Hanan: the child who attracted public attention [Archives:2006/924/Reportage]

Mohammed Al-Jabri
[email protected]
On the afternoon of January 25, 2006, the school bell rang and students cheerfully exited classrooms. Hanan arrived home and her mother was happy to see her. As usual, she took off her bag, changed her clothes and went out to play with her friends in front of the house. However, this day, there was a man watching them. He stepped forward until he reached Hanan. He seemed very kind as he gave her a candy and asked her to come with him. She innocently followed the man to his car, not even shouting or crying as he drove off, as she did not know he was abducting her. He drove to Ma'abar city in Dhamar governorate. Since then, her family and neighbors began to worry about her. They searched for her here and there, but there was no sign of her.

This incident caused a state of worry for many Taiz families, especially when other children disappeared, as parents feared for their children. Mostly mothers worried about their children going to and from school. Residents began to panic as child abduction rumors spread everywhere. Fifteen child disappearance cases were reported in the governorate, which people considered abduction. All of those children were found except Hanan. Taiz Security Authorities Manager, Brigadier General Ahmed Al-Olofi, said child abduction was just a rumor, which he described as “child disappearance.”

Security authorities exerted much effort in searching for Hanan. Some 10,000 photos of her were distributed in various governorates, including Sana'a. Therefore, citizens began discussing Hanan's story, interested to know any information about her abduction and who abducted her. Day after day, there still was no sign of Hanan. Her father Taha received many messages assuring him that she'd been found, but none were correct. He did his best to find his young daughter, walking from street to street searching for her among the neighborhoods.

According to Hanan, the man who abducted her was called Ali Mohammed. He brought her to Ma'abar city to Mohammed Abbas, who has an herbal medicine center. He told Abbas that Hanan was his daughter and he wanted to treat her. He then left Hanan at the center with Abbas and did not return. Abbas took her to his home, where she was given much care and attention by his children and wife.

Hanan spent several days with the Abbas family, often going to a shop to buy chocolates. The shop owner, Mohammed Al-Banous, noticed that Hanan was staying with the Abbas family, but that she did not seem to be one of his children. Her face was not familiar to him, as he knows all the neighborhood children. In fact, Abbas's wife visited Al-Banous's wife along with Hanan. Al-Banous's wife wondered who the girl was, learning that she was from Taiz and named Hanan. Thank God, Al-Banous was aware of the news that a girl from Taiz had been abducted and, of course, he must have seen her photo as well.

He called his Taiz relative, Judge Ali Muhsen Al-Humaidah, Western Taiz Court assistant, and told him that he had found a girl bearing the same characteristics of the one for which they were searching. Al-Humaidah immediately went to Hanan's father and told him the good news.

With a note of hopelessness, Taha seemed uninterested as he said to Al-Humaidah, “Brother, more than once we have been told that Hanan has been found and after investigating, it turned out to be a child of two or three years.” However, he asked Al-Humaidah to obtain the telephone number of the house where Hanan was staying.

Al-Humaidah got the number from Al-Banous and Taha called his daughter. He recognized her voice and asked her about her mother, sisters and grandmother. As she replied to his questions, Taha knew it was his own daughter Hanan and hopefulness clearly was on his face.

They then called security authorities. Upon hearing the news, Taiz vice governor Abdulkader Hatem called Taha, assuring him he would accompany them to Ma'abar. He arrived along with Investigation Department officers, setting out for Ma'abar city at about 1 a.m. They kept in contact with Abbas by telephone while traveling, arriving in Ma'abar city at 4 a.m. They immediately went to Al-Banous, then to Abbas's to meet Hanan.

She was in good condition as she had received much attention from the Abbas family. Abbas said a man left Hanan with him for treatment and had not returned until then. He said he did not inform police about Hanan because he knew the man who left her.

Hanan returned home the morning of February 22 after first being taken to Al-Saeed Hospital for medical testing, which showed she was in good condition.

Many neighborhood residents gathered to receive her. As she arrived, men, women, boys and girls uttered cries of joy to see their beloved Hanan, some shedding tears of happiness as they witnessed the moving scene. Hanan, the innocent child, was surprised to see hundreds of people welcoming her back. Perhaps she did not realize that she had drawn the attention of the press and public alike. Thus was the story of Hanan, who was missing 25 days.

Security authorities have exerted much effort in Hanan's case and investigations are ongoing. So far, two men have been arrested as suspects in the crime.
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