Full Story Reunited after a decade: the 60 Minutes child retrieval saga
Sep 17, 2025
Michael Safi, a prominent presenter for Guardian Investigates, discusses the gripping saga of Australian mother Sally Faulkner, who garnered worldwide attention in 2016 after a failed attempt to retrieve her children from Lebanon. Fast forward a decade, Safi reveals the dramatic turn of events as recent US court documents show Faulkner's reunion with her kids. The conversation dives into the harrowing details of the original operation, the legal battles that ensued, and how various entities, including the media, played roles in this emotional journey.
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Jailed After A Botched Child Retrieval
- In 2016 a 60 Minutes crew and Sally Faulkner were jailed in Lebanon after a botched attempt to retrieve her children.
- The retrieval involved hired specialists who briefly took the children to a safe house before Lebanese police arrested those involved.
Nine Years With Only Occasional Contact
- Sally Faulkner was detained in Lebanon and released after signing a document relinquishing custody claims in 2016.
- She has had only occasional video contact and no in-person contact with her children since their last meeting at a McDonald's in 2016.
War Created A Legal Opening
- The 2023 Israel-Hezbollah conflict prompted Ali to seek US passports and travel to Georgia with the children for safety.
- That movement created the jurisdictional opening Sally used to pursue custody in Georgia.