Letter to the Editor (Times Union)

(See "Local library packed for 9/11 truth" and "Web movie takes flight" for background.)

9/11 deserves scrutiny
Times Union, August 12, 2006

I commend the Times Union for covering the recent local screening of the documentary, "Loose Change," which addresses many of the unanswered questions regarding the 9/11 attacks. I only hope that the paper will now pay attention to the family members, whistle-blowers, independent journalists and concerned citizens who have been voicing similar concerns for nearly five years.

Unanswered questions and outright lies by the government have gone virtually unaddressed by the mainstream media, fueling speculation and giving rise to various conspiracy theories.

Why should the public be forced to rely on amateur filmmakers for answers?

For example, prior to 9/11, high-level government officials protected a wealthy Saudi by the name of Yassin al-Qadi from the FBI. Al-Qadi has been identified as one of Osama bin Laden's chief money launderers, and according to FBI agent Robert Wright, his arrest could have prevented 9/11.

But al-Qadi is not your average suspect. In addition to being a primary financier of al-Qaida, he also happened to own a company with millions of dollars worth of U.S. government contracts. At one time, he also escorted U.S. officials, such as Dick Cheney, around on their official visits to Saudi Arabia.

But you won't read about that in most newspapers. You also won't see it mentioned in "Loose Change."

This is exactly why media outlets like the Times Union should conduct their own independent investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the attacks. Otherwise authentic evidence will continue to disappear while "junk" research floods the front pages.