9/11 CultWatch

A Variation on 2012 Apocalypse

Yesterday's Sun newspaper had a different variation on the Mayan 2012 end of the world claims.

Two whole pages were devoted to Michael Carroll's feature on Cornish computer repair man Larry Peters, who is stockpiling food and attempting to live self-sufficiently in readiness for a giant solar flare striking the earth. The term sometimes used for survivalists like Mr Peters is preppers. Here is an insight into his thinking:

"By the end of 2012 a huge flare is predicted that will wipe all this out. It will be a total breakdown of society, complete anarchy. Lots of people are going to die. The government and the super-rich know this is going to happen and they are prepared. That leaves the rest of us to fend for ourselves".

Several problems emerge. Firstly no evidence is offered that the British government and the rich actually do know that the world is going to end this year, and no insights into changes in their behaviour or practices are offered. No scientific evidence is presented as to the likelihood of such a strike on earth. Rather like many 9/11 'truthers' it does emerge where Peters is getting his information from:

"Once he opens his computer repair shop, Larry spends three hours checking for solar flare updates, looks on You Tube for new conspiracy theory videos and catches up with preppers from across the world"

Clearly business is far from booming in the computer repairs world! Interestingly we also gain an insight into how Larry Peters reached the views he has - from reading a web posting on solar flares by US conspiracist Jessie Ventura. Then

"I watched his documentary and conducted my own research online"

And that sums up so much. No need to read a book, journal or speak to an expert in the field of solar flares, we can all do it ourselves on line. We are all experts. They only problem is, a lot of people aren't.

 

Anthony J. Hilder: The Greatest Turkey

Having childcare responsibilities this afternoon, I decided to watch a bit of TV in the hope the boys would fall asleep. 

They did not, but I still managed to watch the whole of Anthony J Hilder's film 9/11 The Greatest Lie Ever Sold. Those of you with satellite packages can go to Channel 200 and watch Controversial TV, where hours of this type of pap is available. I tweeted some comments as I watched it, but all the usual 'truth' standbys were here. Take casual racism - we were informed the 19 hijackers could barely speak English and were more used to riding camels than driving a car. Yet 15 of these men were from Saudi Arabia, the wealthiest and most developed of the Arab nations. Leader Mohammad Atta was far from being a rural hick but an Architecture student who spoke Arabic, English and German. I doubt we can say the same for Mr Hilder.

Hilder pushed repeatedly the need for the left and right to come together (and he calls others fascist!) in this instance ideological unity is required, not against the Bolshevik menace but the New World Order. Indeed so curious was Hilder's world view that he thinks that China is still a Communist country - in case he has not noticed, China's capitalist economy is outstripping even that of the United States. 

Some big names from the world of conspiracy turn up - Jim Marrs, with Lydon Larouche probably deserving the long service award in this field - but I was particularly impressed by a new name to me - Will Thomas. He states that no fewer than seven of the 19 9/11 hijackers are still alive.

I offer a simple challenge to 9/11 'truthers' - both in the West and the Arab world. I will close this blog if you can achieve an interview with any living 9/11 hijacker. Surely one of the seven is willing to make his fortune by coming out to the world's press?

2012 and The Maya Calendar - Do Not Despair

As lovers of all things conspiratorial and apocalyptic should be aware, 2012 may be the biggie.

Certain interpretations of the Mayan calendar appear to suggest there is no ‘time’ after 21 December 2012. Good news if you have a bank loan you don’t want to pay back, or you want to wriggle out of buying lots of Christmas presents, bad news if you rather like life and want to make the most of it in 2013.  So, in excitement not known since the millennium bug failed to interfere with the working of one single computer, this is the year the Mayan calendar allegedly predicts will be our last. For those looking to battle through the various conspiracy theories, scam artists and genuine believers of this, I recommend the March 2012 issue of Fortean Times, which devotes its front cover and no less than 14 pages to doomsday 2012.

Former BBC Religious Affairs correspondent Ted Harrison gives us a good summary of how the Maya calculation was apparently reached, whilst also looking at some of the other attempts made to predict the end of the world. Special mention here must go to US evangelist Harold Camping who made a fool of himself not once but twice in 2011 by predicting the end of the world. Rather unsatisfactorily Harrison tells us Camping’s supporters have made a further prediction for 2012, but then ruins things by not telling us the date they have suggested. What a tease! For the record, it seems on-line sources are placing this third date as 21 October 2012. Perhaps Camping and his supporters are work on the old 'bullseye' approach - throw enough darts, and you will hit the bullseye eventually!

Joseph Gelfer takes a more political stance by considering the manner in which 2012 prophecies may hijack elements from indigenous cultures in a way new age activists have been doing for some time (often at considerable financial benefit to themselves) Jose Arguelles and his ‘Dreamspell Calendar' and Drunvalo Melchizedek’s use of Maori culture are both critiqued. Much to my delight John W Hoopes “The Hidden History of 2012” suggests that the big day may not be 21 December at all but the 23^rd, before he takes us through some of the variations 2012 theorists have adopted. It is worth quoting one sentence from his article in full:

“2012 has become a vehicle for new mythologies, from the liberation of information to the Occupy movement. There are serious problems in the world, from global warming to revolution, but the idea that the ancient Maya prophesised change in our time is ludicrous.”

Kevin Whitesides is possibly being a tad wordy when he takes on Terence McKenna’s concept of a “balkanisation of epistemology” taking place,  but he is probably on the right lines. We increasingly have a world where ‘experts’ attempt to use their theories to prove virtually anything – and in the process prove nothing. This tactic can even be adapted to  suggest the exact opposite of a particular discourse – Whiteside’s article is illustrated by an apocalyptic drawing marked “The Beginning Is Near”. Ever the salesman David Icke has talked of 2012 as not the end of the world, but the beginning…… (provided of course you adopt his approach to life!

For some reason placed many pages back in the magazine, Richard Stanley relates how the small French village of Bugarach, lying below Mount Bugarach, is the reluctant home to scores of new age visitors who believe the mountain is a UFO base. Fortean Times illustrates this article with a picture of a new age group meeting in the shadow of the mountain, with most the delegates dressed in white – how long until our very own David Shayler pops up in south west France?
Jokers like Shayler aside, there can be a serious angle to such developments. As the end of 1999 approached, Israeli police in particular were on edge concerning US Christians entering the holy land who it was feared may be involved in either mass suicides or acts of terrorism. A French civil servant from its anti-cult body, one Georges Fenech, is reportedly prepared to take preventative measures should similar issues arise in Bugarach in the run up to 21 December 2012.

The Winter Solstice has rarely been as exciting – or as profitable. Whether it is actually dangerous or not is another matter entirely.

 

Conspiracist Quote of the Day: 4

When I had responsibility for answering mail to the Class War Federation, I would estimate 2-3% of the letters we received were from people with mental health problems.

