Video: CNN covers 9/11 conspiracy film 'Loose Change' RAW STORY

Published: Wednesday September 13, 2006 Print This Email This On the fifth anniversary of 9/11, a group of conspiracy theorists gather at the World Trade Center to call attention to their belief that the U.S. government participated in a cover-up of the 9/11 attacks. In the following video, CNN's Paula Zahn reports that an internet film titled "Loose Change" has lead many to question the government's version of events on 9/11. Three amateur filmmakers created the film with $2,000 and a laptop computer. CNN reports that the internet film has spread like "wildfire". It has been downloaded 10 million times and translated into 13 languages. A transcript follows the video.







# ZAHN: Well, the nation remembered the victims of 9/11 yesterday. This rally took place near the site of what was the World Trade Center. A group of conspiracy theorists gathered to demand an investigation of who was really behind the terror attacks. It's all because of an Internet film called "Loose Change" that is challenging the official version of 9/11. Deborah Feyerick set out to find out more about the people behind it. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The conspiracy theorists began even before the smoke had cleared. First impressions pulled apart and analyzed. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It appeared to be a U.S. military helicopter. FEYERICK: On the scene reports presented as evidence of a possible government cover-up. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no reason to believe that this jet was there for any nefarious purposes but the Secret Service was very concerned. FEYERICK: Every reason, every answer. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The man in the video looks and acts nothing like bin Laden. FEYERICK: Scrutinized and challenged. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we supposed to believe that it disappeared into this whole without leave any wreckage on the outside? FEYERICK: These are some of the events called into question by a film made for $2,000 bucks by three friends using a laptop computer. It's called "Loose Change." When it hit the Web last year, it spread like wildfire, downloaded some 10 million times, translated into 13 languages. The 80-minute documentary presents its own evidence and asks viewers to look closely and asks viewers to look closely and ask questions like, could the trade center have been brought down by bombs? Could the Pentagon have been hit by a missile and what happened to plane debris in Shanksville? DYLAN AVERY, DIRECTOR, LOOSE CHANGE: To accept the official story of 9/11, you really have to accept hundred of different coincidences all at once. FEYERICK: Dylan Avery is the film's writer, director and narrator. Jason Bermas did the research and Korey Rowe was the executive producer, a war vet who fought al Qaeda in Afghanistan. KOREY ROWE, PRODUCER, LOOSE CHANGE: I met my enemy and the people that supposedly pulled off this attack. These people are not strong enough and they're not advanced enough to pull off these synchronized attacks. FEYERICK: They are not engineers or trained investigators and only Jason has a college degree. (on camera): In your mind, there's no question that it was actually a conspiracy. CROWD: Absolutely. FEYERICK: They're not alone. The Zogby poll of 1,200 Americans taken in May found that 42 percent feel the government and 9/11 commission took part in some kind of cover up. Former Senator Bob Kerrey spent months investigating the attacks as part of the 9/11 commission. He says the only conspiracy was the one by al Qaeda. BOB KERREY, FORMER SENATOR: The substantial evidence the U.S. government didn't do enough to confront what was an obvious enemy, but the fact that they did too little, in some cases didn't do anything is not evidence that the United States government organized this conspiracy. FEYERICK: The filmmakers don't buy it and say they've meticulously studied the events of September 11th. JASON BERMAS, RESEARCHER, LOOSE CHANGE: The bottom line is the World Trade Center, one, two and seven have to be controlled demolitions. We have isolated the blast points, 20, 40 and 60 floors below the World Trade Center. FEYERICK: We showed this clip to Glenn Corbett, a fire expert who helped investigate the physical collapse of the towers. GLENN CORBETT, FIRE EXPERT, JOHN JAY COLLEGE: There's no doubt that the subsequent fires that erupted could weaken that steel and bring the buildings down without any help from explosives. FEYERICK: As for the filmmakers... (on camera): ... You say this is a conspiracy. Isn't it possible that it was simply a colossal failure by the U.S. government? AVERY: For them to have been completely caught off guard by September 11th, we would have to believe that our government is, you know, The Three Stooges. FEYERICK: But regardless of what you believe, the film certainly has people thinking. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, Oneonta, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)



