ahnine that he was obliged to wed his cousin, the British daily reported. Cohen-Ahnine refused to become his second wife and they separated. According to the Daily Telegraph, Cohen-Ahnine claims her daughter was abruptly taken from her during their trip to Saudi Arabia. Cohen-Ahnine was allegedly spirited out of the country by French officials after claims surfaced that she had been born a Muslim and later converted to Judaism, a crime punishable by death in the Middle Eastern kingdom. Cohen-Ahnine has since been involved in diplomatic efforts to gain custody of her daughter. She wrote a book about her ordeal, titled "Give My Daughter Back!" An international arrest warrant will be issued for the Saudi prince if he ignores the court ruling. "The ruling was a great victory for me and vindicates everything I have said ... but Im still very worried for my childs future, Cohen-Ahnine told the Daily Telegraph. Meanwhile, Saud has denied the kidnapping altogether, telling the Daily Telegraph that Cohen-Ahnine converted to Islam and the two had married in Lebanon under Islamic law. The prince said that Saudi Arabian divorce laws state parents must share custody of a child. Saud said he had offered to pay for all of Cohen-Ahnine's living expenses so that she could remain in Saudi Arabia, and also offered her full access to their daughter. The Saudi prince alleges that Cohen-Ahnine demanded 2 million euros in exchange for giving up custody of Aya and returning to France. Saud told the Daily Telegraph he responded, "I dont bargain over my own child." The prince has not shown any signs of abiding by the French court's ruling, but he did say he plans to send lawyers to France to challenge the court's decision. "France hasnt got the right to take her back. She is a Saudi citizen and a princess. They cannot oblige a princess to leave this country," the prince told the Daily Telegraph.
Jewish mother wins custody battle against Saudi royal prince
French court orders Saudi Royal Prince Sattam al-Saud to return daughter to her Jewish-French mother Candice Cohen-Ahnine, the Daily Telegraph reports • Cohen-Ahnine: The ruling was a great victory for me... but Im still worried for my childs future.
Load more...