Notizie UFO - No 44

Magazine Overview

Title: NOTIZIE UFO
Issue: 44
Date: March 1994
Publisher: CIRCOLARE INFORMATIVA DEL CENTRO ITALIANO STUDI UFOLOGICI (CISU)
Country: Italy

Editorial and Year-End Review

The editorial section reviews CISU's eighth year of activity in 1993. Despite a slow start, the year saw a significant increase in UFO sightings, with over 270 reports collected, far exceeding the annual average of 150-160. Key developments included CISU's presence at the European Parliament, the release of a notable UFO film that brought the topic to public attention, and the establishment of regular correspondence with the Italian Ministry of Defense, resulting in the release of previously unpublished documents. The center's growing media presence led to new testimonies and memberships. CISU also initiated new study projects. The year is described as overwhelmingly positive, encouraging optimism for the coming year. The editorial thanks friends for their Christmas and New Year's greetings.

From the Secretariat

Received Material:

The Secretariat reports on investigation reports received in January and February 1994, available to interested members.

• Arcangelo Cassano (Bari) investigated an unpublished underwater UFO case from August 26, 1984, where three fishermen witnessed a whitish mass emerge from the sea and fly away.
• Claudio Cavallini (Pavia) submitted a detailed report on a case from July 11, 1993, involving a light observed by many people, identified as headlights.
• Corrado Guarisco (Como) provided 13 pages of interviews with local witnesses.
• Sveva Stallone (Milan) interviewed a witness about a possible abduction case in 1959 in the province of Varese.

Donations and Contributions:

Thanks are extended to numerous friends who sent clippings, news, and other UFO-related materials to enhance the Center's archives. A list of these contributors is provided.

Video Archive:

The Secretariat has completed the cataloging of the video material in the Central Archives and is appealing to all members to submit a list of any video recordings they possess. They are interested in all types of video material, including UFO footage, investigations, interviews, TV program recordings, and film copies, requesting details such as content, approximate duration, format, and specific data for TV recordings.

Agenda

Telephone Directory:

The new telephone number for Paolo Toselli (Alessandria) is provided: (0131) 44.38.56.

Activities

CISU at Mysteria:

CISU participated in 'Mysteria,' a traveling exhibition of the unusual and mysterious. The first edition in Milan (December 10-12, 1993) featured a CISU stand with publications and a computer presentation by Maurizio Verga. Verga also gave a conference on 'Extraterrestrials: Are they among us?'. Collaborators for this event included Francesco Antoniazzi, Lorenzo Bartoli, Fabrizio Dividi, Giancarlo D'Alessandro, Roberto Farabone, and Sveva Stallone.

The second edition, 'Profezie,' in Turin (February 4-6, 1994), also included a stand, a photographic exhibition, and two illustrated conferences by Maurizio Verga ('UFO: Messages from the Infinite?') and Gian Paolo Grassino ('UFOs and extraterrestrials in the past?'). The Turin stand management involved members from the local CISU branch, along with Gian Pietro Donati, Emilio Rescigno, and Maurizio Verga.

CISU plans to participate in future editions of Mysteria in Reggio Emilia, Riccione, Florence, Rome, and Milan.

Local Outreach:

Activities by CISU members in the first two months of 1994 are highlighted:

• Edoardo Russo (Turin) was interviewed by the newspaper 'Eco di Bergamo' and local TV station 'Bergamo TV' regarding mysterious tracks found in the snow.
• Marco Bianchini (Siena) was interviewed by 'Tele Idea'.
• Lello Cassano (Bari) participated in a talk show on 'Teie 40'.
• Antonio Blanco and Antonio Rampulla (Catania) published an appeal in 'La Sicilia' for witnesses of the 'IR-3' event.
• Arcangelo Cassano (Bari) was interviewed by 'Corriere del giorno' about his investigation into a September sighting.
• Gian Pietro Donati (Novara) was featured in 'Il Nord' for a conference in Trecate.
• The Turin 'Mysteria' exhibition received coverage in local newspapers.
• The publication of 'UFO' magazine issue no. 13 generated numerous articles, particularly concerning statistics from the Ministry of Defense, disseminated by the Adn-Kronos agency.

