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4 Australians detained in Lebanon on kidnapping suspicion | 4 Australians detained in Lebanon on kidnapping suspicion |
(about 4 hours later) | |
BEIRUT — Lebanese authorities have detained four Australians, including journalists, on suspicion they were involved in the abductions of two children in Beirut the previous day, police officials and Australian media said Thursday. | |
A British citizen has been detained as well on suspicion that he planned to smuggle the children out of Lebanon on his boat, the officials also said. | |
The five are being questioned over the kidnapping of Noah and Lahela al-Amin, the son and daughter of a Lebanese man and an Australian woman. The children have been living in Beirut since their father Ali al-Amin brought them from Australia last year, the officials said. | |
The kidnapping, in which the children were taken Wednesday after an attack on their Lebanese grandmother as she was taking them to school near their home in Beirut, was part of a family dispute, the police said. | |
On Thursday, police first said the mother and the children were at the Australian Embassy but later, the Lebanese intelligence department declared the mother was detained and was being held by police with her children, state-run National News Agency reported. It did not say where they were found but added that the children were safe. | |
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, did not give the names of the Australians and the Briton. | The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, did not give the names of the Australians and the Briton. |
The Australian detainees include journalists working for Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, who were filming an episode on the issue in Lebanon. Among the detainees is TV presenter Tara Brown. | The Australian detainees include journalists working for Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, who were filming an episode on the issue in Lebanon. Among the detainees is TV presenter Tara Brown. |
60 Minutes reporter Michael Usher told Nine News in an interview broadcast on Thursday that Australian consular officials in Beirut were in contact with the 60 Minutes crew. | |
“Our obvious concern is that we have not been able to speak to the crew for going on 15 hours now and that’s obviously been very concerning for all of us here,” Usher said. | |
Usher added that the journalists detained in Beirut are very experienced and prepared for the difficulties of covering what he called, “a risky operation, a risky story — this desperate Australian mum trying to get her two Australian children home.” | |
A Beirut police official said the five detainees were being held at a police station near the place where the boat was parked in the Lebanese capital. During questioning, the journalists said they came on a humanitarian mission and that their aim was not to kidnap the children, he added. | |
Channel Nine issued a statement earlier Thursday saying that: “We can confirm a crew from 60 Minutes has been detained in Beirut. We won’t be giving out any more details, other than to say we are working with authorities to get them released and back home ASAP.” | Channel Nine issued a statement earlier Thursday saying that: “We can confirm a crew from 60 Minutes has been detained in Beirut. We won’t be giving out any more details, other than to say we are working with authorities to get them released and back home ASAP.” |
A Channel Nine employee told The Associated Press in Australia that the 60 Minutes crew was not physically present when the children’s kidnapping took place. | A Channel Nine employee told The Associated Press in Australia that the 60 Minutes crew was not physically present when the children’s kidnapping took place. |
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said her ministry has been in contact with Channel Nine. A statement from Bishop said Australian authorities are “urgently seeking to confirm the crew’s whereabouts and welfare, and have offered all appropriate consular assistance.” | |
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Gelineau reported from Sydney. | Gelineau reported from Sydney. |
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |