r media outlets have ignored numerous eye witness accounts, accounts telling about huge explosions heard prior to levees breaking at the Industrial Canal, as well as at the 17th St. Canal.

However, in light of the numerous reports of explosions, the media has turned a deaf ear.

For example, conservative and biased commentators like MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson and other neo con shills posing as reporters, have categorically dismissed the possibility of government involvement, broadcasting their one-sided, biased views to an audience of millions while dismissing the eye witnesses as quacks or spreading disinformation.

Despite the obvious “out of sight and out of mind theory” used by the corporate media regarding evidence of a designed government effort to blow the levees, recently Terry Adams, a lower 9th Ward resident living a block away from the Industrial Canal, reported hearing a huge explosion just before the levee gave-way and he floated downstream to safety on his rooftop.

Besides Adams, New Orleans bus driver, Ryan Washington, recently said he has heard numerous other stories just like the Adams account, recalling a massive explosion prior to a “three football field long hole” in the Industrial Canal caused massive flooding, resulting in death and destruction throughout New Orleans.

Washington said another local resident, Michael Night, heard the same explosion but was unavailable for comment.

“I’ve talked to many people hearing the same massive explosions by the Industrial Canal,” said Washington in a telephone conversation from his home in nearby Slidell. “I will get busy compiling the names as we need to get at the truth behind what really happened as rich land developers and the government have been trying to get their hands on the 9th Ward property ever since the same thing happened during Hurricane Betsy in 1965.”

Not only do Adams, Washington and Night think the levees were purposely blown, but long time New Orleans activist known as Mama D testified to the same in Congress recently but received a cool reception from legislators, who appeared to want to ignore the accusations and eye witness accounts.

And also coming forward is Andrew W. Griffin, a former Louisiana based newspaper reporter for a Gannet-owned paper now at another paper in Norman. Oklahoma, said he talked to a number of people right after the Hurricane, claiming to hear explosions at the levees.

“I am convinced the 17th Street Canal wall was deliberately destroyed. I even talked to some evacuees in the weeks following Katrina who said they heard explosions or knew people who had heard them,” said Griffin in a recent email.

Besides Mama D, Capital Hill discussions about the levee failure have recently included comments from New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, testifying before the Senate only three weeks ago.

According to a Capital Hill insider who wants to remain anonymous, Nagin’s comments outside the hearing room were far more interesting than what he officially told Senators.

“Listen to Mayor Nagin's testimony at the Senate hearings in Washington a few weeks ago. Very interesting,” said the anonymous source closely following the New Orleans levee story. “Apparently he told some media people that the levees may have been blown and that the military was gunning down unarmed civilians and one Senator called him on it. Of course, Nagin backed down in the end.”

With all the official posturing and the blatant, inexcusable lack of media interest in the eye witness accounts, what is even more disturbing was the handling of several people who heard explosions at the 17th St. and Industrial Canal breaks, wanting to tell their stories on the popular Spud McConnell New Orleans radio talk show.

Although McConnell encouraged people to call in with their accounts of the Hurricane tragedy, when confronted with callers saying they heard explosions, a long time local listener said Mc Connell immediately became irate, screaming “stop spreading disinformation.”

“After the 17th street levee broke, a lady who lives near there phoned in saying that she heard a giant explosion just before it broke. Without listening any further, like he had listened to and interrogated other callers, he became irate and screamed ‘stop spreading disinformation! The levees were not blown up and you didn't hear any explosions,’” said Chuck from New Orleans, who would rather not mention his last name.

“How could he be so sure? He didn't ask her one single question, like he did with other callers. You might be able to go and get a transcript of the Spud McConnell show on that day. I tried but have had no success.”

McConnell was unavailable for comment and the Arctic Beacon has requested a copy of the show referenced above by the upset listener.

Besides providing information about McConnell’s show, Chuck, the long time New Orleans resident, added some very information background information as well as further accounts about the levee breaks from other New Orleans citizens.

“One more thing. I passed by the 17th Street levee everyday before the storm. As far back as 9 months before Katrina hit, I saw Homeland Security vehicles riding up and down the street alongside the levee,” he said.

“I knew that they were Homeland Security vehicles because they were all white with tinted windows and had ‘Government DHS’ on their license plates. I couldn't figure out what they were doing there but now I think I know. Again, difficult to prove, but they were probably wiring the levee.

“Something else of interest, I recently met a young nurse on an airplane to Houston who is from here (New Orleans) and is married to an engineer in Odessa, Tx.

“She told me her husband conducted a job interview with a guy who lived right on the 17th Street canal. The guy he interviewed told him that the day after the storm someone from the Corps of Engineers knocked on his door and told him he had to leave because they were going to blow the levee. I personally believe that the London Ave. and the 17 the street levees were blown. It's hard to prove, though.”

For more informative articles, go to www.arcticbeacon.com

Greg Szymanski

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