The family of murdered Latvian woman Baiba Saulite said yesterday they want to bring her two children to live with them in Riga but have been unable to do so because their father, who is in prison here, is opposed to the move.
Ms Saulite (28) was shot dead as she smoked a cigarette in the hallway of her home in Holywell Square, Feltrim Road, Swords, on Sunday, November 19th, 2006.
Her two young sons - Ali-Alexsandra (5) and Mohamed Rami (3) - were asleep in the house when their mother was shot dead. She was buried in her native Riga in December.
Yesterday, after the inquest into Ms Saulite's killing was adjourned, her brother, Karlis Saulite, told reporters his brother-in-law, Hassan Hassan, was opposed to his sons being taken out of the State.
Hassan, a 38-year-old from Lebanon, is serving a four-year prison sentence for his role in a Middle Eastern organised crime gang exporting stolen cars for spare parts.
When this is served, he will begin a further sentence of two years.
This second sentence was imposed last December after his conviction for abducting his two sons from their mother in 2005 and sending them against her will to his family in Syria.
Mr Saulite said while he was hopeful gardaí would bring his sister's killer to justice, his family await the outcome of the investigation.
"It's a tragedy that will stay with us for the rest of our lives," he said, speaking through a translator. "My mother is still on medication. It's a very big loss for us."
Det Insp Pat Leahy requested a "lengthy adjournment" to facilitate the Garda's investigation into the murder.
The inquest hearing was adjourned until March 11th, 2008.