‘Bin Laden still alive?’ ‘Aliens behind 9/11’, and other bizarre conspiracy theories

WEB DESK: On this day, 23 years ago, the world was shaken by the tragic events of 9/11. The coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, orchestrated by the Al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, changed the course of history, not just for the United States but for the entire world. The tragedy claimed thousands of innocent lives, but also led to global counterterrorism efforts and significant geopolitical shifts.

Pakistan has been among the top countries impacted by the 9/11 events and more than two decades later, we are still reeling with the aftereffects of American military action in our neighboring Afghanistan.

However, as humans, we often turn to humor to find comfort in the face of tragedy. It’s a natural response to seek meaning and order amidst chaos and pain. This instinct to make sense of the incomprehensible gave rise to a plethora of conspiracy theories following the 9/11 attacks. Let’s look at five bizarre conspiracy theories widely circulated in Pakistan with regards to the ill-fated day of 2001.

OBL IS STILL ALIVE AND LIVING IN PAKISTAN

One of the most enduring conspiracy theories suggests that Osama bin Laden is still alive. Despite the fact that he was located and killed by US Navy SEALs in Pakistan in 2011, some enthusiasts insist that the notorious leader is living in the lap of luxury somewhere far from prying eyes. They claim that his demise was a hoax, a bit of elaborate theater meant to distract the masses. There have been reports of ‘sightings’, which is not a new phenomenon though. But in this case, the conspiracy comes along with more layers that the then-government of the United States under President Barak Obama wanted a distraction so he sought Pakistan’s help, and in fact there was no OBL in that compound to begin with, rather it was all a hoax.

OBL WAS NOT KILLED BUT CAPTURED

An off-shoot of the above-mentioned theory springs from the fact that the NAVY seals or the US media, or the Pakistani media never showed a dead-body after the Abbottabad compound, aka Waziristan Haveli, incident. Proponents of this idea argue that the US government staged his death to avoid revealing sensitive information or to keep him hidden for interrogation purposes. They claim that the official narrative of bin Laden’s death was a cover-up to avoid public scrutiny of his treatment or to protect other involved parties.

ALIENS DID IT

Moving away from the smoke and fire, and towards a galaxy far far away, this conspiracy theory comes from those who are convinced that humans cannot be the only sentient creation in our universe. Proponents of this theory believe that aliens either orchestrated or caused the attacks as a way to test their new space technology or as a cosmic prank – maybe we can blame Hollywood for this one! Despite the lack of any credible evidence, this theory remains popular among UFO enthusiasts who are always looking for a way to involve aliens in global events.

THE ILLUMINATI HAND

A particularly colorful theory is that the Illuminati, a secretive group often cited in various conspiracy theories, used 9/11 as a cover to unveil their hidden lair beneath the World Trade Center. According to this theory, the attacks were staged to distract the public while the Illuminati carried out some nefarious plans in their secret underground base.

There is one more angle to this conspiracy theory, particularly popular in the whimsical crowds of Pakistan, which is that the entire event was meant as a justification for Islamophobia. This off-shoot takes its credibility from the events that occurred after the 9/11 attack, whereby the anti-terrorism efforts were all targeted towards Muslim-majority countries. There is no doubt that under the modern world order, the Muslim countries in Asia and the Middle East have found it increasingly difficult to find acceptability in the Western nations. The discrimination and Islamophobia that exists in the US played a huge part in airing the flames of this particular theory.

DETONATION – NOT CRASH

Finally, one of the most persistent conspiracy theories is that the Twin Towers were brought down by controlled demolition rather than the impact of the hijacked planes. Proponents of this theory argue that the way the towers collapsed—symmetrically and at near-free-fall acceleration—resembles a controlled demolition more than a structural failure due to the plane impacts.

The lack of clear plane wreckage and the damage patterns at the Pentagon have often been at the center of this conspiracy theory, as does the ‘mysterious’ collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 (WTC 7) later on the afternoon of September 11, 2001. Some theorists claim that this collapse was due to a controlled demolition rather than fire-induced structural failure.

Extensive research has debunked these theories, showing them to be the products of imaginative minds rather than rooted in fact. Despite this, belief in these outlandish ideas persists, fueled by an endless stream of internet memes and sensationalised content.

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