During his 22-year Air Force career, Col. Bowman also served as the Head of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering and Assistant Dean at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology. He also flew over 100 combat missions in Viet Nam as a fighter pilot.

Criticism of the official account also extends to government scientists. “The issue of knowing who was really behind the 9/11 attacks is of paramount importance to the future of our country, because the ‘official’ assumption that it was the work of 19 Arab amateurs does not match the available facts,” writes David Griscom, PhD, a retired government research physicist. [2]

Dr. Griscom continued, “I implore my fellow physicists and engineers who may have the time, expertise, and (ideally) supercomputer access to get to work on the physics of the World Trade Center collapses and publish their findings in refereed journals … Surely [the] Orwellian consequences of public ignorance constitute more than sufficient motivation for any patriotic American physicist or engineer to join the search for 9/11 Truth!”

A highly esteemed researcher, Dr. Griscom spent 33 years at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He was the recipient of the 1993 N.F. Mott Award sponsored by the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, the 1995 Otto Schott Award offered by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (Germany), a 1996 Outstanding Graduate School Alumnus Award at Brown University, and the 1997 Sigma Xi Pure Science Award at NRL. He is the principal author of 109 of his 185 published works, a body of work highly cited by his peers.

The improbability of the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 is a major concern of scientists, engineers and architects. The building was 610 feet tall, 47 stories, and would have been the tallest building in 33 states. Although it was not hit by an airplane, it completely collapsed into a pile of rubble in less than 7 seconds at 5:20 p.m. on 9/11. In the 6 years since 9/11, the Federal government has failed to provide any explanation for the collapse. In addition to the failure to provide an explanation, absolutely no mention of Building 7’s collapse appears in the 9/11 Commission's “full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.” [Video of the collapse can be seen at http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/IMAGES/WTC7_Collapse.wmv ]



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Another senior Federal engineer who seriously questions the official account of 9/11 is Joel Hirschhorn, PhD, former Senior Staff Member, Congressional Office of Technology Assessment 1978 – 1990 and former Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Earlier this year, he wrote, “Many technical analyses cast doubt on the official explanation of the collapse of three World Trade Center buildings, including those presented by an impressive new group: Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth. ... “When it comes to 9/11, we face the strong belief that only al-Qaeda caused 9/11. But analyses by many experts reveal the collapse of the three WTC buildings was not caused by the two airplanes exploding into the twin towers. Without getting into details that one can spend many hours examining on a number of websites, the general view is that the buildings were brought down by controlled demolition.” [3]

Dr. Hirschhorn also served as Director of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources for the National Governors Association. He’s testified more than 50 times before Congress on technology, science, and environmental issues. Prior to his government services, he was Professor of Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison 1965 - 1978.

Dr. Hirschhorn continued, “Like other groups, Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth wants a new, honest and comprehensive study that considers all the evidence for controlled demolition. As a former engineering professor with growing skepticism about the official WTC story I share their concerns. First, let the technical truth emerge. Then, if necessary, cope with the inevitable political, conspiracy and other questions. But let us not allow a possible painful truth block the primary task of determining once and for all what caused the collapse of the WTC towers and building number 7.”

Another senior Federal engineer who questions the official account of 9/11 is Enver Masud, MS, PE, former Chief of the Strategic and Emergency Planning Branch, U.S. Department of Energy. An expert in electrical power grid management, he has consulted for the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the United States Agency for International Development in Albania, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Latvia, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania. Prior to his employment by the DOE, he served as Director of the Office of Engineering at the Public Service Commission in Washington, D.C.

In a statement to this author, Mr. Masud wrote, “The 9/11 Commission Report is fatally flawed. The major conclusions of the 9/11 Commission Report -- the official, conspiracy theory -- are false. Among its many problems; 1.) It is entirely silent on the collapse of WTC Building 7. 2.) The FBI has admitted it has no hard evidence that Bin Laden was responsible for the attacks of 9/11. 3.) To this day, the hijackers' identities remain in doubt. 4.) Evidence, including the lack of adequate debris, at both the Pentagon and Shanksville contradicts the official theory of Flights 77 and 93. 5.) There is prima facie evidence of the controlled demolition of the WTC Twin Towers and Building 7.”

Another prominent skeptic of the official account of 9/11 is James Quintiere, PhD, former Chief of the Fire Science Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), who has publicly called for an independent review of NIST’s investigation into the collapses of the World Trade Center Towers on 9/11.



Dr. Quintiere made his plea during his presentation, “Questions on the WTC Investigations”, at the 2007 World Fire Safety Conference. “I wish that there would be a peer review of this,” he said [4], referring to the NIST investigation. “I think all the records that NIST has assembled should be archived. I would really like to see someone else take a look at what they’ve done; both structurally and from a fire point of view.”



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“I think the official conclusion that NIST arrived at is questionable,” explained Dr. Quintiere. “Let's look at real alternatives that might have been the cause of the collapse of the World Trade Towers and how that relates to the official cause and what's the significance of one cause versus another.” Dr. Quintiere, one of the world’s leading fire science researchers and safety engineers, also encouraged his audience of fellow researchers and engineers to scientifically re-examine the WTC collapses. “I hope to convince you to perhaps become ‘Conspiracy Theorists’, but in a proper way,” he said. Dr. Quintiere also expressed his frustration at NIST’s failure to provide a report on the third skyscraper that collapsed on 9/11, World Trade Center Building 7. “And that building was not hit by anything,” noted Dr. Quintiere. “It’s more important to take a look at that.”

