The UFO Enigma - 2000 10 - Volume 21 no 2

Magazine Overview

The UFO Enigma, Volume 21, Number 2, published in October 2000 by the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, is a monthly publication focused on UFO phenomena. This issue features a prominent talk by UFO investigator and abductee Beverly Trout, reports on various UFO sightings and encounters, and discusses perceived government secrecy and lack of disclosure.

UFO Study Group Meeting

The issue announces an upcoming meeting of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis on Sunday, October 8, 2000, at 2 PM at Grone's Cafeteria in St. Louis, MO. The meeting includes an introduction of officers, an open discussion of UFO information, and a special program featuring Beverly Trout. The location is described as a fine cafeteria with good food at reasonable prices, with the room reserved for members and visitors to have lunch.

Guest Speaker: Beverly Trout

Beverly Trout, described as a nationally known UFO investigator-abductee, was scheduled to lecture on "Philosophical Mathematics of Alien Abduction." Her topic suggests that conventional logic (2+2=4) may not apply in UFOlogy. Her experience as a MUFON State Director for Iowa and researcher in various UFO phenomena, including crop formations and animal mutilations, leads her to advocate for a new challenge: "2+2= Open-minded= Open-ended= Change!" She engages audiences with responses and emotional reactions and was a featured speaker at the 1999 MUFON Symposium in Arlington, Virginia, emphasizing the need for change in human-alien interaction.

Southern Missouri Activity Increases

JoAnne D. Scarpellini reports on increased aerial phenomena in Southern Missouri during the Winter of 1999-2000, including white and orange/amber lights. After a lull in early spring, activity resumed in late July and early August with reports of multiple orange lights and white "strobe-like" lights arcing from the ground. These displays, sometimes numbering 50-75 lights, resembled fireworks but were uniform in color, motion, and duration. The report also details three specific incidents of a white light seen at nearly ground level by multiple witnesses driving on a US Highway. The light consistently appeared at the same place and hour, moving South to North. In one instance, two lights were seen, resembling headlights; in others, a single light. The light crossed ditches and the road with a bouncing motion (seven bounces in about 6 seconds in one case) or moved smoothly. The witnesses initially mistook it for a car. The article also mentions sightings of lights hovering over treetops.

Aerial Lights Photography

Page 4 discusses attempts to photograph the aerial lights in Southern Missouri, noting limited success due to brief appearances and camera battery issues. A series of still photos shows the appearance and disappearance of a large orange light, which is described as a common phenomenon in the area. The lights appear to multiply, brighten, dim, and then extinguish within seconds, though occasionally lasting up to 5 minutes. The print is black and white. The goal is to gather more information to develop a theory about the lights' nature and origin. These phenomena have occurred over an area up to eighty miles long. The article also addresses reports of "black, burned appearing" circles (fungus rings) found in July, distinguishing them from crop circles and noting they were not related to the ongoing aerial phenomena.

UFO Newsclipping Service

This section includes a clipping from the Daily Mail, London, dated July 28, 2000, titled "Forget the aliens – our art is top of the crops." It features an interview with crop circle artist Wil Russell, who argues that complex crop circles can be made by humans. He describes creating a 300ft formation near Avebury stone circle. Russell states that while they are not trying to deceive, they believe crop circles catalyze paranormal and transcendental experiences. He explains that making circles is an art form and that the public reaction is fascinating, leading to experiences of nausea, dizziness, euphoria, healing, and domestic electrical failure.

Rense.com Article: A Year Of UFO/ET Disclosure...Or Disinformation?

