[marden]

'Aliens could attack at any time' warns former UK MoD chief

By CHARLOTTE GILLLast updated at 14:03pm on 10th November 2006

UFO sightings and alien visitors tend to be solely the reserve of sci-fi movies. So when a former MoD chief warns that the country could be attacked by extraterrestrials at any time, you may be forgiven for feeling a little alarmed.

During his time as head of the Ministry of Defence UFO project, Nick Pope was persuaded into believing that other lifeforms may visit Earth and, more specifically, Britain.

His concern is that "highly credible" sightings are simply dismissed.

And he complains that the project he once ran is now "virtually closed" down, leaving the country "wide open" to aliens.

Mr Pope decided to speak out about his worries after resigning from his post at the Directorate of Defence Security at the MoD this week.

"The consequences of getting this one wrong could be huge," he said.

"If you reported a UFO sighting now, I am absolutely sure that you would just get back a standard letter telling you not to worry. ''Frankly we are wide open - if something does not behave like a conventional aircraft now, it will be ignored.

"The X-Files have been closed down." If these words had come from a sci-fi fanatic, they could be easily dismissed by cynics.

But Mr Pope's CV - he was head of the UFO project between 1991 and 1994 - cannot be ignored.

When he began his job, he too was sceptical about UFOs but access to classified files on the subject and investigation of a series of spectacular UFO sightings gradually changed his mind.

And while Mr Pope says that there is no evidence of hostile intent, he insists it cannot be ruled out.

"There has got to be the potential for that and one is left with the uneasy feeling that if it turned out to be so, there is very little we could do about it," he said.

"If you believe these things are extra terrestrial craft then you cannot rule out that what is happening is some kind of covert reconnaissance."

One incident which persuaded him of the existence of alien lifeforms was in 1993. There were reports of a "vast, triangular-shaped craft" spotted flying over RAF bases in the West Midlands.

"Most of the witnesses were police and military personnel," he said.

"Hundreds of members of the public also had sightings over a period of several hours."

In another incident in 1980 at RAF bases in Suffolk, staff investigated a suspected plane crash after bright lights were reported coming from nearby woods.

They found a kind of lunar landing module standing on three legs which then flew off. The indents it left in the ground were found to emit ten times the normal levels of radiation. Mr Pope said: "These sort of incidents are why I got so frustrated.

"In my time I would brief the more interesting sightings up the chain of command to people like the Chief of the Air Staff and would get the answer back that it was very interesting and I had clearly done a good job investigating it and that was it.

"Every one is a piece of a puzzle but no one takes it seriously. There needs to be more resources and people who are prepared to look past the philosophical issues, look at the reports and investigate them properly.

"Whether you believe these things are foreign air forces testing prototype aircraft or whether you believe they are something more exotic, with the speeds and movements they are capable of, it's technology we would very much like to get hold of."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence insisted that all UFO sightings were investigated for "evidence to suggest that UK airspace has been compromised by hostile or unauthorised air activity."

She said: "Unless there is such evidence, the MoD doesn't attempt to positively identify what was seen."

Mr Pope is continuing his UFO research in a private capacity since leaving the MoD and is recognised as a leading authority on UFOs and the unexpected.

He has written four science fiction books drawing on his experience at the MoD, and lectures around the world on the subject.

He has appeared on BBC Newsnight and Radio 4's Today programme and has acted as consultant on numerous television documentaries.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

The truth is out there.

[Y3a]

If their AREN'T UFO's then why are their so many Government folks telling us it's 'nothing' when many credible folks keep seeing 'something' ?? Why do they keep spending money on 'nothing' and have so much Top Secret paperwork about 'nothing'?

The USAF gave us 3 different stories about Roswell, all at taxpayers expense. At least 2 of tehm were lies. Why should we believe anything they say?

[kick52]

what about that alien autopsy thingy back in the 1990s?

i saw the movie.. and apparently the guy saw a real video.. but they had to fake it.

i wonder how losly based that is.

[SpaceMonkey]

Anyone read the novel Sphere by Michael Crichton? In which the Carter Administration distracts itself by pretending to tackle the "big issue" of extra-terrestrial contact? Kind of reminds me of this.

