The 9/11 attacks: An insider’s perspective

Wed 4 March

Jesus College Intellectual Forum

The September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States killed nearly 3000 people, caused billions in damages, and changed many aspects of day-to-day life around the globe. After the attacks there were many questions. How did 19 men armed with little more than pocketknives and fanaticism conduct such a daring set of attacks? What did the government know in advance? Could the attacks have been prevented? Are there better ways to protect the public?

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the United States, more commonly known as the 9/11 Commission, was established to answer these questions. This talk will provide key findings from the Commission’s work, including the summer of threat that preceded the attacks, what the government did and did not do to prevent the attacks, information sharing failures that led to missed opportunities for prevention, and key lessons learned.

It will also address how these lessons need to be applied to the changing security paradigms the world faces today, including the ever-increasing cyber threat from government adversaries. And, as with any major event, a slew of conspiracy theories arose around the attacks. This talk will address and debunk many of the main conspiracy theories.

Barbara Grewe will provide her perspective on these issues from her position as a senior counsel on the 9/11 Commission staff, key investigator of many of the above issues, and one of the principal authors of the Commission’s best-selling final report. She will provide the inside story of the events leading up to the attacks and how the Commission worked to uncover the truth.

Cost: Free of charge