JUST CAUSE

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: Vol. 1, No. 8
Date: September 1979
Publisher: Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS)
Country: United States of America
Language: English

This issue of JUST CAUSE, published by Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS), focuses on the ongoing struggle to obtain UFO-related documents from U.S. government agencies, particularly the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (USAF OSI). The magazine highlights legal actions, bureaucratic stonewalling, and the potential national security implications of unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

GSW & CIA at Odds Over Release of UFO Papers

This article by Larry W. Bryant details the legal battle between Ground Saucer Watch, Inc. (GSW) and the CIA. CAUS Legal Advisor Peter A. Gersten is involved in this case, which has seen the CIA allegedly unwilling to entertain new FOIA requests until the existing lawsuit is concluded. This policy effectively halts the release of any further UFO data beyond what has already been provided to GSW. Bryant recounts his own FOI request from nearly a year prior for records pertaining to the CIA's coordination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on UFO intelligence, which was met with a dismissive response from George W. Owens of the CIA's Information and Privacy Office. Owens stated that such documents would be covered by the ongoing litigation, making a separate request a 'meaningless activity.'

The article further criticizes the CIA's use of bureaucratic delay tactics, including a high records-search fee for a request concerning the 'George Adamski FO Contactee dossier.' The CIA claims this dossier was not part of the GSW complaint, despite Adamski's name appearing in GSW's interrogatories. Based on the CIA's 'orchestrated, censored release' of documents and contradictory statements, Gersten has filed a 'Notice of Motion for an Order Adjudging Defendant CIA and Its Employee in Civil Contempt.'

Stonewalling at USAF's OSI

This section reports on CAUS's FOI request to the Commander of the USAF Office of Special Investigations (OSI) for documents related to a defunct U.S. Army 'Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit.' The OSI's response, via Rudolph M. Schellhammer, claimed no information was found and suggested any records might have been incorporated into the Project Blue Book files transferred to the National Archives. CAUS views this as a denial and has filed a formal appeal, arguing that the OSI has failed to account for the disposition of these records. The article includes a printout from the Defense Central Index of Investigations, identifying file numbers related to 'Interplanetary Phenomenon' and 'Unidentified Flying Objects,' all marked as 'DESTROYED.' CAUS is prepared to add this matter to its FOI litigation docket if the OSI does not provide formal documentation of transfer or destruction.

Hq Potpourri

This section addresses the irregular publishing schedule of Just Cause, attributing it to the preoccupation of former editor W. Todd Zechel with the 'crashed saucer' investigation and assistant editor Brad C. Sparks with a book-length project. CAUS is extending subscriptions to ensure members receive at least 12 issues. The magazine appeals to its members for support in the form of procedural tips, news items, story leads, and FOI request results to help counter 'official UFO secrecy.' Back issues are available as xerographic copies for $2.00 each.

$ UFO PAPERS $

CAUS's document-sales project is suspended due to management issues. Members with unfilled orders are asked to contact CAUS for a settlement.

NEW HOPE FOR FOI ACTIVISM

This section highlights the Fund for Open Information and Accountability, Inc. (FOIA), an organization working to protect the Freedom of Information Act. An article from FOIA's newsletter, Update, details a lawsuit being prepared to prevent the FBI from destroying politically and historically significant files, which may include UFO-related documents. CAUS encourages members to support FOIA financially or by subscribing to Update.

Press Conference Announcement

A notice announces a press conference on Thursday, October 25, 1979, at 1:00 p.m. at Metromedia, where attorney Peter A. Gersten, on behalf of CAUS, will present 'unsettling disclosures concerning unidentified flying objects' (UFOs). The disclosures will be based on documentary evidence, including a recently released National Security Agency document, and will frame UFOs as a potential threat to national security. Gersten will announce further lawsuits against agencies withholding UFO documents and call for a congressional investigation. Documents from various agencies, including the Air Force, CIA, DIA, NSA, FBI, and Department of State, will be distributed to the press.