[Rumor]

First a global jihad and now aliens. The earth is DOOMED!!!

[Oversoul]

"The 21st century is when it all changes, and you've gotta be ready."

[Andrew Stephens]

"Mr Pope decided to speak out about his worries after resigning from his post at the Directorate of Defence Security at the MoD this week."

Mr Pope is a self service publicist who has parleyed his job in joke MOD department into a media career on the back of (at the time) X-Files mania

He should cease and desist right now before he become a characature of Uri Gellar proportions

[invisibleX]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

First a global jihad and now aliens. The earth is DOOMED!!!

Nah. See the arabs will conquers us and then the aliens conquer them.

I for one welcome our new alien overlords.

[Kevin]

As Keel himself wrote, "I abandoned the extraterrestrial hypothesis in 1967 when my own field investigations disclosed an astonishing overlap between psychic phenomena and UFOs... The objects and apparitions do not necessarily originate on another planet and may not even exist as permanent constructions of matter. It is more likely that we see what we want to see and interpret such visions according to our contemporary beliefs." [1]

Keel argues that a non-human or spiritual intelligence source has staged whole events over a long period of time in order to propagate and reinforce certain erroneous belief systems. For example, the fairy faith in Middle Europe, vampire legends, mystery airships in 1897, mystery aeroplanes of the 1930s, mystery helicopters, anomalous creature sightings, poltergeist phenomena, balls of light, and UFOs. But ultimately all of these anomalies are nothing but a cover for the real phenomenon. Keel takes no position on the ultimate purpose of the phenomenon other than the UFO intelligence seems to have a long-standing interest in interacting with the human race.

John Keel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[hayesk]

Originally Posted by Y3a 

If their AREN'T UFO's then why are their so many Government folks telling us it's 'nothing' when many credible folks keep seeing 'something' ??

If there are UFOs, then why can't someone produce a video that is in focus. Geez, video cameras have autofocus, and every video of kid's birthday party, cop beating on suspect, man getting hit in balls on TV is perfectly in focus. You'd think there'd be some credible video evidence by now, but no, every so called piece of "video evidence of UFOs" is mysteriously blurry for some reason.

[davesimondotcom]

The only thing that could unite the human race is an attack on earth by an alien race.

Still, a little too SciFi for me.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by hayesk 

If there are UFOs, then why can't someone produce a video that is in focus. Geez, video cameras have autofocus, and every video of kid's birthday party, cop beating on suspect, man getting hit in balls on TV is perfectly in focus. You'd think there'd be some credible video evidence by now, but no, every so called piece of "video evidence of UFOs" is mysteriously blurry for some reason.

Because UFOs are moving in 3 dimensions and are usually shot at extreme range?

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom 

The only thing that could unite the human race is an attack on earth by an alien race.

Still, a little too SciFi for me.

I doubt even that would unite the human race. Half the people would believe that the aliens were divine agents, the others wouldn't. Among those that believed they were sent by God/Allah/FSM there would be disagreement over whether they were sent to deliver punishment or blessings. No doubt the various groups would factionalize and there would be violence as they tried to 'prove' the rightness of their beliefs.

[Atheist]

People believe what they want to believe. It's no different than religion. There is NO concrete proof of aliens. It's just a bunch of conspiracy crap. But I'd never be able to convince someone that believes otherwise, just as they'll never be able to convince me of the contrary. Unless they walk up to my front door with an alien in tow and introduce me.

[kick52]

Originally Posted by hayesk 

If there are UFOs, then why can't someone produce a video that is in focus. Geez, video cameras have autofocus, and every video of kid's birthday party, cop beating on suspect, man getting hit in balls on TV is perfectly in focus. You'd think there'd be some credible video evidence by now, but no, every so called piece of "video evidence of UFOs" is mysteriously blurry for some reason.

i share your opinion..

though i use that when i talk about porno

hahahahaha

[marden]

Originally Posted by invisibleX 

Nah. See the arabs will conquers us and then the aliens conquer them.

I for one welcome our new alien overlords.

That's good to know. For I am a space invader and in my world we practice buggery.

I am happy to read your welcome.

