Trade union prez ignites controversy on 9/11 conspiracy theory

Kevin Bracken, President of Victoria's apex trade union body Victorian Trades Hall, described the official version of the incident as a conspiracy theory, contending that aviation fuel does not get hot enough to melt steel.

"I believe the official story is a conspiracy theory that doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny," Bracken, who also is the secretary of Maritime Union of Australia, today told an ABC talk-back show.

"In my mind the buildings were imploded. Aviation fuel doesn't get hot enough to melt steel and no high rise steel frame building before or after September 11 has ever collapsed due to fire," he told the host Jon Faine who thought the call was a hoax.

"I stick to scientific fact," Bracken said, challenging the host for a public debate on the subject, but Faine described the claim as a "nutter theory". The Trades Hall secretary Brian Boyd said Bracken did not speak on behalf of the organisation.

"The official Trades Hall position is not to entertain that theory. We had almost 3000 working people killed in that terrorist attack. It was a terrorist attack, and we condemn it," he said.

Boyd said Bracken's views had caused many debates behind the walls of Trade Hall but begged to differ. "He is welcome to his views and we've discussed his theories... 99 per cent of the time Kevin's a very good president," Boyd said, though he stood by his colleague despite his extreme views.

Earlier in 2006, Bracken had told 'The Australian' newspaper that he believed the attacks only worked because the American government was in some way involved.
"If they want to stop terrorism they've got to look at who was really behind September 11," Bracken said at the time.

"It couldn't have happened unless there was participation from key elements of the American military and government and security services," he had said. Bracken had said in 2006 that his views on terror laws and September 11 were his own, and he was not speaking on behalf of the union.