Just Cause - Vol 1 Issue 03 - Old Series

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: Vol. 1 - No. 3
Date: June 1978
Publisher: Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS)
Editor: W. Todd Zechel
Legal Consultant: Peter Gersten
Associate Editor: Steve Stoikes
Technical Consultant: Brad Sparks
Offices: 191 E. 161st St., Bronx, New York 10451
Contact: 212-992-9600 or 608-643-3810

This issue of JUST CAUSE, the official newsletter of Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS), dated June 1978, delves into significant investigations and legal actions concerning UFO secrecy and sightings.

Gersten Files Discovery Motion Against CIA

This article details a major legal maneuver by Peter Gersten, the legal consultant for CAUS, against the CIA. It took nearly eight months to prepare a discovery motion that forced the CIA to confront the lawsuit. The motion is described as "incredible," consisting of 635 interrogatory questions and 274 requests for documents, accompanied by 60 CIA documents as exhibits. This effort represents the combined work of Gersten, Brad Sparks, Larry Bryant, Dick Hall, and others who provided information and advice. Gersten is specifically praised for his lucid and forceful presentation.

Previously, Gersten intended to file the motion in person, but his schedule necessitated mailing it to the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington, D.C., where the suit will be contested in the U.S. District Court. As of the first week of June, neither the CIA nor the U.S. Attorney had responded. A CIA spokesman even told the Mesa (Arizona) Times that while the agency was aware of the suit, it was unaware of the discovery motion being filed.

The document requests include information on 62 ufologists and witnesses suspected of having CIA files. Specific requests include "CIG intelligence reports on Scandinavian 'ghost rocket' incidents of May-December 1946," particularly those related to Lt. Gen. J.H. Doolittle's visit to Stockholm in August 1946, and reports from the Swedish Defense Staff and British Air Ministry Directorate of Intelligence from late 1946. Another request, document #199, seeks OSI's basic files on flying saucers/discs/UFO reports originating from various branches and directorates within the CIA from 1949 through the 1970s.

The article emphasizes that this is not a "fishing expedition," but rather precise inquiries into specific CIA projects and incidents. The discovery motion is presented as evidence of a strong case for a massive CIA cover-up of UFO involvement.

GSW (Ground Saucer Watch) is making the discovery motion documents available for sale to the public to inform them and raise funds for their FOIA suit. The complete set, including over 60 pages of interrogatories and requests plus 50 attachments, costs $25 for GSW and CAUS members (including subscribers) and $35 for non-members. CAUS members should make checks payable to Ground Saucer Watch, Inc., and mail to CAUS. Non-members should contact GSW directly at 13238 North 7th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85029.

CAUS Obtains Release of State Dept. UFO Documents

This section details the release of UFO-related documents from the State Department following a FOIA request filed by Peter Gersten on December 16, 1977. It took six months for a "mundane" document to be released. Despite Gersten providing message serial numbers, date-time groups, and transmission numbers, the State Department initially claimed it could not locate the document after "repeated searches." After further inquiries, including a letter from CAUS Director Todd Zechel in January 1978, and phone calls that ascertained three documents were sent to the Department of Defense for clearance (which DOD denied receiving), the State Department finally released three documents on June 7, 1978.

One document, classified CONFIDENTIAL, was a transmission from the U.S. embassy in Rabat, Morocco, dated September 25, 1976. Its subject was "Request For Info, Unidentified Flying Objects." The document originated from U.S. ambassador "Anderson" and was addressed to Asst. Sec. Frederick Irving of OES. Ambassador Anderson reported that a Moroccan government official had contacted him on September 23rd, requesting a meeting to discuss "UFOs over Morocco on the night of 18-19 September (1976)."

According to the Moroccan official, the Gendarmerie had received calls from Agadir, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Kenitra, and other areas reporting UFO sightings between 0100 and 0130 hours on the night of September 18-19. The reports from these widely separated locations were remarkably similar: the object was on a southwest to northeast course, had a silvery luminous circular shape, emitted intermittent trails of bright sparks and fragments, and made no noise. The Moroccan official promised further details and asked for any information CAUS might have.

