Hijexx wrote:
] "An average of 3,053 put options in Merrill Lynch are bought
] between September 6-10, compared to an average of 252 in the
] previous week. Morgan Stanley, another WTC tenant, sees
] 12,215 put options bought between September 7-10, when the
] previous days had seen averages of 252 contracts a day." --
] Independent, 10/14/01
]
] Hopefully everyone has heard about the similar AA and UAL put
] option spikes in the days up to 9/11. Why isn't this being
] investigated, pulled out of the woodwork to find the
] perpetrators? Who had foreknowledge? These questions remain
] unanswered and apparently a non-issue to the administration.

Well, last I heard, they *are* being investigated. But I'll give you credit that that particular datapoint is true, and I'm curious as well. However, I don't read "abnormal purchase activity" and come to the conclusion, "Bush knew." *Somebody* probably did though, and as carefully as the attack was planned, it wouldn't surprise me that Al Qaeda would have also used it as a moneymaking opportunity. Further, it gives the Patriot Act even more weight, to consider that tracking unusual purchase activity like that could help thwart another attack.

More info here:

 http://www.snopes.com/rumors/putcall.htm

RE: Bush Agrees to Let Rice Testify Publicly