WORLD
Nearly 3,000 people were killed, in what was one of the rarest and certainly the worst terrorist attack on American soil.
On September 11, 2001, 19 hijackers flew planes into the twin towers of World World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York. A third plane crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth intended for the US Capitol crashed into a field. Nearly 3,000 people were killed, in what was one of the rarest and certainly the worst terrorist attack on American soil.
The United States administration blamed terror outfit Al Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden for the attacks following an investigation. Subsequently, the US declared war on Afghanistan, which set off a chain of conflicts in the Middle East.
9/11, as the date came to be called, changed geopolitical equations forever. Over the 14 years since, the scourge of Islamist terrorism has become global, and the West is engaged in seemingly endless wars in much of the Middle East.
However, not everyone around the world believes that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Al Qaeda, and without the knowledge of US administration or intelligence. Several conspiracy theories have floated around, with scientific phenomena often being used to justify them.
1) The Twin Towers collapsed as a result of controlled demolition, not the impact of the planes: One theory states that the World Trade Center towers collapsed because explosives had been planted inside them. Physicist Steven E Jones, architect Richard Gage, software engineer Jim Hoffman, and theologian David Ray Griffin are some of the proponents of this theory. They contained that the structure of the towers could not have been weakened enough by the impact of planes, and the resulting fire from jet fuel. Jones went so far as to suggest that government authorities might have used thermite or super thermite to ensure the collapse of the buildings. The fact that both buildings fell in vertical fashion, as if being pulled into the ground, was used as further justification for this theory.
2) Israeli agents caused the terror attack: It has been claimed that Israeli secret agents were involved in the collapse of the towers. Five hours after the attacks, the FBI arrested five Israelis who had been filming the smoking skyline from the roof of a white van in the parking lot of an apartment building, for "puzzling behavior". It was concluded that these two men were Israeli intelligence operatives.
3) Pentagon hit by a missile: Some conspiracy theorists have argued that the Pentagon was not damaged as a result of the crash of American Airlines Flight 77. Instead, a missile was dropped on it. One popular conspiracy theory website claims that the holes in the Pentagon walls were far too small to have been made by a Boeing 757.
4) Plane shot down by US air force: It is claimed that the United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in a field near Pennsylvania, was actually shot down by a US fighter jet. Some plane debris were found several miles away in Indian lake. It is contended that a mere crash could have caused the debris to dissipate over such a long distance.
5) Fake passports and visas: While the 9/11 Commission determined that 16 of the 19 hijackers did not carry valid documents to enter the United States, it is alleged that a conspiracy at the highest levels of US government allowed them across the border. This is used as proof that the US government wanted the attacks to be carried out.
6) Pretext to attack Middle Eastern countries: Some people state that the 9/11 attacks were staged so that the US and its allies could launch military campaigns against Middle Eastern countries. The 'terror attack' was used as an excuse to justify these campaigns. The 'Zionist conspiracy' angle, which seems to crop up every time there is a terrorist attack in the West, is also tied to this theory. The 2003 US invasion of Iraq, which was founded on a debunked claim that the country held weapons of mass destruction, has sometimes been used as further proof that the US wished to declare war on certain countries. The group Scholars for 9/11 Truth argued that a group of US neo-conservatives the likes of Paul Wolfowitz and Dick Cheney wanted to resume US domination of the world following the end of the Cold War, and hence planned the attacks.
7) No planes were used at all: This is the most bizarre theory of all. Former official under the Bush administration, Morgan Reynolds claimed that no planes had been used in the 9/11 attacks. Instead, a technique knows as digital compositing was used to make missiles appear like planes in videos of the attacks. This theory though has been debunked even by most conspiracy theorists themselves.
8) The Illuminati carried out 9/11: Some 9/11 truthers claim that the Illuminati, a global secret society that seeks to create a New World Order under a totalitarian world government, planned and carried out the attacks with the help of some of the world's governments.
