MISSING BOYS MAY BE ON WAY TO SYRIA
Larry Altman

Long Beach Press-Telegram
July 23 2008
CA

WESTCHESTER: Mothers say three boys have been taken away by their
fathers.

Two Westchester brothers allegedly abducted their three boys from
their ex-wives and might be on their way to their native Syria,
the mothers said Tuesday.

John Silah, 47, and George Silah, 46, have not been seen since they
took their sons for vacations last month.

Both men had previously threatened to take their sons and move out of
the country, said the mothers, Christine Jeanbart and Zanni Meguerian.

"They have friends in Syria, relatives in Turkey, friends in Canada,"
Jeanbart said. "I would say they are either trying to flee to Syria
or they are across the border waiting to get passports for the kids."

Missing is Jeanbart’s son, Greg, who turns 10 years old today. He
was last seen June 23 with his father, John.

Also missing are Meguerian’s sons, Alex, 12, and Zaven, 8, who were
picked up that day by their father, George.

Greg attends Holy Martyrs Armenian Elementary School in North
Hills. Alex and Zaven go to school at Westchester Lutheran Church.

"I can’t even describe to you the emotions," Meguerian said.

"I went from being completely distraught and literally almost
bedridden. I was weak and crying until I just couldn’t stand on
my feet."

Slowly, she gained strength and has reached out to the media. "I’m
just praying every day."

Meguerian said she knew something was happening when her former
husband asked her repeatedly for her sons’ passports. She wouldn’t
hand them over because he had previously threatened to take the
children to Syria.

Her former husband, George, insisted that he was taking the boys on
the Disney Wonder cruise ship to the Bahamas following a trip to Big
Bear. John and his son also were going.

Both men had rights under custody agreements to have the children
for summer vacations. Meguerian said she knew they could travel with
birth certificates.

"I was uncomfortable," Meguerian said. "I told my children, `Make
sure you talk to me every day."’

Meguerian told her son Alex to call her as soon as they arrived in
Big Bear on July 2. She heard nothing. Her calls to his cell phone
went straight to voice mail.

She asked the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, which
covers Big Bear, to check on them. The Silahs and their children
never arrived.

Both women went to Los Angeles police, but were told they could not
file a report because both men had rights to their sons.

The mothers checked with the Disney cruise line in Florida. The men
and boys never boarded the ship on July 6.

Meguerian called the Syrian Embassy and has determined the men and
boys have not entered that country.

"You just never think this is reality until you are living it,"
Meguerian said. "It’s every parent’s worst nightmare."

Both women will be in court today to ask a judge to void their custody
agreements and grant them sole custody.

"I was planning to throw (Greg) a pool party," Jeanbart said. "That’s
what he wanted. I’m just going to pray that he comes back."

Los Angeles police Lt. Richard Mossler, who heads the detective
bureau at the Pacific Division, said the disappearances appear to
have been planned.

The men lived with their parents on 81st Street in Westchester. The
women said the parents flew to Syria about a week before their
children disappeared.

The Westchester house is empty.

"It was cleaned out by the landlord thinking that it was abandoned,"
Mossler said.

Police are focusing on finding the children, but are aware of
allegations against both men that they stole millions of dollars from
people in an investment scam.

Their aunt, Stella Silah, charged that her nephews stole $650,000 of
the equity on her Mar Vista home.

"The bank is going to sell it," she said. "I am going to be out on
the street. They are devils."

Neither mother believes her former husband will harm the children. They
just want them back, especially since they believe the law sides with
men in custody issues in Syria.

"I just want Greg back," said Jeanbart, who last spoke to her son
July 2, when she believed he was headed to Big Bear. "I would tell
Greg at this point, `Mommy is coming to get you, Greg, no matter where
you are. Mommy is going to get you back home. I am not giving up."’