Couple Claims CNN Endangered Their Lives During Mumbai Attacks

UPDATE at end of post: CNN responds.

A British couple caught in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, last week claimed Sunday that CNN endangered their lives by broadcasting their whereabouts.

According to the South Wales couple, the terrorists were monitoring CNN in order to locate westerners in the hotels under attack.

As reported by Wales Online (h/t TVNewser):

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. [...]

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.”

CNN says it hasn't heard any complaints concerning its behavior in Mumbai, and that given the number of its own employees in the area it would have done everything within its power to not compromise anyone's safety.

*****Update: I received the following e-mail message this morning:

Hi Noel –

CNN wanted to respond to the post: Couple Claims CNN Endangered Their Lives During Mumbai Attacks.  Below is our statement, attributed to a CNN spokesperson:

“This story is not true.  CNN has been told by Lynne Shaw that the accusations reported to have been made by her in the UK Press Association story are not accurate. She has no issue with CNN. The alleged broadcast never happened and CNN at no time compromised her or the safety of her husband as reported.”

It has also been updated on TV Newser.

Thank you,

Bridget Leininger

CNN Public Relations