9) US air defence was asked to 'stand down' prior to the attacks: Some truthers allege that the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), which is tasked with shooting down misbehaving airplanes, asked US defence systems to 'stand down' in order to enable the attacks. The lack of response of these systems to four planes flying low in US airspace is often cited as proof for this theory.
10) The hijackers were alive after the attacks: Immediately following 9/11, the BBC published the names and identities of some of the alleged hijackers. Some of the names corresponded with those of living people from the Middle East. Some 9/11 conspiracy theorists believed this to be evidence that the US was not attacked by Islamists from the Middle East. The BBC clarified that some of the names were fairly common in Arab countries and thus it could have been a case of mistaken identity. But some passports belonging to the alleged hijackers were found after the incident, adding fuel to the fire.
11) Inside traders knew 9/11 would happen: It is alleged that an extraordinary amount of put options were placed on United Airlines and American Airlines stocks, the same airlines that were hijacked during the attacks - just a few days before the attacks took place. Many speculate that insider traders on the US stock markets were tipped off about the attacks in advance. It is true that many made big profits from the tragedy.
12) Black boxes were concealed by US intelligence: Conspiracy theorists claim that the FBI concealed vital evidence - black boxes found from the sites of the attacks. The 9/11 Commission states that only two black boxes were found instead of four. But Michael Bellone and Nicholas DeMasi, who worked extensively in the wreckage of the World Trade Center, claim they helped FBI agents recover three black boxes. The 9/11 Commission on the other hand states in its report that of the two black boxes found, one was too badly damaged to be of any use. Only the CVR from Flight 93 was intact. On April 18, 2002, the FBI allowed the families of victims from Flight 93 to listen to the voice recordings.
13) Bin Laden tapes were fabricated: It is alleged that the interviews and videos of Osama bin Laden following 9/11 are fake. In December 2011, Laden denied he was responsible for the attacks. Some 'experts' claimed that the translations of Laden's tapes were fabricated, and that the original tapes did not call for a terror attack at all. In 2007 Bin Laden claimed responsibility for the attacks, but stated that the Taliban in Afghanistan had no idea about them. This was contrary to the analyses of intelligence agencies and experts in the West who deciphered that the Taliban did in fact have some knowledge of the attacks.
Over the years, most of these conspiracy theories have been met with ridicule, derision or even outrage. The United States and its allies have presented various kinds of evidence to debunk these theories.
Incredibly, the idea that a cover up was involved finds credence with a significant percentage of the US population even today. A 2008 opinion poll by WorldOpinionPoll.org showed that globally, people were divided on who they believed carried out the attacks. While some believed that Al Qaeda indeed was responsible, many others felt that the US government itself planned the attacks. Some respondents blamed the attacks on Israel.
Other polls, including those by leading agencies like PEW Research showed that only a small minority of Muslims felt that Al Qaeda or 'Arabs' were responsible for 9/11.
However, it is to be noted that the official theory (that Al Qaeda planned and executed 9/11) finds favour mostly in countries which are US allies, while the Israeli and US government conspiracy angles are largely embraced by countries hostile to Israel and/or the US.
How millions of Indians may get affected due to US indictment of Gautam Adani in bribery case
After Bibles, watches and sneakers, Donald Trump is now selling autographed guitars, price is...
Delhi pollution: Air quality improves to ‘very poor’ category, AQI at...
Vladimir Putin's BIG threat, warns he could strike UK with new ballistic missile if...
Shillong Teer Results TODAY November 22, 2024 Live Updates: Check winning numbers here
Somebody misbehaved with Alia Bhatt on Highway sets then Imtiaz Ali had to...
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal reveals twist behind Rs 200000 job fee, closes application window
Days after Ratan Tata's demise, Tata Group's Rs 131000 crore company inks pact with ADB for...
WATCH: Woman makes Biryani with Parle-G biscuits, viral video fumes internet
Only train in India in which passengers can travel for FREE; check route, timings and more
'Justice for biryani': Parle-G biryani takes internet by storm, video goes viral
DNA TV Show: Why Gautam Adani charged with bribery and fraud in US
IND vs AUS: Records Virat Kohli can break during Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Diljit Dosanjh fans get angry over Ananya Panday's birthday post for her grandmother, here's why
Reddit suffers outage with ‘upstream connect error’ message, says 'currently investigating...'