Joseph Held writes about the perceived lack of UFO disclosure in the year 2000. He notes that despite hopes for disclosure, the opposite seems to be occurring. He cites NASA's release of 25,000 Mars Global Surveyor images and their announcement of possible liquid water on Mars as examples of information that, while seemingly significant, ultimately serves NASA's funding needs and does not constitute true disclosure. Held criticizes the announcement about water, pointing out that liquid water was reportedly discovered 20 years prior from Viking photos. He suggests NASA is influenced by the Military Industrial Complex. The article also mentions reports debunking crop circles, with Colin Andrews claiming 80% are hoaxes and the rest caused by Earth's magnetic field, a claim made without published evidence but widely reported. The Rockefeller Institute's funding of Andrews is noted, linking the name to alleged UFO cover-ups. Finally, the article touches on a 13-year Soviet Union study of UFO reports, whose conclusion was that there are no UFOs in Russia and that reports are fabricated.

Russian UFO Reports and NSA Documents

The article continues by discussing the Russian conclusion that UFO reports are fabricated and unreliable, despite witness claims. It then shifts to the NSA releasing previously classified UFO documents, which has led to a surge of public interest and website traffic. However, the documents are heavily redacted, leading to suspicion. The article also briefly mentions a promise of UFO disclosure by George W. Bush during his campaign, which the author views skeptically given his family's ties to the CIA and the oil industry.

Conclusion on Disclosure and Researcher's Role

Held concludes that things have not changed, and UFO believers are still labeled as 'whackos.' He asserts that despite overwhelming evidence, the phenomenon is ignored by mainstream scientists and the media. He believes governments have worked to keep the truth from the public. The author urges researchers to remain open-minded, gather evidence, and acknowledges the difficulty of achieving true disclosure due to numerous vested interests. He suggests that the government will continue to undermine public understanding and that it is up to individuals to dig deeper.

Quotes from Ronald Reagan

Two quotes attributed to Ronald Reagan are included: one about global unity in the face of an extraterrestrial threat, and another suggesting an alien force might already be among us, with only a few people knowing the truth.

C-COM: Accidents With Invisible Objects

This section, edited from an article by Jim Wentworth, presents cases of accidents involving unseen objects or UFOs.

Niagara Falls Incident (1963)

A private aircraft, CF-LVJ, on a sightseeing trip over Niagara Falls, Canada, struck an "invisible" object, shearing off nearly half of its left wing. The plane crashed, killing all aboard. Investigators found the sheared-off wing portion missing and determined the wing had not broken due to fatigue but appeared to have been struck by an invisible wall or force.

Lake Ontario Incident (September 1970)

Another private aircraft, CF-OUR, near Lake Ontario, Canada, hit an invisible barrier, breaking off ten feet of its right wing and crashing, resulting in the deaths of four people.

Ground Incident (1959-1960)

John Keel documented an incident where a car traveling on a deserted road in New Hampshire, USA, suddenly crashed into an "invisible brick wall." The front of the car was smashed, but the occupants were unharmed. No object was visible on the road.

UFO-Car Collisions

The article references Coral and Jim Lorenzen's book "Encounters With UFO Occupants" for cases of UFO-car collisions. One specific case involved Robert Richardson and Jerry Quay driving near Whitehouse, Ohio, on July 13, 1967. They encountered a "very brilliant blue-white source of light" blocking the road. Richardson braked hard, and upon impact, the object vanished. Skid marks were found, and Richardson's car sustained dents and scratches, with chrome plating stripped from the bumper.

Kinross UFO Jet-Chase (November 23, 1953)

Near the Soo Locks in Ontario, Canada, a UFO was detected by radar. A U.S. Air Force F-89 jet interceptor, piloted by Lt. Felix E. Moncla, Jr., and radar observer Lt. R. L. Wilson, was scrambled to intercept. Ground radar tracked the F-89 closing in on the UFO over Lake Superior. The two radar blips merged and then faded. The plane and its crew were never found. A stunned radar officer commented that the blip "apparently just swallowed" the F-89. Search efforts found no trace of the aircraft or its occupants.

