Ministry Of Defence Starts UFO Archive Release (14th May 2008)
Ministry Of Defence Starts UFO Archive Release (14th May 2008)
The National Archives (TNA) had a release scheduled for the 14th May as there was an embargoed press announcement which was circulated from Monday. There was also an earlier pre-emptive warning circulated to the national press last week which was also embargoed and with the first line stating that:
The National Archives virtual press event - UFOs
For first time, The National Archives is making 8 Ministry of Defence (MoD) files relating to (Unidentified Flying Objects) UFOs available on Monday 12 May 2008.
The files will be available to download at no charge for the first month, online at the TNA website.
These are the first files to be released by the MoD as part of a 4-year transfer project relating to UFOs. The files are under embargo until the 00.01am 14 May 2008.
Visitors to the site will, in addition to downloading the files, be able to listen to a Podcast from Dr David Clarke, senior lecturer, Hallam University , discussing the files and the release. He has also written a background briefing on UFO files held at The National Archives.
There is also a short videocast from Nick Pope, a British UFO specialist presents a short videocast providing additional explanations. The files cover 1978 to 1987 and contain details on recorded incidents from the Ministry of Defence during this time.
Some of the highlights include:
DEFE 24/1925 - this file contains a long letter and drawings from a member of the public describing his ‘physical and psychic contact’ with green aliens since he was a child. One of them called Algar was killed in 1984 by another race of beings. The writer says that he visited their bases in the Wirral and Cheshire , whilst his wife reported seeing a UFO shot down over Wallasey Town.
DEFE 31/172 - On 21 February 1982, a group of customers and staff in Tunbridge Wells report an unknown object with green and red flashing lights - seen heading in the direction of Gatwick. (p.22)
DEFE 31/172 - A detailed briefing prepared by the Ministry of Defence for Lord Strabolgi, Government Chief Whip, for debate on UFO’s in the House of Lords in January 1979. Paddy Stevens who briefed the Government spokesperson, said, “there is nothing to indicate that UFOlogy is anything but claptrap…” (Page 126-135)
Plus many more.
If you would like any further information, please contact Tim Matthews on 020 8392 5277, or tim.matthews@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Press Officer
The National Archives,
Email: tmatthews@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Tel: 0208 392 5277 ext 2578
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Indeed, far from this being a surprise it has been a long promised and much anticipated event, regular (and attentive!!) readers may remember that I posted about the MOD release back on the 24th December (2007), writing:
(UK) UFO Researchers Secure Release Of MoD UFO Documentation. “Following sustained pressure by a small number of UFO researchers during the last 8 years, the British Ministry of Defence have decided to release all of their UFO files. (For the full details of the planned release, visit: UK-UFO.org).
Gary Anthony, Dave Clarke, and Joe McGonagle have been making full use of the Freedom of Information Act and its precursor, the Code of Practice on access to Government information. At considerable personal expense, effort, and investment of time the three of us have submitted a steady stream of requests. As well as making requests ourselves, we actively encouraged and assisted other ufologists to make their own requests.”
Click here to read the full post.
So when you read further articles or postings regarding this imminent disclosure, or when the release of these documents is finally realised, I urge you not to forget the efforts of Dave Clarke et al. Whose efforts are directly responsible for this landmark event, the results of their collective efforts should stand as irrefutable testimony to the enormity of what can be achieved with perseverance, dedication and determination.
In fact, why not visit their website at UK-UFO.org and thank them right now?
But I certainly wouldn’t get too excited about the release and I feel it important to stress that there will be NO SMOKING GUN found, or even implications of such but that’s not why this is such an interesting release. I personally believe it’s such an interesting release so that the general public may finally have some inkling into the inner-workings of the MOD as it relates to UFO reports and I also believe the ineptitude and ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude will prove to be more shocking than yet another ‘aliens stole my dog’ report (which the media take a little too much delight in reporting on).
That’s not to say there aren’t any interesting cases included of course…..
Like the account from air traffic controllers, each with over eight years in the job, they reported that at 4 p.m. on April 19, 1984 a UFO landed at the airport they were working at then took off at an incredible speed.
The men, each with more than eight years on the job, described how they were helping guide a small plane to a landing on runway 22 when they were distracted by a brightly lit object approaching a different runway without clearance.
“Everyone became aware that the object was unidentified…..SATCO (code name for a controller with 14 years experience) reports that the object came in at speed, made a touch and go on runway 27, then departed at terrific speed in a near vertical climb.”
