Daniele Ganser

Daniele Ganser was Senior Researcher at the ETH Zurich, Center for Security Studies (CSS).[3] He was president (2006-2012) of the Swiss branch of the "Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas" (ASPO),[4] and taught a course (2012-2017) titled History and Future of Energy Systems at the University of St. Gallen.[2][5]

In 2004, Ganser published NATO's Secret Armies: Operation Gladio and Terrorism in Western Europe. In this book, Ganser states that Gladio units were in close cooperation with NATO and the CIA and that Gladio in Italy was responsible for terrorist attacks against the Italian civilian population.[6] Security analyst John Prados noted that Ganser presented evidence that Gladio networks amounted to anti-democratic elements across many nations.[7]

Beatrice Heuser praised the book while also noting it would be better if Ganser had used a less polemical tone and had occasionally conceded that the Soviets were no less nicer.[8] Markus Linden said that Ganser fostered anti-Americanism under the label of Peace Research, while he unilaterally presented Russia positively.[9]

Critics have charged that the book failed to provide proof or an in-depth explanation of a conspiracy between NATO, the United States, and the European countries. Peer Henrik Hansen criticized Ganser for basing his claim on the US Army Field Manual 30-31B which members of the intelligence community claim is just a 'Cold War era hoax document.'[10][11] Philip H.J. Davies concluded that the book is marred by imagined conspiracies, exaggerated notions and misunderstandings of covert activities and operations within and between the countries, and a failure to place their decisions and actions in the appropriate historical context. Davies argued that Ganser did not perform the most basic necessary research to be able to discuss them effectively.[12] Olav Riste of the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies mentions several instances where his own research on the stay-behind network in Norway was twisted by Ganser.[13] Riste and Leopoldo Nuti concluded that the book's "ambitious conclusions do not seem to be entirely corroborated by a sound evaluation of the sources available."[14] Lawrence Kaplan commended Ganser for making "heroic efforts to tease out the many strands that connect this interlocking right-wing conspiracy", but also argued that connecting the dots required a stretch of facts. Kaplan believes that some of Ganser's theories may be correct, but they damage the book's credibility.[15]

Ganser is known for relating the events of 9/11 to his research on Operation Gladio.[16] In the same way that the strategy of tension, which Ganser links to Operation Gladio, sought to pin right-wing terrorist attacks on the political left in order to inspire fear among the citizenry, Ganser likewise contends that "it has been said that Saddam Hussein had biological weapons, that there was a link between Iraq and the attacks of September 11, or that there was a link between Iraq and the terrorists of Al Qaeda. But all this was not true. By these lies, we wanted to make the world believe that the Muslims wanted to spread terrorism around, that this war was necessary to fight terror. However, the real reason for the war is the control of energy resources."[17]

Ganser also calls into question the conclusions of the 9/11 Commission.[18][19] He believes that "the official story about September 11th, the conclusions of the commission, are not credible" and "The information that we have is not very precise. Which raises the question in this report of 600 pages is that the third tower that collapsed that day is not even mentioned."[17] Ganser says we would only know because of blurred video images, something flew into the Pentagon, an open, objective and scientific debate on all outstanding issues of 9/11 would be important and calls for a new investigation.[20]

• Website of Daniele Ganser
• Information about Daniele Ganser on the website of the SIPER Institute (founded by Ganser)
• Schattenkrieger der NATO (German) ZDF (Public Service Television) March 25, 2014 (Mediathek) featuring Ganser and others
• All of the theories about 9/11 are conspiracy theories comment by Kristin Aalen, aftenbladet.no April 21, 2008
• Diamonds (and Disinformation) Are Forever. John R. Schindler on Ganser's NATO’s Secret Armies
• Publications by and about Daniele Ganser in the catalogue Helveticat of the Swiss National Library