The former Australian soldier employed by 60 Minutes who was arrested in Lebanon during the failed attempt to recover the children of Sally Faulkner remains in a Beirut jail, where he is apparently sharing a cell with accused terrorists.

Key points: 60 Minutes employed Mr Whittington to help recover Ms Faulkner's children

60 Minutes employed Mr Whittington to help recover Ms Faulkner's children Mr Whittington helped recover Mr Dempster's daughter

Mr Whittington helped recover Mr Dempster's daughter Mr Dempster says Mr Whittington is not being properly fed

Mr Dempster says Mr Whittington is not being properly fed Claims he is being kept in cell with Al Qaeda terrorists

Adam Whittington was arrested with Ms Faulkner and the 60 Minutes crew, but while they returned home last week, he remained.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 21 seconds 3 m 21 s Ex Australian soldier Adam Whittington in cell with 'Al Qaeda agents' Download 6.1 MB

A friend of Mr Whittington, Cairns sports coach Stuart Dempster, said he is in contact with Mr Whittington, but would not say how.

"He's in a very cramped cell with a hole in the ground as a toilet and it doesn't flush," Mr Dempster said.

"He's lost a lot of weight, he gets fed every second day, one meal a day, one meal every second day."

Mr Dempster said his friend was sharing a cell with terrorists, despite not yet being charged.

"He's been detained like he's a criminal, and he is saying that the other people in the cell are Al Qaeda agents, Al Qaeda soldiers or terrorists," Mr Dempster said.

When asked how the former soldier could be sure of this, Mr Dempster said: "Oh, he'll know. He's a former special forces [soldier], he'll know."

"He's talked to them, and the guards are treating him really well, because my take on the guards treating him well is that once the guards know what his job is, rescuing kids, then they soften up and they treat him well.

"Because he befriends the guards he can talk to them and get information and he'll know that there's Al Qaeda agents there."

Mr Dempster said he has a personal connection to Mr Whittington.

"Adam rescued my daughter, my other half [former partner] illegally abducted my daughter," Mr Dempster said.

"She took her overseas and cut off communication."

Mr Dempster said while he accepts his friend stands accused of a serious crime under Lebanese law, "Nelson Mandela was also in jail as well".