1994 04 00 OMNI - Stacy - Cosmic Conspiracy - Article 1 of 6

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: April 1994
Theme: The UFO Conspiracy: 50 Years of Close Encounters

This issue of OMNI delves into the complex and often secretive world of UFOs, conspiracy theories, and government cover-ups, marking the 50th anniversary of significant close encounters. The magazine presents a multi-faceted exploration, including alleged Russian research, personal accounts of abduction, and a critical examination of how government agencies handle and conceal information related to unidentified aerial phenomena.

The UFO Conspiracy: The Cover Story

The main cover headline, "THE UFO CONSPIRACY," sets the tone for the issue, promising an exposé on government involvement and secrecy surrounding UFOs. The cover art features a dramatic depiction of a fiery sun, dark, jagged formations, a red disc, and a futuristic craft, hinting at extraterrestrial encounters and advanced technology. Sub-headlines highlight "RUSSIAN SECRET SAUCER RESEARCH," "AN ABDUCTEE SPEAKS," and "INSIDE THE MILITARY/UFO UNDERGROUND: BREAKING THE SILENCE BARRIER," indicating the breadth of topics covered.

Cosmic Conspiracy: Six Decades of Government UFO Cover-Ups – Part One

This feature article by Dennis Stacy revisits the seminal Roswell incident of July 1947. It begins with the dramatic account of ranch foreman Mac Brazel discovering unusual debris after a loud explosion near Corona, New Mexico. The debris, described as lightweight but durable, was brought to Roswell Army Air Field. The initial press release from the base commander admitted the recovery of a "disc," a statement that generated significant media attention. However, this was quickly superseded by a press conference held by Brig. Gen. Roger Ramey in Fort Worth, Texas, where the debris was presented as that of a weather balloon with a radar reflector. Stanton Friedman, a nuclear physicist and UFO researcher, asserts that this event marked the beginning of a "Cosmic Watergate," an ongoing government cover-up of its knowledge about extraterrestrial UFOs. The article contrasts the government's official narrative with the persistent belief among researchers that a significant cover-up has taken place, involving the recovery of crashed saucers and alien bodies.

Freedom Fighters Handbook: The Official Freedom of Information Act How-To for Investigating UFOs

This section, authored by Paul McCarthy, provides a practical guide for UFO researchers on how to use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to access government documents. It clarifies that FOIA does not guarantee automatic access but grants the right to request information, which agencies can deny through various exemptions (e.g., national security, criminal investigations, privacy). The article highlights that while thousands of pages of UFO documents have been released over 20 years, none definitively prove a government cover-up, but they do suggest the existence of vast amounts of unreleased files.

It details specific FOIA efforts, such as the case involving Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS) and the National Security Agency (NSA), where documents were heavily redacted, leading to the conclusion that the government has secrets to hide. The article also touches upon the difficulties researchers face, including the loss or misplacement of documents, witnesses dying, and the reluctance of individuals to speak due to secrecy oaths or fear of ridicule. The role of entities like Project Blue Book, the Air Force's public UFO investigative agency, is questioned, with researchers like Stanton Friedman suggesting it was a public relations exercise while more significant reports were handled through top-secret channels.

Your Eyes Only: Omni's Top Tips for Accessing Classified Material on UFOs

This sidebar offers practical advice for UFO researchers navigating the FOIA process. It suggests using creative language in requests to avoid automatic rejection based on keywords like "UFO." Researchers are advised to request specific paragraphs or sentences, not just entire documents, to gauge the extent of an agency's knowledge. Another tactic involves requesting documents that are known to exist, thereby forcing agencies to either produce them or admit to their non-existence, potentially tripping them up. The section also mentions "Project Moon Dust" and "Project Blue Fly," described as efforts to retrieve man-made space objects that reenter the atmosphere.

Side-Stepping the FOIA

This section explores alternative strategies employed by UFO researchers when FOIA proves insufficient. It mentions Clifford Stone's efforts to get the military to admit to running UFO retrieval projects and his FOIA requests for files from the 696th Intelligence Group. The article also discusses the ongoing efforts of researchers like Don Schmitt, who has filed FOIA requests related to the Roswell incident, including one on behalf of Mac Brazel's family seeking medical examination records. The existence of secrecy oaths signed by military personnel involved with UFOs is also raised as a significant barrier.

Key Incidents and Cases Mentioned

• Roswell Incident (July 1947): Discovery of debris by Mac Brazel, initial military admission of a "disc," later retracted to a weather balloon. Stanton Friedman views this as the start of a "Cosmic Watergate."
• NORAD Alert (October/November 1975): Sensitive military bases were put on alert status due to a series of sightings.
• Kirtland Air Force Base Sighting (August 8, 1980): A landed light was reported near the base.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are government secrecy, the challenges of accessing classified information, and the persistent mystery surrounding UFO phenomena. OMNI adopts a stance of investigative journalism, presenting the arguments and findings of researchers like Stanton Friedman and Steven Aftergood, while also acknowledging the official government narratives and the complexities of the FOIA process. The magazine positions itself as a platform for exploring these controversial topics, aiming to shed light on what it terms the "UFO Conspiracy" and the government's role in managing public perception and information.

The editorial stance appears to be one that questions official accounts and encourages a deeper investigation into the UFO phenomenon, highlighting the discrepancies between government statements and the evidence sought by researchers. The series of articles aims to provide a historical perspective on UFO investigations and government actions, suggesting a long-standing pattern of obfuscation and secrecy.