Sightings

Autumn: The End of the Wave

This section summarizes Italian UFO sighting reports from the last quarter of 1993, emphasizing that these reports are preliminary and require evaluation.

• October 5, Ferrara: A woman observed a blue ball with smaller red balls, emitting light and sound.
• October 6, Rimini: Multiple people saw a large metallic object with three yellow lights flying at low altitude.
• October 7, Bancareno (Ferrara): A woman observed two large lights in the sky with a cone of light projected upwards.
• October 7, Poggio Renatico (Ferrara): Two large white spherical lights were seen rotating, with a cone of light directed downwards.
• October 9, Gardolo (TN): A strange light in the sky was reported.
• October 9, Torre del Lago and Capezzano (LU): A luminous circle in the sky that expanded and contracted rhythmically was reported.
• October 10, Foligno (PG): Six to seven red-orange lights were observed in a circle, then forming a horseshoe shape and moving rapidly northeast.
• October 10, Genivolta (CR): An intense red disc surrounded by smaller fireballs was observed.
• October 10/11, San Vito Chietino (CH): A luminous ball was seen flying vertically, stopping for nearly half an hour, then moving east.
• October 10, Colognole (LI): A luminous beam capable of illuminating treetops was seen.
• October 11, Civitavecchia (RM): A cigar-shaped luminous object followed by a white smoke trail was observed.
• October 14, Varazze (SV): A white halo-like object was seen rotating clockwise.
• October 15, Cantù (CO): Lights were seen chasing each other in the sky, forming a larger circle.
• October 16, Uscio and Avegno (GE): Mysterious discs emitting luminous rays were observed.
• October 23, Palermo: A large, plate-shaped object with red and green lights was observed descending.
• October 25, Uzzano (PT): An orange light remained stationary in the sky before disappearing.
• October 26, Cantù (CO): A huge light rotating in the sky was observed.
• October 26, Alessandria: A fiery globe suspended in the sky was observed.
• November 5, Ardenza (LI): An intense light moved rapidly across the sky.
• November 5, Capodichino (NA): A grey sack-like object with lights was observed entering and exiting clouds.
• November 7, Syracuse: A green humanoid figure, about 1.20 meters tall, was observed levitating and then flying away.
• November 7, Syracuse: A small luminous sphere was observed chasing an airplane.
• November 9 (approx.), Syracuse: Two small figures, about one meter tall with large heads, were seen walking slowly.
• November 10, Santeramo in Colle (BA): Three lights were seen chasing each other in the sky.
• November 17, Serrone (FR): A bright light descended rapidly over a mountain and disappeared.
• November 24, Cireglio (PT): A circular luminous object was seen crossing the sky and appearing to fall behind a mountain.
• December 5, Grugliasco (TO): A dark, triangular object with black markings was observed and filmed.
• December 12, Genoa: Two merchants saw lights descending into the sea, moving underwater, and then taking off.
• December 12, San Salvo (CH): A strange light moving among the clouds was reported.
• December 13, Udine: Something strange in the sky was reported.
• December 16, Silvi Marina (TE): A grey luminous object, resembling two stacked bowls, flew slowly along the coast.
• December 17 (approx.), Badalucco (IM): Three large, color-changing lights were observed moving above a mountain.
• December 25, Montenero (LI): Small lights were seen rotating near a car and then moving above the vehicle.
• December 26/27, Montenero (LI): A luminous globe was observed hovering over a hill.
• December 27, Castel Boccale (LI): Strange lights were observed rising from the sea.

1994: A New Year

The year 1994 began with several sightings, including trace cases and two third-type encounters.

