You *are* remembering that what was shown on TV was the promo stuff that al-Qaeda released themselves, aren't you? If you want to get yourself that old-time credibility with your followers, go for the old-time look. But I don't know why you would think that flintlock muskets is all they have. It's entirely public knowledge that the Taleban had tanks, missiles and heavy artillery, and if you didn't know that then you weren't paying attention to international news for the decade before 9/11. And you don't get to use tanks, missiles and heavy artillery effectively if you're a "caveman" whose idea of sophisticated weaponry is a musket, now do you?

I'm from the UK, incidentally. Along with the rest of Europe, we've known about terrorism and attacks from other countries for decades, unlike the US that's only just woken up to the possibility of terrorism. Europeans are also well aware of the possibility of external attack on our countries, whereas the US has never seemed to take it seriously, probably bcos it's never happened for close to two centuries - the last major incursion was the war of 1812.

Of course, now we know thermate was used to cut the steel at the twin towers

You might. The rest of us who need more evidence than mere assertions on a website don't. Just because it's written down, doesn't make it true.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not denying that this has been used by cynical politicians to bolster their own positions. In fact, I know for sure that they've done that, especially GWB (I was over there at the time of the last election, I saw his TV ads). Maggie Thatcher did the same with the Falklands conflict in the early 80s, and it's been a tool in every politician's armoury for centuries.

But to claim that it never happened is pure fantasy.

Graham.