The BBC presented another of its ‘Conspiracy Files’ programmes, this time on a selection of the theories surrounding the 7/7 bombings in London. It cites the usual viral youtube videos as its inspiration, and sets out to rubbish them in an entertaining way with mission impossible style music running throughout.
The basic formula of these shows is always the same. A number of ludicrous conspiracy theories are introduced, and left hanging for 20 minutes while the programme fakes a serious tone, only to knock them apart with relative ease in the last 10 minutes of the show. As documentary making goes, this is utter schlock, appealing only to a very casual audience with no knowledge or any real interest in the subject.
So ‘campaigner’ Nick Kollerstrom happily presents his theories about how the so-called terrorists were never in London early in the programme. And he seems like a nice if slightly doddery old chap with a decent point to make. But wait – in the last 10 minutes he is uncovered as a holocaust denier, and confronted with clear evidence that blows his silly allegations out of the water – he wibbles into the camera a little bit. You actually do feel a little sorry for the nazi-sympathising old twat. If his silly claims weren’t a disgraceful insult to the victims of a terrorist attack you might almost be tempted to just give him a biscuit and a cup of tea.
Well-known British oddball Tony Gosling doesn’t fare much better. Confronted by the fact that two of the major proponents of 7/7 conspiracy theories also claim they are the messiah, he warns us that they may still have good points to make despite their Jesus-complexes and not to ‘throw the baby out with the bathwater’. Truth is, most viewers could imagine these loons throwing babies with bathwater in any which direction.
As usual, this documentary won’t persuade conspiracy theorists of anything other than the fact that the BBC is in on the conspiracy. You can’t shift years of idiotic accusations with a glossy 50-minute documentary – there’s no time to even begin to engage the myriad of claims made by the fantasists. And the truth is that any attempt to actually engage with these issues would be deeply boring television. Conspiracy theorists simply sit in front of their televisions or computer screens getting annoyed and shouting “Yes, but…”. These theories never really end, they just shift endlessly from claim to claim, often in ridiculous circles.
The only real benefit of the programme might be to prove to British Muslims that the conspiracy theory that many of them have bought into was peddled by an internet youtube amateur with a wispy white beard who thinks he is Jesus Christ and that the ark of the covenant is buried under a hill near his house. The basic truth that most conspiracy theorists are slightly short of the full picnic is a very obvious observation to make, but perhaps it’s good to remind everyone of that fact from time to time.