Former Beirut hostages attack TV dramatisation

FOUR former Beirut hostages have accused a television company of 'misleading the public' by claiming a programme about their ordeal is the 'true story'.

The allegations of John McCarthy, Brian Keenan, Terry Waite and the American Terry Anderson are the latest in a dispute over Granada's Hostages, to be broadcast on Wednesday.

The Manchester-based company, however, said last night it had not promoted the programme as a true story but as a clearly-labelled dramatisation.

The four claimed the programme contained scenes of 'pure fiction' as none of them were willing to co-operate in making it.

'Granada is grossly misleading the public by giving them the impression that they will see what actually happened,' they said in a combined statement.

'Granada claims this film is the 'true story' yet it is only part factual. We feel Granada and their American co-producers, Home Box Office, must explain this to their audiences.'

Granada responded: 'We have confidence in the film and are convinced the public will share that confidence on transmission. We have never promoted the film as 'the true story'.'