9/11 Victim Family Members Raise Questions Media Still Fail to Ask

Hundreds of victim family members have been demanding answers to questions about the deaths of loved ones ever since the horrific events of September 11, 2001 - to no avail. Dozens of witnesses who offered to testify to the 9/11 Commission were ignored; many others found their testimony omitted. According to a group of Keene State College students, without a clear accounting of the facts, no reform can be effective in protecting national security. The students have organized a one-day symposium, on Saturday, May 17 -- "This symposium has been put together by undergraduate student scholars -- a group of young people committed to the pursuit of truth in a country that so often substitutes the comfortable life and easy paths over the rocky roads of ethical personhood," states Donna Marsh O'Connor, mother of Vanessa Lang Langer, who died escaping the South Tower.

Keene, NH May 12, 2008 -- New Hampshire College students and local activists have organized a one-day symposium, entitled, "Family Members, Researchers and Whistleblowers Speak Out", to be held at Keene High School on Saturday, May 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. "This symposium has been put together by undergraduate student scholars -- a group of young people committed to the pursuit of truth in a country that so often substitutes the comfortable life and easy paths over the rocky roads of ethical personhood," says O'Connor, who along with Bob McIlvaine, who lost his son Bobby, and Michele Little, who lost her firefighter brother David, will be making presentations at the symposium.

"This government has made me the victim of conspiracy theories, because they haven't answered fully or allowed anyone to ask the true questions of September 11th," stated Donna Marsh O'Connor, mother of Vanessa Lang Langer, who died escaping the South Tower on Sept. 11, 2001, speaking at the National Press Club on Sept. 11. 2006

O'Connor and hundreds of victim family members have been demanding answers to questions about the deaths of loved ones ever since the horrific events of September 11, 2001 - to no avail. Dozens of witnesses who offered to testify were ignored; many others found their testimony omitted. In their book, "Without Precedent", Commission co-chairs Kean and Hamilton wrote, "Fog of war could explain why some people were confused on the day of 9/11, but it could not explain why all the after-action reports, accident investigation, and public testimony by FAA and NORAD officials advanced an account of 9/11 that was untrue."

According to the students, without a clear accounting of the facts, no reform can be effective in protecting national security. As Peter Jennings said on 9/11/01, "The terrorist wins when he or she manages to alter the behavior of a people or infringes on the way of life in a country--that a democratic country particularly--alters its way of life. It raises the whole question of civil liberties and access and freedom of movement."

Presentations will also be made by several investigative journalists and filmmakers, including:
Daniel Hopsicker, investigative journalist, author and documentary filmmaker, whose seminal work, "Welcome to Terrorland: Mohamed Atta and the 9/11 Cover Up in Florida," revolves around activities of the alleged hijackers and their connection to Huffman Aviation in Florida.
Sander Hicks, Brooklyn-based author and investigative journalist, who has extensively researched the Pakistani connection to 9/11 and published "The Big Wedding,"detailing the whistle-blowers and conflicts of interest within the 9/11 Commission.

Barrie Zwicker, award-winning Canadian journalist, documentary producer and political activist, will examine what he calls the "media blackout" of alternative 9/11 views. He has written, "Towers of Deception" and produced three documentary films about September 11.
Korey Rowe, documentary filmmaker and activist, will discuss his internet blockbuster film, "Loose Change," which continues to draw worldwide attention to the anomalies and questions surrounding 9/11. In addition, Michael Springmann, former head of consular services at the US Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 1987-1989, will explain how he was forced by his superiors and the CIA to issue visas for individuals traveling to the US who he suspected may have had terrorist connections.

Springmann reveals that these individuals were being trained in the US and sent back to Afghanistan to fight the Russians. Eleven of the nineteen alleged 9/11 hijackers obtained visas from this same consulate in Saudi Arabia. For Springmann, this begs the question: "Just how involved was the CIA in the creation of what became 'Al-Qaeda'; and who might have had foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks; and what, if any attempts were made to warn the American public?"

The New England 9/11 Symposium: Family Members, Researchers and Whistleblowers Speak Out
Saturday, May 17, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Keene High School, Keene, NH
Contact: Mike Jackman at 603-899-2783 or Justin Martell at 860-575-4293
http://www.sst911.org/