Not everybody is sure that Bin Laden was behind the September 11 terrorist
acts
2002-08-05
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/08/05/33819.html
Terrorist number one has suddenly found a high-ranking protector: the President
of
Pakistan. Perves Musharraf said that he is not certain that the September
11 terrorist
acts were organized by Osama bin Laden.
According to Reuters, the Pakistani president said in an interview to the
New Yorker
that he does not believe it to be possible. The president cannot believe
that Osama bin
Laden, while sitting in the Afghan mountains, organized such an attack.
He could be a sponsor or a motivating force;
however, the people who launched the attacks were much more up-to-date,
because they knew the United States, and
they knew the aircraft, Musharraf said. He believes that the plan was created
by someone else.
The Pakistani president is not the only person who doubts bin Laden's role
in the terrorist acts. Three months ago, French
writer Thierry Meyssan published his book L'Effroyable imposture (An Awful
Deception), in which he calls into question
the version of bin Laden's implication in the September 11 events. In Meyssan's
view, the terrorist acts were organized
by representatives of some extreme right-wing groups who occupy high posts
in the US government and the
military-industrial complex. However, Meyssan could not give their names.
In addition, some journalists and public figures (mostly people belonging
to right-wing nationalist circles) hinted at the
Mossad's implication in organizing the terrorist acts. However, these accusations
have not been proven.
As for Musharraf's statement, two questions appear: why did the president
suddenly start to speak about his doubts of
bin Laden's guilt, and, if not bin Laden, who was behind the terrorist
acts?
The first question can be answered easily. As is well known, the US special
services and army are actively searching
for bin Laden everywhere, including on Pakistani territory. Also, it looks
like Washington believes that bin Laden is hiding
in Pakistan. This was why search operations have become more active on
Pakistani territory. However, this brings about
the anger of of Pakistani radicals and the military. The army is Musharraf's
main support, and, of course, he does not
want to lose it. Therefore, the president makes such statements. Washington
seems to be tolerant of these statements
and has not commentted on them.
As for the second question, who there are some problems. The Pakistani
president did not provide any answers. Islamic
fundamentalists are supposed to be the masterminds of the terrorist acts,
who are not connected with Al-Qaida or
Osama bin Laden. It could also have been Al-Qaida militants who acted independently.
Actually, there could be many
versions…
All the same, not everybody is sure that bin Laden was behind the September
11 terrorist acts, and the Pakistani
president belongs to this group, even if his statement was the result of
his wish not to lose the support of his people.
Vasily Bubnov
PRAVDA.Ru
Translated by Vera Solovieva