Earlier this year, Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth created an online petition [5] urging Congress to immediately reinvestigate 9/11. More than 230 architects and engineers have signed the petition as of the date of this publication. Among the signers are Joel Hirschhorn and Enver Masud (both mentioned above), Dwain Deets, MS, and Edward S. Munyak, MS, PE. Dwain Deets, MS, former Director, Aerospace Projects at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, wrote in support of the petition, “The many visual images (massive structural members being hurled horizontally, huge pyroclastic clouds, etc.) leave no doubt in my mind explosives were involved [in the destruction of the World Trade Center].” [6]



Mr. Deets also served as Director of the Research Engineering Division at Dryden. He is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Award and the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award in the Senior Executive Service (1988). He served at NASA for 37 years.

Edward S. Munyak, MS, PE, has over 20 years experience as a Fire Protection Engineer for the U.S. Departments of Energy, Defense, and Veterans Affairs. He is a contributing Subject Matter Expert to the U.S. Department of Energy Fire Protection Engineering Functional Area Qualification Standard for Nuclear Facilities. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Northern California - Nevada Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. A Licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer and Fire Protection Engineer in the State of California, Mr. Munyak currently serves as Fire Protection Engineer for the city of San Jose, California, the 10th largest city in the United States.

In his presentation at the 2007 National Fire Protection Association World Fire Safety Conference, “High Rise Buildings and Large Fires - Structural loads & thermal strain - What can happen” [7] , June 4, 2007, Mr. Munyak wrote, “We will find that the government investigations into building collapse [at the World Trade Center] must consider controlled demolition as far more probable since fire effects collapse could never be duplicated. ... The concentric nearly freefall speed exhibited by each building was identical to most controlled demolitions. The aircraft impact and fire severity effects were magnified in the NIST reports. Collapse of WTC 1, 2 & 7 were not caused by fire effects. ... The official reports and conclusions had many technical distortions and obfuscations of the excellent research input in arriving at a flawed, politically driven conclusion of building performance.”

The architects and engineers petition has now been signed by more than 230 architects and engineers. It reads,

“On Behalf of the People of the United States of America, the undersigned Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth and affiliates hereby petition for, and demand, a truly independent investigation with subpoena power in order to uncover the full truth surrounding the events of 9/11/01 - specifically the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers and Building 7. We believe that there is sufficient doubt about the official story and therefore that the 9/11 investigation must be re-opened and must include a full inquiry into the possible use of explosives that may have been the actual cause behind the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers and WTC Building 7.”

For more information about the petition, please visit the Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth website, http://www.AE911Truth.org/joinus.php

Critically important questions about 9/11 still remain unanswered six years after the terrible events of that day. As the statements of these seven senior Federal government engineers and scientists demonstrate, the need for a new thorough, and independent investigation of 9/11 is not a matter of partisan politics, nor the demand of irresponsible, deranged, or disloyal Americans. It is instead a matter of the utmost importance for America’s security and the future of the entire world.

Statements questioning the official account of 9/11 and calls for a new investigation by more than 800 credible individuals can be found at http://PatriotsQuestion911.com

Additional information on skeptics of the official account of 9/11 can be found in the author's other articles on this subject.

Dec. 4, 2007 - Eight Senior Republican Appointees Challenge Official Account of 9/11 - “Not Possible”, “a Whitewash”, “False” featured statements by

Paul Craig Roberts, PhD, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Ronald Reagan

Catherine Austin Fitts, Assistant Secretary of Housing under President George H.W. Bush

Morgan Reynolds, PhD, Chief Economist of the U.S. Department of Labor under current President George W. Bush

Col. Ronald D. Ray, U.S. Marine Corps (ret), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan

Mary Schiavo, JD, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation under Presidents George H.W. Bush and William Clinton

Barbara Honegger, Special Assistant to the Chief Domestic Policy Adviser to President Ronald Reagan and White House Policy Analyst

Edward Peck, Deputy Director of the White House Task Force on Terrorism under President Ronald Reagan. Former Deputy Coordinator, Covert Intelligence Programs at the U.S. State Department. Former U.S. Ambassador and Chief of Mission in Iraq

Morton Goulder, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Warning under Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter

Sept. 23, 2007 - Seven CIA Veterans Challenge 9/11 Commission Report - Official Account of 9/11 a “Joke” and a “Cover-up” featured statements by CIA veterans Raymond McGovern, William Christison, Melvin Goodman, Robert Baer, Robert David Steele, Lynne Larkin, and David MacMichael.

Sept. 5, 2007 - U.S. Navy 'Top Gun' Pilot Questions 9/11, featured the statement of Commander Ralph Kolstad, U.S. Navy ‘Top Gun’ pilot.

Sept. 4, 2007 - Former Congressional Office of Technology Assessment Senior Staff Member Calls for New Investigation of 9/11 featured the statement of Joel S. Hirschhorn, Ph.D., who served for 12 years as a Senior Staff Member of the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment and later as Director of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources for the National Governors Association.

Aug. 27, 2007 - National Academy of Sciences Member Calls for New 9/11 Investigation featured the statement of Lynn Margulis, Ph.D., world renowned scientist.

Aug. 21, 2007 - Former Chief of NIST's Fire Science Division Calls for Independent Review of World Trade Center Investigation featured the statement of James Quintiere, Ph.D., one of the world's leading fire science researchers.

July 16, 2007 - Former California Seismic Safety Commissioner Endorses 9/11 Truth Movement featured the statement of J. Marx Ayres, former member of the National Institute of Sciences Building Safety Council and former member of the California Seismic Safety Commission.