[Kevin]

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by kick52 

what about that alien autopsy thingy back in the 1990s?

i saw the movie.. and apparently the guy saw a real video.. but they had to fake it.

i wonder how losly based that is.

The "alien autopsy" video was very much a fake. They didn't use the appropriate instruments, didn't have the appropriate recording equipment, didn't use appropriate techniques, and so on. It was crap.

[kick52]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

The "alien autopsy" video was very much a fake. They didn't use the appropriate instruments, didn't have the appropriate recording equipment, didn't use appropriate techniques, and so on. It was crap.

yeah, i know the one they made was fake, but in the movie, the guy watched a "real" one, and he bought it, and he sold it to some maniac. but then the movie got destroyed, and he had to fake one to the maniac, so he didnt get injured.

[Doofy]

Bring it on.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

Bring it on.

Yeah, bud did you see their boyfriends? Ewwwwww!

[Rev-O]

Originally Posted by hayesk 

If there are UFOs, then why can't someone produce a video that is in focus. Geez, video cameras have autofocus, and every video of kid's birthday party, cop beating on suspect, man getting hit in balls on TV is perfectly in focus. You'd think there'd be some credible video evidence by now, but no, every so called piece of "video evidence of UFOs" is mysteriously blurry for some reason.

That's because the UFOs are piloted by Bigfoot. Everybody knows that cameras of any sort don't work on Bigfoot. He has like this trans-dimensional fuzzy field thing going on. Don't you remember the Six Million Dollar Man episodes where Steve Austin fought Bigfoot who was like this total cyborg dude who was protecting the aliens? If that's not proof enough, then I don't know what'll convince ya!

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Yeah, bud did you see their boyfriends? Ewwwwww!

I'll get Will Smith to kick their asses.

[Rumor]

"Bow down to your new rulers!"

[Kevin]

UFOs are what the Holographic face of the GREAT OZ was to the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of OZ.

Their purpose is to distract.

[lpkmckenna]

'Aliens could attack at any time' warns former UK MoD chief

So what? If aliens do attack, that means they have technology hundreds of years in advance of ours. We have zero hope of defending ourselves. So rather than dump money into an "interstellar warfare contingency plan," let's lighten up a bit and spend that money on something fun.

[kick52]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

So what? If aliens do attack, that means they have technology hundreds of years in advance of ours. We have zero hope of defending ourselves. So rather than dump money into an "interstellar warfare contingency plan," let's lighten up a bit and spend that money on something fun.

lets spend it on...

MILLIONS OF SMALL BOUNCY BALLS!!!! YAY!!!

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

So what? If aliens do attack, that means they have technology hundreds of years in advance of ours. We have zero hope of defending ourselves. So rather than dump money into an "interstellar warfare contingency plan," let's lighten up a bit and spend that money on something fun.

Moe beat back the alien invaders using a board with a rusty nail in it.

[kick52]

or we could just make a big board with lots of lights, connected to a big electric piano, so when you play notes it lights up, and the aliens randomly go away.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom 

The only thing that could unite the human race is an attack on earth by an alien race.

Ahem. I believe the motion picture Independence Day proved conclusively that an attack on the Earth by an alien race will unite the human race behind the U.S..

[aristotles]

This is not the first former government official to speak of Aliens. Wasn't there a former Minister of Defence in Canada who said the same thing? I believe everyone dismissed him as a senile old man.

Maybe there is something to this after all?

[aristotles]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

So what? If aliens do attack, that means they have technology hundreds of years in advance of ours. We have zero hope of defending ourselves. So rather than dump money into an "interstellar warfare contingency plan," let's lighten up a bit and spend that money on something fun.

Right, because you are an expert on such things and know for a fact that these alleged aliens are indeed hundreds of years in advance of us.

I'm not saying Aliens exist or anything but way to jump to conclusions there pal.

I'm not suggesting that governments should spend a tonne of money but people should start thinking about how we are one human race and we are killing each other.

[Kerrigan]

I can fight a more more sensitive war on Aliens.

[Kevin]

[JoshuaZ]

Lets now forget why aliens really come to earth.

Earth Girls Are Easy.

Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)

[Doofy]

The aliens are already here and in control. And they have a distinguishing mark. Check Milla Jovovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Callista Flockhart... ...all have an identical small mole type thingy just in front of their ear.

You go check it. They're here I tell you.

[Rev-O]

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey 

Ahem. I believe the motion picture Independence Day proved conclusively that an attack on the Earth by an alien race will unite the human race behind the U.S..

Uh-oh. Jeff Goldblum used a Power Book 5300 (iirc) to drop the shields on the mothership... I sure hope someone has gotten around to making a Universal Binary for DisableMothership.App or else we are going to be in trouble...

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Rev-O 

That's because the UFOs are piloted by Bigfoot. Everybody knows that cameras of any sort don't work on Bigfoot. He has like this trans-dimensional fuzzy field thing going on. Don't you remember the Six Million Dollar Man episodes where Steve Austin fought Bigfoot who was like this total cyborg dude who was protecting the aliens? If that's not proof enough, then I don't know what'll convince ya!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who knows what I'm talking about when I reference that episode...

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Rev-O 

Uh-oh. Jeff Goldblum used a Power Book 5300 (iirc) to drop the shields on the mothership... I sure hope someone has gotten around to making a Universal Binary for DisableMothership.App or else we are going to be in trouble...

Nah, I'm sure the Pentagon keeps an old 5300 around just in case. It's probably in a case with a glass front that says 'in case of alien attack, break glass'.

If only I had photoshop skills...

[mac1896]

Mexicans, Muslims, and Greys................Oh my !!!!!

[invisibleX]

Originally Posted by marden 

That's good to know. For I am a space invader and in my world we practice buggery.

I am happy to read your welcome.

How about we give you our spare change for laundry?

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

So what? If aliens do attack, that means they have technology hundreds of years in advance of ours. We have zero hope of defending ourselves. So rather than dump money into an "interstellar warfare contingency plan," let's lighten up a bit and spend that money on something fun.

Originally Posted by aristotles 

Right, because you are an expert on such things and know for a fact that these alleged aliens are indeed hundreds of years in advance of us.

I'm not saying Aliens exist or anything but way to jump to conclusions there pal.

I'm not jumping to conclusions at all. Given our difficulty in merely getting robot probes to Mars, I don't think the technology for interstellar travel is just around the corner.

The notion that hypothetical alien visitors would be very, very far in advance of us technologically is common sense.

Originally Posted by aristotles 

This is not the first former government official to speak of Aliens. Wasn't there a former Minister of Defence in Canada who said the same thing? I believe everyone dismissed him as a senile old man.

Maybe there is something to this after all?

Do you mean this weirdo?

[moodymonster]

Daily Mail are really stretching to describe Nick Pope as "MoD chief".

Next people will be saying weird goings on have happened at Machrihanish.

[Kerrigan]

So if aliens exist right now, I wonder what they are doing? Do you think have TV shows? Do they have alien wars for oil? Are they all watching porn?

[Y3a]

The ufos on video are all ruined because of digital zoom. make any metalized party baloon blurry and it'll look like 80 percent of the UFO shots.

Reasons to NOT BELEIVE:

Enormous distances even at speed of light would take years.(mass and energy implications)

Inability of any government to keep really cool secrets a long time.

Bio-chemical organisms doing the spotting.

[cjrivera]

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

So what? If aliens do attack, that means they have technology hundreds of years in advance of ours. We have zero hope of defending ourselves.

There's a word for this. It's called an 'out of context experience'.
It happens when one civilization meets another that is so advanced that the weaker civilization has no chance to either defend itself or even to survive unchanged.

It's pretty much what happened to the native population in South America when they first set eye on a Spanish ship.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Y3a 

The ufos on video are all ruined because of digital zoom. make any metalized party baloon blurry and it'll look like 80 percent of the UFO shots.

Reasons to NOT BELEIVE:

Enormous distances even at speed of light would take years.(mass and energy implications)

Inability of any government to keep really cool secrets a long time.

Bio-chemical organisms doing the spotting.

What if they weren't really aliens from another planet? But 4th dimensional hoaxters?

[RAILhead]

They're all just undocumented migrant workers, here to pick lettuce.

[MattJeff]

anyone read K-pax?