I have no idea if this is common to all political organisations, or if CW was any more or less prone to such correspondence. Sometimes it was very entertaining. One man in Blackpool was convinced he was being spied upon by the town's CCTV (you may be right I told him, that's what it's for) but he was probably incorrect when he claimed secret messages were being passed to him via advertisements on Blackpool bus shelters (Why they were using the buses, and not the trams for this intimidation was unexplained).

As always in Class War, we encouraged those under attack by the state to fightback. This approach was not without its consequent victories. Our Blackpool correspondent was insistent that the reason David Blunkett resigned as Home Secretary in 2004 was nothing to do with 'nannygate', but his own work exposing the harrassment Blunkett had conducted of him via the Blackpool district bus system. A second correspondent, Gaz Derbyshire, wrote such long letters I am not sure a team of secretaries could have covered every point raised. In 2006 Gaz, probably wisely, instead put his thoughts into book form, the catchily titled "Book 1, Part A, First Contact? Do, Re, Me, In God I Trust" with the subheading Complete Re-Writes.For some reason the authors were listed as Gaz Derbyshire, Gary Martyn and Arch Principle, even though I am sure this was Gaz's work alone.

Showing he was no fan of political correctness, Gaz had illustrated the front cover with a confederate flag, and a further ten books were promised in a series of eleven. Where the other ten books are I know not, but Gaz Derbyshire needs to  be added to the list of those with alleged foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks. As he states in his book:

"In addition in Book IV, which was in March 2001, I was given informal information as to the amount of actual plane hijackers for the 11th of September 2001 terrorist attacks, namely that of 'nineteen'. This above information was received from a woman called "Julie Madison" who had worked at one time for a solicitors firm in London that represented the company providing engineering skills for the Iraqi Big Gun" (p.xciii)

There are several things I particularly like about this quote. The Iraqi connection is entertaining and so general it is a wonder it did not end up in the case for invading Iraq Alastair Campbell and Tony Blair were pushing in 2002-2003. Also we have the figure of 19 hijackers known, to a London Solicitor, as early as March 2001.
This means the various press articles naming Zacarias Moussaoui as the intended twentieth hijacker (and indeed parts of his trial) are rather superflous. We also have the figure of Ramzi Binalshibh, a Guantanamo Bay resident widely seen as one of the planners of 9/11. According to Yosri Fouda and Nick Fielding's book on 9/11, Binalshibh made strenous efforts to get himself into the US so he could take part in the 9/11 attacks. He was unsuccesful, which handily ensured the numbers being discussed in London remained accurate. 

Then again, it could be that the claim Julie Madison (who she?) knew the number of 9/11 attackers eight months beforehand is bollocks. I will allow the reader to decide!

A Hint At David Icke's Financial Empire?

I have only just been alerted to the Daily Mail of 7 January which contained a piece on Pamela Leigh Richards and her divorce from David Icke.

The web version of this, updated on 9 January, can be viewed here. Researchers have long wondered just how much Icke makes from his incessant touring, conferences, book and DVD sales and subscription website, and more pertintently where that money is then invested. Whilst much of the article is the type of frippery you may expect - Icke allegedly began to suspect Pamela was a shape-shifter when their relationship began to deteriorate - the news that she has been holding out for large settlement, and even demanding 'immense' sums does of course reiterate what a cottage industry Icke has built over the past two decades.

So, will the settlement buy her silence, or will we get an insight into just how much money there is in conspiracy theory?

Using The Truth Movement....

Or alternatively 'I used to be a 9/11 Truth Activist, But I'm Alright Now'.

You have to hand it to Annie Machon. She gets the Vancouver branch of the 9/11 Truth movement to promote her speaking tour in Canada in May, but manages to have a CV that has now been stripped of any involvement in 'truth' activism.

Way to go Annie. I think the word I am looking for is chutzpah.

Happy New Year To 9/11 Cultwatch Visitors

There has been a quiet period on this blog, but that will soon change.

We will soon start again the series of conspiracist quotes, as allowing truthers to express themselves in their own words is one of the best mechanisms against them we have. Over in the United States the issue has emerged of the extent Republican Presidential hopeful Ron Paul is a support of the truth movement. Certainly here in the UK truth activists regarded him as their man, hence the regular presence of 'truth' activists bearing the words 'Google Ron Paul' on major demonstrations in the capital. If Paul's candidacy is to continue, he will have to decide which side of the fence he stands.

I am currently working on an article for the next issue of Notes From the Borderland magazine on a decade of 9/11 truth, which should appear in the next month or so. In the meantime, 9/11 Cultwatch relies so heavily on those who send us information. Keep it coming!

Teaching About Terrorism and 'Conspiracy' Theory

I have just completed a one hour lecture on Terrorism and Conspiracy Theory, and followed it up with three seminars to undergraduates on the same subject.

The main things I wanted to get across to students were the historical scale of conspiracy theories, that they can be accelerated by secrecy, government dishonesty and incompetence and that the Internet has allowed them to go in a thousand and one different directions. I then focused on the 9/11 Truth Movement, looking at some of its core beliefs, MIHOP (that the US government made the attacks happen on purpose) and LIHOP (let it happen on purpose) and the uses that are made of the following quote from the neo-Cons Project For A New American Century:

"Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event – like a new Pearl Harbour" (2000, 51).

This of course 'proves' that the Bush administration either allowed 9/11 to happen or arranged it! I also covered some issues around race, religion and conspiracy theory, and that whilst black American groups such as the Nation of Islam may be paranoid, that has not always meant that in the past that no one was out to 'get' black Americans!

In the closing part of the lecture I covered some of the responses to 'truth' activism - the papers of groups such as Demos, writers like Jon Ronson, David Aaronovitch and Damian Thompson, and the belated responses by the US government. Concluding comments centred on whether there is a 'template' of conspiracist ideals - core elements that can be found in all arguments, and whether we can see in this, glimpses of future conspiracy theories. Most of all I hope students took away the impression that the Internet, as well as being a tool for good, can also retard debate. Look around some workplaces at lunch or break times, and instead of talking to workmates, many people are sat there playing with their I-Phones and Blackberrys. What happens when most people, get most of their news, most of time, from the Internet?

In the seminars, I asked students to consider two things. What  questions did they have outstanding with regards to 9/11, and to what extent should opinion formers, polticians and government seek to respond to 'truth' theories. To stimulate some debate I distributed photocopies of an A5 'truth' leaflet from 2006 "It's 5 Years Since the Attacks on 9/11" - this largely focused on the argument controlled demolition brought down WTC 1, 2 and 7, plus provided suggestions witnesses heard explosions before the towers came down.

