Dutch father with "joint custody" abducts daughter; U.S. judge gives him "sole custody." So much for the Hague Convention (Pennsylvania)

During the MARK GOLDMAN fiasco, it was pretty disgusting watching all the pious handwringing in the U.S. about the sacred Hague Convention and how awful international "kidnapping" was. It's all hypocritical nonsense. These people--mostly fathers rights advocates--are more than happy to swing the other way when it's convenient to do so, and so do the U.S. courts.

Take this dad (identified here only LEENDERTZ). He is a Dutch national who had "joint custody" of his daughter with his ex-wife, a Ukranian national living in the Netherlands. Joint custody! This is a major demand of the fathers rights people. But it's all a ruse in many cases; it was in this one. Daddy wanted more, total control. So he abducts the child and takes her to the United States, where a U.S. judge granted him SOLE CUSTODY just two weeks ago. So much for the sacred Hague convention! Only now is a U.S. District Court judge saying, well, maybe she better go back to Holland. Dad's HOME COUNTRY and PLACE OF CITIZENSHIP. The girl's former place of residence.

So what "American authorities" were aiding this father and why? Who are they? What agency or organization are they with? Where do they get their funding?

Note that item is appeared in the Dutch media, not the U.S. media.

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/abducted-katja-leendertz-return-holland

Abducted Katja Leendertz to return to Holland
Published on 5 March 2010 - 12:50pm

Katja Leendertz is to return to the Netherlands, a US judge ruled on Wednesday. The eight-year-old girl has been caught in a transatlantic legal battle between her father, a former Dutchman who lives in the United States, and her Ukrainian mother who currently resides in the Netherlands. The district court’s verdict contradicts an earlier ruling in the US.

Mr Leendertz, Katja’s father, caused quite a stir when he took the girl to the United States in May last year: he went to her school and took her away unannounced. The girl’s sudden disappearance set the Dutch missing children network into action, resulting in a nationwide search. It later turned out that the American authorities aided Mr Leendertz.

The incident triggered a legal battle over the child’s custody. Mr Leendertz pleaded his case in the United States and was awarded sole custody two weeks ago.

Ms Karpenko, Katja’s mother, meanwhile appealed to a Dutch court. The Dutch judge found that there was no treaty between the Netherlands and the US on child custody matters and concluded that she could not recognise an American ruling. Under Dutch law, Katja’s parents still have joint custody.

On Wednesday, a district court in Pennsylvania ruled that the manner in which Mr Leendertz took his daughter to the United States qualifies as kidnapping. Mr Leendertz is therefore to return his daughter to her mother in the Netherlands.

Katja Leendertz has an American, Dutch and Ukrainian passport. She has been living with her father in Pennsylvania the past year.