UFO Roundup: High-Flying UFOs and Flying Humanoid

High-Flying UFOs Seen South of Kansas City (September 18, 2000)

D.A. of Prairie Village, Kansas, reported seeing two bright white objects moving southwest to northeast. He described them as high up, triangle-shaped, moving fast with no sound or vapor trail. He watched for about a minute and a half, noting the absence of other aircraft. The objects were white and triangular, moving very fast.

Flying Humanoid and UFO Reported in Italy (August 17-18, 2000)

In Carozzo, Italy, witnesses reported seeing an "umanoide volante" (flying humanoid), described as "like Batman," careening through the sky. In Pianella, Italy, two farm workers observed a circular, light gray object, approximately 10 meters in diameter, with blinking green and red lights.

Canada British Columbia Sightings

This section details several UFO sightings in British Columbia, Canada, during August 2000:

• Lake Cowichan (August 3, 2000): Three witnesses observed reoccurring UFO sightings, initially one object moving in a triangular pattern, then about a dozen UFOs appearing. They were described as red, green, blue, and orange, with blue/green tracers, moving erratically and rapidly.
• Pitt Lake (August 4, 2000): A bright white light, larger than any star or satellite, suddenly appeared and moved erratically before fading.
• Vancouver Island (August 7, 2000): A woman observed a shiny ball-like object reflecting sunlight. It flew towards Powell River, stopped, reversed course, and climbed at incredible speed, disappearing in seconds.
• Proctor Ferry (August 17, 2000): Witnesses saw an object with red, blue, and green flickering lights moving up, down, left, and right without noise. It eventually landed on a nearby mountaintop.
• Surrey (August 21, 2000): A witness saw a bright light "appear" on her left, traveling quickly at 500 to 1000 feet, heading north with red and green lights. It disappeared from view within 20 seconds.
• Shawnigan Lake (August 21, 2000): A spectacular fireball with a green center and a bright yellow tail was seen coming down over the south island, flaring brightly at one point and then breaking into pieces.

White Rock Sighting (August 21, 2000)

A witness in White Rock looked out her window around midnight and saw a bright white diamond-shaped light traveling south to north. As she turned away, an hour seemed to have passed when she looked back. A car alarm went off across the street simultaneously.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of The UFO Enigma include the persistent reporting of UFO sightings and aerial phenomena across various locations, the challenges of investigating and documenting these events, and the ongoing debate surrounding government secrecy and the possibility of disclosure. The magazine appears to maintain a stance that UFOs are a real phenomenon, often ignored or actively covered up by mainstream scientific and governmental bodies. The editorial stance encourages critical thinking, open-mindedness, and continued investigation by individuals, highlighting the difficulty of achieving full disclosure due to complex interests.

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue: Oct 2000
Publisher: UFO Newsclipping Service
Date: October 2000

This issue of The UFO Enigma features a prominent article titled "Mystery craft shot through the skies at fantastic speed" by Ron McManus, focusing on the experiences and findings of Nick Pope, a former investigator for the UK Ministry of Defence's UFO Desk (Department 2A).

Nick Pope's Ministry of Defence Experience

The article details Nick Pope's three-year tenure as the 'real-life X-Files man' at the Ministry of Defence, where he was responsible for investigating UFO sightings and alien abduction claims. Pope admits he started the job as a skeptic but emerged as a believer, stating, "I had no interest in UFOs when I took on the job, but it has changed the way I look at the world." Although still a senior civil servant, Pope has since written books on the UFO phenomenon and a sci-fi novel, "Operation Thunder Child," which draws heavily on his discoveries.

Department 2A was established in the 1950s during the Cold War to monitor Soviet activity but soon began receiving baffling reports from RAF pilots and ground radar stations, leading to questions about whether the real threat was from the East or from 'out of this world.' Pope, who ran the department from 1991 to 1994, was surprised to find over 200 files dating back to the 1950s, containing reports from credible sources like pilots and military duty officers. He found evidence of scrambled fighter jets investigating objects and visual sightings corroborated by radar. There were also instances of RAF jets engaging in 'cat and mouse chases' with mystery craft that could evade radar lock-ons and accelerate at unbelievable speeds.

