# Please explain this 9-11 BBC article a "Truther" sent me. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947 "2018-08-01T21:04:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/1 "2018-08-01T21:04:33Z")
I’m NOT a “Truther”, but I know someone who is, and he sent me this article: > **[BBC NEWS | Middle East | Hijack 'suspects' alive and well](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1559151.stm)** > > Another man named by the FBI as having carried out the suicide attacks turns up alive - the identities of four suspects are now in doubt. I don’t even know how it helps lend credence to his conspiracy, but I still don’t know what the story behind this is either. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/2 "2018-08-01T21:08:24Z")
Hope this is in the right spot. I’m not here to argue… I just could use some knowledge on the subject to combat my “truther” friends claims. ---
**Author:** ![nofloyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nofloyd/32/2870_2.png) [@nofloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nofloyd)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/3 "2018-08-01T21:12:47Z")
The BBC’s editors have an article from 2006 explaining what happened. > **[BBC - The Editors: 9/11 conspiracy theory](https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/10/911_conspiracy_theory_1.html)** > > A five-year-old story from our archive has been the subject of some recent editorial discussion here. The story, written in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, was about confusion... “confusion at the time surrounding the names and identities of some of the hijackers” ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/4 "2018-08-01T21:13:58Z")
> [@nofloyd](#): > > The BBC’s editors have an article from 2006 explaining what happened. > > [BBC - The Editors: 9/11 conspiracy theory](http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/10/911_conspiracy_theory_1.html) > > “confusion at the time surrounding the names and identities of some of the hijackers” Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Mitchwtx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mitchwtx/32/7786_2.png) [@Mitchwtx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mitchwtx)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/5 "2018-08-01T21:18:41Z")
Wikipedia ( [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waleed\_al-Shehri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waleed_al-Shehri) ) says that the BBC believes this was a case of mistaken identity and links to a later BBC article that lists him as one of the terrorists. That probably won’t convince your truther friend, but seems like a reasonable explanation. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/6 "2018-08-01T21:21:10Z")
> [@Mitchwtx](#): > > Wikipedia ( [Waleed al-Shehri - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waleed_al-Shehri) ) says that the BBC believes this was a case of mistaken identity and links to a later BBC article that lists him as one of the terrorists. That probably won’t convince your truther friend, but seems like a reasonable explanation. I agree. Also… ANYTHING about building7 falling would be appreciated. He’s a smart guy with a high IQ, but he wont let go of building 7. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/7 "2018-08-01T21:23:19Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I agree. > > Also… ANYTHING about building7 falling would be appreciated. He’s a smart guy with a high IQ, but he wont let go of building 7. We have had multiple threads, each containing multiple pages, about the attack. What in particular concerning Building #7 is he wondering about? ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/8 "2018-08-01T21:24:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > We have multiple threads, each containing multiple pages, about the attack. What in particular concerning Building #7 is he concerned about? How it fell. I said debris and Fire… He doesn’t but that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/9 "2018-08-01T21:26:04Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > How it fell. I said debris and Fire… He doesn’t but that. It’s kind of hard to debate by proxy, especially when the questions are so vague. What exactly does he believe happened? ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/10 "2018-08-01T21:26:46Z")
Buy\* Anyway, I understand there are a lot of threads on this… It would just be more work to look for the specifics he’s talking about. But if this thread is 1 too many, I’ll understand. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/11 "2018-08-01T21:28:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s kind of hard to debate by proxy, especially when the questions are so vague. What exactly does he believe happened? Thermite. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/12 "2018-08-01T21:33:06Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Buy\* > > Anyway, I understand there are a lot of threads on this… It would just be more work to look for the specifics he’s talking about. But if this thread is 1 too many, I’ll understand. That is only one problem. The main problem is that we could give a list of 40 books about the incident, followed by a 40-page explanation of what the real experts say happened…but still have no idea if the unspoken questions your friend has were ever addressed. What specifically is he wondering about when it comes to building #7? What specific question does he want answered? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/13 "2018-08-01T21:33:08Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Thermite. Give up, you can’t use logic to convince someone of something when they aren’t using logic. As the other threads cover in detail, there’s no possible way Thermite could be used to bring down Building 7, and the reasons for it’s collapse are well covered by the official reports. But he won’t believe them and you’re back at square one. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/14 "2018-08-01T21:33:22Z")
Or maybe just explosives… But if you feel like you’ve argued this too much, I hear ya and I’m in the same boat… So close the thread of you want. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/15 "2018-08-01T21:34:42Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Give up, you can’t use logic to convince someone of something when they aren’t using logic. > > As the other threads cover in detail, there’s no possible way Thermite could be used to bring down Building 7, and the reasons for it’s collapse are well covered by the official reports. But he won’t believe them and you’re back at square one. Yeah… I’m really just glad to have my first question explained. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/16 "2018-08-01T21:47:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That is only one problem. The main problem is that we could give a list of 40 books about the incident, followed by a 40-page explanation of what the real experts say happened…but still have no idea if the unspoken questions your friend has were ever addressed. What specifically is he wondering about when it comes to building #7? What specific question does he want answered? Sorry, I missed this. No questions in his mind. " the building’s wouldn’t have fell down like that without explosives" ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/17 "2018-08-01T21:53:09Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Sorry, I missed this. > > No questions in his mind. > > " the building’s wouldn’t have fell down like that without explosives" When there are no questions in someone’s mind, then it follows that no answer can make any difference to them. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/18 "2018-08-01T21:56:54Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > When there are no questions in someone’s mind, then it follows that no answer can make any difference to them. Yeah. What gets me is that this is a brilliant guy otherwise with a high IQ. He’s very very smart. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/19 "2018-08-01T22:50:36Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > He’s very very smart. No, he isn’t. Not about everything, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947/20 "2018-08-01T23:16:45Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > No, he isn’t. Not about everything, anyway. It’s so nice to hear someone else say that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-9-11-bbc-article-a-truther-sent-me/818947.md?page=2)