First pictures of Tara Brown in custody in Beirut

THE father at the centre of the 60 Minutes kidnap drama has revealed how his kids have been affected, after the judge issued an ominous warning for the Channel Nine team.

THE father at the centre of the botched child recovery operation in Beirut says his children have been affected by what they saw as they were bundled into a car off a Beirut street.

Ali Elamine says he’s unwilling to drop charges against his ex-wife, Australian woman Sally Faulkner, an armed recovery team and a TV crew from Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes program, including reporter Tara Brown, for their roles in the alleged plot.

Mr Elamine says his daughter Lahela and son Noah have been adversely affected by the incident.

“The kids are obviously messed up from it mentally,” he told 3AW.

Noah (L) and Lahela al-Amine with their father Ali Zeid al-Amine (aka Ali Elamine) in their family home in Beirut. Picture: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

“Not only were they scared but they are trying to imitate what has happened to play rough now, because they say mummy’s friends were mean to grandma, and I said, ‘They’re not mean, They just work out and they’re very strong and they didn’t know how to bring you in the car to mummy’.

“Lahela, she’s trying to play rough with her brother.”

Otherwise, Mr Elamine said, the children are OK.

“They’re all right. They’re a bit scared, they’re a bit shaken by the whole situation.

“I mean, to have some randoms come out and snatch you in the middle of the street, I don’t think anyone would want that. We’re trying to deal with it as much as we can.”

Mr Elamine said he is not ready to drop any charges.

“It’s so weird. Sometimes I feel like, yeah, I mean, they poked their noses into a family/personal issue. It’s not like they’re going around, fighting terrorism or something,” he said.

He said he has been asked to consider dropping charges but “no one want to take the blame for anything”.

“I don’t want Sal in jail, that’s for sure … but I don’t think anyone would be asking me to drop the charges if my mum was still in a coma or if one of the kids got hurt,” he said.

Mr Elamine said his mother suffered internal bleeding and concussion.

Lebanese policemen surround TV presenter Tara Brown. Picture: AFP

His remarks came after dramatic photographs showed the moment star 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown was unceremoniously loaded into a car by police in Beirut overnight.

The series of images was taken outside court and are the first of Ms Brown since her arrest over a botched child recovery mission two weeks ago.

Ms Brown and co-accused Sally Faulkner were earlier taken from the Baabda women’s prison to the court for a brief appearance in the office of investigating judge Rami Abdullah.

Police prevent Tara Brown from looking towards journalists. Picture: AP/Hussein Malla.

Judge Abdullah told the pair the case was being adjourned until Wednesday at the request of lawyers, who had asked for more time after negotiations between the parties stalled.

Ms Brown and Ms Faulkner, both with their hands cuffed behind their backs and wearing black shirts, made no comment to waiting media before facing the judge.

A policeman holds Tara Brown’s head down outside the court. Picture: AP/Hussein Malla.

At the end of the meeting, guards herded media away from the office to a stairway to give the pair privacy as they were led away down a corridor.

Police had a car waiting at the side of the court and took Ms Brown and Ms Faulkner out of either a front or side exit — instead of using the area used to escort all other prisoners in and out of the building.

Tara Brown is escorted away. Picture: EPA. Wall Hamzeh

When police saw photographers they quickly herded the pair into the car, pushing Ms Brown’s head down in an attempt to hide her face or to make sure she was not hurt as she went in to the vehicle.

Ms Brown, an award-winning journalist who has experience in some of the world’s most dangerous hot spots, appeared to remain calm throughout the process.

She faces more court appearances in the days ahead.

Lebanese policemen surround Australian TV presenter Tara Brown while escorting her from the courthouse. Picture: AFP / MARWAN TAHTAH

There was no sign yesterday of the other detainees including 60 Minutes producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound recordist David Ballment, who are being held in an underground cell at the court with former soldier Adam Whittington from Child Abduction Recovery Internationa

The detainees were arrested two weeks ago after grabbing Ms Faulkner’s two children, 5 and 3, from the grasp of their grandmother in front of a bus stop.

Police ... escort Sally Faulkner, the mother of the al-Amin children, and Tara Brown to Lebanon's Baabda Prison for women. Picture: Getty.

