Channel 4 News: Quarrel over Sarkozy appointment
(Watch a video of the report at the link - http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/quarrel+over+sarkozy+appointment/590547)
Last Modified: 06 Jul 2007
By: Channel 4 News
A storm is brewing after French president Nicolas Sarkozy has appointed someone who believes George Bush was behind the September 11 attacks.
A transatlantic storm is brewing over one of the appointments to President Sarkozy's new cabinet - he appears to have given senior office to someone who thinks President Bush may have been responsible for 9/11.
It's well known that websites, books and films which challenge the official version of what happened on September 11th 2001 have proved seductive to millions, and nowhere more so than in France. For Mr Sarkozy, and his ambitions to draw closer to the United States, it may prove something of an embarrassment.
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Sarkovsky himself caused
Sarkovsky himself caused controversy in 2005 when he said that the 7/7 London bombers used high grade C4 explosives bought from the Baltics.That was the total opposite to Blairs stance that the bombs were made in a bath out of everyday household chemicals.Who to trust the French or the British?thats a tough one NOT!.
international press reports
Copyright 2007 Times Newspapers Limited
All Rights Reserved
The Times (London)
July 9, 2007, Monday
SECTION: OVERSEAS NEWS; Pg. 31
LENGTH: 290 words
HEADLINE: Minister has to deny linking Bush to 9/11 attack
BYLINE: Charles Bremner, Paris
BODY:
A French Cabinet minister sought yesterday to play down remarks in which she appeared to say that President Bush may have been behind the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
Christine Boutin, 63, Minister for Housing and Town Planning in President Sarkozy's Government, said that her comments had been distorted in a video that was circulated on the internet.
During an interview with a small French television channel in November, Ms Boutin was asked if the Bush Administration might have been involved in the destruction of the World Trade Centre in New York, and the attack on the Pentagon. "I think it is possible," she said.
Ms Boutin, who is known for her conservative Catholic views, said in the interview that she had been impressed by the strength of opinion on the internet that favoured the notion of a US conspiracy in the 9/11 attacks. "I know that the websites that speak of this problem are websites that have the highest number of visits...And I tell myself that this expression of the masses and of the people cannot be without any truth," she said.
Ms Boutin's office noted yesterday that the internet video had dropped the next sentence, in which she said: "I'm not telling you that I adhere to that position."
Christian Dupont, chief of staff for Ms Boutin, said that her remarks had been distorted to create a row.
They nevertheless embarrassed the Sarkozy administration as it seeks to restore relations with Washington after years of friction under President Chirac. France has been fertile ground for conspiracy theories on the 2001 attacks. In 2002 Thierry Meyssan, a French conspiracy theorist, scored a French bestseller with a book that claimed that no airliner hit the Pentagon on September 11.
LOAD-DATE: July 9, 2007
international press reports
Copyright 2007 The Calgary Herald, a division of Canwest MediaWorks Publication Inc.
All Rights Reserved
The Calgary Herald (Alberta)
July 9, 2007 Monday
Final Edition
SECTION: NEWS; Newsmakers; Pg. A2
LENGTH: 223 words
HEADLINE: French minister in video backing 9/11 conspiracy
BYLINE: Calgary Herald
BODY:
A French cabinet minister sought Sunday to play down remarks in which she appeared to say that President George W. Bush may have been behind the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.
Christine Boutin, 63, minister for housing and town planning in President Nicolas Sarkozy's government, said her comments had been distorted in a video that was circulated on the Internet.
During an interview with a French television channel in November, Boutin was asked if the Bush administration might have been involved in the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, and the attack on the Pentagon. "I think it is possible," she said.
Boutin said that she had been impressed by the strength of opinion on the Internet that favoured the notion of a conspiracy in the 9/11 attacks.
"I know that the websites that speak of this problem are websites that have the highest number of visits. . . . And I tell myself that this expression of the masses and of the people cannot be without any truth," she said.
Boutin's office noted that the Internet video had dropped the next sentence, in which she said: "I'm not telling you that I adhere to that position."
But the comments nevertheless embarrassed the Sarkozy administration as it seeks to restore relations with Washington after years of friction under President Jacques Chirac.
LOAD-DATE: July 9, 2007