• January 1, Pescara: A luminous yellow sphere was seen moving rapidly away.
• January 1, Gorizia: Beams of light forming a circle were observed.
• January 3, Capodanno (Bergamo province): Rectangular impressions were found in the snow.
• January 9, Finale Ligure (SV): Two evanescent bodies were observed in the sky.
• January 16, Cimaferle (AL): Rectangular impressions were found in the garden snow.
• January 26, Biella (VC): A triangular object with flashing white lights was observed moving in the sky.
• February 1, Badalucco (IM): A car's electronics failed when a large luminous object was observed overhead.

Information

False Alien Photos:

This section addresses the case of a young ceramist from Pretare di Arquata del Tronto who claimed to have photographed an alien. Investigations revealed that the 'alien' was a puppet made of clay, and the photos were staged. The individual was charged with disseminating news likely to disturb public order.

Radio-TV Listening Center:

A list of national television programs that discussed UFOs in the fourth quarter of 1993 is provided, with asterisks indicating programs available in the CISU Video Archive. The list includes shows like 'I fatti vostri,' 'Schegge,' and 'Unopertutti,' as well as UFO-themed films and telefilms.

UFO in CD-ROM:

A new multimedia UFO software for CD-ROM, developed in the USA, is now available in Italy. It contains approximately 2,000 UFO sightings from around the world, with features like case retrieval by year, type, and geography, descriptions, sound commentary, and 200 photographic images. It also includes about twenty UFO-related films. A reduced version is also available on floppy disks. While the product is noted as being less accurate in its UFO analysis, it is considered a valuable resource for computer-savvy enthusiasts.

Reports with Official Bodies

CISU has maintained extensive correspondence with the Italian Ministry of Defense and the 2nd Department of the General Staff of the Italian Air Force. This has resulted in the release of statistical reports on UFO sightings collected by the Air Force from 1979 to 1990. The project aims to obtain information from all public authorities that receive or collect UFO-related data, including the Carabinieri, State Police, Firefighters, State Forestry Corps, Civil Protection, and air traffic controllers. While responses have provided a comprehensive picture of each entity's involvement, the overall interest in UFO phenomena within the Ministry of Defense is considered to be of low priority, with obstacles arising from mentality and bureaucratic practices rather than a conspiracy of silence. CISU believes that some of the data collected by the Ministry could be useful for their studies and will continue to request its release.

International UFO Publications

This section reviews recent issues of various international UFO magazines:

• Flying Saucer Review (UK): Discusses British UFO sightings and the 'abduction' phenomenon.
• Phenomena (France): Features articles on close encounters and mysterious aerial sounds.
• Perspectivas Ufologicas (Mexico): A new magazine with a skeptical but open editorial board, focusing on Mexican cases.
• Los Identificados (Argentina): A collection of counter-investigations into IR-3 cases.
• UFO Universe (USA): Known for its sensationalist style but occasionally features serious ufological articles.
• UFO Times (UK): Debates whether ufologists should focus on psychological support for abductees.
• International UFO Reporter (USA): Features an article on archaeological research at Roswell and an analysis of public opinion on UFOs.
• Cuadernos de Ufologia (Spain): Includes a monograph on ufology in the former USSR.
• UFOmagazin (Hungary): A monthly illustrated magazine with growing international connections.
• MUFON UFO Journal (USA): Discusses the folklore of abductions and criminal investigation techniques.

Other publications received include Flying Saucer Review, UFO Universe, Journal of Fortean Research, Journal Fur UFO Forschung, UFO (Poland), Fate, La Ligne Bleue Survolée, Karma 7, Magazin Fur GrenzWissenschaft, UFO Newsfile, UFO Encounters, Just Cause, UFO Potpourri, and Ufomania.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the extensive reporting of UFO sightings across Italy, the ongoing investigative work of CISU members, the organization's efforts to engage with official bodies and disseminate information, and the international landscape of UFO research through various publications. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent research, data collection, and a commitment to understanding the UFO phenomenon, while maintaining a critical perspective on sensationalism and debunking hoaxes. There is a clear emphasis on scientific investigation and collaboration, even with official entities, while acknowledging the limitations and bureaucratic hurdles encountered.