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The sinister characters “Men in Black” (MIB) have, with minor
variations, appeared to many UFO witnesses, usually warning them not to
report their UFO sighting or experience.
Typically, MIB are dressed in black, pristine but old-fashioned suits
and hats with white shirts and they quite often travel in threes. Often
they have been reported to have been wearing wrap-around sunglasses and
when they are not, have been reported to have oriental features with
slanted eyes. Strangely, their mode of transport is reported to be a
Cadillac or other prestige model of car which looks brand new but has
long been out of production! The vehicle’s license plates, when checked,
invariably turn out to be false or unissued numbers.
MIB often resemble humourless G-Men, may be able to produce some form of I.D. or claim to be from a “Government Department”, claiming to have
detailed knowledge of a person’s life – a “We know all about you”
attitude. In deed there is no doubt that on occasions MIB have been in
possession of information and there was no explanation as to how they
obtained it. Often they know of a UFO experience before the witness has
had the chance to discuss the event with anyone else.
It is a commonly held theory that MIB represent part of the alleged
government cover-up of UFO incidents and official knowledge of them.
Despite numerous reports of UFO witnesses being threatened or
intimidated by MIB, there seems to be no evidence of these strange
beings actually following through with their threats. However, possibly
this should be expected, perhaps retaliation by these mysterious people
is not in the manner of a 1940’s gangster movie but using techniques
much more applicable to modern day.
In the current era of computers, Digital technology etc… perhaps MIB can
exact revenge from behind the scenes, namely the removal or tampering
with a person’s personal records in such a manner to discredit or cause
great difficulty in day to day living. |
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Some significant incidents involving MIB's: |
MIB’s
IN 1909?...By Nigel Wright |
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According to most accounts, MIB’s date from the 1950’s onwards. However,
during my research for a book, which I co-wrote with Jon Downes, (The
rising of the Moon…Domra Publications 1999) I came across a certain
,small news story, which ,ay just prove that this particular type of
occurrence may have happened long before that!.
Part
of my research was to scan microfilm records of my local paper, the
Exmouth Journal. It was during these searches that I came across a
story, tucked away on the side columns of the front page. I cannot say
what it was that caught my eye about this article, but, the more I read
it the more I could not believe my eyes!.
Although worded in the language of the times, it read to me as a very
typical MIB report. The only thing that was totally wrong was the date
of this particular newspaper…21st May 1909!!..I’ll now let
you see the whole report, see what you make of it…
INVASION SCARES-QUEER STORIES FROM HUMBERSIDE
A
strange story was told the Yorkshire Post, Grimsby correspondent by
workmen from killingholm near Immingham new dock works on Tuesday night.
They declared that they were seated at noon on the roadside at
killingholm, when a large motor car drove up and two men alighted who
walked to the bank on which the workmen were seated and asked if any
airships had been recently seen near. The workmen replied: “No”
whereupon the motorists asked the distance between killingholm and
Spurn, and whether any mines were laid in the Humber between the two
places. The workmen referred their interrogators to a coastguard, saying
he would be able to answer them. “It does not matter,” replied the
motorists, and, after enquiring the way to the nearest refreshment
house, they jumped into their car and drove quickly away.
It
must be remembered that this area was the scene of UFO reports at this
time, so, what are we to make of this queer story? Well for my money,
this reads as a MIB report. However, I suppose it is a matter of how you
read it!
If
this is indeed a MIB report from that time, then we in the UFO community
must reconsider our view of the MIB problem. If they date from such an
early time, then by having another look at early reports, perhaps we can
find more of these mystery visitors in our past. What would this mean to
our prescribed views on the whole UFO mystery? Who knows? Still, it is a
very interesting idea, I am sure you would agree!
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Research Bureau closed down by MIB – U.S.A. |
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One of the earliest reports of intervention by MIB occurred in
Connecticut in 1952. Albert Bender launched “The International Flying
Saucer Bureau”, the first major UFO research group.
However, the bureau was closed down after only 18 months after his
family was threatened by three MIBs who demanded he stopped his
research.
Albert Bender - threats forced him to close down
his research bureau. |
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Nameless MIB – Cumbria, U.K.
In May 1964, fireman James Templeton and his wife took a photograph of
their daughter at a remote marsh near Carlisle, Cumbria. When developed
the photograph showed a man in a spacesuit seemingly floating in mid-air
behind their daughter. Soon afterwards the Templetons were visited by
two men wearing black suits and driving a black Jaguar car.
James Templeton described their visit:
“They were very strange, asking peculiar questions about the weather and
behaviour of animals. Although they claimed to be from the government,
they never used names and referred to one another just by numbers. I
drove out with them to the marshes but they seemed to get upset when I
insisted that I had not seen anybody as I took the photograph.
