Monday, April 3, 2017

B is for Building 7: 9/11's Smoking Gun?




The terrible events of September 11, 2001 are the subject of arguably the biggest conspiracy theory of them all: that the US government was involved in order to gain popular support for the invasions into Afghanistan and Iraq. As part of this conspiracy, many people believe the Twin Towers did not collapse due to the impact of jetliners and the subsequent fires, but were brought down with explosives.

The smoking gun? The collapse of Building 7 (the reddish-brown building on the left, see above)

Although this 47 story structure was not struck by a plane, it collapsed at 5:20 pm, about seven hours after being struck by the debris of the North Tower and set ablaze. (These buildings were 370 feet apart from each other.)

Here a few details conspiracy theorists find suspicious:

1. The near-perfect symmetry of the collapse looks exactly like a controlled demolition.




2. Eye witnesses accounts and video recordings both give evidence of loud bangs (explosions?) before the collapse. (Ditto for the Twin Towers.)

3. Dust collected on 9/11 contains evidence of nano-thermite or super-thermite, a powerful explosive only available to the military.



Image: Investigate911.orgScientists find Nano-thermite explosives (estimated at over 10-tons) at the World Trade Center catastrophe.


4. The tenants: Besides housing financial institutions such a Salomon Smith Barney and American Express Bank, Building 7 also had offices for the IRS, the Secret Service, the Security and Exchange Commission, and on floor 23, the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM).

From accusations of banking or investment fraud to theories that the OEM directed the planes into the towers remotely, motives to destroy this building are numerous. (Including rumors that hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of gold and other precious metals stored in basement vaults went missing—perhaps fodder for a deeply disturbing Oceans 11-type plot.)




Supposedly, there was also a secret office for the CIA.

5. The rubble, including the steel beams, were scooped up and sent off to China for recycling before a thorough investigation could be conducted.

6. If Building 7 did collapse from fire alone, it would be the first steel-frame high-rise in history to do so.

There's plenty more, but I'll stop here. I suppose the idea is that if proof of a controlled demolition of Building 7 can be established, it will be much easier then to prove the Twin Towers were also brought down with explosives as well. 

A number of documentaries for both conspiracy theorists and debunkers on this topic are free for your perusal on YouTube. One that shares both sides of this story is WTC 7 - BBC The Third Tower - Conspiracy Files

Have you ever watched Loose Change or any other 9/11 documentary or film?

Note: This post was written for entertainment purposes only and may contain inaccurate statements, exaggerations, or even outright lies, and should not be used for anything remotely associated with scholarly research. Go look this stuff up yourself, y'all.

31 comments:

  1. Not watched any documentaries on 9/11 or heard this theory. They didn't convince me. Hope you're having a fun A to Z.

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  2. Happened to be in the US on a visit during this tragedy. This bit of information is news to me !!

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  3. As someone pointed out in something else I was watching (can't remember what), a ceiling collapsing and hitting a floor would make a very loud bang and could start a building collapse. I have not seen the documentaries, but have to say, there are easier ways of getting public support that are far less dangerous. Have not heard the other conspiracy theories for this one :).
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings - Shapeshifters and Werewolves

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  4. Conspiracy theories are fun and while some seem to have some merit I've never put much stock in the World Trade Centre attacks. While I would not be surprised to find out the US Government had some foreknowledge of the attack or even indirect connections to the perpetrators (in fact I believe both of those things have been proven to be true), I find it very hard to believe they would actively and purposefully execute the attack themselves.

    Unless it was part of some convoluted scheme to destroy world-ending aliens hiding in the sewers, or something.

    B is for Battle of Beaumont Hamel

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  5. I still remember waking up to the news on my clock radio. It was so surreal, so unbelievable anything like this could be happening to our country.

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  6. I'd heard someone explain why buildings might collapse from a fallen wall/ceiling- something to do with stress/factor of safety, I forget exact details not being a technical person myself. Altogether quite scary how vulnerable tall buildings are!

    Anyways I find this really hard to believe that a democratic government would bump off its own citizens, that too thousands of them...not at all convinced.

    Haven't watched any documentaries of 9/11...but did read John Updike's short story Varieties of Religious Experience based on 9/11, he's superb!

    Nilanjana
    From Madly-in-Verse

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  7. Hopefully this conspiracy theory is just that - a theory.

    Phillip | B is for banana

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  8. I didn't actually know there were any conspiracy theories about the towers coming down. Some people will believe anything.

