As I watched the horrors of September 11th unfold, thoughts were whizzing through my head about who might be behind it. My first thought was "Russia's attacking America - it's World War Three!" Then I came to my senses - Russia wouldn't have the capability these days. Surely it couldn't be Britain, or Germany - and Japan wouldn't risk another Pacific War with the world's mightiest power.

The idea of terrorism didn't even occur to me at this stage, because it was such a sophisticated, co-ordinated attack and terrorists are notoriously sloppy.

It had a touch of grim meticulous expertise about it - the kind of thing that characterised the Nazis. I concluded that it must be a military coup, and for about two days I half expected to hear an announcement that George Bush had been assassinated, Dick Cheyney had died of a heart attack and Colin Powell would be taking over (a military man, but black enough to keep the left quiet).

But Bush is still thriving (and raving) and the only small voice of dissent in the US Government comes from Colin Powell.

However, I do wonder whether, vile though he undoubtedly is, someone is holding a gun to Dubya's head, so to speak. There are chilling similarities between America today and many post-coup countries:

* Its leader was not democratically elected

* Suspects are being 'tried' in secret military courts

* More than a thousand people have been detained without charge since Sept 11th

* Law and order are being abandoned, replaced with witchhunts and 'the leaders say he's guilty so it must be true'.

* 'Emergency decrees' are being implemented (in post-coup countries these are often termed 'military decrees'

* The press is docile in the face of government and advertisers' demands. Media outlets that don't play ball are harassed and sometimes forced to close

* The sight of Bush rallying the crowds in football stadiums surrounded by saluting military officials is horribly reminiscent of 1930s newsclips of Mussolini.

Also worth considering:

* The World Trade Center collapsed 28 years to the day after the 1973 Chile coup, which America admitted it had a hand in (and which began with air strikes on buildings).

* Two days before Sept 11th, a rap group called 'Coup' released a CD with a cover design showing the WTC twin towers burning in much the way that they did on Sept 11th. Maybe just a ghoulish coincidence, but I would be interested to know more about their record company.

On Sunday morning I was woken up by my radio alarm. It was Radio 4's religious programme, and the presenters were discussing claims by creepy faschist fun-damn-mental-ist preacher Pat Robertson that he had 'predicted' the events of Sept 11th, eight days before they occurred. Apparently he is now 'predicting' even worse terrorist events to come. Pat Robertson somehow doesn't fit my idea of an enlightened 'prophet' - this sounds more like a morbid threat of what will happen if we don't all fall into line soon - from someone who is close to the government and 'in the know'.

Maybe a conspiracy - but is the 'evidence' against the admittedly vile Bin Laden and Al Quaeda anything else?