Haredi Lev Tahor Cult Members Who Fled To Guatemala Can Remain There – With One Condition, Judge Rules

A Guatemalan family and child judge ruled Monday that six Lev Tahor children can remain with their parents, but must visit the Canadian embassy within three days of his ruling and get proper papers. The question now is, will Canada give those papers to a group that violated a Canadian court order and allegedly abuses its children?

File photo: unidentified Lev Tahor girls

The Toronto Star reports:

A Guatemalan family and child judge ruled Monday that six Lev Tahor children can remain with their parents, but must visit the Canadian embassy within three days of his ruling.

The judge let the family keep their passports and made no provisions, other than the order that the family attends the embassy. They must return to Solola court with paperwork signed by embassy officials saying they are allowed to stay. It's still unclear what will happen when the family visits the embassy.

Members of Lev Tahor, an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect, have a track record of defying court orders in both Quebec and Ontario. If they do so in Guatemala, their case will go to a criminal court.

It’s also unclear what, if any steps the Canadian government and child protection officials are taking to request the return of the children. A court official in Solola said they were aware Interpol is looking for the children, but that the appropriate paperwork for their return to Canada has not been filed. No representatives from Canada were at the court Monday, said the official.

Canada has been conducting its business with Guatemala in secret. The Canadian embassy referred requests for comment to Ottawa. In an emailed statement Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed “consular officials in Guatemala are liaising with local authorities on this issue,” but refused to provide additional information.

The family first appeared before a judge in Guatemala Friday evening. The judge saw no reason to remove the kids and noted issues with the Canadian submissions in the case. On Monday, the judge asked the three oldest children about their family and the situation in Canada.

Child protection authorities in Quebec and Ontario have documented allegations of physical abuse, underage marriage and a substandard education regime in the sect. Lev Tahor denies the allegations and insists the government is persecuting them for their religious beliefs.

Fourteen children and several adults fled Canada two weeks ago ahead of an appeal of an Ontario court order mandating that the children be placed in the care of children’s aid services in Quebec. Eight have since been returned to Canada.

After Monday's hearing, the father of the children, whose identity is protected by the same publication ban that covers his children, was relieved at the decision to allow the children to remain in the family.

“Thanks God, thanks God,” he said.

Fernando Lucero, a spokesman with Guatemala's ministry of immigration, confirmed Monday that the Lev Tahor family is still under surveillance by Guatemala's national police force.

Comments

[RWisler]

It'd be interesting if the adult cult members disregard the conditions set by the court and are thrown into a Guatemalen prison. I understand that the conditions there are not too comfy.

[plus.google.com/105365650738687784925]

We should starting a game show out of this: "Where Will They Flee To Now?"
I'll take Mongolia for $300, Alex.

[CHAIM BABAD]

there is not one human being interested in this waco cult.get more news worthy info or i am back to espn and march madness

[S M L]

Canada would be foolish to give them clearance to get away with this.

[laylahb]

This is like filling out a bracket for March madness. Helbrans v New York State= Helbrans wins by serving only two years. Helbrans v Israel flees to Canada= Helbrans wins. Helbrans v Canada Refugee Board= Helbrans wins. Lev Tahor v Quebec= Lev Tahor wins. Lev Tahor v Ontario= Lev Tahor wins. Lev Tahor v Guatemala=Lev Tahor wins. Do I get Warren Buffet's $1b?

Next? The entire cult flees to Guatemala in the dead of night. I hope they enjoy the rampant violence, kidnappings, child abductions and human trafficking. After that-Guyana- there's a vacant town in the jungle. They can rename it Helbranstown. North Korea? Cuba? Iran?

[MM]

From Chaim Babad: "waco cult"--intentional pun or Freudian slip or atrocious spelling? LOL