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Ahmadinejad Calls 9/11 'Suspicious Event'

Says attack was pretext to invade Middle East

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 16, 2008 12:56 PM CDT

(Newser) – The September 11 attacks were a simple pretext to invade Iraq and Afghanistan, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today, expressing doubt as to the cause and death toll of the attacks. “Four or five years ago, a suspicious event occurred in New York,” he said. “A building collapsed and they said that 3,000 people had been killed, but never published their names.”

In reality, the victims’ names are public knowledge. But it was the third time in a week the Iranian president had made such remarks, though his country has condemned al-Qaeda for the attacks in the past. “I am not sure what one says about a statement like that,” said a state department spokesman. “It leaves one speechless.”

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivers a speech during a ceremony marking Nuclear Technology National Day in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 8, 2008.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivers a speech during a ceremony marking "Nuclear Technology National Day" in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 8, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad in this March 2, 2008 file photo.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad in this March 2, 2008 file photo.   (AP Photo)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, looks on, as he fills in his ballot for the parliamentary elections in this file photo.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, looks on, as he fills in his ballot for the parliamentary elections in this file photo.   (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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