Faulkner is appearing in the court alongside Nine Network journalist Tara Brown and her 60 Minutes crew, Benjamin Williamson, David Ballment and Stephen Rice, over a botched attempt to retrieve her two young children in Beirut last week.
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Prosecutors in Lebanon charged an Australian television crew and a mother with abduction after they were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of the woman’s two children, Lebanon’s state television agency reported Tuesday.
First, her ex-husband, Ali Elamine, took their two children, Lahela and Noah, to his native Lebanon and then refused to return them to Australia.
Tara Brown is among the 60 Minutes crew facing 20 years imprisonment (Picture: 60 Minutes)What does this emoji actually mean?
Ms Faulkner could be freed and a conviction could be punished by as little as three months in prison.
They are facing charges of kidnapping and being members of a criminal gang, which can attract maximum sentences of up to three years and 10 years respectively.
Nine’s news and current affairs boss, Darren Wick has flown to Beirut to help the Department of Foreign Affairs which is attempting to provide consular support.
The magistrate would explore whether Ms Faulkner had custody of the children under Australian law, which might serve as a mitigating factor, the official said.
“Everyone in the Nine News and 60 Minutes family is doing their utmost to support (them)”, said Usher. They were caught on camera when they found the kids with their paternal grandmother and took them from her arms and into an automobile.
Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces said at the time that four other Australians, two Britons, and two Lebanese citizens were arrested for their involvement in the case.
Channel Nine has maintained its crew was not connected to the recovery team that grabbed the children, and they were filming the incident when they were detained.
“We urge all media to take extreme care in reporting on matters that could impact on the welfare of our crew or Sally Faulkner, especially given the issues and sensitivities involved in cases involving disputed custody”.
Mr Steinfort said the accused would be formally questioned by the the prosecutor in coming days, with another hearing expected soon where the team will be able to mount a defence.
A grainy video of the incident released by Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed television showed the children walking with an elderly person said to be their grandmother.
Col Chapman, who describes himself as a child recovery specialist, said executives at the Nine Network’s “60 Minutes” program told him to “sharpen his pencil” when he quoted them 150,000 Australian dollars ($114,000) late previous year to get the children, Lahala, 6, and Noah, 4, out of Lebanon.
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A spokesperson for Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said consular staff in Beirut were continuing to provide ongoing consular assistance.
