An event at Oxford Town Hall marking the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York has been criticised as insensitive to victims.

But Oxford City Council has defended its policy of not censoring events staged at the venue.

Films will be shown supporting conspiracy theories about the atrocity, including suggestions that the US government could itself have been behind the attack.

The event has been organised by the Oxford 9/11 Truth Group, formed two years ago by office administrator Ian Hodgson to press for a new investigation into what happened.

On Tuesday, the sixth anniversary of the atrocity, he will show a number of films which he claims will open the public's eyes to the reality of twin towers' destruction.

"More and more people are waking up every day to the fact that there is something very dodgy about 9/11. The truth will out," he said.

Mr Hodgson, 28, from Abbey Road, Oxford, admits he does not know for certain who was behind the events on 9/11, but added: "I do not think it was Al Qaeda.

"I think maybe people in Al Qaeda were manipulated by whoever did it - like agents of the US government.

"I think the buildings were blown up with explosives. It was an operation to magnify fear in the minds of the American public in order to extend the power of the American empire in the Middle East and Central Asia."

A spokesman for Oxford City Council said: "The city council policy is that the Town Hall rooms are available for commercial and community use without being censored. As a result, a very wide range of organisations use the accommodation and exercise their freedom of speech entitlement."

But Oxford city councillor for Carfax, Paul Sargent, said: "I would question whether this is a sensitive thing to do, given the feelings of people who may have lost family and friends on 9/11.

"I know for sure that there are people in Oxford who have had close friends and relatives who died on that day. I'm pretty sure they would be upset when they find out about this. My own view is that if people really believe they have evidence and have points to make, they should be able to air their views. But it should be in an appropriate way."