reporter: it had to be. michael shannon held the passports for both of his boys in a safe at home. he had legal custody of adam and jason wasn t allowed to leave maryland without the father s consent. but there was a loophole. early in 2001, one parent could simply call the state department and report a child s passport lost, apply for a new one and it was granted. that is exactly what had happened. the egypt air tickets were purchased in new york by a relative. the family arranged for an international moving company to empty the apartment where she was living. that was nearly 12 years ago. michael shannon has not laid eyes on his sons, not even in a
co-conspirator of an international kidnapping weeks in the works. she came from her home country of egypt, she came here, she participated in the planning of the removal of the children from maryland. she participated in the story that was told to the father. it was well planned. it was well planned. reporter: it had to be. michael shannon held the passports for both of his boys in a safe at home. he had legal custody of adam and jason wasn t allowed to leave maryland without the father s consent. but there was a loophole. early in 2001, one parent could simply call the state department and report a child s passport lost, apply for a new one and it was granted. that is exactly what had happened. the egypt air tickets were purchased in new york by a relative. the family arranged for an international moving company to empty the apartment where she
are you serious? are you talking about the man with the tie? yeah. we believe that first boy who looks like a man now is adam, and the second is jason, your son, 12 years old, is jason. it could be him. it could be. yes, it could be him. looks like a man. yeah. i spent the last 11 years with an image of a 5-year-old in my mind. anderson, tomorrow night, the emotional moment when michael shannon sees his sons for the
she had taken his sons to a country where u.s. citizens have few rights in custody battles, egypt. confirmation would come on the most unlikely of days. i received a call from adam right after 9/11 and he said i m not in america anymore, i m not even in new york, because he thought new york was a separate country. he was only 4 years old at the time. he says when are you and pop-pop coming to get me. and i said as soon as we can. reporter: thomas fleckenstein, the state s attorney in maryland, says the facts would later reveal adam and jason s grandmother was the co-conspirator of an international kidnapping weeks in the works. she came from her home country of egypt, she came here, she participated in the planning of the removal of the children from maryland. she participated in the story that was told to the father. it was well planned. it was well planned.
what do you find when you went to cairo in search of these boys? we actually found the boys themselves and while we were still in cairo, we sent michael shannon images of his boys. his boys that he hasn t seen in 12 years. take a look. listen, i want you to do something. you ve got a computer in front of you. i want you to open up that computer and i want you to hit play. i see it. and i m looking at a young man with a black tie. does he look familiar? no. are you serious? are you talking about the man with the tie? yeah. we believe that first boy who looks like a man now is adam, and the second is jason, your son jason. it could be him. it could be. yes, it could be him. looks like a man. yeah. i spent the last 11 years with