BYU Professor on Paid Leave for 9-11 Theory

Gene Kennedy Reporting

Brigham Young University administrators are trying to find out the extent of one professor's involvement in blaming the September 11th terrorist attacks on the government.

According to a copyrighted Deseret Morning News article, Dr. Steven Jones is on paid leave for suggesting the government is responsible for the destruction of the World Trade Center.

Jones is a physics professor involved in what's called the "9-11 Truth Movement."

Jones believes unnamed government agencies orchestrated the fall of the twin towers, and he says there's evidence to back it up.

Two weeks ago he published his theory in a paper called, "Why Indeed did the World Trade Center Buildings Collapse?" In it, the professor says the towers fell not because of planes hitting them, but because of pre-positioned demolition charges.

He cites research conducted at BYU on materials from ground zero, asserting those materials show evidence of thermite, a compound used in military detonations. He says terrorists could have never set those charges.

Jones spoke this summer at a scholars' symposium in California.

Dr. Steven Jones/ BYU Physics Professor: "The chain of events leads me to reluctantly conclude that indeed there does seem to be insiders. In other words, not just hijacked planes, but also others setting these thermite cutting charges into the World Trade Center and bringing them down."

The State Department has released a rebuttal to Jones' theory in a 10-thousand page report.

BYU made this statement last night"

"Physics Professor Steven Jones has made numerous statements about the collapse of the World Trade Center. BYU has repeatedly said that it does not endorse assertions made by individual faculty.

"We are, however, concerned about the increasingly speculative and accusatory nature of these statements by Dr. Jones."

The university added, "BYU remains concerned that Dr. Jones' works on this topic has not been published in appropriate scientific venues."

It is rare for some in Dr. Jones' position to be under review because he has taught at BYU for more than two decades.

He began his career at the university in 1985 and has been known for his cold fusion research. Other professors will teach his classes while he's on paid leave.

He will be allowed to conduct research in his field but the university is reviewing his actions.

(The Deseret Morning News Contributed to this Report.)