A true conspiracy

Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard on Wednesday
dismissed as "stupid and
wrong" a trade union
leader's remarks that the
September 11, 2001 terror
attacks in the US were a
conspiracy.
Kevin Bracken, the secretary
of the Maritime Union of
Australia and Victorian
Trades Hall Council (VTHC)
president, on Wednesday
asked for a fresh inquiry into
the 9/11 attacks, claiming
the "official story doesn't
stand up to scientific
scrutiny".
Bracken, who has earlier
faced criticism for comparing
US anti-terrorism law with
"civic controls" imposed by
German Nazi dictator Adolf
Hitler, claimed that elements
of the then US government
led by President George W.
Bush, military personnel and
security services were
involved in the attacks.
However, VTHC secretary
Brian Boyd distanced unions
from Bracken's views, the
Australian reported.
The Opposition opened
parliamentary question time
on the matter on
Wednesday, with Victorian
MP Josh Frydenberg asking
the Prime Minister what
action she would take
against Bracken "to send a
message that such remarks
are unacceptable".
"Obviously I don't agree with
the remarks, obviously they
are stupid and wrong,"
Gillard said.
"The Labor Party is a large
organisation, people join it
as individuals — we don't
dictate what people think."
After being accused by
Liberal frontbencher
Christopher Pyne of not
answering the question on
discipline, Gillard said: "If it is
the intention of the leader of
Opposition to expel every
member who says something
stupid, I'll start sending him a
weekly list."
Bracken told the Australian
Online on Wednesday that
aviation fuel from the
hijacked planes that crashed
into the Twin Towers in New
York would not have been
hot enough to melt steel,
and no high-rise steel-
framed building before or
after September 11, 2001,
had collapsed due to fire.
VTHC secretary Boyd said
Bracken, who aired his views
to ABC radio's Jon Faine,
should not have identified
himself as Trades Hall
president when speaking
about the 9/11 attacks. The
vast majority of unions
condemned the events of
9/11 as terrorist attacks, and
resolutions cited by Bracken
did not endorse his views,
Boyd said.
Bracken faced flak for his
views in 2006 when he
claimed the anti-terror laws
introduced by the US and its
allies, including Australia,
were similar to the "civic
controls" imposed by Hitler
in 1933.