Belfast mum's plea for help as son missing in Lebanon

A Belfast mum whose son is missing in Lebanon is "terrified" for her baby boy and is pleading with both the British and Irish Governments for help to find him and bring him back to Northern Ireland.

Catherine Flanagan has been fighting to get David Nalhe back after he was taken and kept from her by David's father and family.

Catherine said: "David and I went to Lebanon in August '22 on a holiday to see his father who is Lebanese. His father wouldn't let him come home. He told me in a hotel room you live here now. I didn't agree to that. I was shocked.

"He removed David from my care using violence. Threats. He told me if I agreed to leave peacefully he would send David back to NI. But he didn't."

In 2023, the High Court in Belfast ruled David, who was born at the Ulster Hospital, must be returned to Northern Ireland.

He was to be handed over on or before 5pm on 18th August at Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

That never happened.

In January this year, the 39-year-old was told by her ex-husband if she came to Lebanon she would get her son - instead Catherine said she was attacked and feared for her life.

She added: "I felt I was going to die. I felt that there had been a plan to get me out there and put an end to all this business with the court and with me. Every single moment is an ache in your heart for where is my baby. The only respite you get is when you go to sleep and you dream about him and wake up and he's not there.

"I think about how much he must have changed. Learning to talk. Is he being looked after. Is he happy, is he healthy. What's going on in his wee brain. He's only a baby. He needs his mum. I need him".

DUP leader Gavin Robinson told UTV: "It's been well over a year now this family has been separated. Mother and child separated.

"A family back home in NI have been hoping and pushing our Government to get diplomatic support. At a time like this we need our Foreign and Commonwealth Office to stand up for our citizens irrespective of where they are in the world."

Last week the Irish Government intervened to get Irish Air Hostess Tori Towey back to Ireland after she was banned from leaving Dubai.

Catherine said: "I'm so worried about David. Lebanon is so dangerous. Bombings constantly. Every single day - terrified something is going to happen to David. They did such a good job for Tori. I want them to do the same for David.

"He's only a baby and he's in so much danger. Please, please, please can they help me get my baby home..."

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