Bit of course this is merely one of the hundreds of *credible* reports that poses no kind of threat or no *defence significance*. Still I don’t doubt for a second that the conspiracy theorists will have a field day with what they think has been retained…..
Here’s the David Clarke interview as currently posted at the TNA website.
(12th May 2008)
Here’s the owner of UK-UFO.org,
Mr. Joe McGonagle speaking about the MOD release.
(BBC Radio Scotland 9th Jan 2008)
And here’s David Clarke again, talking about the MOD release.
(BBC Radio Manchester 9th Jan 2008)
Another Highly Credible Stephenville UFO Witness Comes Forward!!
Angelia Joiner is still reporting on the Stephenville, Texas UFO and regularly publishes articles to the official Stephenville Lights Website:
Stephenville UFO is viewed by
Former protector of Texas Governors
Filed 2-28-2008
By ANGELIA JOINER - Stephenville Lights Reporter
ajoiner@stephenvillelights.com
Mike Zimmerman, 62, retired from the Texas Department of Public Safety after 25 years but not before he was on protective detail for five Texas Governors. Zimmerman was assigned to protect Governors Briscoe, Clements, White, Richards and Bush for a period spanning 19 years, “Clements was governor twice,” he said.
To date, Zimmerman may be the most credible witness to come forward to report what Erath County residents have been coming forward in droves to report since January 8 — another unidentified flying object (UFO).
He said it was 6:05 a.m. on January 31 when he awoke from a peaceful slumber for a Mother Nature call. As he was returning to bed, something caught his eye through the bedroom window of his home located just past the city limits on U.S. Highway 281 South in Stephenville , Texas .
“I saw three bright lights…..Two white lights were grouped closer together and higher and the third one was closer to the horizon. That one was a reddish orange color.”
Zimmerman shared a sketch and notes he had jotted down.
But, there is more to this story…
The two white lights also were shooting out beams of white light in a pulsating strobe light effect. The reddish orange light closer to the horizon did not have beams shooting from it.
“At first I thought it might be three helicopters with really bright search lights until I noticed the beams of white lights shooting out to the side of the bright lights .”
He said he awoke his companion to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. The couple watched for approximately three minutes he said.
“What I saw is completely different from what Lee Roy (Gaitan) saw…..The beams from the side weren’t as obvious as the bright big lights and they were just real quick. The whole beam would just shoot out there and just disappear. If anyone had taken a picture with a timed exposure they would have caught all of them (shooting beams) at one time. It was strange. I have never seen anything like this before at all.”
Zimmerman said the sun was rising and he’s not sure how the lights disappeared. He said he didn’t know if they became less obvious because of the sun’s light or if they just left. “I could have turned away for a minute and they left…..I’m not sure what happened, but I remembered looking and they just weren’t there anymore.”
Zimmerman said his home faces the northwest and his bedroom is on the back of the structure. ” I got out my compass and it indicated 115 degrees…..So the objects would have been more to the east .”
Zimmerman said he had talked with Gaitan on January 9 so he was aware of the object Gaitan and his son had viewed on the evening of January 8. When asked if he was able to ascertain if the objects appeared to be under intelligent control, he said he could not say because he didn’t see them move.
“I hope it’s military…..I know they’ve got things. I could go either way (opinion of military or alien) but it was out of the ordinary and I have never seen anything like it before.”
Zimmerman said as he was watching the shooting beams he at first wondered if something could be going on at Fort Hood . “That’s the first thought I had, but that’s a long way off and it appeared to be closer than that,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman estimated that with a dime held out with his arm fully extended, the objects would have been slightly larger than the dime. He is currently employed as an officer with the Tarleton State University Police and he said he has not had another sighting, but openly confessed, “I pay more attention now and I’m watching for it.”
When asked why he waited so long to come forward, he looked thoughtful and then he said, “It was something I had to think about and it didn’t seem the same as what Lee Roy (Gaitan) saw.”
The Stephenville UFO saga continues with Zimmerman being the third officer to come forward after Erath County Constable Lee Roy Gaitan and Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Clifton.
Source: Stephenville Lights
Interesting mars photo collection
I stumbled across this interesting video, shows a collection of interesting ‘unknown’ things seen on mars
Tags: alien photos, alien sighting, extraterrestrial life, ufo photos, extraterrestrial technology