On September 24th, the ambassador and the Moroccan official met again. The ambassador's account notes that he met with "DATT" (identified as possibly Defense Attache) and provided a summary of the sightings. DATT was shown drawings of the UFOs prepared by individuals who had sighted them. The sightings varied from 0100 to 0200 hours on September 19th, with most occurring between 0100 and 0130. There was general agreement that the UFO was proceeding on an approximately south to north course, parallel to the Moroccan Atlantic coast, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 meters, with no sound.

Descriptions of the UFO fell into two categories: a silver colored luminous flattened ball (disc-shaped) or a large luminous tube-shaped object. Observers reported intermittent bright sparks from the rear. DATT himself had sighted a UFO while returning from Kenitra, describing it as flying parallel to the coast at a slow speed, initially appearing disc-shaped, then becoming tubular as it came closer.

Ambassador Anderson concluded his report expressing intrigue at the similarity of descriptions from dispersed locations and requested assistance in responding to the inquiry.

On October 2, 1976, Asst. Sec. Irving drafted a response to Anderson's request, stating, "Hope to have answer for you next week." On October 5th, the "answer" was transmitted, drafted by J.G. Dardis. The subject was "Moroccan Request For Info-UFOs." The response primarily referenced the Condon Committee findings, stating that sightings "can be explained in many ways" by natural or artificial phenomena, but noted that no such phenomena were known in the area of the Moroccan sightings. The response's "piece de resistance" was the statement: "The whole subject of UFOs has been one of much controversy. At present, there is no USG (U.S. government) agency studying this matter, the view being that such sightings, where sufficiently detailed and reliable data are available, can be attributed to natural causes and that further study is not warranted."

The article questions why, if the U.S. government has no interest, these reports are transmitted to the CIA, NSA, Air Force, and other military/intelligence components. It also questions the omission of the Iranian incident, which occurred concurrently and had similar characteristics. The six-month delay in releasing this "mundane" information is also highlighted as suspicious.

NASA Responds to CAUS Appeal

This section reports on NASA's response to a CAUS appeal regarding NASA's relations with the CIA. On May 23, 1978, Kenneth R. Chapman, Associate Administrator for External Relations, responded on behalf of NASA Administrator Dr. Frosch. Chapman assured CAUS that a letter from Mr. Waggoner on March 2, 1978, stated that NASA had queried the CIA regarding classified data sources pertinent to recommendations in a letter (referring to Dr. Frosch's letter to Dr. Press of December 21, 1977, not Dr. Hinners' memo of November 8, 1977).

Chapman explained that a memo titled "UFO Study Considerations" was prepared solely by NASA employees and not coordinated with the CIA or any other agency. He confirmed that Mr. Waggoner was correct in stating there were no meetings or correspondence with the CIA on the subject of Dr. Frosch's letter. NASA specifically queried the CIA by telephone to ascertain if they were aware of any tangible or physical UFO evidence that could be analyzed, and the CIA responded they were aware of no such evidence, classified or unclassified.

After denying any improper behavior by NASA employees, Chapman stated, "I can assure you that NASA was not persuaded by anyone under any pretext to take any particular position on the UFO question; Dr. Frosch's letter of December 21, 1977, is, I feel, explicit as to our willingness to investigate such physical evidence as may be brought before us."

The author of the article interprets Chapman's statement as NASA calling the CIA to ask if they had any UFOs at Langley, to which the CIA said no. The author finds this illogical, especially after Dr. Frosch's letter stated there was no tangible UFO evidence. The author speculates that NASA may have queried the CIA for advice on handling Dr. Press's request, and the CIA advised NASA to stay out of UFOs, providing the basis for turning down the request. This speculation suggests that NASA, after formulating its response, checked with the CIA to ensure they weren't revealing too much.

U.S. Agencies Scratch Heads Over Bolivian Incident

This article discusses a reported UFO crash near the Bolivia/Argentina border around May 6, 1978. CAUS made phone calls to NASA and the State Department, both of which denied investigating the incident but admitted receiving messages pertaining to it from the U.S. embassy in La Paz, Bolivia. These messages reportedly contained rumors and reports from the Bolivian and Argentine press, with no first-hand sources cited.

