Abduction Watch - No 03 1997

Magazine Overview

Title: Abduction Watch
Issue: 3
Date: October 1997
Publisher: N/A
Country: UK
Language: English
Cover Headline: The best hoax since APEN or even better?

This issue of 'Abduction Watch' critically examines various claims and research within the ufology community, focusing on alleged hoaxes, animal mutilations, and the scientific validity of reported phenomena. The publication adopts a skeptical stance, questioning the evidence presented by prominent researchers and organizations.

The Best Hoax Since APEN or Even Better?

The editorial opens by addressing the proliferation of 'rubbish' believed by ufologists and the people who feed them this information. The author expresses a growing suspicion of 'cold, deliberate, anonymous, disinformation'. A key point of contention is a claim by Terry Mark Knight, 'Founder and President' of the British Society of the Unexplained (BSU), asserting that information published by 'Abduction Watch' was actually the product of BSU's work. The magazine includes a letter from the BSU detailing their claims regarding a story about '580 Security'. The BSU states that their research was not undertaken by others mentioned, that they possess photographic evidence and a three-hour taped conversation, and that the locations cited by 'Abduction Watch' were incorrect, identifying Sennybridge (not Sunnybridge) as the correct location. They assert they are the only organization with this information and criticize other investigators for fabricating details.

The author of 'Abduction Watch' suspects that the BSU, like others, may have been persuaded they possess unique information about a military/alien relationship, abduction, and international military activity, but suggests there is no actual cover-up, only the dissemination of fiction to those likely to believe it. The author hopes that if the photos involve animal or human mutilations, the BSU has passed the evidence to the police.

What Do Abductees Do in the Dark?

This section delves into the claims made by Derrel Sims regarding 'fluorescent markings' found on abductees, which he attributes to 'scientific' evidence of abduction. Sims reportedly uses a black (ultraviolet) light to detect this fluorescence. An article in 'Alien Encounters', written by biochemist Eve Frances Lorgen, suggests these markings are a type of organic fluorescent label used by 'abduction handlers', appearing as sub-dermal yellow-green or bluish-lavender irregular splotches. Lorgen also links this to cattle mutilation research where a luminescent substance was found.

'Abduction Watch' counters that there are natural forms of bio-luminescence and that Lorgen's claims are selective or ignorant of scientific facts. Straightforward research, aided by the Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE), indicates that UV light (Wood's Lamp) is commonly used in medicine to detect fungal infections like ringworm, which fluoresce and do not rub off. A GP's opinion is quoted stating that such fluorescence could be from ringworm, possibly contracted from holding an infected cat, and that alien abduction is a less likely explanation.

A Lecturer in Skin Bioengineering confirms that UV illumination is a standard diagnostic test for fungal infections, with fungal hyphae fluorescing characteristically. Other skin components also fluoresce. The article dismisses the alien abduction theory as absurd.

Regarding Lorgen's claim about fluorescence on mutilated cattle, the article suggests this is part of the mutilation myth, possibly stemming from ufologists using black lights over dead animals. The Oxford Textbook of Medicine is cited, noting that anaerobes like *Bacteroides melanogenicus* in wounds and ulcers fluoresce red. The article posits that mutilated cattle, being wounded and exposed, would likely contain such bacteria, displaying natural fluorescence under UV light.

Sims' interpretation of detected fluorescence as specific shapes like triangles or crescents is dismissed as subjective and likely random, similar to a child naming cloud shapes. The 5% figure Sims uses for abducted individuals is suggested to be a normal ratio given the various causes of skin fluorescence.

The article criticizes Sims and his supporters for suggesting genuine scientific inquiry is being conducted by secret scientists, whose work is never finished or published. Sims himself stated in 'Alien Encounters 16' that 'scientific' results would be shared with 'abductees, contactees or experiencers' first, before possible peer review.

Roswell - Why Weren't All the Witnesses Dead Within Days?

This section continues to discuss Derrel Sims, focusing on his presentation at the Roswell Anniversary event concerning a 'Roswell fragment' claimed to be of extraterrestrial origin. The article notes the lack of proof for the fragment's source or its whereabouts for the past half-century. Sims' 'scientist', 'Dr Russell Vernon Clark', made various claims that have drawn criticism. A key criticism concerns the measurement of a relative Ge-75 ratio of 0.11% in the fragment. Ge-75 has a half-life of only 1.38 hours, making its detection from a 1947 crash highly improbable.

