FRIDAY
July 26, 1996

‘| Free Concerts at = cert
| -Sundays & Holidays =|
2:00 pm_-;4:00 pm

3-year-old feared abducted to Iran
BY ANNA MARIE D’ANGELO
Rows Reporter

MINA Zarandcoz is living a mother’s nightmare.

If her ex-husband, Mohammed Shirali, gets his way, she will never be able to care
‘or her three-year-old son again.
Shirali, 41, allegedly abducted the child on Sunday and took him to Iran. The child's
father was allowed weekend visitations under a court order.
A frantic Zarandooz got word on Monday that her Canadian- bom preschooler was in
Iran where his father plans to raise him.
“just need my baby’:.. He kidnapped my son. He shouidn’ t do this.” said a distraught
‘Zarandooz on Wednesday. mo
* The 34-year-old North Vancouver, woman sobbed as she
poke to reporters in her small, tidy apartment in the 100-
block of East 18th Street.
Beside Zarandooz was a picture ‘of her smiling three-
‘year-old, Farzad..:
.. Behind her, was the ‘litle boy’s white highchair pushed
face first in to.a dining room_wall. ~ ”
“' Zarandooz was comforted by a police counsellor before
he. spoke to media in her ‘home. Her crying mother and
brother were nearby.
Said 'Zarandooz, “Every time I had to make him go (on
-Order visits with his father)... He was not happy. He
caine back so tired, without socks, his clothes were dirty.”
Zarandooz and Shirali ’ were divorced in March of this. | yo. vp!
“year after about four years of ‘marriage. Zarandooz was FARZAD. Shirali ...
arded custody of their only child.. last seen by his moth-
Shirali was charged with threatening his former brother- er on Sunday.
w, Esmail Zarandooz, i in April. The court case was to be .
heard in August'in Vancouver provincial court.”
= :Zarandooz said her ex-husband could not afford to abduct their child to tran without
financial. help from Canadian residents.
-North Vancouver Mounties have recommended a charge against Shirali of abduction

in contravention of a custody order. They are also requesting a Canada-wide warrant be.

ued for Shirali's arrest.
Canada does not have an extradition treaty with tran.
An Immigration. official said both Zarandooz and Shirali were under effective

See Appeal page 3

BY IAN NOBLE:
Nows R Reportar

the feds may result in a
mainly private-sector con-

sortium leasing and oper-, |
ating a fisheries lab in
West Vancouver next year.

overnment and industry extol:

the plan as a ‘way lo,save taxpayers
money and. maintain Gperations ati

¢:facility-on Marine Drive. But |
comimercial fishermen, who aren't
represented i in the consortium, Say
the. privatization plan’ will lead to,

ferior, profit-driven research.

1 just don‘r believe. the private ;

or'will pick it all up and we will get the

rvices and same benefit for less tax.” “lion. in cuts the © $22

‘from

The new plans are a response | 0 $34. mil-
million
Department of Fistieries sind Ocouns budget

Weather

Saturday: Mainly sunny
High 24°C, tow 14°C.

7 ~ NEWS photo Paul McGrath

NORTH Vancouver resident Mina Zarandooz repeatedly burst into tears when she spoke
about her abducted three-year-old during a press conference on Wednesday.

reaten fish lab jobs

NEWS photo Paul (AcGrath

* SCIENTIFIC work: such as fish feed research may be undertak-
en at DFO’s West Vancouver lab by a private consortium in 1997.

in the Pacific Region, which includes British
: Columbia and the *ukon, said Dr. John

Davis, DFO's
director of science.

He added that cuts of 52
employees and $8 million
have been ordered in the
$34-million DFO science
branch budget, which funds
the West Vancouver lab.
Currently, the Jab eats up
$2.5 million a year for
salaries, operations — and
research expenditures.

Of the 30 staff working
in West Vancouver, eight
will be relocated and 22 will
Jose their jobs, said Davis.
Some of the laid-off workers
may be picked up by new
lab operators or other posi-
tions may be found for them
in government.

regional

At the six-hecture lab site, fisheries scien-
tists conduct experiments in fish nutrition,
stress, reproduction technology, fish growth

See Fish page 2

index —

.] Bright Lights...

B Crossword... 25
8 Homa. & Garden.............12
8 North Shore Alert............4
& Tatking Personals..........24