That's my boy!

SCHOOLBOY Adam Jones, caught up in a bitter battle to bring him home to Bahrain shares a tender moment with his mother Rebecca during her supervised visit to his uncle's home in Qatar where he is being held, writes Asma Salman.

The image, taken by a kind-hearted police officer supervising the pair's limited time together, speaks volumes about the mother and son bond and their determination to be together again.

Adam, wearing a traditional Arabic white thobe in the photograph, remains incarcerated at his uncle Fahad Al Madhaiki's residence while Rebecca continues to visit him twice a week for three hours under strict court instructions.

There is growing concern over the amount of schooling the 10-year-old St Christopher's School pupil is missing as he suffers from learning difficulties.

Two separate appeals lodged by Rebecca will be heard by the Qatari courts this month. Her appeal requesting improved and more frequent visits, regular telephone contact and permission to take Adam out of his uncle's home will be resumed in the courtroom today.

Mr Al Madhaiki is seeking minimum contact between Adam and Rebecca and wants the court to overturn its decision of granting twice weekly visitation rights.

IN a separate appeal, Rebecca Jones, a Muslim who claims she was tricked into signing legal papers in Arabic, is contesting Adam's custody that the Qatari courts granted to his ailing 77-year-old grandmother, Mariam Al Madhaiki.

The custody appeal will be heard next week and the judge has requested both Adam and his grandmother appear before him.

Adam has remained separated from his mother since October last year when he was allegedly kidnapped by his late father's family in Qatar. Rebecca was married briefly to Jamal Al Madhaiki and they divorced in 1999 when Adam was three months old.

Adam stayed with his mother as there was no question of custody since he was loved and cherished in her care.

Jamal died tragically in a motor bike accident in 2005 and Rebecca maintained cordial relations with her late husband's family allowing them contact with Adam whenever they so wished.

The British expat is now married to Barrie, 43, and they have a daughter, Alex, four, who also attends St Christopher's School.

They have had to move to a cheaper compound in Bahrain because of the cost of legal expenses in Qatar.

As the sole surviving heir of his father, Adam has a sizeable inheritance which will be granted to him when he comes of age.

Friends, family and supporters of Rebecca have expressed their outrage at the continued apathy towards Rebecca's lack of rights as a mother and continue their support on the social networking site, Facebook that has amassed almost 10,000 members.

Petitions demanding Adam's return have been sent to influential members of the Qatari government and international heads of state, including a Page One GulfWeekly petition hand-delivered to 10 Downing Street by Editor Stan Szecowka.

Fundraisers are regularly being organised by friends in Bahrain to help the Jones' cope with the financial nightmare and the community has rallied round to offer emotional support.