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Did George W. Bush admit that explosives were used in the 9/11 attacks?

Thursday, July 8, 2021
By Dana Ford
NO

An article making such a claim relies on footage from a 2006 press conference. The video was edited and Bush's comments were misconstrued. Bush was talking about explosives in the context of other plots and planned attacks, not the 9/11 attacks.

The article links to old video of a press conference the former president gave on September 15, 2006.

He talked about a bill he'd proposed that he said would "provide clear rules for our personnel involved in detaining and questioning captured terrorists." Speaking of a terror suspect, Bush said: "He told us the operatives had been instructed to ensure that the explosives went off at a high -- a point that was high enough to prevent people trapped above from escaping."

Bush was not admitting that explosives were used on 9/11. He was talking about other plots and planned attacks.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
George W. Bush White House Archives Press Conference of the President
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Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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