Press Release: UFOs and National Security

This press release, issued by Rothblatt, Rothblatt, Seijas & Peskin on behalf of Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS), details the findings from 3000 pages of UFO-related documents released by the U.S. government over the past year. CAUS reports that these documents expose a government policy to debunk UFO sightings and minimize their significance, continually misinforming the American public. The government's official position is that UFOs pose no threat to national security and do not represent extraterrestrial vehicles. However, the documents reveal a consistent government interest in UFOs, with hundreds of sightings reported by credible individuals worldwide. Specific incidents are cited: FBI documents from 1948-1950 showing concern over sightings near sensitive installations; a 1952 CIA document noting unexplained objects at high altitudes and speeds near defense installations; a 1975 State Department document about sightings near Algerian military installations; and 1975 DoD, Air Force, and CIA documents detailing UFO sightings near nuclear weapons storage and alert areas at multiple U.S. and Canadian bases, some confirmed by radar and demonstrating 'clear intent.'

Further documents include a 1976 DIA report on an Iranian F-4 jet encounter with a UFO, resulting in loss of instrumentation and weapon control panel function, described as an 'outstanding report' due to witness credibility, radar confirmation, and reported electromagnetic and physiological effects. A CIA document indicates a government official requested an immediate investigation into UFOs reported over Morocco prior to the Iranian incident. A 1978 State Department document notes Kuwait appointing an investigatory committee due to UFO sightings affecting oil field equipment. The evidence suggests UFOs have unrestricted access to sensitive installations and can cause electromagnetic effects, posing a threat to national security.

A 1978 French governmental UFO study group (GEPAN) concluded that the phenomena likely involve 'flying machines whose modes of sustenance and propulsion are beyond our knowledge.' The analysis also reveals a consistent government policy of secrecy and withholding of UFO information since at least 1952. A 1977 account from an Air Force technician describes a Cuban MIG-21 pilot encountering and being destroyed by a UFO, with related reports forwarded to the NSA. The CIA and NSA admit to withholding UFO documents, while the Air Force withholds information on 'unknown tracks.'

Due to this withholding, CAUS is filing two lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia: one against the NSA to release its UFO files and the Cuban incident report, and another against the Air Force for its 'unknown tracks' reports. Additionally, CAUS plans to ask the court to enjoin the CIA from withholding 57 documents.

A 1968 NSA document titled 'UFO Hypothesis and Survival Questions' suggests UFOs have 'serious survival implications' and calls for an immediate, emergency response to investigate potential threats. CAUS questions whether UFOs pose a survival threat and calls upon Congress to launch a full-scale inquiry into the government's investigation of this potential national security threat.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Just Cause are government secrecy surrounding UFO phenomena, the use of the Freedom of Information Act as a tool for transparency, and the potential national security implications of UFOs. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of full disclosure and public awareness, actively challenging government agencies that are perceived as withholding information and engaging in cover-up tactics. CAUS positions itself as a watchdog organization dedicated to uncovering the truth about UFOs and holding the government accountable.

This document is a single page, labeled "Page -6-", from a publication that appears to be focused on UFO phenomena. The content is a statement or call to action from an organization named CAUS.

CAUS's Demands for UFO Document Handling The primary focus of the page is a three-point proposal by CAUS directed at the United States government regarding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

1. Reverse Stance on Investigation: CAUS calls for the United States to reverse its current position, which they characterize as deeming further scientific investigation of UFOs unwarranted.
2. Declassify and Release Documents: The organization demands the immediate declassification and release of all UFO-related documents. This release should exclude only those documents that legitimately affect national security.
3. Waive Fees: CAUS insists on the unconditional waiver of all search and copying fees associated with obtaining UFO documents.

Call for Public Information and Re-appraisal Beyond government actions, CAUS also appeals to the American public. They urge individuals to come forward with any information they possess concerning UFOs and what CAUS perceives as the government's suppression of UFO evidence. The organization concludes by stating its belief that the time has long passed for an objective re-appraisal of the implications of UFO phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance The recurring themes in this excerpt are government transparency, the importance of UFO research, and the need for public engagement with the topic of UFOs. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of open access to information and a serious, objective consideration of UFO phenomena, positioning CAUS as an advocate for these principles.