Heidi Blake

Here's Heidi. She initially moved into a hostel in a pretty gritty part of southeast London. And then eventually she moved in with a friend who she just met randomly on the run. It seems like, to some extent, she kind of just lived as you might imagine a teenager would, having her first taste of freedom in a major city. We know she dabbled with alcohol, kind of made new friends.

Here's Heidi. She initially moved into a hostel in a pretty gritty part of southeast London. And then eventually she moved in with a friend who she just met randomly on the run. It seems like, to some extent, she kind of just lived as you might imagine a teenager would, having her first taste of freedom in a major city. We know she dabbled with alcohol, kind of made new friends.

But she also did something pretty smart. She contacted a lawyer. She found this guy through the Yellow Pages, a lawyer called Paul Simon. And she just walked into his office off the street and told him she was a runaway princess, a member of the Dubai royal family, and that she wanted to claim asylum in the UK. When she said this, her lawyer said something very revealing.

But she also did something pretty smart. She contacted a lawyer. She found this guy through the Yellow Pages, a lawyer called Paul Simon. And she just walked into his office off the street and told him she was a runaway princess, a member of the Dubai royal family, and that she wanted to claim asylum in the UK. When she said this, her lawyer said something very revealing.

He noted in records at the time that he told Shamsa her case was very unlikely to succeed, given the friendly relations between the UK and the UAE.

He noted in records at the time that he told Shamsa her case was very unlikely to succeed, given the friendly relations between the UK and the UAE.

The case was referred to Special Branch, which is this secretive division of the British police who at that time handled all matters of national security. Special Branch got in touch with the Dubai royal family. And the police log, which I have here, says that representatives of the family told them that they, quote, had no knowledge of the name given or any such incident.

The case was referred to Special Branch, which is this secretive division of the British police who at that time handled all matters of national security. Special Branch got in touch with the Dubai royal family. And the police log, which I have here, says that representatives of the family told them that they, quote, had no knowledge of the name given or any such incident.

And so just like that, the case was dropped. And this is like one of the first of many incredibly frustrating moments where Shamsa and other women like have the guts and the resourcefulness to get the word out that they're trying to escape, that they need help and authorities just look away every time.

And so just like that, the case was dropped. And this is like one of the first of many incredibly frustrating moments where Shamsa and other women like have the guts and the resourcefulness to get the word out that they're trying to escape, that they need help and authorities just look away every time.

So she'd be out at the races or scuba diving at the beach, and there he'd be, this guy who'd held her down as her feet were caned until all the bones were broken.

So she'd be out at the races or scuba diving at the beach, and there he'd be, this guy who'd held her down as her feet were caned until all the bones were broken.

When the yacht was eventually located off the coast of India, Sheikh Mohammed called in a favour from a powerful ally. He spoke personally with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and they hashed out a deal. Modi wanted an arms dealer who was based in Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed agreed to extradite this guy in exchange for his daughter's capture.

When the yacht was eventually located off the coast of India, Sheikh Mohammed called in a favour from a powerful ally. He spoke personally with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and they hashed out a deal. Modi wanted an arms dealer who was based in Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed agreed to extradite this guy in exchange for his daughter's capture.

The Indian government deployed boats, helicopters and a team of armed commandos to storm Nostromo and carry Latifa away.

The Indian government deployed boats, helicopters and a team of armed commandos to storm Nostromo and carry Latifa away.

Guards offered to take her out shopping for books so that she could be photographed. It was an agonizing offer to refuse. She wrote, I crave fresh air and sunlight, but she knew that if she cooperated, she'd risk scuttling Haya's case. So you might be wondering, where is Latifa now?

Guards offered to take her out shopping for books so that she could be photographed. It was an agonizing offer to refuse. She wrote, I crave fresh air and sunlight, but she knew that if she cooperated, she'd risk scuttling Haya's case. So you might be wondering, where is Latifa now?

Yeah, the only thing I should warn you is that I live by the sea, and so there may be some unavoidable seagull noise, but we can try and avoid it.

Yeah, the only thing I should warn you is that I live by the sea, and so there may be some unavoidable seagull noise, but we can try and avoid it.