Father Wanted For Parental Abduction Is Speaking Out From Tunisia

BALTIMORE (WJZ)--Two children-- taken from their grandmother's Maryland home. Their father is on the FBI's most wanted list for abducting them and taking them to Tunisia.

Now-- after seeing our story last night--- that father reached out to WJZ.

Meghan McCorkell has more on his story.

Faical Chebbi is wanted for parental abduction after the FBI says he kidnapped his own children and took them overseas.

For four years, Deanna Johnson-Chebi has fought to get her children back from Tunisia.

Her ex-husband admits he took them from their grandmother's home in Prince George's County during weekend visitation.

Now-- he's speaking out to WJZ from Tunisia.

"Yes, I took the kids from the U.S. to Tunisia. I called her the next day. I said, you come here," Faical Chebbi.

Faical Chebi is now on the FBI's most wanted list for parental abduction. He claims he did nothing wrong.

McCorkell: "Would you ever turn yourself in to the FBI"

"I won't. Why I will go back to U.S. to be in jail? For what? For nothing? I was not criminal," he says.

FBI officials tell WJZ Chebbe remains a wanted fugitive and their investigation continues.

Edeanna Johnson-Chebbi fought for custody of her children in Tunisian court for years-- but says the rulings haven't been enforced.

McCorkell: "She claims she went all the way to the Supreme Court in Tunisia and they gave her custody."

"They gave her custody in Tunisia, but it's not the final judgement," Chebbi says.

Edeanna was able to get her 5-year old daughter Zainab back into the United States, but her 8-year old son Eslam remains in Tunisia with his father.

"He is being held against Tunisian law, against international law, and against United States law," Edeanna Johnson-Chebbi said.

Faical Chebbi admits his son misses his younger sister.

"I prefer to take both kids back to U.S., that would be better for the kids..to be together."

But, he says he has no plans of ever returning to the U.S.

Faical Chebbi says he has been in contact with the FBI recently, though he won't say what's been discussed.

United States leaders have asked the Tunisian government to step in and enforce custody orders in this case.