Couple vow to keep internet twins

The Kilshaws say they have nothing to hide from the FBI

A British couple say they will fight for custody of two American babies they adopted via the internet despite claims the girls had already been "sold" to another family.

Judith and Alan Kilshaw, from north Wales, say they have legally adopted the six-month-old babies, named Belinda and Kimberley.

But a US family claim they had already paid £4,000 to an internet adoption broker for the twin girls. Two months later the girls were "snatched" back by their birth mother and sold all over again to the Kilshaws.

Adoption in Britain is over-regulated and people are regarded as being unsuitable for silly reasons

Alan Kilshaw

Californians Richard and Vickie Allen say they want the girls back and are reported to have called in the FBI to investigate.

Home Secretary Jack Straw has announced that the government will be examining the case.

Mr Straw told Channel 4 News that he was concerned about the circumstances which led to the girls arriving in this country.

"It's a matter of huge concern, I share that concern as a parent as much as a senior minister in this government," he said.

"It is illegal, completely illegal, in this country for people to buy and sell babies or children, and that is entirely as it should be, because it is frankly a revolting idea.

Holiday visas

"Obviously, what happened, happened in other jurisdictions in the United States, but nonetheless we need to look at the circumstances.

"There is also an issue of immigration control," he added.

The Kilshaws said they planned the adoption on the internet while the twins were still in an American hospital after being born prematurely.

"We said we would consider the twins and would like to adopt them," Mrs Kilshaw told BBC News 24.

Mr and Mrs Kilshaw already have three children

"They had to stay in hospital the full term. Then we were told they were placed."

She said there was no further news about the girls until their natural mother rang to say they could be collected for adoption.

Mr and Mrs Kilshaw, who have three children and had tried IVF treatment to have more, said the Allens had not adopted the girls, who were brought to Britain on six-month holiday visas.

Mr Kilshaw said the twins' birth mother had been "very hostile" towards the Allens and had exercised her right under Californian law to have them removed.

"I do not think there was any problem with the way the family looked after them while they had them but the point was that the birth mother did not want the children to be there at the end of the day," he said.

'No legal rights'

Mr Kilshaw said he believed the mixed race twins would face less racial prejudice in this country than in the United States.

He said he and his wife had been forced to seek adoption in the US because of the "over-regulated" process in the UK.

Mr Kilshaw said he had always wanted a daughter and realised that he and his wife were unlikely to conceive naturally.

Alan Kilshaw believes the babies have a better future in the UK

"Adoption in Britain is over-regulated and people are regarded as being unsuitable for silly reasons," he said.

Asked about the threat of an FBI investigation, Mr Kilshaw said: "We have nothing to hide."

The Allens say the Kilshaws had no legal right to the girls.

They said the British couple had not followed correct adoption procedures in the United States.

"They were abducted from California, taken to Arkansas which had no jurisdiction, and then the Kilshaws paid everyone involved to take the children out of the country without any legal right or justification in doing so," said Mr Allen.

"They have no right to the children."