As U.K. Releases UFO Files, Former UFO Project Chief Apologizes For 'Spin And Dirty Tricks' (Exclusive)

As the British National Archives continues to release UFO-related documents, the former Ministry of Defense (MoD) UFO Project chief is openly admitting to being part of what he claims was a U.K. policy of ridiculing UFO reports and the people who reported them.

The U.K. made public 34 previously-classified files, totaling about 9,000 pages of documents covering the years 1985 to 2007. For three of those years, 1991 to 1994, Nick Pope was in charge of the official MoD office.

"What's abundantly clear from these files is that, while in public we were desperately pushing the line that this was of no defense interest," Pope told The Huffington Post. "We couldn't say 'There's something in our air space; pilots see them; they're tracked on radar; sometimes we scramble jets to chase these things, but we can't catch them.' This would be an admission that we'd lost control of our own air space, and such a position would be untenable."

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"Every time we got a report from a pilot, we were checking the radar tapes. So it was an interesting sleight of hand. We were telling the public we're not interested, this is all nonsense, but in reality, we were desperately chasing our tails and following this up in great detail," he added.

One file reveals how officials were afraid to be embarrassed if the public learned that UFO research was hindered by a lack of funds and higher priorities.

Another case, from 2007, took place in the vicinity of the Channel Islands and involved a small commercial aircraft.

"The pilot and several of his passengers saw a UFO, which they said was essentially a mile long," Pope recounted. "And several other pilots saw it, but said, 'We're not going to report this.' And here's the great little get-out-of-jail-free-card for the MoD: Just by a matter of maybe a few hundred meters, it turned out that this was in French air space, so MoD was given this little get out to say, 'Well, it happened in French air space, so it's not an issue for us.' Clearly, that was an absolutely outrageous abrogation of responsibility."

A file from 1993 (while Pope was chief of the UFO Project) describes how European Union funds had been wasted on a report that included a theory that aliens had established a base in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

It turns out that Pope may have been directly involved with this case.

"I'm a little bit apologetic about this because obviously, when I was in MoD, I had to play this game myself. To really achieve our policy of downplaying the UFO phenomenon, we would use a combination of 'spin and dirty tricks.'

"We used terms like UFO buffs and UFO spotters -- terms that mean these people are nut jobs. In other words, we were implying that this is just a very somewhat quaint hobby that people have as opposed to a serious research interest."

But Pope said the ridicule policy went much further than that.

"Another trick would be deliberately using phrases like 'little green men.' We were trying to do two things: either to kill any media story on the subject, or if a media story ran, insure that it ran in such a way that it would make the subject seem ridiculous and that it would make people who were interested in this seem ridiculous."

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Pope further admits that he may have been the one who drafted actual MoD statements that contributed to the ridicule policy.

"If it was my words, then I apologize, I'm very sorry for that. I believe in open government and freedom of information. I believe that the UFO phenomenon does raise important defense, national security and air safety issues, and if I helped kill any initiative on that, I'm deeply sorry."

Some U.K. cases were apparently easier than others in trying to make them seem non-credible. Like the file that describes UFOs reported at the June 2003 Glastonbury Music Festival.

"It was very easy to find an incident where something is seen at an event like a rock concert," Pope noted. "You don't even need to say a thing without the public or media perception being that drugs and alcohol might have played a part. It was all part of the way in which we spun the subject, to try and discredit it."

Despite the thousands of pages of documents released -- with one final batch of files yet to come, sometime early next year -- Pope concedes there's still no written evidence confirming alien visits to Earth.

"Not just yet -- there's no spaceship-in-a-hangar smoking gun. However, there are plenty of sightings that I think show that we're dealing with more than just aircraft lights and weather balloons."

The latest 34 U.K. UFO files can be downloaded free of charge for the next month at the National Archives website.

Comments

[CannabisRex]

01:43 PM on 08/30/2011

Some posters have commented that those of us fortunate enough to have witnessed close up a massive black triangle must have seen some military stealth plane not yet announced to the public. Perhaps, but ONLY if the military/intel/private corp.etc. elite have anti-gravity devices sophisticated enough for silent flight at crawl speeds. If indeed "we" are in possession of such technology naturally the need for fossil fuels reduces incredibly, and we all know the powers that be will not allow THAT at any cost.

SOME UFO's are extraterrestrial no doubt, there is sufficient evidence beyond a reasonable doubt; also no doubt the USA and some few allies have propulsion systems so advanced that the release of same would alter life drmatically IF dealt with honestly and in the publics best interests...and that is not goping to happen with our political stooges now in power. No way.

Greed , corruption , power seeking and a lack of conscience and basic morality are the hallmarks of the elites now in charge of such technologies, and that will remain so until they, and the People, have been exploited as fully as possible and control rests with them.

As far as ridiculing those who imagine a " dimensional " hypothesis in some craft sightings, do not be too quick to laugh;visible realities are so limited in humans that it is folly to suggest that we know all about the spectrums of light or reality.