Some of the 'celebrity' supporters of 9/11 truth that were listed - Charlie Sheen and David Shayler - had not stood the test of time very well, all three groups roared with laughter at the mention of Mr Sheen. Answers on the first question were few and far between (most student's were clearly sheeple, as they seemed to broadly agree Bin Laden did it) whilst the second brought more mixed answers.
The difficulty of 'responding' to truth arguments was stressed, as was the lack of any named sources for the 'scientific' evidence presented. On one level I was left feeling slightly more optimistic than I had expected to be - students appear to want to discuss evidence and to see named sources for claims that are made - freeze framed pictures of 'premature' explosions did not seem to impress them.

This may be a protest generation. But on this evidence at least, it is unlikely to go up the blind alley of 'truth' activism.

Conspiracist Quote of the Day: 3

"In his previous work, The Secret Society of Freemasons Revealed, Almighty God Dawud Allah explains that nine out of every ten Caucasian babies are born with tails. While this secret has been hidden by Doctors (who are all Masons) Dawud names it as the reason for a preponderance of the word "tail" in white speech ("heads or tails," "boy I will beat your tail," "tailgate party"). It would be a mistake to consider Almighty God Dawud Allah's work as representing the Five Percenters' intellectual highpoint."

From Michael Muhammad Knight, The Five Percenters: Islam, Hip Hop and the Gods of New York (Oxford: One World, 2009) p.196.

Conspiracist Quote of the Day: 2

Headline news in the UK yesterday was the Leveson Inquiry into the conduct of the media.

All a waste of time if they had consulted David Icke, who in this mailing of 30 December 2010, reminds us that the media (and just about everything else) is controlled by the Rothschild-Zionists:

"that the Rothschild Zionists control the mainstream media; Hollywood and the movie industry; governments, not least in the United States; and crucially in the light of current events, they control global finance and commerce."

Classic Conspiracist Quote of the Day

Welcome to a new series on 9/11 Cultwatch where each morning (if I get round to it) I will bring you a classic quote from the weird and wonderful worlds of 9/11 truth and related conspiracy thinking.

To start the ball rolling, lets look back to 2006, when David Shayler and Annie Machon expressed the view that no planes hit the twin towers on 9/11. Annie likes to style herself as a serious columnist in The Guardian these days, commenting on the security services, policing and civil liberties. Those considering her views really should take her long term double act with David into account, in the years before the big man turned all David Icke on us.

This is from Brendan O'Neill's 11 September 2006 interview in the New Statesman:

"We know for certain that the official story of 9/11 isn't true," says Shayler. "The twin towers did not collapse because of planes and fire; they were brought down in a controlled demolition. The Pentagon was most likely hit by an American missile, not an aeroplane." Machon nods. In black trousers and black top, this sophisticated blonde in her late thirties comes across more like a schoolmarm than a 9/11 anorak. "The Pentagon's anti-missile defence system would definitely have picked up and dealt with a commercial airliner. We can only assume that whatever hit the Pentagon was sending a friendly signal. A missile fired by a US military plane would have sent a friendly signal." She says this in a kind of Anna Ford-style newsreader's voice, as if she were speaking the truth and nothing but the truth. She takes another sip of tea.

Check back later for more of the same - there is plenty more where that came from!

Uncon 2011 - Views Sought

It seems Fortean Times are emailing those who bought tickets online for Uncon 2011, asking for their views.

I am never sure how much surveys are listened to, but I completed it, urging Fortean Times to reduce or hold the prices next year, to vastly increase the number of stalls, and to seek to involve the magazines readership far more in the event. A series of small talks or discussions is more people centred and progressive than being lectured at on six seperate occasions from a big stage.

Lets see what happens in 2012..............

Jon Ronson At Uncon 2011

I spent this morning at the annual Fortean Times covention - Uncon 2011, held at the Camden Centre in London.

The last time I was at the Camden Centre was in the days the London Anarchist Bookfair was held there. I have to say that event probably rather spoiled me - Uncon has considerably less going on, and at £32.35 including booking fee for a one day ticket, the pricing structure is also somewhat different. Todays session had a room with a coffee bar and six stalls, and then in the main arena six one hour talks on the big stage. Of these the only one that really floated my boat was Jon Ronson, discussing his book The Psychopath Test.

I have apparently met Ronson before (he wrote a sarcastic report for Time Out on a Class War public meeting in Brixton in 1993) but was pleasantly surprised by just how funny he was and how capably he dealt with a thirty minute Q&A session. Ronson's talk took in the Scientologists, a Broadmoor inmate who says he faked mental illness to avoid a long prison sentence, and his experience meeting some of the leading figures in mental health such as Robert Hare. Ronson attended Hare's classes so as to be able to use his psychopath checklist. From Hare, Ronson took the idea that many corporate CEO's display psychopathic tendencies, and indeed that these ideals are actually a boon for business careers. A lack of empathy, remorselessness and a superficial charm are benefits in corporate life. Hare estimates that whilst only 1 person in 100 is a psychopath, 4 in 100 CEOs are. More recently both George Monbiot and Horizon have adapted these arguments.

Before we all rush to work and ask our boss if he minds sitting through the PCL-R test before his first meeting of the morning, Ronson did offer a clear warning of the dangers of untrained amateurs rushing about in the this field, plus secondly the obvious problems with labelling people. Throwing the floor open for questions, this point was again re-emphasised, with Ronson arguing he hopes the first half of the book may allow the reader to become power crazed, the second half to realise the error of their ways.

Ronson expressed relief that his work on conspiracy theorists was conducted before 9/11. He takes the view that he was the first person outside of the 'conspiratorial left or right' to look at the Bilderberg meetings, and that these events now get serious press coverage. Ronson was scathing about the 9/11 'truth' movement, arguing its humourless nature meant it was impossible to empathise with them (and presumeably to make good television out of them!)

Those expecting Jon Ronson to use his platform to criticise the pharmaceutical industry, or the health industry may have been disappointed. His position here is, he insists, evidence based. The only trend he is aware of that lacks any evidence for it is childhood bi-polar disorder. Here children 2-3 years old are being labelled as bi-polar because of what are in effect temper tantrums - with the pharmaceutical lobby and pushy parents happy to revel in 'treatments' for this condition.

More generally in the questions Ronson praised The Guardian for its high moral stance, something that suggests he is unaware of the more critical literature about The Guardian/Observer to emerge in recent years, or the treatment of certain Guardian journalists such as Michael Gillard and Laurie Flynn. He ended by pointing out pyschopathic tendencies are ideal for some of the business practices that have proved so damaging to the economy in recent years - the sub-prime market and asset stripping need a short term, get rich quick and never mind the consequences mentality. The long term businessman behaves in exactly the opposite way.

Uncon 2011 continues today and tomorrow. If the prices are held, or come down, I may well attend next year, but the organisers should throw the event open to Fortean Times subscribers a lot more. Until they do, Uncon won't achieve what it could.

