CUFORN Bulletin - Vol 06 No 02 - 1985 - Mar-Apr

Magazine Overview

CUFORN Bulletin, Vol. 6, No. 2, published March-April 1985, is a publication of the Canadian U.F.O. Research Network. The issue features a verified daylight disc photo taken in Switzerland in 1975 and includes articles on UFOs and the media, alleged MIBs at Bentwaters AFB, the CAUS lawsuit, a UFO landing near Kirtland AFB, a former CUFORN member receiving a media award, a UFO photo by McDivitt, and upcoming MUFON and other speaker events.

UFOs and The Electronic Media

This section, authored by Lawrence J. Fenwick, discusses the portrayal of UFOs in television and media. It highlights the broadcast of the film 'The Disappearance of Flight 412' on a multicultural channel in Southern Ontario, noting its dubbing into Italian to accommodate the local Italian-speaking population. The article critiques the Toronto Star's TV guide description, which downplayed the UFO aspect by stating 'The air force investigates the disappearance of an airplane.' The film itself is described as a fictionalization of a real incident involving a plane disappearance over Lake Michigan where a UFO was seen on a collision course before both vanished from radar.

The article also reviews the documentary 'Overlords of the UFO,' produced by William Gordon Allen, which promoted the other-dimensional origin theory for UFOs. Fenwick notes the repetitive nature of the film's arguments and the inclusion of unrelated segments on Von Daniken and Uri Geller, which detracted from the main thesis. However, the documentary did feature previously unseen footage, including a daylight color sequence from Deland, Florida. Media coverage from The Star and The Globe and Mail is contrasted, with The Star claiming the film separated facts from myths, while The Globe and Mail used the word 'purportedly,' indicating a more skeptical stance than previously observed.

UFO LANDING REPORTED AT KIRTLAND AFB

Authored by Bruce Maccabee, this article details a UFO landing incident that occurred on August 9, 1980, near Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A security guard observed a 'round disc shaped object' with a bright light land in a restricted test area. The object then ascended rapidly, witnessed by a group of guards approximately five miles away. A report prepared by agent Richard Doty of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) at Kirtland became public in 1983, reportedly due to a leak and a Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIPA) request by UFO investigator Barry Greenwood.

Maccabee contacted Doty in 1984 for more information, and Doty indicated he had interviewed witnesses and visited the site, writing a larger report. Doty suggested writing to Headquarters (HQ/AFOSI) for releasable information. However, when Maccabee requested the follow-on document under FOIPA, the Chief of the Information Release Division, Noah Lawrence, initially denied its existence. Following further insistence, Lawrence admitted a 'discrepancy' between what Doty had told Maccabee and what he had told Lawrence. Unbeknownst to Maccabee, investigator Bill Moore had independently researched the case in 1982, and his findings corroborated Maccabee's suspicion of a cover-up.

Former CUFORN Member Gets Media Award

Terence Dickinson, a former CUFORN member, received an award in the Science and Technology category from the Canadian Science Writers' Association, as reported by the Toronto Star on May 4, 1985. Dickinson authored an article in Equinox magazine titled 'In The Beginning,' which discussed Canadians using a joint telescope in Hawaii for exploring galaxies. He is also known for his 1976 article on the Betty and Barney Hill abduction, 'The Zeta Reticuli Incident,' published in Astronomy Magazine.

CAUS Lawsuit and FBI UFO Memorandum

This section presents documents related to a legal action initiated by Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS). The petition, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks an immediate 'Writ of Habeas Corpus Extraterrestrial.' CAUS, a public-interest group, aims to expose and counter official secrecy regarding UFO encounters. The petition argues that the U.S. Government maintains secret custody over one or more occupants of crash-landed UFOs of apparent extraterrestrial origin, amounting to their detention and prosecution without adequate public explanation.

The petition asserts that the government pursues a policy of UFO secrecy to preserve 'the Ultimate Secret,' denying public access to detained extraterrestrials and their civil liberties. Due to this secrecy, CAUS lacks sufficient knowledge to specify the nature of any detention, prosecution, or legal proceedings. The grounds for the habeas corpus proceeding include claims of conviction based on unconstitutional search and seizure, unlawful arrest, denial of effective assistance of counsel, and denial of the right of appeal.

Accompanying the petition are listed evidential exhibits drawn from official U.S. Government documentation, including:

• F.B.I. Memorandum on "Flying Saucers, Information Concerning" (Dated March 22, 1950): This memorandum, originating from Guy Hottel, SAC, Washington, to the Director, FBI, details information furnished by an informant. It states that an Air Force investigator reported the recovery of three 'flying saucers' in New Mexico. These objects were described as circular with raised centers, approximately 50 feet in diameter, and occupied by three 3-foot-tall bodies dressed in metallic cloth. The informant suggested that the saucers were found in New Mexico due to a powerful government radar setup in the area, which was believed to interfere with the saucers' control mechanisms. No further evaluation was attempted by the SAC.
• U. S. Army letter on the subject of the UFO-related "Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit" of the Army's Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (Dated September 25, 1980): This letter from Colonel William B. Guild, Director of Counterintelligence, to Mr. Richard Hall responds to a Freedom of Information Act request. It states that no record system is maintained by the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence to catalog, process, or index UFO information. The letter also advises that the 'Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit' was disestablished in the late 1950s and its records were surrendered to the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations in conjunction with operation 'BLUEBOOK'.
• Page 1 of NSA In Camera Affidavit in the U. S. Supreme Court-appealed case of Citizens Against UFO Secrecy Versus National Security Agency (Dated November 14, 1980): This document is listed as an exhibit but not detailed within the provided text.

