Lev Tahor members back in Canada

Nine members of the the ultra-orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahorwho left the country amid child custody proceedings have now been returned to Canada.

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Peel Regional Police Sgt. Dave Housdon saidthe Lev Tahor members landedat Toronto's Pearson International Airport Saturday night and six children were placed in the care of the Children's AidSociety.

Housdon saidthree adults wereprocessed by the CanadaBorder Services Agency and released.

Early last week, an Ontario judge issued an emergency order that13LevTahorchildren be placed in the care of children's aid, butpolice said Thursday that most of the children had left the country.

The nine Lev Tahor members returned yesterday were stopped en route to Guatemala inTrinidad and Tobago.

Another group is believed to have made it to Guatemala via Mexico. There is no word on whether they will face extradition to Canada.

Quebec's child protection agency welcomed the return of the six children by authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, but expressed concern for thosebelieved to be inGuatemala and those still with the Lev Tahorcommunity.

"We are following the evolution of the situation and pursuing our collaboration with child protection services in Ontario and other authorities," Denis Baraby, director of the agency's Laurentian branch, said via news release on Sunday.

Child-welfare authorities in Quebec spent a year investigatingissues related to hygiene, health, and allegations that the childrenweren't learning according to the provincial curriculum.

Late last year, a Quebec court ordered that 13LevTahorchildrenbe placed in foster care.

About 200 members of the sect 114 of them children settled inChatham, Ont., last year after suddenly uprooting fromSte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec.

The group has denied all allegations of mistreatment.