Chief Correspondent for Europe, Africa and Middle East, Tom Steinfort, has said Channel Nine hopes to have the Sixty Minutes crew on a flight out of Beirut by tonight.
Channel Seven has reported that Sally Faulkner is expected to return to Australia tomorrow.
Yet while the personal charges against those involved have been dropped, it is being reported that the 60 Minutes team and Faulkner will have to return to Lebanon to face criminal charges.
It was announced earlier in the evening that charges against Faulkner and the Channel Nine crew will be dropped.
Faulkner and the crew previously faced up to 20 years in Lebanese jail for their involvement in the child recovery operation that saw Faulkner’s two children snatched off the side of the road.
Channel Nine were ordered to pay compensation to the father Ali Elamine by 9pm Sydney time for the crew to be released.
It has been reported Elamine told the judge the 60 Minutes crew were only doing their job.
The news comes after all legal parties were said to have met with the judge on Wednesday afternoon.
The meeting was said to have been called in order to negotiate potential deals.
Kidnapping charges against the CARI agency will still proceed.
Custody of the children is believed to have been given to Elamine.
Mamamia previously reported…
After nearly two weeks, there’s finally been a breakthrough in negotiations to free Australian mother Sally Faulkner and the 60 Minutes crew incarcerated in Lebanon.
Ahead of today’s court proceedings Ms Faulkner’s lawyer, Ghassan Moghabgha, said a deal had been struck with Lebanese authorities, raising hopes the kidnapping charges against the group could be dropped shortly.
“Somehow we reached a deal,” Mr Moghabgha told News Corp, cryptically.
He also hinted his optimism, saying he felt”very positive” about it.
Ms Faulkner and the 60 Minutes crew, including popular presenter Tara Brown were among nine people arrested after a botched attempt to abduct her two children on a busy Beirut street.
Quicky News Headlines: Thursday April 25th 2024
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Don't these children have Australian citizenship? Where is the Australian Government's backbone to fight for their citizens .. Julie Bishop where is your backbone? we overlook the relevance of that important fact .. they are Australian born are they not? We should be fighting for their rights .. he had no right taking them to Lebanon away from their mother .. is that not abduction? Their rights have been denied .. that contravenes human rights does it not?
Don't these children have Australian citizenship? Where is the Australian Government's backbone to fight for their citizens .. Julie Bishop where is your backbone? we overlook the relevance of that important fact .. they are Australian born are they not? We should be fighting for their rights .. he had no right taking them to Lebanon away from their mother .. is that not abduction?