Sally Faulkner Shocked When Charged with Kidnapping Over 60 Minutes Operation

Sally Faulkner, the mother of two kids in the botched snatching operation in Lebanon, has been charged with kidnapping her own children.

Ms Faulkner, from Brisbane, faced kidnapping charges following her part in a child snatch operation in Lebanon, that a 60 Minutes crew tried to film.

Ms Faulkner was reportedly shocked by news of the charges but has provided no further comment. The kidnapping charge was unexpected as Judge Rami Abdullah had stated before that he didn’t think a mother could possibly kidnap her own children.

Ms Faulkner may not return to Lebanon, spending two weeks in prison there in April after the failed operation to snatch her two children from her estranged husband, Ali Elamine.

The botched operation led to the detention of four members of the 60 Minutes crew along with Australian child recovery agent, Adam Whittington.

It is believed that Ms Faulkner and the TV crew were released after the Nine Network paid around $500,000, according to Fairfax, to Mr Elamine, which he denied.

Part of Ms Faulkner’s deal for freedom included relinquishing custody of her children to Mr Elamine, granted by Australia’s courts.

The crew from the Nine Network, however, had their charges reduced to misdemeanour of failing to inform authorities of a criminal act, but Fairfax reports that the charge is likely to end with a fine for the network.

However, spokesperson for Nine said the network still expected the matter to come to trial, despite the lesser charge being applied.

“There will still be a trial on a date to be determined and out of respect for the Lebanese legal process we will not be making any further comment while the matter is still before the court,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Mr Whittington was also charged along with Ms Faulkner. Mr Whittington’s lawyer, Joe Karam, said the judge dropped a more serious criminal gangs charge, but Mr Whittington was formally indicted along with accomplice, Craig Michael.

Both men and a Lebanese fixer who helped in the operation were charged with kidnapping while another Lebanese man was charged with assault for his part in the job.

Mr Karam also said the judge accepted that the Nine Network financed and directed the operation a fact confirmed by the network’s own internal review.

Nine had earlier insisted Mr Whittington was paid for his role in the operation by mistake.

Mr Whittington is still in prison in Beirut.

Source: Au.news.yahoo.com