Baby's 'abductor' had twins adopted

THE 23-year-old woman alleged to have abducted baby Farrah Quli had twins within the past year but gave them up for adoption, according to sources in the West of Ireland.

The woman's father contacted gardai on Saturday afternoon when he recognised the face in an identikit picture shown on television as his daughter, who had travelled from London with the child on Friday on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire ferry.

When she arrived at her parents' house at the weekend with Farrah, neighbours believed the baby was one of her own children.

It was still unclear last night whether the woman will face charges over the incident. A file on the case is being sent to the Irish DPP by Irish detectives.

The woman, who travelled to Ireland by coach after posing as a child-minder and allegedly kidnapping the baby, is the daughter of the owners of a country club on the outskirts of Limerick.

Bernadette and Shane Quli yesterday showed considerable sympathy for the young woman, and declined to say whether they wished charges to be brought. They expressed thanks to her for looking after their daughter.

Six-months-old Farrah was last night flown back home to London after a highly emotional reunion with her parents. Mr and Mrs Quli thanked police forces on both sides of the Irish Sea, members of the public who provided important information, and the media for helping to find their daughter.

After receiving the news of her baby's rescue, Mrs Quli telephoned Anne Donnelly, the woman who on Friday gave a detailed description of the female passenger she had talked to on the coach and the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire ferry.

Mrs Donnelly, originally from Wexford like Mrs Quli, and living in London for 20 years was on a family visit to Ireland with her 12- year-old son. She provided gardai with the vital evidence that the woman had family in Clare and a boyfriend from Limerick which helped to identify the woman holding Farrah.

Parents' joy; photograph, page 2