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Updated at 8.01pm
THREE DUBLIN SISTERS who were held by Egyptian authorities for three months have been welcomed home to Ireland by family members and well-wishers.
Somaia, Fatima and Omaima were freed from detention in Egypt earlier this month following intervention by the Irish government. They were detained on 17 August.
The three Irish citizens — along with their brother Ibrahim — were imprisoned after a protest they were taking part in calling for the reinstatement of ousted president Mohammed Morsi turned violent. 17-year-old Ibrahim remains in custody.
The siblings were visited by Irish consular staff during their time in detention. Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore said the Irish government had increased pressure on Egyptian authorities to free them, in the days before their release.
Omaima (21), Fatima (23) and Somaia (27) arrived home to Dublin Airport earlier today, where they were greeted by a relatives and friends carrying banners and cheering.
They spoke briefly to reporters, saying they wished to thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and diplomatic staff for working to ensure their release. They also expressed their thanks to media outlets, family members and “everyone behind the scenes”.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is continuing to provide assistance to Ibrahim, and is liaising with Egyptian authorities on his ongoing detention.
Originally posted at 2.12pm
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She got out easy enough but getting back into Trump’s America now might be a little tricker.
@winston smith: won’t be a problem, Trump likes grabbing pussys
@winston smith: President Trump has no problem with people entering USA in the proper legal manner and applying for a Visa.
@Steve Austin: is that why his travel bans have been so successful, bit like his businesses. Can you give me a Hell ya
@winston smith: I’ll take “what are feet for for 400 please”
@Steve Austin: is that why he signed an executive order preventing people who went through the proper channels from entering the US?
@Steve Austin: but people have a problem entering trumps America that’s why tourism is down bigly
I remember that Nat Geo Documentary about the cats and dogs that found their way home?
Homeward Bound I believe it was called.
@Brian Guilfoyle: he whisked it. simple.
There’s a voice that keeps on calling me……
@MARK O ‘LEARY:… until tomorrow I’ll just keep moving on
I hope she kept a catalogue of her travels..there is a film in it somewhere.
Cats, like all wool-bearing animals, instinctively travel North, where it’s warmer, and they won’t be so stuffy.
@Harry the Cat: I heard cats originate from a much warmer and dryer climate. North African/ Middle East type climate. They hate the cold and they hate water and the wet. They don’t have a woolly coat just a thin fur. They also get very confused when they see snow, some are scared, some go chasing after falling snow flakes. They’re not at home in the snow at all.
@Jack Bowden: ever heard of the snow leopard or the Siberian tiger?
@Harry the Cat: Canada is a lot colder than California. You got that in reverse mate.
@Robert Cullen: yeah I’m talking about the domesticated short hair cat.
@Harry the Cat: How is it warmer in the north you plum
@Shane, Harry lives in South Africa.
Well that’s about the same amount of time you’d spend waiting to see a gyno in Cork..and whole story about a cat but nothing about the mismanaged services maternity services in Cork.
Nothing about managers and consultants only working Monday to Friday ( because we all know, babies born over the weekend are a nuisance), nothing about their enormous salaries for this 9-5 job? nothing about overworked nurses trying to deal with the huge amount of babies to be born. Nope. Nothing.
@jenni: what the actual f?
@Damocles: Think it’s called reality on this small benighted island…..
@Kerry Blake: it’s a puff piece about a cat. Times and places.
That’s all well and good Jenni but it doesn’t explain how the cat got to Canada.
Ryan Air of course!
I’d hazard a guess she walked or possibly jumped into the back of a pick up truck for warmth
‘Adobted’ by another family that moved to Canada?
Somebody knows.
Ryan Air?
Probably walked
Cats are like that?
have your say