"One thing is for sure - this transaction would not have gone...

"One thing is for sure - this transaction would not have gone unnoticed by those who should take notice. The US government, amongst many of its clandestine spook outfits, has a unit colloquially known as the Plunge Protection Team."

Hmmmmm.....if I remember correctly the US Govt DID trace the put options placed on the US airlines before Sept 11. I did follow the story intently at the time. The transactions were traced back to the Deutsche Bank as I recall and I also recall that the CEO of the bank was an ex-director of the CIA. The story promptly vanished after that. I don't believe the options were ever cashed in (why make such a transaction and never capitalise on it?)