Fortean Times - Uncon 2011

This weekend, I will be one of many punters attending the 2011 Fortean Times gathering in central London.

Held on Saturday and Sunday, with tickets at £30 a pop (plus booking fee) I can only afford to go to Uncon 2011 on the Saturday, which does have Jon Ronson speaking at 1000 on the Psycopath Test. No I have not tried it yet.

If you are a reader of 9/11 Cultwatch or Notes From the Borderland and you see me wondering about - do stop me and say hello.

Occupied With Conspiracy Theories?

Spencer Sunshine has written an interesting summary of the occupy movement and some of the less savoury characters which have appeared in its slipstream.

Focusing on events in the United States, and placing them in an historical context, occupied with conspiracy theories appears courtesy of the ever informative Shift magazine.

Emel Magazine + Dr Mohammad Naseem = Comedy Gold?

Emel is a Muslim lifestyle magazine, distributed nationally. I get mine, every two or three issues or so, from Sainsbury's in Dalston.

Each issue contains a two page feature, Migrant Memories, where a senior Muslim reflects on their life here in Britain. November's, headed 'Serving the Society' features Dr Mohammad Naseem, Chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque, former (?) financier of the Respect Party and owner of one of the best syrup and figs in the West Midlands.

Dr Naseem is of course well known to visitors to this blog for his prominent role as a 7/7 conspiracy theorist, indeed shortly after the London Bombings he was using public platforms in the West Midlands to insist it was impossible any Muslims could be involved in the attacks. This bizarre position continued even after the first suicide video - that of ringleader Mohammad Sidique Khan - surfaced. Since then he has popped up in the BBC's Conspiracy Files programme working with leading 9/11 'truther' Tony Gosling, and distributing a DVD around his mosque which argues Israel was responsible for the 7/7 attacks.

More recently Birmingham Central Mosque has threatened to sue Prime Minister David Cameron, after he mentioned it in connection to conspiracy theories about terrorist attacks. Oddly eight months on there is no news of a writ landing on the doormat at number ten, and Dr Naseem does not take the opportunity to update Emel's readership on this important case. So what do we get from the great man?

Well in terms of controversy, very little. He tells us about his belief in inter-faith dialogue and the Rabbi he worked with after 9/11 - sadly we are not told if the mosques 'Jewish Comrades' have received one of their copies of 7/7 Ripple Effect. Things look as if they might get interesting when Dr Naseem tells us that some of his 'decisions in the public arena have sparked controversy' but there follows merely an unremarkable passage about appointing women to public posts. How the good Doctor views himself is interesting, saying he is a "strong critic of the political establishment when it enfringes on our rights as citizens of a democratic country" - it is hard to place 7/7 or 9/11 'truth' activism in this context.

So - no mention of Respect, nothing about suing the Prime Minister, and of course nothing about 7/7 suicide videos being created by the security services to frame Muslims. On balance, we are left with the conclusion that Emel - rather like secular lifestyle magazines - prefers the anodoyne and the uncontroversial, to the dramatic and downright odd. Still, they have achieved the near impossible - they have provided a platform where Mohammad Naseem comes across as rational.

From Wellington: Activism Based In Reality

It is fantastic to see the type of ideals 9/11 cultwatch holds, being picked up and adopted elsewhere.

For years we have warned of the dangers of activists being lead up the garden path with fantastical stories, and/or missing the fact that if we are to develop influence, we have to criticise our rulers for things they have done, not things they have not.

Libcom.org features the text of an excellent talk made at an Occupy meeting in Wellington, New Zealand on 27 October. Against Conspiracy Theories!

Joanna Yeates: The Conspiracy Theorists Were Wrong Again

The conviction today of Vincent Tabak for the murder of his neighbour, Joanna Yeates, brings to some closure a very sorry affair.

Back at Christmas 2010, when Ms Yeates went missing, one of the leading 9/11 truth activists, Tony Gosling, found he had the UK's biggest news story on his doorstep. He reacted by posting on the Internet a series of ever more lurid explanations for her murder. These included speculations about black magic, the involvement of freemasons, the full moon, corrupt police officers, and links to unsolved killings in the area.

Whilst Gosling and his associates were ensuring the Internet was full of mindless rubbish, the tabloids took on a similar role with regards to the newspaper industry. Here speculation was almost as wild, but considerably more cruel, focusing on Ms Yeates entirely innocent landlord, Chris Jeffries. He has since received substantial compensation for his treatment at the hands of the press.

Tony Gosling, for all his radical pretensions, is no better than The Sun, Daily Express or The Scotsman, waffling idly about matters he knows nothing about, for his own titillation, profit and influence. Instead of selling newspapers and impressing advertisers, Gosling hoped to find evidence for his own curious theories, and improve his standing in the 'alternative' media. It is to be hoped that his corner of the Internet is so obscure, that those who held Joanna Yeates dear did not come across any of this nonsense.

One final point to close on: If Mr Gosling is so wrong on this case, why should anyone listen to him when he is pontificating about 9/11, 7/7 or the Bilderberg's?

Time For Occupy Activists To Stand Up To Nonsense

From the emails 9/11 Cultwatch has been receiving, some of the comments posted here, and those on several Anarchist email lists, it is clear that activists in the Occupy movement are standing up to nonsense in two ways.

Firstly, they are standing up against the injustice of banks being propped up with taxpayers money, and those same taxpayers then suffering unemployment, cuts and recession. Secondly they are standing up to the small, but irritating presence of conspiracy theorists, anti-semites and David Icke followers who have latched on to these protests. Icke himself has felt the need this week to issue a video as guidance to his supporters at Wall Street and elsewhere.

This video has been spamming Facebook pages supporting Occupy, and has popped up in a thousand other locations. For those wanting to counter Icke and his minions, I offer a summary of its arguments below:

It is 32 minutes long, a curious mixture of anti-capitalist rhetoric, that will go down well with some protestors, plus the usual expose of who controls the government e.g. 'the Rothschilds, Rockefellers' at 6.50 min in.

Buzzwords seems to be 'networks' for the above, 'human enslavemen't plus a fear of 'vultures' taking the occupy protests in the wrong direction. This is deliberate, as the few wish to have complete control over humanity. Their aim - world government, a world central bank, a world army and the break up of countries into regions.

Following this - a global electronic currency. This is why we have a deliberately created financial crisis in the EU and US. Protestors will be manipulated into demanding a worse solution than we currently have, unless they get 'streetwise'.

Some old staples come up - Mossad and US intelligence created 9/11 - problems are created to meet the agenda of the elite. George Soros is trying to manipulate the Wall Street protests, so they end up calling for a world government. (In a way it should be easy for Anarchists to distance ourselves from this smear, I can't see too many Anarchists calling for world government?)