[The Cleaner]

01:43 PM on 08/25/2011

Time to Phone Home......

[Dave108]

09:30 PM on 08/20/2011

The US government officials have been doing the same thing for years - using ridicule and disinformation to discredit any investigation or reporting on UFOs. Far worse, for alien contactees or alleged abductees, they have been using intimidation and even violence to silence them, The US military/intelligence community does not want the truth about advanced aliens visiting from outer space to be revealed, since that would undermine US military and economic dominance of the world. The agencies have spread disinformation about aliens trying to make them seem dangerous. This elaborate coverup has been going on for almost 60 years. See ufocoverup.org for more info

[Terror]

07:16 PM on 08/20/2011

I don't believe the question anymore is whether UFO's exist. I believe the question now is who are they and what is this going to mean for us now? We've been witnessing controlled disclosure through the media. I have very serious concerns about what this is going to mean for our futures and I don't know if anybody knows that answer.

[Rexter]

02:11 PM on 08/20/2011

Thousands of credible / unexplained sightings, thousands of cases of alien abductions, conspiracy theories, and many years of it. Still, not one piece of physical evidence. I have an open mind on the subject, but physical evidence is required to say a thing is fact.

[Hermann Vivier]

05:48 AM on 08/25/2011

you will have your physical evidence soon enough, until then, as you say, an open mind is the best approach.

[Rexter]

09:09 AM on 08/25/2011

The sooner the better.

[CannabisRex]

02:17 PM on 08/30/2011

There IS physical evidence and a few web searches will rveal it. From " implants' made of anomalous materials to radiation readings from landing sites to reports by credible insiders that have handled and dealt with such items. Of course there is no crashed disc on display; the powers that be have NO interest in admitting that in addition to being unable to thwart " highjackers" given hours to fly around the nation that they cannot account for or stop aliens dropping in at will!!

Imagine some General getting on TV and announcing that we are powerless to deal with E.T.'s due to technology differences, and that our skies and borders are meaningless, we are helpless and cannot resist effectively...they would rather keep up the charade and claim all the film evidence is swampgas or balloons..trying to keep a straight face..praying the sheeple pay no mind...god help us all.

[Json]

05:43 PM on 08/19/2011

Personally, I find it entirely plausible that aliens just think it is really funny to do a flyby on earth (Maverick!!!).
What would we really have to offer a species that figured out interstellar travel? Other than cheap amusement?

[nb7264]

08:41 AM on 08/22/2011

Probe candidates. Just for laughs. Aliens never get tired of probing humans.

[erikqj]

12:49 PM on 08/19/2011

"I believe that the UFO phenomenon does raise important defense, national security and air safety issues"

Air safety issues, perhaps. There are some unknown atmospheric phenomena in play behind some sightings, at least (ref.: "The Hessdalen lights"). If this or other phenomena are powerful enough, or substantial enough, they may be able to harm or destroy planes.

Defense and national security, though... If we're to assume that these are extraterrestrials, then two things occurs to me:
1: They've crossed huge distances, and either managed to set up base in a foreign star system, or the crossing is fast and pure routine. In any case, I think we're screwed with regard to defense and national security.
2: The real crime would be in preventing the discovery of something as fantastic as this. Forget about air safety; our planes tend to stay on their wings. There are aliens!

Now, to get real: The odds of these being aliens are extremely slim, and the evidence that they are is none existent. Certainly, if they are, their behavior, if we're to believe reports, bear none of the characteristics of a rationality capable of transporting beings between the stars.

[doctorzap]

12:40 PM on 08/19/2011

UFOs are real. Who they belong to is the real question? Since the DC encounters in '52 which freaked out the pols and military, there was a major attitude adjustment. The reason. The government fear that if they admitted these craft were real, then they would be tacitly admitting that we had craft in our skies that they had no control over. So, they embarked on a policy of ridicule and dismissal, adding that these things, whatever they are, pose no threat to them so they weren't interested in the subject. Additionally, the CIA saw that they would be useful as propaganda to cover up our secretive research on developing new hardware like the B-1 and the rest of our stealth fleet.

As to the question as to whether these are alien spacecraft visiting us, that's one possibility. My own opinion is that they are probably of earthly design. This doesn't necessarily mean any of the know governments who could have been possibly responsible are behind them. Fact is, as we go back in time and see other reports very similar to what we're seeing today, that means it's less likely they are a product of modern technology.

But, they may be a product of an ancient technological culture that may have been around until the end of the Ice Ages. Homo sapiens have been around for 100-200,000 years. Plenty of time for another technological hominid to have grown to prominence.

[Anup Raelian]

10:06 AM on 08/19/2011

Galactic Laura Tyco: Disclosure – No Need for High Alert

http://indiaufo.blogspot.com/2011/08/galactic-laura-tyco-disclosure-no-need.html

[Dale McGill]

12:50 PM on 08/18/2011

You want to see UFOs? Go outside and look at a "Chemtrail Plane". Those are UFOs...they are NOT real airplanes.