Col. Robert Eddington of the State Department revealed that a classified message from La Paz contained reports from U.S. personnel who investigated the suspected crash site. Their report, however, stated the crash was unsubstantiated and no first-hand witnesses were found. CAUS has filed FOIA requests for these messages.

CAUS also spoke with Bob Pratt, the National Enquirer's UFO expert, who had returned from Bolivia. Pratt reported speaking with Bolivian witnesses who saw the object execute maneuvers before exploding and crashing. There were two explosions, the first being tremendous and heard 85 miles away. Pratt also flew over the suspected crash site and identified a recent landslide with signs of searing (burning).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of JUST CAUSE are government secrecy surrounding UFO phenomena, the efforts of civilian organizations like CAUS to uncover information through legal means (FOIA, discovery motions), and the reporting of specific UFO sightings and incidents. The editorial stance is clearly one of skepticism towards official explanations and a strong belief that government agencies, particularly the CIA and NASA, are withholding information and potentially involved in a cover-up. The newsletter actively promotes its own investigations and makes documents available to the public, positioning itself as a source of alternative information and a watchdog against perceived governmental obfuscation.

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: Vol. 1 - No. 3
Date: 1978
Publisher: JUST CAUSE
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of JUST CAUSE, dated 1978, focuses on UFO-related investigations and alleged cover-ups, featuring reports on a purported UFO crash in Bolivia, a debunked CE-III case in Las Vegas, and an interview with a retired Air Force Colonel regarding a 1948 saucer recovery.

Bolivian UFO Crash Story

The magazine details the investigation of a journalist named Pratt into an alleged UFO crash in Bolivia. Pratt claimed to have spoken with witnesses and suggested the U.S. government was unaware of the incident, which he believed was buried under a landslide. CAUS contacted Col. Eddington of the State Department, who stated that his department had found no evidence supporting Pratt's claims. Subsequently, Pratt reported that the story had been "killed" by an editor and he intended to rewrite it. The article notes the mystery surrounding the event and Pratt's potential reliance on sources with language barriers, raising questions about the accuracy of the information.

Government Attitude Towards UFOs

The publication critiques the U.S. government's stance on UFO investigations, describing personnel as "deathly afraid of making any statement" that could be construed as investigating UFOs. It suggests this caution is partly due to pressure from groups labeled as "skeptics" who are critical of government agencies paying attention to such reports. The article likens these skeptics to those who doubted historical advancements like flight.

CAUS Assists in CUFOS Investigations: Las Vegas CE-III

CAUS provided assistance to Al Hendry of CUFOS in investigating an alleged Close Encounter of the Third Kind (CE-III) in Las Vegas. The witnesses claimed harassment by Air Force/MIB types, including the death of their dog and confiscation of a UFO carcass by these agents. However, inconsistencies emerged during the investigation. The witnesses initially claimed fear and a threat of a lawsuit from a vet, then stated a lawyer advised them not to disclose the vet's name. Later, it was revealed that there were no MIB visits, no vet, and no confiscation of a carcass, leading CAUS to conclude the harassment claims were a hoax, though the witness still maintained a CE-III had occurred. Al Hendry's report on this case is slated for a forthcoming issue of IUR magazine.

Air Force Colonel Contacted About Involvement With Crashed Saucer

This section reports on CAUS and an NBC reporter contacting retired Air Force Colonel John B about his alleged role in the recovery of a crashed saucer on the U.S./Mexico border in 1948. The Colonel's brother, an NSA expert, and his nephew, a former crypto repairman, had previously confirmed his involvement in cordoning off the area. During the conversation, the Colonel was evasive, questioning the value of such information and suggesting that if it were true, disclosure would be for "very important reasons" or could result in millions. He ultimately declined to discuss the matter further, stating, "there's no use talking about it."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO crash retrievals, government secrecy and obfuscation regarding UFO phenomena, and the challenges of investigating such claims due to witness credibility, language barriers, and potential hoaxes. The editorial stance appears critical of "skeptics" who dismiss UFO reports and supportive of organizations like CAUS and CUFOS that investigate these phenomena, while also acknowledging the complexities and potential for deception in such cases.