Marianne White

The common-law spouse of double-gold-medallist Myriam Bédard told a child abduction trial yesterday they left with Bédard's then 11-year-old daughter for the United States last year with the intention to come back, but not knowing when exactly.

Nima Mazhari said that they expected their trip to last two to three weeks, but it went on longer. They left for the United States on Oct. 2, 2006, and he said they had planned to return to Canada on Dec. 14 - a few days before the girl's birthday - but decided to stay in the U.S. when they found out there was an international warrant against Bédard.

Mazhari explained, on the second day of Bédard's trial, that he went to an FBI office in Washington, D.C., that day.

"We wanted to find out what to do and to let them know we were there," he told the jury. "I gave them our cellphone number and we decided to wait in the United States."

Bédard was arrested in the U.S. on Dec. 22. She was later charged with violating a custody agreement with her ex-husband, Jean Paquet.

"Right away, I wanted to go and see authorities in Washington. I thought the best thing was the FBI," Mazhari told reporters outside the courtroom after his testimony.

Mazhari and Bédard said they travelled south last fall to protest against what they called "bureaucratic terrorism" by Canadian authorities.

Mazhari said he and Bédard are "living a nightmare" and are being "unfairly treated" since Bédard testified at the Gomery inquiry on the sponsorship scandal. Bédard had been working with Via Rail and was hailed as a whistleblower for dishing out details on how money was being spent, until she made some bizarre statements.

Mazhari is out of jail pending an appeal of his conviction for stealing 20 paintings from a fellow artist.

He added that Bédard's daughter called her father - who lodged the complaint against Bédard - to tell him she was coming back in December.

"She called her father but nobody was there and she left a message. He was away, in Austria, I think," he said.

Bédard is expected to testify today.

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