Russell Brand: George Bush Could Have Been Behind the 9/11 Attacks

Comedian Russell Brand said he can't rule out the possibility that the US government was behind the 9/11 terror attacks during an interview on BBC2's Newsnight.

Brand, who was heavily criticised for his previous appearance on the flagship current affair show for calling for a political revolution while admitting he does not vote, said he is "open-minded" about the possibility the 2001 terror attacks on New York's Twin Towers could have been an inside job.

During an interview with Newsnight presenter Evan Davis about his latest book Revolution, Brand said there had been an "interesting" relationship between former US President George W. Bush and killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

He added: "I think it is interesting at this time when we have so little trust in our political figures, where ordinary people have so little trust in their media, we have to remain open-minded to any kind of possibility."

When Evans said surely it is "ridiculous to suggest" that anyone other than al-Qaida were repsonsbile for the attacks that killed more than 2,000 people, Brand replied: "Do you trust the American government? Do you trust the British government?"

He added: "What I do think is very interesting is the relationship that the Bush family have had for a long time with the bin Laden family."

Brand was then quick to say how he didn't want to discuss "daft" conspiracy theories when probed further about his views on 9/11.

The actor and comedian went on to accuse the BBC and other news organisations of providing an "anti-Islamic narrative" when covering stories, giving the recent shooting in Ottawa as an example.

Elsewhere in the characteristically theatrical interview Brand also said the BBC "shamefully sabotaged" the outcome of the Scottish Referendum and said Evans' attempt to question his opinion of how General Motors should be sold off as an "Oxford-educated man to come on TV and be rude to me" over a "silly administrative quibble".