December 1, 2008
Shocking allegation against CNN
A Welsh couple trapped in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai during the terror attack has publicly accused CNN of aiding the terrorists in finding them, by broadcasting their location on air. From Wales Online:
Lynne and Kenneth Shaw, of Penarth, warned that terrorists were listening in to the media to pinpoint Western victims.Mrs Shaw claimed the American cable TV channel had broadcast details of where they were at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.She has appealed to the media to be careful with the information it broadcasts because safety could be compromised and lives lost. ...From her home in Penarth yesterday, Mrs Shaw said: "We have been asked by the British terror police not to talk to the press."But the reason I would not want to talk to anyone is because our safety was actually compromised by CNN, which broadcast where we were."The terrorists were watching CNN and they came down from where they were in a lift after hearing about us on television. For that reason I would appeal to the media to be very careful about what they broadcast."When we left Mumbai there were still around 100 people trapped there."She added: "People talk to one another on mobile phones and that gets broadcast and the terrorists knew from that."
This incident demands a careful investigation. I cannot assume the accusation is true, but it deserves very careful scrutiny. I suyppose that if a g oivernmental body were to be involved it would be in India. But the deep thinkers of the journalism establishment in the United States need to address the matter as well.
Hat tip: Lucianne.com