Ms Faulkner’s husband Ali Elamine had taken the children from their Australian home to Lebanon for a three week holiday last May and did not return them.

Ms Faulkner and Mr Elamine have been unable to reach a custody agreement that could lead to charges being downgraded against her and the 60 Minutes crew involved in the child snatch attempt.

Upping the stakes, Mr Elamine last night told News Corp he did not want to make a deal because it could lead to more lenient treatment of the news crew and paid operatives of CARD.

Tara Brown is escorted from court in Beirut, Lebanon. Picture: Diego Ibarra Sanchez/Getty Images.

Chief planner says Channel Nine paid him

Court proceedings have entered a pivotal stage, with investigating judge Rami Abdullah last night examining the extent of the Nine network team’s involvement in a botched grab of Ms Faulkner’s children from a Beirut bus stop.

All of the prisoners have been warned they face longer stints behind bars and that they are unlikely to be freed immediately, even if the latest hearing is favourable. The best case result — with Channel Nine issuing a grovelling apology for their role in facilitating the abduction and paying a hefty fine — will only be determined after a several days, or weeks, of consideration by the judge. Judge Abdullah’s role is to ascertain exactly what the formal charges should be and issue the formal indictment, but he also has the power to dismiss the case.

In closed door court hearings, Mr Abdullah last week urged the couple to reach an agreement over custody of their children Lahela, 5, and Noah, 3, that could see charges reduced.

But he also issued a warning for the defendants, emphasising the seriousness of the situation.

“This is not a custody case,” Judge Abdullah said. “They are charged with kidnapping two kids.”

This morning Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed the investigating judge had adjourned the matter to enable the parties to negotiate a solution in the best interests of the children.

She told Sky no formal charges had been laid and proceedings remained in the investigation stage.

Ms Faulkner’s lawyer Ghassan Moghabghab last night said the children’s father had agreed before the judge to compromise with his wife but had since refused to make a deal.

“What was said in front of the judge was different than what has taken place. Ali changed his mind,” he said.

Sally Faulkner with her two children, Noah and Lahela.

Mr Mohgahgab was to argue in the hearing at the Baabda Court of Justice that Ms Faulkner is suffering depression and should be released on bail pending further negotiations with Mr Elamine.

With the cells severely overcrowded Mr Mohgahgab was to stress that Ms Faulkner would not be a flight risk, partly because of the high profile nature of the case and foreign media scrutiny.

He was to present details about Adam Whittington’s company Child Abduction Recovery International and inform the judge that Ms Faulkner was only doing what any desperate mother would do, seek professional help from a firm experienced in such recovery operations. Judge Abdullah was to be told how Mr Elamine was tipped off about the kidnap attempt and that he had Lebanese security forces ready to act to recover the children.

Mr Whittington, a former Australian soldier, has said he will present the judge with documentary evidence Nine made two direct payments to himself to recover the children.

His lawyer Joe Karam told News Corp: “Yes money has been sent. We do have documentation.”

The evidence may be crucial if prosecutors are to establish that the television station was involved in a criminal conspiracy, rather than being mere observers to the dramatic recovery operation.

Ms Brown, producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound recordist David Ballment were arrested in Beirut two weeks ago along with Ms Faulkner, Mr Whittington and operatives from his recovery agency.

Tara Brown and Sally Faulkner appeared briefly in Baabda Court House in Beirut. Picture: Ben Stevens.

The group faces serious charges of kidnapping, hiding information, criminal conspiracy and assault, which carry maximum sentences of 20 years’ jail.

Unconfirmed evidence has been presented to the court that 60 Minutes paid $115,000, either directly or indirectly, for the recovery operation to go ahead.

Mr Elamine denied that he had stopped his wife from seeing the children, saying “she never flew in she wanted to see them via Skype”.

He had cut off communication with his wife before the recovery attempt because he had seen emails on her account, which she had left open on the children’s iPad.

“It wasn’t that I was trying to be mean as a father, it was that I could see there was another plan.

“I know she sent a bunch of emails around. Did I know it was going to happen like this? No.”

He added: Her lawyer can say whatever he wants. I’ve seen her lawyer say a bunch of stuff that’s out of this world.”

Asked who he felt was ultimately responsible for the recovery attempt, he said: “It was all a big mess. Everyone was pushing for stuff for different reasons.”