UPDATED: 7.17PM An Australian child recovery specialist said it was the lights, camera and action that saw a 60-Minutes TV news operation go wrong in Lebanon.

The Channel Nine crew was freed today, after being caught and charged with kidnapping by the father of the children they tried to abduct.

The charges have been dropped - with Channel Nine saying mother Sally Faulkner will stay in Beirut for a custody battle with the children's father, Ali Elamine.

It's believed hundreds of thousands of dollars was paid to have the crew freed.

Specialist Col Chapman told Larry Williams in this case they needed something sexy for TV but what he does when he recovers a child, usually happens long before anyone notices anything.

LISTEN ABOVE: Col Chapman, child recovery specialist who quoted 60 Minutes the job, although was not hired, talks to Larry Williams

"That's the comment we get from people, 'we didn't even see it happen. How did you do that', and it's over within six to 10 seconds."

Brown and her three-man crew have been in jail since their arrest on April 7.

The 60 minutes crew are still facing public kidnapping charges and may have to return to Lebanon if the state decides to go ahead.