[Dale McGill]

12:47 PM on 08/18/2011

The Ninn are some serious aliens. They did 9/11, and they are causing all of these earthquakes. They posses, and they have the right to possess, anyone who is involved in the Occult, because it's a sin! They are controlled by Satan, and so are all of the people who are involved in the Occult. They work with people who make deals with them, people who sell their souls to them, which they need to survive. I'm not kidding, and I'm not crazy. Another word they use is "Conspiracy Theorists" to put people down. If we don't stop them, or if God doesn't stop them soon, the whole Universe is going to be destroyed.

[Molla Gonzalo]

11:37 AM on 08/18/2011

mas informacion http://www.federaciongalactica.blogspot.com/

[gx5000]

12:55 PM on 08/18/2011

Oh brother....

[knerd]

12:41 AM on 08/18/2011

In the early 50s my dad was driving through the a Texas pine forest and a reflection on his right side caught his eye. He told me it was "round, shiny and moving fast." Up ahead was a gas station and a cafe and he thought about stopping and telling everyone what he saw.

Then he thought, "Nahhhh..."

[JongyDepp]

11:12 PM on 08/17/2011

While walking in the woods one night in the spring of 2002 with some friends, we came across a clearing in which a massive UFO had landed. It must have been 300m across and 30m high. Lights were rotating around the saucer section while several smaller craft were exiting through its huge open doorway, revealing a cavernous interior filled with similar craft taxiing to and fro.

It took us maybe 30 seconds to realize we were looking at a motorway flyover bridge.

[Harris Ace Jackson]

02:27 AM on 08/18/2011

That's good b/c if that was an actual UFO, things might have turned out very differently for you. ;-)

[gx5000]

12:57 PM on 08/18/2011

Was tequila involved ? ;-)

We've all seen strange things, just that some of us stop to think (like you).
I guess it's also possible they took you aboard and you're an evil clone....no ? ok ;)

[Hermann Vivier]

05:59 AM on 08/25/2011

you are reacting EXACTLY as you're supposed to.. ridicule the subject.. did you not reqad the above article? but hey, it doesn't matter, in time the truth wil prevail, and it is not what you think it is... :-)
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Gandhi
I am not saying EVERY strange sighting is a UFO which necesarily comes from outer space, I am however saying that unexplained sightings and events do exist. and some of them really are unexplained... ridicule only prevents serious inquiry.

[Luvon]

09:56 PM on 08/17/2011

All of the governments of the world are gradually revealing to the public the truth of things, it is being cordinated.

While this is being released, we have science reports saying that Mars is flush with evidence proving water can flow there, even still. We have a report about a month ago that says there is a GIANT cloud of water floating around in the Universe. Just a few months ago we had a NASA study showing how there are forms of life in a California river that are arsenic based when they need to be. It's all coming gradually.

If the stock market reacts to a debt downgrade like Scooby Doo, imagine how it will react to a percieved alien threat?

I know aliens are here because I seen a metallic flying saucer do some out of this world maneuvers. Maneuvers that would have killed a human being with current day technology. And even if it was a human, why would they be zooming around Coney Island in broad daylight? Seems really reckless to me, especially if you want to keep these sorts of things under wraps.

[JongyDepp]

10:51 PM on 08/17/2011

I would take it as a given that the US government is currently testing all manner of unmanned aircraft. Clearly, Predator drones are the number one hot military property right now. It makes sense that their possible successors are being flown about the US countryside and confunding the yokels.

Some of us will see the light in the sky and say "aliens", others like myself will see the same think and think "Lockheed Martin".

[Luvon]

02:50 AM on 08/18/2011

These sorts of metallic disks have been sighted for a very long time already, particularly after we ended World war 2 and possessed nuclear weapons. If we had such aircraft during the war, I would wonder why we wouldn't use em against the Germans and Japanese.

It makes no sense for Lockheed Martin or Boeing aircraft to be flying around our airspace, where they can be spotted, especially if we wanted to keep things covert. And I KNOW China wouldn't be allowing Lockheed Martin aircraft or Jones within their territory with impunity. Besides, Country's LOVE to show off their capabilities, if we were capable of such knowledge, their would be a dog and pony show demonstrating it.

But moving past drones, I know we don't have the capability to build Phoenix lights size aircraft. The Phoenix lights has to be the most profound sighting of all of mankind. Even the Governor during that times tenure vouches for it's validity. You should watch the documentary on it.

I'm no yokel, I know what I saw. The government has been very successful at disinformation and throwing us off it's trail, and they have a very good tactic at laughing people off to make them look crazy. You should pay more attention to what Pope said in this article.

Don't get me wrong though, I do think they have valid reasons for throwing dirt on it.

Awesome talk man. Take it easy.