To Icke we have cartel-ism, not capitalism. He gets very nutty about 24 minutes in - claiming that Orwell and Huxley knew, via the Fabian Society, the future route the elite would take - Huxley supporting them, Orwell opposing. That apparently is why Orwell wrote 1984.

Icke particularly hates moveon.org and any suggestion of global warming or climate change being raised by protestors (he seems ignorant of the vast evidence of climate change, instead seeing it as another way to bring about international law and global governance) and calls for individual responses, not group think. Clear he wants to see space limited for certain groups, and in particular for anyone raising climate change. No debate - to Icke such currents should be thrown out.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Countering Nonsense In The Occupy Movement

From speaking to activists over the past few days, it is interesting, and slightly concerning, to note some news emerging from the Occupy movement.

Spreading from Occupy Wall Street, a series of similar occupations have occurred internationally. In the UK this has included an attempt to occupy the London Stock Exchange, and events in regional cities like Norwich and Birmingham. Opposition to the disastrous decision to bail out banks on the verge of financial collapse has now found a degree of articulation.

There are of course issues and debates around this. Speaking to Anarchists like Ian Bone at the Anarchist Bookfair yesterday, there were concerns that the importance of the Occupy movement was being greatly overstated, usually by sympathetic activists who want it to be so many things. It's particular form has also been criticised, whilst the vagueness of its anti-capitalist message has been condemned by libertarians, who draw a distinction between what they see as capitalism and corporatism/crony capitalism.

A more serious debate is now on-going about how to deal with the presence of conspiracy theorists at occupy events. The financial crisis is naturally something easily explained by the likes of David Icke, who has been vociferous in his condemnation of what he sees as Rothschild-Zionism. To Icke, no discussion of 9/11, or the financial crisis, can be made without reference to this conspiracy. Such nonsense makes all protestors easy targets for media exposes, hit-pieces on their 'racism' or their portrayal as addled thinkers. The serious questions raised about government economic policy, capitalism, our financial system and government relations with it, are in danger of being ignored in place of arguments about anti-Semitism or the sheer oddness of certain protestors.

There is only two responses to this. I discount ignoring them, because they will not go away, and numerically will form a significant number of the protestors in many cities. For such thinkers, the financial system is one of the issues - they certainly will not abandon it. Icke has been calling on the human race to get off its knees for so long, when they actually see it happening, their movement is energised

One response is to allow the Icke types to dominate. To walk away and do something else instead. The second response, which I know many are now turning to, is to try and counter them. This is difficult, not because their arguments are so strong - they are not - but because arguing with people full of Zeitgeist or Icke thought is not an easy process. They have been exposed to an absolute truth. Those who do not follow it cannot be allowed to simply disagree with them, but become part of the problem as soon as they disagree.

It is neccesary to attack Icke's anti-Semitism, his ludicrous reptilian fantasies and to ask what Icke has proved in twenty plus years of 'exposing' the system. Other than improving his bank balance - the answer is nothing. Events like the banking crisis and 9/11 are actually very simple. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for attacking New York, and the evidence for US or Israeli participation is nil. The banking crisis occurred because the banks gambled lots of money, and governments who had long dropped any pretence of regulation, bailed out their mates with our cash.

Keep it simple. Because it is simple.

The Circled A Radio Show: Conspiracy, Truth, Cults and Who Really Killed JFK

The interview I did way back on 13 September with Yodet from The Circled A radio show is now available for download.

I am delighted that within a few hours of it being available on the Circled A site, a 'truther' had popped by to denounce me as a Neo-Con. If you need a chuckle with your cornflakes this morning, do check out the comments. I must go now - I have a meeting with Paul Wolfowitz and Dick Cheney at 0900!

On Bin Laden Conspiracy Theories

Robin Ramsay's Konspiracy Korner column in the November issue of Fortean Times is devoted to conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden.

Ramsay sketches a few of the claims to emerge, and how the US government's media management after the raid on Abbotabad could almost have been designed to foster conspiracy theories. If one area is left out, it is the proliferation of theories that have rapidly spread in the Muslim world - one, pushed by Iranian sources, does not deny US forces landed at a compound in Abbotobad, but believes that they abducted and killed a Pakistani taxi driver instead of Bin Laden!

There is one major ommission in Ramsay's article. No where does he acknowledge that it is not simply the United States and Pakistani governments that acknowledge Osama Bin Laden was captured in May's raid - but Al Qaeda itself.

And that should go a very long way to closing this particular book.

BBC World Service Considers 9/11 Truth

Yesterday evening BBC World Have Your Say devoted a whole hour to the criticism from Al Qaeda of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his belief in 9/11 conspiracy theories.

US 'truth' activist James Fetzer represented the 'truth' movement, a man who in a modern variation on coals to Newcastle, has been busy pushing 9/11 truth in the Muslim world. No one from 9/11 Cultwatch was able to get through to take part in the World Service phone-in, but I was able to post several comments on the Facebook page, which quickly degenerated into the usual spat between truthers and sceptics. What better way to spend an evening than having someone yell 'nano-thermite' at you?

You can download the podcast of the programme here, and follow some of the comments made about it on the Wall of World Have Your Say. Only at the close of the programme was perhaps the most important issue mentioned regarding 9/11 'truth' theories and their adoption globally - where do they leave the Middle East, and how do they impact on countries going through seismic political change?

I see no evidence truthers are even considering such questions.

 

Conspiracy Theory Conference - 25 September, Conway hall

It is pleasing to see conspiracy theory as a subject being taken seriously.

Sunday 25 September sees the British Humanist Association organise a full day conference at Conway Hall in Holborn. Details of the event can be seen here - with a cost of £10 or £8 deductions. Speakers include Jamie Bartlett of Demos, Chris French and Robert Brotherton, Karen Douglas, and from the other side of the fence, Ian R Crane.

I shall be there and encourage others to attend.

On The Appeal of 9/11 Conspiracy Theories

I have just finished drafting the outline for a lecture on Terrorism and 'Conspiracy' Theory for the Terrorism module I convene at the University of East Anglia.

Whilst preparing the readling list and module guide I came across this leader from the Economist of September 3rd:

Messing with the mind of Islam
Al-Qaeda has not just poisoned relations between countries. It has poisoned minds as well. In all of the Muslim countries polled recently by the Pew Global Attitudes project, majorities still refuse to believe that the perpetrators were Arabs.

I am not sure The Economist is correct to blame Al-Qaeda for this, indeed their strategists expressed considerable irritation that the 'credit' for 9/11 did not always go to them. This anger even amounted to seeing such views as a plot by Shia Iran to discredit Al Qaeda with Sunni Muslims. Al Qaeda also claimed responsibility for the attacks, and released propaganda to that effect. How is that consistent with 'poisoning minds' in the opposite direction?
Sadly more significant explanations for these attitudes may be found in the war-weariness of much of the Muslim world, which means some can arguably believe virtually anything of the West. Equally historical anti-Semitism, the propagation of conspiracy theories by a host of Muslim governments for a generation and a refusal to grapple with the extremists that have emerged with the Islamic resurgence all combine to give the message 'it can't be us, so it must have been you'.

