Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. government may have been involved in the Sept. 11 attacks to help justify invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

``The theory that is gaining force is that the U.S. empire planned and conducted this terrible act against its own people to justify its aggression,'' Chavez, 52, said during a ceremony broadcast on state-run Venezolana de Television.

Chavez urged American authorities to look into the theory that the World Trade Center twin towers' collapse was caused by explosions set off after they were struck by hijacked aircraft.

``There was a series of explosions in the towers,'' he said. ``The theory that the towers were dynamited hasn't been debunked.''

Chavez, an ally of Cuban President Fidel Castro, says the U.S. has plotted to assassinate or overthrow him. He frequently rails against U.S. President George W. Bush. During his weekly television program on March 19, Chavez called Bush a ``coward,'' ``assassin,'' ``drunk'' and ``donkey.''

Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist organization has taken responsibility for the Sept. 11 attacks, which killed more than 2,900 people.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jan Edmonson declined to comment today on Chavez's accusations.

``I don't think you can print what my response is to that,'' Edmonson said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Wilson in Caracas at pewilson@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 12, 2006 17:27 EDT