Group calls for new 9/11 probe

Question will appear at town meetings

By PHILLIP BANTZ, Sentinel Staff

A group of local politicians, business owners and other residents has banded together in calling for a new investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

The group is asking voters in towns throughout New Hampshire to petition to insert articles on town meeting ballots that would instruct the state’s congressional delegation to pursue a fresh inquiry into the attacks.

So far, the warrant article, dubbed Vote for Answers N.H., will appear on ballots in Exeter, Nelson, Peterborough, Rindge and Swanzey, according to Gerhard Bedding of Keene, a spokesman for the initiative.

Supporters of the initiative must gather the signatures of 25 petitioners or from 2 percent of their town’s registered voters, whichever number is less, to place the article on the ballot.

Petitions are also being passed around in Chesterfield, Dublin, Hanover, Harrisville, Hollis, Richmond and Stoddard, according to Bedding.

Local supporters of the initiative include former Keene Mayor Michael E.J. Blastos, state Reps. Peter H. Allen, D-Harrisville, Charles F. Weed, D-Keene, Barbara Hull Richardson, D-Richmond, and former state representatives Peter Espiefs, Betty Hall and Paul Harrington.

Other supporters include John Wyndham, a Peterborough resident who holds a Ph.D. in physics; Ed Trombly, the owner of U-Save Auto Rental in Keene; Peter Wells, a retired architect who lives in Peterborough; and Robin Eno, a fire protection technician in Swanzey.

Blastos likens the final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as The 9/11 Commission Report, to the Warren Commission Report on the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

“In my life span so far, there’s been two investigations or commission reports that have totally mesmerized me by the lack of investigation and cover-ups,” he said. “I’m hoping that if enough people speak with one voice, we can come up with an explanation as to what actually happened on 9/11.”

Blastos has participated in several 9/11 “truth” public events, often introducing speakers who questioned the official explanation of the attacks — that two hijacked airliners smashing into the Twin Towers resulted in the collapse of both buildings along with other nearby structures.

Like many others who are calling for a new investigation, Blastos believes explosives brought the towers down.

“It was a beautifully controlled demolition,” he said. “I don’t know who is to blame, whether Americans did it with money from al-Qaida or what, but obviously it was wired. In that, I feel I’m correct.”

Allen, a forest ecologist, said he’s always doubted the official explanation.

“When I first saw the picture of the tower collapsing, I thought, ‘This looks like demolition.’ And when I saw a replay of the plane crash, I didn’t change my mind,” he said. “It’s not a stupid observation. I’ve seen demolitions. We want to pursue this to see if there were some shenanigans.”

Weed, a professor of international politics and political ideology at Keene State College, said he didn’t want to speculate about what happened on Sept. 11. He said he just wants an “unbiased investigation” into the attacks.

“I think the official story just doesn’t hold up,” he said. “There are too many scientists and people who have found and documented inconsistencies and outright non-answers into the questions that have been raised.”

Phillip Bantz can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or pbantz@keenesentinel.com.

http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2010/01/30/news/local/free/id_388463.txt