Four Australians detained in Lebanon on kidnapping suspicion

Beirut: Lebanese police say authorities have detained four Australian citizens on suspicion they were involved in the kidnapping of two children.

A police official said today that the four are being questioned over the kidnapping of Noah and Lahela al-Amin. They are the son and daughter of a Lebanese man and an Australian woman.

Police said yesterday's kidnapping in which the children were taken after an attack on their Lebanese grandmother near Beirut was part of a family dispute.

The official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media did not give the names of the Australians.

Australian media though said that the Australian detainees include journalists working for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes who were filming the child snatch operation in Lebanon.