In 9/11 truth circles such as Ian Henshall's Reinvestigate 9/11, there is excitement at opinion poll data which they argue shows increasing evidence in Europe that their message is getting through. A recent email to supporters was headed 'Breakthroughs in UK, France, Italy and Canada for 9/11 Truth Movement' thanks to what they see as a succesful media offensive. There tends to be little or no attention to what evidence such as The Pew Global Attitudes survey may indicate, or what such 'breakthroughs' in Muslim majority countries may signify in practice. To quote from Pew:

"There is no Muslim public in which even 30% accept that Arabs conducted the attacks. Indeed, Muslims in Jordan, Egypt and Turkey are less likely to accept this today than in 2006."

If such figures eventually emerge in the UK, US and across the European Union - does that constitute success? Progress? Does that take us closer to a better society, where politicians and the powerful are accountable for their actions? It does not. But I suspect it does to the 'truth' movement.

George Galloway Interviews Paul Stott on Talksport

This is the interview from Friday 9 September:

 

Cultwatching

This site has had a lot of new visitors over the past two to three weeks.

It is timely perhaps to remind people of some of the historical articles on the 9/11 and 7/7 'truth' movements that I and Larry O'Hara (mostly) wrote for the old 9/11 Cultwatch website. These are now compiled together in a cultwatching section on the Notes From The Borderland website.

More will follow.

Press TV Interview 9.30pm Tonight

I will be appearing on Press TV with George Galloway this evening at 9.30pm, on his show The Real Deal.

The subject? 9/11 'truth' theories.

Talksport and Press TV Interviews

As the anniversary of 9/11 approaches media coverage has also included the 9/11 'truth' movement and 'truth' theories. I was interviewed for Press TV and Talksport today, with the Press TV interview due to go out on Sunday in the George Galloway show 'The Real Deal'.

Documenting 9/11 Fatigue

Well, which of the half dozen 9/11 documentaries shall I watch today?

The answer is none, as I shall be working on a paper for the 9/11 Ten Years On conference at Strathclyde University, from 8-11 September.  It will be the second conference I have attended this year with 9/11 in the title, and there were several others I declined.

I have not yet read a 'truther' argue that 9/11 was caused by documentary film makers or academics desperate to secure work for themselves, but even I am beginning to have my suspicions......

BBC Conspiracy Files Rides Again

Well, you have to hand it to the BBC (for once!)

For those of you not out and about for the May Bank Holiday Monday, you can tune in to a new programme in the Conspiracy Files series, this time devoted to 9/11 ten years on. It is scheduled for 9pm on Monday 29 August. As I write this, the Conspiracy Files section of the BBC website has not been updated, so there is little indication concerning the detail of this programme.

One thing we can be sure of - no matter what the BBC come up with, the 'truth' movement will be far from satisfied..........

British Fascists Recommend US Truth Activists

Any visitors to this blog who subscribe to my Twitter feed will have noticed I spent a good hour yesterday morning arguing the toss with the anonymous individual behind the Twitter feed of the British Freedom Party.

A splinter from the UK's largest fascist organisation, the British National Party, British Freedom has provided a home for BNP members who have fallen out with BNP leader Nick Griffin, either in personal spats or in disgust at Griffin's financial incompetence. As any follower of developments on the far right will be aware, British fascists have rather switched their enmity in the past decade, from traditional scapegoats - Jews and Communists, to Islamists and even Muslims per se.

All the more surprising then yesterday to find British Freedom's Twitter feed pushing standard 9/11 truth theories about false flag terrorism. This quickly mutated into links promoting former Larouchite Webster Griffin Tarpley with even Alex Jones getting a mention. So much for defending Britain from the menace of Al Qaeda inspired terrorism, in the world of British Freedom everything is the fault of hidden hands manipulating those simple dark folks, who are obviously incapable of doing anything themselves. Better still when challenged on some of this guff, the anonymous person behind BF's twitter feed then decided I was working from MI5, secondly that I did not actually exist (news to my wife and kids!) and thirdly that my Twitter account was actually a fake, set up by the CIA. As evidence of this, he or she cited a Guardian article from March, on how the Americans are looking to manipulate social media.

If we are relying on this shower to save Britain from whatever threat it is the country faces, we may as well all go home. British Freedom my arse! Still, it is nice to see that no matter how hard fascists try to paint themselves as 'nationalists' or defenders of long held liberties, the same old paranoia and bile still seeps through. No matter how hard they try, we can always spot the bastards.

A Chance To Talk Turkey

Not too many posts on here this month, but that does not mean 9/11 Cultwatch has been idle. On Tuesday 13 September I will be joining Yodet of the Circled A on what is fast becoming the UK's best hour of Anarchist radio. I have been asked to talk about 'conspiracy theory' and hope to go through the sort of issues raised on this blog, plus a lot more. I will post further details nearer the time.

National Geographic: The Liquid Bomb Plot

We hear very little from the UK's conspiracists about the 2006 liquid bomb plot.

No doubt if the attacks had gone ahead, and thousands been killed when airliners were blown up over the Atlantic, we would hear plenty. Those that comprise the 7/7 Truth movement would tell us that the attacks had been planned by Israel or the US, or that they had been discovered by the authorities and then allowed to happen. The MIHOP (Made It Happen On Purpose) and LIHOP (Let It Happen On Purpose) model is applicable, to those afflicted with it, in virtually every circumstance. Except of course where those involved are caught and convicted before they can carry out their planned attacks........

All the more reason then to turn to the National Geographic channel at 9pm this evening, for their two hour investigation Liquid Bomb Plot.

CIA's Fake Immunisation Programme: A Victory For Conspiracy Theorists

Recent reports suggest that the CIA set up a fake immunisation programme in Pakistan, in order to get the DNA of Bin Laden family members from his Abbottabad compound.

Of all the CIA's actions in Pakistan, this may prove to be the most stupid, and in terms of its effect on Pakistanis, the most damaging. Pakistan's many Islamists have frequently attempted to convince people that immunisation programmes against polio are in fact American plots to sterilise expanding Muslim populations. Similar campaigns have been found in Afghanistan and Muslim areas of Nigeria. The work of those striving to undermine such attitudes has been undermined, perhaps for a generation, by this ill-considered approach.

In the West it is now fashionable, in liberal circles, to rediscover the past contribution of Arabs to science and medicine. This is often, although not always, cast as demonstrating evidence of the advanced nature of Islam at a time of Western stagnation. Such commentators however are less comfortable with discussing contemporary reality, where certain Islamists are attempting to re-position knowledge in a manner which will be familiar to anyone who has dipped into the debate surrounding creationism in American eduction. With Saudi money on their side, opposing voices face a struggle to be heard.
Here, all knowledge originally comes from the Qu'ran - what need is there for medical or scientific developments from outside the Muslim world? Indeed as such trends are outside of Islam, how can they not be an attempt to damage Islam, and Muslims?