They drove away, stranding me alone to walk five miles home. I never
heard from them again”. |
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The photograph taken by James
Templeton - a "spaceman" appeared in the background! |
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Strange visitations – Tripp Pond,
Androscoggin County, Maine, U.S.A.
On 27th October 1975, David Stephens (21) and his
friend Paul (18) had a long encounter with a UFO which involved “missing
time” and afterwards the realisation that they had “orange” eyes.
The following morning Stephens was alone in the trailer which he shared
with Paul when a stockily-built man wearing dark glasses, a crew cut and
dark suit called by. This MIB asked about the UFO sighting and warned
Stephens:
“Better keep your mouth shut if you know what is good for you”.
He then left in a hurry.
Stephens approached Dr. Herbert Hopkins (Psychiatrist) and after
discussing his UFO experiences underwent hypnotic regression which
revealed a standard abduction scenario during the period of missing
time. During the abduction Stephens underwent an examination which
involved the use of a black box-like device.
On 11th September 1976, Dr. Hopkins, whilst at home alone, received a
telephone call from someone claiming to be a UFO investigator, asking if
they could visit him.
Dr. Hopkins agreed and was surprised to hear the caller knocking at the
door within seconds of the end of the telephone call. The visitor,
dressed almost entirely in black, hairless and wearing lipstick, invited
Dr. Hopkins to watch whilst he made a coin vanished from the palm of his
hand. Dr, Hopkins was then given a warning from his strange visitor:
“Destroy all of your records on the abduction case”.
After this they went on to discuss UFOs and after a while the MIB’s
speech became slurred and began to slow down. He said:
“My energy is running low, must go now”.
The MIB then fumbled his way to the door.
Dr. Hopkins did not quite realise just how bizarre his visitors’
behaviour was until he had left but was later very disturbed by the
experience.
On 24th September 1976, Dr. Hopkins’s son John and his daughter in law
Maureen received a visit at their home by a man and a woman, both
dressed in old-fashioned clothes and both seeming to have problems
walking properly.
These strange “MIB’s” proceeded to ask the young couple several banal
personal questions such as:
“What do you talk about?”
During this the man kept “pawing” and fondling the woman in a
uncomfortably intimate manner, asking John if he was doing it correctly.
The strange man also asked Maureen if she knew how she was made and if
she had any photographs of herself naked!
After only a short visit the couple announced they had to leave, which
they did without saying goodbye but not without making it perfectly
obvious that they were capable of walking only in dead straight lines. |
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Intimidation
and threats – Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.Throughout the 1970s there were frequent UFO sightings in the vicinity
of Charleston. Some of the witnesses complained of being visited and
threatened by what they supposed to be “government agents” but the truth
of their origins was never determined.
One case involved a successful television journalist who witnessed and
successfully photographed several UFOS. However, due to threats from
unknown quarters, this person flatly refused to disclose his identity.
One of several photos taken by a television
journalist who felt too threatened to reveal his identity. |
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In another instance, a young motor mechanic called Bill Herrmann
witnessed and photographed UFOs on several occasions. On March 17th,
1978, Bill Herrmann left his house at around 9-30p.m. in order to get a
better view of a bright light which was hovering over electricity pylons
near a local air force base. Bill was shocked to find himself in a field
to the south of Charleston (approximately 15 miles from his home) some 3
hours later. Deputy Sheriff Pike Limehouse was called to the scene and
found Herrmann in a very excited and distressed state; Herrmann
suspected that he had been abducted. He certainly could not account for
the “missing time” or explain his being 15 miles from home.
[ left ] Bill Herrmann - his UFO experiences were of great interest to "MIBs". On another occasion Herrmann was driving to church one Sunday morning
when a UFO shot across the road and then continued to follow a peculiar
“triangular” flight pattern.
Herrmann had succeeded in obtaining a number of good quality photographs
of the objects he had sighted and the following day at 3-30 p.m. he
received a call from the local air force base asking him to let the
information officer have the photos. Herrmann drove to the base at about
5-30 p.m. but was told that the information officer was not on duty.
However after twenty min utes or so a Captain King arrived on the scene
and demanded, via the guard, that he hand over the UFO photographs.
Herrmann refused but did give then one photo and received a receipt.
Herrmann did receive further “menacing” messages from the base telling
him he had, in fact, photograph ed a “Phantom” aircraft.
[ left ]One of many UFO photos taken by Bill Herrmann.
One of the photographs [ right ] taken by Bill
Herrmann that was of such great interest to the strange visitors. A short time later Herrmann received a telephone call from a certain
“Tom Olsen” who claimed to be a UFO investigator from Maryland. He asked
to meet Herrmann and when he arrived he produced identification from
“The UFO Information Retrieval Centre”. Herrmann then went with “Olsen”
to the locations where the UFO photos had been taken. At this stage
Olsen asked Herrmann if he would agree to take a polygraph test.