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  9. This is one of those conspiracy theories that makes me so mad I won't even engage people who believe it. Maybe I shouldn't be reading your theme, because conspiracy theorist make my blood boil, I think because my ex-husband was one. LOL Don't worry, I'll be back! ;)

    26 Things To Hate About Writing: B is for Books

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  10. This being a deliberate act by someone other than terrorists is unthinkable. We all live in a dangerous world right now and while conspiracy theories can be exciting to read about, I have to believe they are just fairy tales. Interesting reading though and you certainly made me think.

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  11. I don't put much stock in conspiracy theories except for good fiction.
    It was an awful day that effected so many people. My husband is a hero/survivor of that day.
    Get some rhythm for your day with the Acholi "Bat Beat."
    A Piece of Uganda

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  12. As one of your readers already commented, I can't believe that a democratic government would kill thousands of its own people just to gain support for war. And I don't find it so implausible that an adjacent building would collapse, even hours after the towers came down. Provocative, though!

    *Visiting from A-Z*

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  13. I must be an under-a-rock dweller. I've never heard of this conspiracy!

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  14. I was a protestor against the invasion of Iraq—not that I liked Saddam, I didn't. I just felt we were invading a country that never attacked us. But there was a fellow protestor who was really into that conspiracy theory. He was very adamant about it, so I avoided him when I could, since I have never felt there was any conspiracy to bring the buildings down.

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  15. I know there are people that do believe such theories, but I can't imagine why or how they can believe it.

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  16. Yeah I am not a believer on any of the 9-11 conspiracy stories. In fact, the more I hear, of them, the more I am inclined to disbelieve. I'm a sceptic at heart but somethings I just won't believe.

    I hope you are doing JFK assassination.

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  17. I agree with the tenor of the other commentors - I've never believed this conspiracy theory, because unlike some of the "fun" ones (ooh, did we beat the Russians to the moon almost 50 years ago? Guess we'll never know...) the 9/11 conspiracies are just so malicious about a national tragedy, it's not cool. (Not that I blame you for writing about them in your series, of course. Keep up the great work!)
    Jamie Lyn Weigt | Writing Dragons Blog | AtoZ 2017 - Dragons in Our Fandoms

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  18. I'd never heard this theory! Then again, I've never looked into any 9/11 conspiracy theories, either.

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  19. Like a lot of folks, I'd never heard this before. And also like a lot of folks, I'm gonna be a non-believer here. Great stuff though, keep it coming!

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  20. Another interesting article! I look forward to letter C.

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  21. Like some of your other visitors, I have not heard this theory. True or not, I don't think we will ever really know what happened. Interesting ideas though! Jessica Simply Infatuated

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  22. I've heard some 9/11 conspiracy theories, but not this one. I haven't seen any 9/11 docs, either. It's a strange thing. I watched the news reports at the time (didn't we all?), but since then, I can't stomach watching anything about that day. And I was completely across the country.

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  23. This was so interesting to read! I am not usually one to go look up anything that I hear on the news so I had no that conspiracy theories were a thing for this!

    Also I must say that your disclaimer at the bottom of your post was awesome!!

    http://tropicalcolours.blogspot.com.au/

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  24. Wow! I've never heard of building 7. The video of the building falling looks super controlled. Fires would not cause a building to collapse like that.

    I'll have to research more. :)

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  25. I've heard about this for a while and don't know what to think. As bizarre and as unlikely as it sounds, there really are some great arguments on both sides.

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  26. Hi Tamara - my B was "Building Bridges" so I had to come over and see your building post for today :) I certainly hadn't heard these conspiracy theories over here in the UK only the amazing cases of bravery and the profound loss on that day which I can still recall watching in disbelief and then going to school to collect my little children and knowing the world had changed significantly. Looking forward to seeing more and great work as usual :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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  27. Bizarre and fascinating theory. It was certainly interesting to read through.

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  28. Watching the detail of the conspiracy theories, makes you think and not want to know! Scary stuff!

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  29. Certainly quite a detailed theory. I suspect as I follow your A to Z I'm going to learn quite a bit re: how many alternative theories there are on all sorts of events. I am far to accepting of reports to give it this much thought regularly. - Louise

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  30. I love conspiracy theories, but this is one that kinda turns my stomach. When people look at a major tragedy with so many casualties and think, 'ooh, there's a secret plot behind this', that's pretty messed up.

    Unlike the moon landing or 'ancient aliens', there isn't even any fun in debunking these. It's just depressing all round.

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I will do everything in my power to visit commenter's blogs unless I've been abducted by aliens or my children get sick. (If my children get abducted by aliens, I will be very busy, of course, catching up on my sleep.)