Whatever the CIA gained by getting a sample of DNA in Abbottabad, they have boosted the type of attitudes set out above. And that could lead to many more deaths, and much more suffering, than Bin Laden himself could have dreamed of.

Tony Gosling: Definitely, Maybe

A court hearing has today set a provisional trial date of October 4, for Vincent Tabak, who is accused of murdering the Bristol architect, Joanna Yeates.

The disappearence of Ms Yeates was the dominant news story in the UK last Christmas. It also proved to be, rather sadly given the circumstances, another example of how conspiracy theorists can always find something to focus their 'expertise' on, even in a story that ostensibly has nothing of interest to the likes of 9/11 truth seekers.

Bristol's Tony Gosling, for example, was unable to contain himself when he had the hottest news story of the holiday season on his doorstep. The solution to this 'whodunnit' had of course, to be a conspiracy, this time involving Satanists and Freemasons. Robin Ramsay's Konspiracy Korner in the May issue of Fortean Times relays this Gosling classic, although Ramsay incorrectly sources it to The People's United Community forum. Instead it was the 9/11 Truth Forum Gosling edits where the great Bristol 'journalist' wrote:

If Joanna died on the night of (correction Tuesday 21st *) December it may have been a ritual killing. That night was the nearest full moon to the winter solstice and arguably the big satanic night of the year.
There is strong evidence that occultists believe the taking of life to be necessary at their black masses and that the most valuable life to take would be that of an innocent woman or man. In their sick minds, preferably someone of faith.

The use of may here, as Robin Ramsay points out, tells us nothing. Except of course, that those with the conspriracy mindset see the world very differently, and make connections in a manner most do not.

No doubt by the time of Karnak's trial, Gosling and his small band of followers will have moved on to another issue, and will be constructing further 'maybe's'. If so, it is important those of us with slightly longer memories do attempt to mitigate the influence of such characters. After all, if they can cut so loose and free on an issue such as this, why should anyone listen to them when they discuss substantial political issues such as 9/11 or the Bilderberg conferences?

Among The Truthers

Jonathan Kay is the author of a new book entitled Among The Truthers, published by Harper Collins.

His blog can be viewed here, and 9/11 Cultwatch will review his book in due course. In the meantime, you can catch Mr Kay doing publicity for his book - for example on the Today programme on 8 June.

Shouting About 9/11?

Thank you to the 9/11 Cultwatch correspondent who has recently passed on to me the Reinvestigate 9/11 leaflet that was distributed on the March 26th TUC demonstration against cuts.

One immediate point emerges - what does it tell us that the entire leaflet is written in capital letters?

Conspiracy Radio

Tune in to BBC Radio 4 at 2300 this evening for Dave Against The Machine.

This is billed as a comedy about a fictional conspiracy theorist, Dave Railings. It ceertainly seems to have put the Telegraph's radio guide on the defensive. This evenings programme focuses on Dave's concern about a dirty bomb, prompting the Telegraph to warn "If a real bomb (threat or actual) should manifest itself the BBC will pull this quicker than you can say 'bang'."

Other 'conspiracy' based comic characters have been tried before, without prospering. Lets see how this four part series develops before speculating if Dave Railings will be a permanent fixture in conspiracy culture.

What Does David Icke Have To Hide?

The end of April saw a Royal Wedding in London and the first day of May the beatification of Pope John Paul II in Rome.

Always one to find a link or two, David Icke does not believe the proximity of these events is a coincidence. Did the Catholic Church perhaps feel the need to grab a headline or two, and make sure St Peters Square was in the news as much as Westminster Abbey that weekend? Not according to Mr Icke - both events were in fact Beltane Rituals, a point elaborated both in text and on video. This is connected, he argues, to satanic rituals.

One thought occurs to me. April 29th was David Icke's birthday. He appears to have been born at the start of Beltane - but does not bother to tell us of this fact. Why not? If dates have such relevance, surely he could mention it? As Icke stated in his newsletter of 5 May:

"But energetically, Beltane is not just May Day. It begins to build through April 29th and on to April 30th for its culmination on May 1st. The Roman celebration of Beltane was called Floralia, the Festival of the Flowers in honour of the Roman goddess, Flora, and ran through April 29th and May 1st. Here we had the royal wedding in London on April 29th and the beatification of Pope John Paul II in Rome on May 1st. The two rituals were at different ends of the Beltane energetic period in two cities so ritually crucial to the Satanic hierarchy which is running the Illuminati agenda"

You seem to be selling yourself short David. The events also began with your birthday.

Bin Laden Conspiracy Theories

This blog has not rushed to comment on either the death of Osama Bin Laden, or the conspiracy theories that rapidly emerged after Barack Obama's announcement on Monday.

If there were to be a World Cup for conspiracy theorists, the two nations vying for top seeding would be the United States and Pakistan. The UK, despite the best efforts of some, would probably have the type of seeding England's footballers have after four years of Fabio Capello's best efforts. Perhaps the beauty of Bin Laden's death (there you go, I have given away my position as a believer in anything the US President says!) is that it brings together, in one incident, both these conspiracy minded nations. Let battle commence!

Politically, the Navy Seals operation must have terrified the Pakistani establishment, by raising their worst possible fear. That is a world where the US - and for that matter the west more broadly - may not particularly need them. The possibility for Pakistani's feudal class, for its military and its intelligence service, of having to work for a living and pay taxes, rather than simply soak up billions in aid from the West, must be a truly terrifying thought.

Such elements certainly have a motive for denying Bin Laden's death, and indeed for denying his long term presence in a house so close to a Pakistani military academy. They will be delighted to both read, and fuel, further conspiracy theories in the weeks and months to come, providing they absolve the Pakistani establishment of any responsibility for the actions of Al Qaeda.

For All The 'Birthers' Out There

This is the link to Barack Obama's birth certificate, which has today been published on the White House website.

Now that's over, is it possible you can either:

A. Shut up
B. Criticise the guy from his politics, not his race?

 

People's Mujahideen of Iran In Iraqi Clashes

Somewhat delayed, a correspondent reports that the eccentric Iranian Khalq group, known in English as the People's Mujahideen of Iran, was involved in serious armed clashes with Iraqi forces near Baghdad earlier this month. A death toll of 34 is reported.

Why does this matter to 9/11 Cultwatch?

