Utah custody battle involves feds, Japan

"Japan will not extradite on this charge," said Utah U.S. District Attorney spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch, who added her office was working with the State Department on trying to get the children back. The bottom line, she said, is that the Allreds would have to come back on their own to face justice.

Salt Lake City FBI spokesman Bob Wright said his office has had some involvement in the custody case but could not comment on an open case.

In a letter sent to Assistant U.S. District Attorney Mark Vincent from the U.S. State Department on Sept. 2, the department noted that it has put out an order not to renew the U.S. passports of Etsuko and Daren Allred, which will expire in 2007 and 2010 respectively.

However, the State Department noted that because Etsuko Allred is a Japanese national, it is likely that she will be allowed to remain in Japan after 2007 and that Daren Allred can seek asylum as her spouse.

Gulbraa said he has pretty much exhausted all of his options to get his sons back to the United States. In the past years, he said his sons have missed important family events, including the death of a grandparent.

Being LDS, Gulbraa had hoped to persuade his church to step in and help. Church officials, however, say the matter is out of their hands.

"We believe in obeying and sustain the law of the land," said LDS spokesman Mark Tuttle. "In this case what we have is the law of the United States and the law of Japan, which don't agree; they're in conflict. Because it's a civil matter we leave it to the courts."

"The church is trying to minister to the needs of the families on both ends. But this is really an issue for the governments."

Friends of the Allreds, both in Utah and in Japan, have said Gulbraa should abandon his efforts and accept the situation.

Gulbraa said he plans to keep fighting, despite tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys fees, to get his sons.

"It boils down to my basic love for my kids," Gulbraa said.

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E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com