she, not pimm. not she that was the alcoholic but him. and not she that kept the family apart, it was him, and a not so unbiased way told us that an anti-arab, anti-muslim u.s. judicial system is the root of all her problems. i m looking at my kids on my own to protect myself and my sons. he s a manipulate he s a liar and i had to leave. i had to go. the system famed me. the system was against me. reporter: and you believe the system was against you because you re arab-american? i m an arab muslim. definitely, yes. reporter: nermeen khalifa illegally abducted her two sons and left country on august 25, 2001. in maryland, a court hearing was immediately scheduled. it would be held in two weeks. the date september 11, 2001. move it!
to be interviewed on camera and even refused to meet with us off camera, she did agree it was time for her to talk, at least by phone. i d like to explain my point of view. okay. reporter: her story is a completely different account of the marriage, the kidnapping, and the u.s. court record on the case. and though it may sound far-fetched in the united states, in egypt and in the middle east it is easily believed that the entire u.s. justice system conspired against her. reporter: nermeen khalifa tells us it was not she that was the abuser, it was him, not she that was the alcoholic, it was him, and not she that kept the family apart, it was him. in a not so unbiased way told us that an anti-arab, anti-muslim u.s. judicial system is the root of all her problems. i left the united states with my kids of my own accord to protect myself and my sons. he s a manipulator, he s a liar,
in a not so unbiased way told us that an anti-arab, anti-muslim u.s. judicial system is the root of all her problems. i left the united states with my kids of my own accord to protect myself and my sons. he s a manipulator, he s a liar, and i had to leave. i had to go. the system failed me. the system was against me. and you believe the system was against you because you re arab-american? i m an arab muslim. definitely, yes. reporter: nermeen khalifa illegally abducted her two sons and left the country on august 25th, 2001. in maryland a court hearing was immediately scheduled. it would be held in two weeks. the date, september 11th, 2001. move it! reporter: on the very morning terrorist planes were hitting the world trade towers, a maryland state court ruled
the west until now. hello? hi, nermeen, this is drew griffin with cnn. reporter: though she refused to be interviewed on camera and even refused to meet with us off camera, she did agree it was time for her to talk, at least by phone. i d like to explain my point of view. okay. reporter: her story is a completely different account of the marriage, the kidnapping, and the u.s. court record on the case. and though it may sound far-fetched in the united states, in egypt and in the middle east it is easily believed that the entire u.s. justice system conspired against her. reporter: nermeen khalifa tells us it was not she athat was the abuser, it was him, not she that was the alcoholic, it was him, and not she that kept the family apart, it was him. in a not so unbiased way told us that an anti-arab, anti-muslim
in a not so unbiased way told us that an anti-arab, anti-muslim u.s. judicial system is the root of all her problems. i left the united states with my kids of my own accord to protect myself and my sons. he s a manipulator, he s a liar, and i had to leave. i had to go. the system failed me. the system was against me. and you believe the system was against you because you re arab-american? i m an arab muslim. definitely, yes. reporter: nermeen khalifa illegally abducted her two sons and left the country on august 25th, 2001. in maryland a court hearing was immediately scheduled. it would be held in two weeks. the date, september 11th, 2001. move it! reporter: on the very morning terrorist planes were hitting the world trade towers, a maryland state court ruled michael shannon should be granted sole custody of his two abducted children, and the state issued a warrant for nermeen s