2005 - Paperclips, 7/7 & the FDNY Imam

On Wednesday 11th May, 2005, the Guardian published another surprising article which sought to outline some of the 9/11 alternative theories without ridiculing them. “The war on paperclips” is framed by a question asked early on by journalist AL Kennedy, “Now if 9/11/2001 is so important, why is it so hard to find out what happened?”

The article lists several concerns, including, “The FBI, as we know, blocked all manner of investigations into the plot in the run up to its execution” and “I worry why the nearest military aircraft weren't scrambled to intercept any of the hijacked flights when this is standard procedure and why, when more distant jets were finally aloft, they flew at less than half speed.”

The article does end by describing conspiracy theorists as “paranoid, depressed”, but overall, it’s tone is sympathetic.

7/7

The 7th July 2005 attacks on the London transport network occasioned several articles which mentioned 9/11 alternative theories in passing. Times journalist Daniel Finkelstein opens his 13th July, 2005 article. “Politeness in the photocopier queue is why we're losing the War on Terror” with, “I’m furious. According to the Associated Press and an assorted mixture of internet nutters, the Israelis were tipped off about the London attacks moments before they happened. Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was able to change his plans to visit a hotel directly above one of the blast sites. It’s a repeat of the old canard about 9/11. You know the one — the Jews had been warned and stayed away from the World Trade Centre.”

Finkelstein refers to a peripheral 9/11 conspiracy theory about Jewish and Israeli involvement, and uses the phrases “internet nutters” and “old canard” to discredit scepticism about 9/11.

Muslim Theories

In the weeks and months following 7/7, some journalists attempted to delve deeper into Muslim communities in order to try to understand the roots of Islamic extremism. One such Independent article was “In the neighbourhood of the truth”, published on 29 July 2005.

Journalist Paul Vallely discusses the sociological and psychological impact of 7/7, before noting that, “Experimental research studies show that one third of participants fabricate what they ‘remember’” before noting that “You can’t always believe what you remember.”

He later writes: “Extrapolate this onto a cultural level and you get grand narratives which can seem preposterous – as with the conspiracy theory popular among many Muslims abroad that 9/11 was not the work of Muslims but a plot by Israeli agents provocateurs.”

Denial

This analysis of Muslim communities continued in a 4th July, 2006 Times article, “The only state Muslims have embraced is denial” in which former Conservative parliamentary candidate Ali Miraj questions the commitment of Muslim communities to fight extremism. During the article he laments that, “I have met scores of highly educated Muslims who still buy the conspiracy theory nonsense that 9/11 was a Mossad plot.”

NY Imam

The association of 9/11 alternative theories with Muslims was heightened in the media in October 2005 by stories dealing with the resignation of a NY Imam over remarks he made concerning his disbelief in the official version of 9/11.

In “NY imam quits over 9/11 remarks” published on Monday, 3rd October 2005, the BBC quotes Imam Intikab Habib from an interview he gave to New York newspaper Newsday. “I've heard professionals say that nowhere ever in history did a steel building come down with fire alone," he is quoted as saying. “Was it 19 hijackers who pulled it down, or was it a conspiracy?”

Times

The Times also covered the story the same day in an article titled, “New York firefighters' imam forced to quit over 9/11 outburst” A similar quote from the Imam was used: “I, as an individual, do not know who did the attacks. I do not believe it was 19 hijackers who did those attacks. Experts say that it takes two or three weeks to demolish a building like that, but it was pulled down in a couple of hours. Was it 19 hijackers who brought it down or was it a conspiracy?”