Pope personally investigated around 300 UFO sightings annually. While acknowledging that most sightings had mundane explanations, such as aircraft lights, he estimated that about 5% remained unexplained and, in his opinion, potentially extraterrestrial.

Key UFO Incidents Investigated

The article highlights several significant cases:

The March 31, 1993 Incident

One of the most bizarre cases Pope investigated occurred on the night of March 31, 1993. Numerous calls, including from police officers, reported a strange, triangle-shaped craft moving at incredible speed, then stopping instantly to hover. Reports from trained military observers at RAF bases Cosford and Shawbury described the craft as the size of a jumbo jet, emitting a strange humming noise and firing a beam of light that narrowed as it reached the ground. Initially moving at a slow 30mph, the craft then accelerated at fantastic speed. Despite being spotted by many people and appearing over two RAF bases, it was not detected on radar. Pope investigated fully, even contacting the Americans, but concluded the phenomenon was extraterrestrial, noting that the craft's movements and speed would generate G-forces lethal to humans.

Belgian F-16 Encounters

The description of the 1993 craft was identical to one reported by Belgian authorities three years earlier. Belgian F-16 fighters, capable of speeds around 1200mph, were scrambled to intercept a triangular craft that effortlessly evaded them at speeds estimated at 5000mph.

British Airways Near Miss

In 1995, a similar strange craft made a spectacular appearance when it flashed past a British Airways airliner approaching landing at Manchester. The two sober-minded pilots reported a near miss, a case that remains officially unexplained.

Woodbridge Incident (1980)

Another curious case from Department 2A's files occurred on December 27, 1980, at the joint RAF/USAF base at Woodbridge in Suffolk. Guards investigating strange lights in a nearby wood discovered a strange, metallic, triangular craft. When a larger party, including the base commander, approached, their radios failed, and powerful floodlamps stopped working. The men witnessed a huge, pulsing light with molten metal at its edges. The light then shattered into three pieces, shooting into the sky and remaining visible for hours, occasionally emitting pulses of light or energy.

Public Interest and Official Stance

Pope noted that over the years, many pilots, including senior ones, had reported seeing UFOs but feared ridicule, thus not reporting them officially. He observed a shift towards genuine interest rather than mockery. His books, including "Open Skies, Closed Minds" and "The Uninvited" (which investigated alien abduction and crop circles), had to undergo official vetting, with some files remaining secret. However, he was not considered a maverick, indicating that there are many believers within the MOD and the military.

Pope's new novel also required security clearance. Despite knowing what he knows, he claims to sleep well, stating, "there is no point in worrying about something you can do nothing about." He acknowledges being a changed person, with his eyes opened to a new, uncomfortable world that has turned his previous understanding on its head.

Local Meetings and Organizations

The issue also includes listings for local UFO study groups and meetings:

• UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis: Meets the second Sunday of each month at 2 PM at Grone's Cafeteria, St. Louis, MO. Contact Walter Palmer or Spence Wolling.
• MUFON Missouri-St. Charles, MO: Meets the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Holiday Inn Select, St. Peters, MO. Contact Bruce Widaman.
• MUFON of Southern Illinois: Meets the third Sunday of each month at 2 PM at the Ponderosa Steak House in Collinsville, IL. Contact Forest Crawford.

The UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc. is listed with a P.O. Box in St. Louis, Missouri. The Fund for UFO Research, Inc. is also listed with a P.O. Box in Mt. Rainier, Maryland, identified as a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and investigation of UFOs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, investigations, and personal accounts from credible sources, particularly those with military or official backgrounds. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into unexplained aerial phenomena, presenting evidence and expert opinions without outright dismissal. The inclusion of local group meetings suggests an aim to foster community engagement and further research within the UFO field.