MUFON MEETS IN ST. LOUIS JUNE 28-30

This section announces the MUFON UFO Symposium held at the Chase Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, from June 28-30. Among the ten speakers are one CUFORN member and one former member. William L. (Bill) Moore is scheduled to discuss "Crashed Saucers: Evidence in Search of Proof," and George D. Fawcett will present on "What We Have Learned from UFO Repetitions." Other speakers include Leonard H. Stringfield, David F. Webb, Budd Hopkins, and Marge Christenson, with their speech titles noted. The symposium's theme is "UFOs: The Burden of Proof." Information is provided for advanced registration, including costs and deadlines, as well as hotel room rates and reservation details.

Moore to Speak in Toronto

William L. Moore is also scheduled to speak in Toronto on Tuesday, July 30, at 8 p.m. at the Metropolitan Toronto Central Reference Library. The library is located at Yonge and Yonge and Asquith, one block north of Bloor Street.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The CUFORN Bulletin consistently focuses on UFO investigations, government secrecy, and the pursuit of information through official channels like the Freedom of Information Act. The publication appears to support the efforts of organizations like CAUS and MUFON in their research and advocacy. There is a clear editorial stance favoring transparency and challenging official narratives regarding UFO phenomena, as evidenced by the coverage of the CAUS lawsuit and the critique of media reporting on UFOs. The inclusion of historical documents, such as the 1950 FBI memorandum, suggests an interest in the long-term patterns of government response to UFO sightings.

This issue of the CUFORN Bulletin, dated March-April 1985, features a prominent cover story with the headline "MIBS SEEN AT BENTWATERS AFB?" and includes a "Top Secret" legal document.

Book Review: 'Sky Crash' Presents Startling Facts

The bulletin includes a book review by Lawrence J. Fenwick of "Sky Crash, A Cosmic Conspiracy," authored by Brenda Butler, Dot Street, and Jenny Randles. Published in 1984 by Neville Spearman Limited in Sudbury, Suffolk, England, the book is priced at £7.50. Fenwick describes it as a well-written account of the UFO landings that occurred in December 1980 in the Rendlesham Forest, near the U.S. Air Force Bases at Woodbridge and Bentwaters in East Anglia, England.

The book spans 291 pages and contains 16 photographs, 13 drawings, and seven pages of references. It features a striking orange, yellow, black, and white dust jacket and is divided into 31 short chapters for readability. The review notes that the book meticulously follows the sequence of events, demonstrating proper investigative procedures. It includes a list of principal characters and contains only four spelling errors. However, the reviewer points out a lack of an index and some "filler" content related to the site's history and UFO history.

Only seven pseudonyms are used for the 43 eyewitnesses, incidental characters, Ministry of Defence officials, and investigators mentioned in the book. The review emphasizes that the book prioritizes facts and presents the arguments of skeptics, making it a significant contribution to UFO research literature.

Several startling details are discussed within "Sky Crash," which the reviewer chooses not to reveal, encouraging readers to discover them themselves. Notably, the review mentions that the "Men in Black" (MIB) are discussed at one point, described as having been seen at Bentwaters Air Force Base overseeing a meeting between humanoids and military personnel. The review includes an artist's conception of typical Men in Black, drawn by Stephen Crisp of Artist Partners for Hilary Evans' book "UFO's The Greatest Mystery" (Chartwell Books, Inc., London, England, 1979).

Legal Document: Affidavit of Eugene F. Yeates

Accompanying the articles is a "Top Secret" document from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. It is an "IN CAMERA AFFIDAVIT OF EUGENE F. YEATES," filed in the case of Citizens Against Unidentified Flying Objects Secrecy (Plaintiff) v. National Security Agency (Defendant), Civil Action No. 80-1562. The affidavit was prepared by Judge J. Scell on November 14, 1980.

Eugene F. Yeates, identified as the Chief of the Office of Policy at the National Security Agency (NSA), states that he is responsible for processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for NSA records. His statements are based on personal knowledge and review of available information. This affidavit supplements a previous unclassified affidavit executed on September 30, 1980, concerning documents located by NSA in response to the plaintiff's FOIA request but withheld in whole or in part. Yeates submits this affidavit "in camera" to state the factual basis for exempting these records from public disclosure.

Paragraph 3 of the affidavit explains that letters within parentheses at the beginning of each paragraph designate the sensitivity level of the information contained within that paragraph.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The bulletin appears to focus on UFO phenomena, particularly the 1980 Bentwaters/Rendlesham incident, and the complexities of government transparency regarding such events, as evidenced by the FOIA-related legal document. The editorial stance seems to favor in-depth investigation and factual reporting, as suggested by the positive review of "Sky Crash" for its investigative approach and presentation of arguments. The inclusion of a "Top Secret" affidavit highlights the ongoing tension between public access to information and national security concerns, particularly in the context of UFO investigations.