The U.S. government has warned a Virginia judge that an American Marine’s adoption of an Afghan war orphan was flawed and could be seen as international child abduction.

  • @Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    Citing a litany of “falsehoods,” the Justice Department wrote that the court relied on “intentional misrepresentations” from the Marine and skipped critical safeguards to protect children being brought to the United States.

    “The grave harm that the Masts have inflicted upon the Child, her family, and the United States is ongoing,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in the court documents, which included signed declarations from State and Defense department officials. “Most troublingly, the child remains with the Masts to this day.”

    Mast, who was on a short assignment as an attorney in Afghanistan, met the baby in a U.S. military hospital and became determined to bring her home.

    The Masts and the girl’s Afghan relatives, who are suing to get her back, have been ordered not to speak publicly about the case, and their lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

    They kidnapped the child. Full stop.

  • livus
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    2 years ago

    could be seen as international child abduction.

    “Could be”??? Having read the article and the linked article I can’t imagine any metric by which this is anything other than an international child abduction.

    He literally kidnapped her from the family members who were raising her.

    Edit: and for anyone who had reservations about her going back to Afghanistan, that’s not at issue here as her real family are now in the US as well.

    • @asteroidnova@lemmy.ml
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      42 years ago

      “Could be” is journo speak for they don’t want to get sued. That’s why they use wishy-washy milquetoast language for everything.