Articles were published in Medway Messenger on Friday February 15 regarding Jackie Smith who traced her children from a previous marriage via the Internet.

We wish to withdraw any implication in the articles that the children's father Mr Habib Yaghoubi had acted wrongly in taking the children to the United States of America.

Mr Yaghoubi had custody of the children and when he and his new wife emigrated to the United States in 1993 the children went with them with the consent of Mrs Smith and with permission of the court.

We sincerely apologise to Mr Yaghoubi for the distress and embarrassment caused.