Botched 60 Minutes ‘kidnap’ dad Ali Elamine speaks out about foiled recovery mission

THE father of the two toddlers embroiled in the 60 Minutes child recovery mission has revealed how his children and their grandmother are coping.

EXCLUSIVE

THE grandmother allegedly struck on the head with a pistol butt and shoved to the roadside in a botched “kidnapping” had brain scans yesterday as in court lawyers met behind closed doors to thrash out a settlement deal.

The 69-year-old grandmother Ibtissam Berri yesterday underwent her second check-up since last Wednesday when she was struck in a scuffle with one of three men who snatched her grandchildren as they waited with her for a school bus.

The action was part of a failed operation by Children Abduction Recovery International to return toddlers Noah, three, and five-year-old Lahela to their Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner, embroiled in a bitter child custody battle with father Ali Elamine.

Ten people have been charged over the incident, one in absentia, including Ms Faulkner, Channel 9’s flagship current affairs program 60 Minutes crew including reporter Tara Brown, three Lebanese men and two Britons.

Ibtissam Berri has undergone two check-ups, as well as a brain scan, after she was allegedly hit in the head. Picture: AP/Bilal Hussein.

Mr Elamine yesterday told News Corp Australia he and his family were doing okay since the alleged assault last Wednesday.

Mrs Berri, reportedly the cousin of the Lebanese Parliament’s Speaker and powerful Amal Movement party leader Nabih Berri, has told authorities she was struck on the head with the butt of a pistol during the elaborate snatch operation widely reported locally as having been indirectly funded by the Nine Network.

Mr Elamine declined to confirm reports a weapon or another instrument was used on his mother, saying it was a matter for police.

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“They’re doing okay, they’re all right and going through the process of things,” Mr Elamine said yesterday of his mother and two children.

“I took her to the doctors for a check up on head scan today, she is okay.

“On that (pistol) I can’t really tell you what happened I wasn’t there but she was and I have read reports that that is what she said.

“We’re keeping to ourselves about the whole situation, there is a personal side, a family side and a judicial side to all of this and all I can say at the moment is everyone is doing okay and we are getting through this process.”

CCTV footage captured the moment the contractors pistol whipped the grandmother during the alleged abduction. Picture: Youtube.

News Corp Australia has seen the front page of the case file for the 10 “detainees” that lists both Mrs Berri and Mr Elamine as complainants in the case.

Judge Rami Abdullah is reviewing the Baabda Palace of Justice handbook of penal codes, with clauses related to kidnapping and forming gangs of association for criminal intent which the ten have been charged with and can lead to up to 20 years hard labour.

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Lawyers representing other accused have revealed they and Judge Abdullah have been strongly suggesting the mother and son drop the “personal” charges against Ms Faulkner, and thereby lessen the claims against the others under a deal being brokered which could see Ms Faulkner agree to surrender custody demands in exchange for her freedom. She would, however, be granted all visitation rights.

60 Minutes journalist Tara Brown is stuck behind bars after the failed attempt. Picture: Channel 9

Both Mr Elamine and Ms Faulkner, whose lawyer yesterday said she was suffering depression from her ordeal, have held numerous legal mediation sessions yesterday to broker a deal.

Mr Elamaine yesterday declined to comment about the meetings or whether he had decided yet on dropping his claims in the case due back before the Baabda Palace of Justice in Mt Lebanon in the capital next Monday.

“We won’t be discussing the case, not like the rest of them, there is an ongoing legal process,” he said yesterday.

It has been confirmed lawyers have been meeting behind closed doors to collectively get the charges against their clients lessened; Judge Rami has already declared that regardless of whether Mr Elamine’s decision, no charges would be dropped and the State was still duty bound to pursue a case since a crime had been committed and one person, Mrs Berri, physically injured.

Ali Zeid al-Amine poses with Noah and Lahela, who are at the centre of the abduction controversy. Picture: Reuters/Mohamed Azakir.

Notably News Corp Australia has seen Channel 9’s lawyer Kamal Abu Zahr having a long conversation with Mr Elamine’s legal representative Hussein Berjawi.

There is some suggestion from within the courts that compensation could be offered to both the Berri family and the State in exchange for a charge reduction for at least some of those accused including Mrs Faulkner, Ms Brown and her TV crew cameraman Benjamin Wilson, sound recordist David Ballment and senior producer Stephen Rice. Joe Karam, lawyer for the head of CARI Adam Whittington was also at Baabda working on the case yesterday.