An MD of a company supplying scientific instruments commented that the Ge-75 half-life claim is powerful enough to crush the scientific validity of the work, stating that measuring such a short-lived isotope after days or weeks is impossible unless the initial concentration was massive enough to be lethal. The MD concludes that the claim of measurement indicates 'slapdash analysis'.

Clark asserted that his tests have far less error than sophisticated DNA testing and that raw data would be submitted for peer review. 'Abduction Watch' expresses skepticism, noting previous claims of verification from Sims' camp that have yet to materialize in peer-reviewed journals.

Holes in Their Heads - A Mutilation Mystery

This section investigates the proposition that dead animals' bodies can lead to conclusions about alien killings. The author questions the evidence for coherent communication with live or dead animals, yet their deaths are linked to the abduction mythos. The focus is on Tony Dodd, a prominent UK abduction researcher associated with Quest International and UFO Magazine.

Dodd's importance is highlighted by remarks from John Carpenter in the 1997 MUFON Conference Proceedings, who stated that Dodd reports Grays comprise 75-80% of alleged encounters. A 'Case Notes' box from 'The X-Factor' publication describes Dodd, a former police sergeant, as having amassed numerous British mutilation reports. These cases reportedly share hallmarks with US reports: bloodless wounds, surgical removal of organs, eyes, and tongues, cored rectums, and stripped jawbones. Dodd claims these incidents, since the early 1990s, have involved wild animals like foxes, deer, badgers, seals, and wild birds, as well as livestock.

The article illustrates this with a color photo of a dead fox with a hole in its forehead, described as not a bullet wound, with the brain removed. Similar photos of a dead lamb, two dead deer, and a dead hedgehog are presented, with captions indicating they are part of a larger file investigated by Dodd. The locations mentioned include Staintondale, North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.

Some cases appear to be from local papers, and the Bratton White Horse is mentioned. The link to alien abduction is noted as resting substantially on old hypnotic regressions publicized by Linda Moulton Howe, with rare meaningful, on-site investigation.

Dodd states that in smaller animals (sheep, deer, foxes), the rectum had been cored out and a neat hole bored into the head, through which the brain and spinal cord were removed, with no blood spillage.

The article also presents a photo of a 'mutilated' human. Dodd reportedly wrote to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), the National Farmers Union, and the National Veterinary College, receiving replies stating they were unaware of such cases. Dodd claims that 'Intelligence Investigators from MAFF' visited farms but refused detailed discussions and quickly departed, not wishing to disclose their involvement. He also claims evidence of creatures killed with cored rectums and holes in their heads, with identical injuries, perpetrators never seen, and glowing objects performing aerobatics.

'Abduction Watch' questions whether Dodd reported these mutilations to the police, RSPCA, NFU, or National Veterinary College, and presumes a veterinary autopsy would be vital. However, no vet or autopsy report is quoted. Dodd is specific about MAFF's unwillingness to discuss the matter.

MAFF's regional Information Officer replied to 'Abduction Watch', stating that local inquiries found no Ministry personnel with knowledge of the incidents described. They confirmed MAFF does not have a team of intelligence investigators for such cases and that their Veterinary Laboratory Agency would only be consulted if police became aware of animals dying in unusual circumstances. The officer expressed confusion regarding Dodd's reference to 'shadowy figures' from the Ministry.

Subscription Information and Final Thoughts

The magazine includes subscription details, offering 5 monthly issues in the UK for £5, or 12 issues for £10. International subscriptions are also available.

A postscript mentions work on a 'special' issue addressing the problems and dangers witnesses face from UK investigators using regression hypnosis and memory enhancement techniques without adequate medical knowledge, presence, or insurance, and without warning victims of the procedures' risks or the potential for fabricated information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards UFO claims, the critical examination of evidence presented by researchers, and the potential for hoaxes and disinformation within the ufology community. The editorial stance is clearly critical and investigative, aiming to debunk unsubstantiated claims and promote scientific rigor. The magazine questions the motives and methods of prominent figures like Derrel Sims and Tony Dodd, highlighting the lack of verifiable evidence and the prevalence of natural explanations for phenomena attributed to extraterrestrial activity. The issue also touches upon the controversial topic of animal mutilations and the alleged cover-ups or lack of official interest from government bodies.