Herrmann did consent to the test but was surprised to find that it was
to take place immediately – in a secluded room at a local luxury hotel
(Room 520 at the Mills Hyatt House Hotel).
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Room
520 of the Mills Hyatt House Hotel - Herrmann was subjected to a
polygraph test in this secluded hotel room.
When they entered the hotel room there were two other men present, one
of whom claimed to be a member of a “polygraph association”. The other
said he was a doctor and proceeded to inject Herrmann with a relaxant.
Herrmann became very relaxed and the doctor then asked him a number of
questions regarding his UFO sightings for approximately sixty to ninety
minutes.
When the polygraph test was concluded the three men held a mumbled
conversation and then offered to take Herrmann anywhere – for a meal
etc…
Herrmann, however, felt exhausted and insisted that they take him home.
The men told Herrmann that he would hear from them within a few days and
when he asked if the objects were military, he received the reply:
“I wouldn’t bet on it”. |

click on picture for larger size |
A week after these events Herrmann received a message from Thomas M.
Olsen of Maryland asking for copies of his photos and including a
questionnaire. At this stage it became evident that the man who had
previously called himself Olsen was, in fact, an impostor. The real
Olsen sent a mailgram to Herrmann categorically denying that he had ever
visited him.
One night at about 9-30 p.m., whilst at work, Herrmann was dumping trash
outside of the rear door of the premises when a car swung round. In the
car was the fake Olsen and Herrmann demanded that he properly identified
himself. The response was:
“It’s for your own protection, be careful what you say for your own
good” |
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click on picture for larger size |
Strangely, a UFO investigative team, who later spent several hours
interviewing Bill Herrmann, received a series of inexplicable telephone
calls at the hotel they were staying in and a friend of Herrmann, who
substantiated his claims, also received intimidating telephone calls
both at home and at work (via his boss).
Tony Martin - a friend of Bill Herrmann's - he
received several threatening telephone calls. |
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lkley Moor – Yorkshire, U.K.
At dawn on 30th November 1987, a former policeman was
taking photographs on Ilkley Moor when he noticed a strange “entity with
a green cast” some distance ahead. The next thing he remembers is
finding himself in the nearby village of Menston in a confused and
disoriented state. He immediately had his film developed and discovered
that he had actually photographed the “entity”.
The e
former policeman sought help from a UFO investigator who took his report
very seriously and they decided to secretly investigate the photograph
thoroughly.
About six weeks later the former police officer received an unexpected
visit from two men, who claimed to be R.A.F. Intelligence Officers. They
flashed I.D. cards and gave their names as Jefferson and Davis. Their
mission, they explained, was to recover the photograph he taken on Ilkley Moor.
What mystified the very few people who were involved in the
investigation was how these strangers knew about the photograph as they
had not discussed or revealed details of it to anyone else. When asked,
RAF Intelligence declared that they had no knowledge of the two men and
they did not exist.
A strange humanoid [ above ]
photographed by former police officer on Ilkley Moor. |
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More MIBs – Raeford, North Carolina,
U.S.A.
On 27th June 1992 at about 12-30a.m., a noise like a
passing freight train rattled the trailer where Mrs. Diane Messing lived
with her daughter. Previously, the outside lights of their and the
neighbour’s homes had suddenly failed and the Messings decided to go
outside and investigate what was happening.
When they stepped outside the Messings saw what appeared to be a bright
fire burning in a wood which was located in a hayfield about 100 yards
from their home. The “fire”, however, proved to be a spherical object
about 5 yards across with orange windows; it was entirely silent.
After approaching the object quite closely the women decided to call the
sheriff’s office but when six deputies arrived the object had vanished.
However, the outside lights were working again and the following morning
an examination of the scene revealed an area of grass that had been
flattened, swirled and discoloured.
The incident attracted the attention of UFO investigators and amongst
these the Messings were visited by a man who claimed to be a military
officer. This man was described as being “creepy” and his questions
proved to be distinctly odd and at times irrelevant. Despite attempts to
do so his identity was never established . The Incident at
Varginha – Brazil,
January 1996
This important incident is covered in detail on this site. However, it
is worth noting that, some time after the events, four mysterious men
appeared on the scene apparently trying to suppress witnesses:
In April 1996, Luiza Silva, mother of the girls who first witnessed the
second creature, was visited by four strangers - none of whom were
Brazilian. The four men, dressed expensively, offered her a large sum of
money to persuade her daughters to lie about their encounter. When Mrs.
Silva refused, the men left in a blue 1994 Lincoln Continental car -
they promised to return. |
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