Border-Gavaskar Trophy: How has Jasprit Bumrah fared in Tests in Australia?
Delhi records coldest night of the season, temp drops to...
Crossing the Line: Ukraine's Use of Storm Shadow Missiles and the Escalation of Conflict
When Malaika Arora talked about the controversial ‘instant pleasure’ ad, it was for…
This is the world’s most expensive shopping street, not Fifth Avenue, New Bond Street, it is...
Big setback for Gautam Adani, Kenya cancels Rs 6216 crore deal with Adani Group due to...
Viral video: Man’s jugaad to stay warm in winter will leave you SHOCKED, watch here
Hinduja Group firm gets key approval for acquisition of Anil Ambani's debt-ridden Reliance Capital
Viral video: Middle-Class man lives dream of having tea at Taj Hotel, netizens applauds
Shloka Mehta looks stunning in white floral kurta as she clicked with Akash Ambani, it costs Rs....
Who is Sagar Adani, Gautam Adani's nephew, accused of bribery, fraud charges in US?
PayPal down: Several users face issue while logging into accounts, say 'no one could...'
IND vs AUS: Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins eye historic captaincy milestone in Perth Test
BGT 2024, Ind vs Aus: Can Shubhman Gill be the new Cheteshwar Pujara? Is he really ready?
The Ultimate Guide to Luxury Gifting: Discover Heirloom Pashmina by Pashmina.com
Effortless Relocations: The Perks Of Professional Removalists In Melbourne
Watch: Pakistan fan with 'Imran Khan' poster asked to leave Hobart stadium in Australia
International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for...
What is demisexuality? Everything you need to know about this lesser-known sexual orientation
WATCH: World’s shortest woman meets world’s tallest woman, video goes viral
IND vs AUS 1st Test: Predicted playing XIs, Perth weather forecast and pitch report
IND vs AUS: When will Rohit Sharma join India squad? Check latest update
'Scam 2024': Diljit Dosanjh lookalike pranks people on Pune streets, video goes viral
Delhi Air Pollution: Centre announces staggered work timings for govt employees; check details
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio loses nearly 80 lakh subscribers in just 30 days, BSNL adds...
IND vs AUS, 1st Test Dream11 prediction: Fantasy cricket tips for India vs Australia match
This country has most expensive passport in world, not US, UK, UAE, it costs Rs...
Amitabh Bachchan opens up on Aishwarya Rai-Abhishek Bachchan divorce rumours
Amid rising air pollution, Delhi-NCR's crematorium records cleanest air; check AQI here
Revolutionising Medical Imaging: Venudhar Rao Hajari’s impact on healthcare technology
Abhishek Gupta and Onevision Media: Scaling brands on social media
Video shows Korean girl eating jalebi for first time, her reaction to Indian sweet goes viral
Cristiano Ronaldo confirms THIS YouTube star as his next guest, says, 'Will break Internet'
Delhi Assembly Elections: AAP releases first list of 11 candidates for 2025 polls
Adani Group's FIRST REACTION after US indicts Gautam Adani in alleged bribery case
Instagram introduces new feature, know how to reset app's algorithm, change your feed
No mention of Aaradhya Bachchan in Amitabh Bachchan's post on birthdays, it happened recently
Oppo Find X8 and X8 Pro launched in India, check specifications, price, other details
Charges against Gautam Adani: BJP's scathing attack on Congress, questions timing of development
Jasprit Bumrah's BIG statement on taking up Perth test captaincy, says, 'tactically better...'
Blackout on breaks: Company imposes no-sick-leave policy until 2025
Drug-laden terrorists on India's western, northern frontiers
Mohammad Shami trolls Sanjay Manjrekar over IPL auction bid prediction, says, 'Baba ki...'