The PMOI attracted a strange base of UK supporters, following its proscription in this country under the Terrorism Act 2000. Similar legislation was passed against them across the European Union. Amongst the PMOI's most prominent supporters in London was Belinda McKenzie, who went on to be the primary funder of the UK and Ireland 9/11 Truth Movement, and the landlady of former MI5 officers David Shayler and Annie Machon, when the 'Highgate Hub' dominated UK 'truth' activism. The establishment supporters the Khalq obtained, and the lobbying of its political wing, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, eventually saw the proscription overturned in 2008. Ms McKenzie remains supportive of PMOI activities in London,

Belinda, I know many of your associates follow this blog - do give us your views on recent events in Baghdad please!

Truth Activists Looking For Friends?

Saturday will see the biggest demonstration in London for many years, as tens of thousands come together to oppose the Con-Dems and their programme of cuts to public services.

In the midst of such campaigning, the stagnating 'truth' movement sees an opportunity to fish. Reinvestigate 9/11 are rallying at the Friends Meeting House in Euston, in what appears to be a concerted attempted to raise the profile of 'truth' ideals amongst the Quakers. Indeed a new subgroup has emerged Quakers for Truth on Terrorism.

They can probably do little harm in such circles, and the days when truth activists looked to seriously influence radical and anti-war activists is - thankfully - long gone. As other demonstrators look to actually oppose the cuts - by occupations and by staying put rather than leaving Hyde Park at the end of Saturday's events - those still waffling on about 9/11 conspiracy theories appear not just out of their era, but if anything a tad quaint.

A bit like the Quakers in other words.

Nexus, The Chinese and Little Green Men

From the editorial in the Feb-March 2011 issue of Nexus:

"Meanwhile, rumours are on the rise that the Chinese have entered into a relationship with an alien race and that this involves game-changing technology. One thing that's not clear is whether this means conquest or cooperation by and with China. I also hope to have more information about this next time. The signs are there for all to see that the geopolitical landscape has changed dramatically, with China emerging on top. Many insiders say that war with China is coming soon, but is likely to be piggybacked on a major Earth-changing event."

It is noticeable that Nexus editor Duncan M Roads gives us no source for these 'rumours', nor any indication of who the 'insiders' are predicting war. Encouragingly - or perhaps not - he hopes to have more next time.
Astonishingly Nexus is now available nationally at WH Smiths, and I have even spotted it in small local newsagents in Manchester and Norwich. This appears to be the result of the efforts of its distributor, Seymour, based in Smithfield Market in London. When I tried to interest Seymour in taking parapolitical magazine Notes From the Borderland, I never even got a reply. It is a common lament of 'conspiracy' currents that they do not get a hearing, and that the 'mainstream' works to keep them out. In this instance at least, the opposite seems to be the case.

Freemen? Or Berks In Birkenhead? The British Constitution Group

Amongst the political currents to emerge over the past decade, the 9/11 truth movement is not alone in taking a conspiracist approach to politics.

On 8th March several hundred supporters of Roger Hayes of the British Constitution Group (BCG)demonstrated at Birkenhead County Court. Mr Hayes was facing bankruptcy proceedings for non-payment of council tax. In the ensuing disturbances an attempt was made to arrest the judge considering the case, and several arrests were actually made in clashes with the police and court security guards. These included the North West organiser of the fascist British National Party.

Hayes argument is that he is exempt from council tax (and indeed that we all are) as no contract exists between him and the council. This is accompanied by a rather lengthy critique that the UK constitution has been usurped and that we need to return to the Magna Carta. Until we do, all rebellion in the UK is lawful. Similar arguments have appeared before - go back 15 years and they were to be found, in an American context, in the rhetoric of the US militia groups, and bodies such as the Posse Comitatus. More recently the Britain and Ireland 9/11 Truth Campaign officially dissolved, in part to promote the Make Wars History group, who argue all war has been illegal since the Kellog-Briand pact of 1928. Sadly Mr Hitler, and many subsequent politicians, appear to have disagreed. For all the effort that has been put into it, legal sophistry appears to butter few parsnips.

The 'freeman on the land' concept has been pushed for some time in right wing and conspirarcist circles, most notably in the US, on the David Icke forum and by the BCG over here. Blackpool's Exhbition of the Universe has long promoted the BCG's UK Column newspaper, which combines a virulent hatred of the EU and support for personal freedom with focus on a long term concern of certain conspiracists - 'Common Purpose'. Incidentally Blackpool is not the only place to have seen a crossover between 9/11 truth circles and the British Constitution Group - as this 2009 report from Leeds shows.

As for further reports on events in Birkenhead, here is Lancaster UAF, and this is how UK Column reports it. The BNP's North West organiser, Mike Whitby, has been jailed having been arrested at the court. The BNP's perspective on this is here.

David Icke On The Defensive?

It seems the turquoise one is a little perturbed, judging from the content of an email he sent out to supporters on 19 February:

"I have read a number of times now that I don't have arthritis and that therefore my handshakes to stop people gripping my right hand too hard prove that I am a freemason"

Mr Icke even goes so far as to produce a consultants report in the attempt to clear his name from this serious charge. Whatever next?

 

Where Do Obama Conspiracy Theories Originate?

Thanks to the March 2011 issue of Fortean Times for this little gem:

"Ed Dames, a former member of the military remote viewing unit who is now a fixture on late-night panormal orientated talk radio, claimed recently, on the basis of his remote vieweing data, that President Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii; that the Antichrist - a male politician - is alive today; and that Israel will attack Iran by ....October 2009." 

Oh well - 0 out of 3 is not so bad.

Prime Minister To Be Sued By Birmingham Central Mosque?

What to make of the suggestion that Birmingham Central Mosque is to sue David Cameron following comments he made at the weekend?

Cameron is quoted as stating:

"You have to confront the extremism itself. You have to say to the people in Birmingham Central Mosque, or wherever, who are saying 9/11 is a Jewish conspiracy, that that is not an acceptable attitude to have."

However wrong Cameron may be on issues ranging from cuts to foreign policy, he can hardly be blamed for associating Birmingham Central Mosque with absurd conspiracy theories. In 2009 the BBC's Conspiracy Files programme found Mosque Chairman Dr Mohammed Naseem distributing 200 copies of the DVD 7/7 Ripple Effect around the mosque, which propagates the view that Israel was behind the London bombings.
At the time of the 7/7 attacks, Dr Naseem gave a press conference at which he refused to believe Muslims could have been involved in the attacks. The Conspiracy Files programme ended with Dr Naseem meeting leading 9/11 'truth' activist Tony Gosling to plan further work together. Given this background, Dr Naseem may struggle to find a solicitor willing to take his case forward.

One final point to ponder. Relations were not always so poor however between the mosque and the Prime Minister. Back on 5 February 2007, when David Cameron was mere leader of the opposition, he travelled to Birmingham and spent time at - Birmingham Central Mosque. Perhaps that day someone forgot to clear away some of the 'truth' literature so eagerly distributed by mosque Chairman Dr Mohammed Naseem?