The San Francisco International Inquiry into 9-11 was held March 26 - 28, 2004, in the historic War Memorial and Veterans Building.

On Friday morning, our Inquiry began, before the doors were opened to the press and public. Participants agreed unanimously that in light of the evidence we had already gathered, the impeachment of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Myers was in order. Our challenge was in breaking through the psychological barriers of fear and denial that prevented honest journalists and citizens from examining the basic information about the 9-11 scandal that had been ignored or censored by the media, the “Official Inquiry,” and the “National Commission.”

Over 150 registered participants from the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Great Britain, including journalists, investigators, citizen activists, authors, film-makers spent three days exploring the need for a genuine, independent investigation into the evidence of official complicity. Hundreds of people also attended the main presentations in the Herbst Theatre which were videotaped and some are available online at http://www.communitycurrency.org/InquiryProgram.html. On Saturday over five hundred people could be counted in the Herbst, while many more were upstairs on the second floor in various meeting rooms, conducting interviews, participating in dialogues, discussions, workshops. Over twenty-five different media representatives attended.

Inquiry participants generally agreed that the U.S. government’s official narrative of 9-11- what happened, who were the perpetrators, why it was not prevented -- has not been proven. Evidence, however, supports accusations that officials have lied, destroyed evidence, and are involved in a major cover-up. The historical record suggests that 9-11 was a covert operation designed to win public support for the wars on Afghanistan, Iraq, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and on freedom and dissent worldwide. 9-11 was “The New Pearl Harbour” that the Project for a New American Century wanted to accelerate their global plan for U.S. dominance.

Several documentaries are currently in production, the questions the government has failed to address include-

Why were the hijacked planes not intercepted, in violation of the most standard operating procedures, despite warnings from numerous countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Russia, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco??

Were there “stand-down” orders given to the military on 9-11?

Why did officials react in such a bizarre manner to news of the attack, with Bush, Rumsfeld and Myers carrying on as if nothing unusual was occurring?

Why was one of the “money man behind 9-11,” head of Pakistan’s I.S.I., Lt. General Mahmoud Ahmad, (who had $100,000 sent to Mohammed Atta- identified by the FBI as the lead pilot in the attacks) meeting with top U.S. officials from September 4th through September 13th?

Why did Bush and Cheney ask Daschle to limit the investigations?

Why were Bob Graham and Porter Goss, who had breakfast with Lt. General Mahmoud Ahmad on the morning of the attacks allowed to head the Joint House/Senate Intelligence Oversight Committee which conducted the official Inquiry?

Why were the men most responsible for the military failure on 9-11 rewarded with promotions, increased budgets, support for their imperial ambitions outlined in the Project for a New American Century?

Why were the Anthrax attacks on the media and the democratic leadership in the Senate forgotten when the trail led back to the U.S. military?

9-11 was a crime. People and organizations clearly benefited from that crime, who therefore merit public scrutiny.

The anomalies of 9-11, the strange discrepancies between the official narrative, and eyewitness accounts, the visual and photographic evidence in contradiction to the simplistic tale presented by the government and corporate press demand further investigation. However, the pattern observed has been the destruction of evidence, the gagging of witnesses and official non-interest in what does not support the goal of “justifying the war on terrorism and the construction of a “Homeland Security” police state.”

Close examination of the Bush Administration and others in key positions of responsibility on September 11, 2001, as well as those in charge of the “official” Inquiry and the “National Commission” suggests that they should be leading suspects in a genuine investigation intended to reveal the truth about what happened, and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Deepening our understanding of 9-11, communicating what we had learned and making it more public, strategizing to increase non-violent resistance and opposition to a global-war economy which serves a few at the expense of humanity and all other life: these were umbrella objectives.

On Saturday, March 27, there was a noon report on press coverage, and on the White House’s lame response to the questions that we had raised. Hundreds of people carrying “Stop the 9-11 Cover-Up” placards joined us as we assembled outside the Herbst Theatre and proceeded to City Hall where delegates delivered a letter to Mayor Newsom’s office requesting that he investigate who warned then Mayor Willie Brown on September 10th not to fly to New York (as mentioned in the SF Chronicle after the attacks).

On Sunday, March 28, Ellen Mariani, the brave widow, who has launched a R.I.CO. suit against Bush and other officials for letting 9-11 happen, and her lawyer, Phil Berg, former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, shared highlights of their case. Ellen’s recounting of her tragic story reminded everyone of why exposing the truths is critical – for justice for the victims’ families and to keep it from happening again. Phil did receive a lot of valuable information to help with their court case.

We were scheduled to present our new findings to the public in the afternoon. On the second floor, Barbara Honneger and Nico Haupt drew attention to the military and intelligence agency war games that simulated 9/11 on the morning of 9/11 (which may have been used to confuse the response to the attacks); retired F.B.I. agent Ted Gunderson expounded on documents presented to the F.B.I. in March 2001, showing foreknowledge of the attacks. Out of concern for witnesses’ safety, we didn’t present the latest incomplete research.

Main points were publicly reiterated and we presented our action plan for the 9-11 Truth Movement, drawing attention to the forthcoming hearings, the release of the official “Report,” mass protests planned for New York, and the anticipated Phase Three of the International Inquiry in New York in conjunction with the Republican Convention.

Canadian television journalist and commentator, Barrie Zwicker, Deception Dollar artist, Blaine Machan, and Global Outlook editor, Ian Woods, described their plans for Phase Two of the International Inquiry to be held May 25-30, 2004 in Toronto. Thierry Meyssan who was not permitted to enter and speak in the U.S. will be able to speak in Canada.

Phase One initiated and strengthened connections among people, critical ideas, and information; it helped to spark new collaborations and projects, including a new international organization devoted to nurturing the 9-11 Truth Movement. Our words, voices, and questions, will be seen and heard in print, via the internet, on radio, in film, mediated by music and works of art, and echoed from the streets to the Halls of Power. We will not be silenced by fear.

We speak out of love and respect, as responsible citizens who believe the truth about 9-11 will bust “the war game” once and for all, and help us shift resources from killing and controlling humanity, for the benefit of the ruling few, to nurturing life, seeking truth, peace, liberty and justice for all.

Return to- Final Program of the International Inquiry into 9-11