BUFORA BULLETIN No. 6, October/November 1998

This issue of the BUFORA Bulletin, dated October/November 1998, serves as a comprehensive review of contemporary UFO research, with a primary focus on the implications of the recently published 'Sturrock Report.' The editorial by Robert Moore highlights the significance of this report, which was produced by a group of academics from the Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE) following a workshop at the Pocantico Conference Centre in 1997. The report, commissioned by Laurance S. Rockefeller, suggests that UFO phenomena warrant serious scientific investigation, though it stops short of confirming the extraterrestrial hypothesis. The bulletin provides a detailed breakdown of the incidents presented to the Sturrock panel, ranging from photographic and radar evidence to vehicle interference and anomalous debris. It also includes critical commentary from skeptical organizations like CSICOP, which argue that the panel's selection of evidence was biased toward UFO proponents.

Beyond the Sturrock Report, the bulletin addresses the ongoing controversy surrounding the 'Alien Autopsy' film produced by Ray Santilli. Philip Mantle provides an investigative account of the 'tent footage' segment of the film, detailing his interviews with Keith Goodyear, who claimed the footage was a hoax manufactured by A.R.K. Music. The bulletin also features a report by Malcolm Robinson on a 'Devon UFO/Paranormal Link Case,' which describes a family's experiences with both ghostly manifestations and alleged UFO-related phenomena, including sightings of 'grey' creatures and light anomalies.

Historical analysis is provided by Christopher D. Allan, who re-examines the 1959 Papuan UFO wave. Allan argues that many of the sightings, including those reported by Reverend William Booth Gill, can be explained by planetary positions, specifically Venus and Mars, rather than extraterrestrial craft. The bulletin also continues David Clarke's investigation into the 'Howden Moors Incident' of 1997, debunking rumors of recovered bodies and crashed aircraft, and attributing the sightings to a combination of military exercises and a failed suicide attempt by a man found near the site. The issue concludes with an events calendar for upcoming BUFORA lectures and conferences, reflecting the organization's ongoing efforts to promote serious, objective research into the UFO phenomenon.