CIRCLEGATE

More than a year after 'Doug & Dave' there were substantial indications that their appearance in the media was only one part of a larger-scale operation aiming to discredit the crop circle phenomenon.

All through the summer of 1992, a small group of dubious individuals tried to disturb the work of serious crop circle researchers, through hoaxes and disruptive and sometimes upsetting manipulative activities. Real formations were 'souped up' artificially, and false pictograms were formed right next to research stations, where they seriously distracted researchers' attention from the real circles.

One of the activists in this plot was Robert Irving, also called 'Spiderman' in cereological circles. He was a dubious photographer who up to now had attracted attention by tracking down crop circle researchers during their nightly watches and taking photos of them. Once, when asked who paid him, Robert Irving, a nephew of a high-ranking civil servant in the Home Office, apparently mentioned a 'foundation'. Irving had been a member of the 'Beckhampton Group' of local crop circle researchers, whose dissolution in August 1992 goes back to a great degree to his negative influences.

Among Robert Irving's closest friends was Jim Schnabel, a young American who tried to present the phenomenon in several newspaper articles as a big illusion, and the circle researchers as credulous dreamers - in the quality Independent, among other papers. Schnabel originated from a suburb in Washington DC and studied at Duke University, before he continued his studies - financed by an American foundation - first at Lincoln College at Oxford and then at the University of Bath. In July 1992 he won the second prize at a crop circle hoaxing competition sponsored by the German magazine PM and the Cereologist. Later he admitted to have faked further formations together with Robert Irving.

Were Robert Irving and Jim Schnabel two harmless nutcases - or were their 'actions' backed by brains and possibly finance behind them, possibly from the secret services? To find out, the British UFO researcher Armen Victorian had a lengthy telephone call with Schnabel on 30th August 1992, which he recorded on tape. Victorian pretended to be an African named 'Mr. Ntumba', and claimed that Irving had already introduced him to his secret service activities, and that he was now interested in collaborating with that campaign.

In the course of the conversation, Schnabel revealed details of an anti-crop circle plot, which in addition to the British also involved USA, Germany and the Vatican. The aim of the plot was, according to Schnabel, to discredit the crop circle phenomenon so much that it would 'disappear' from the media, and thus public awareness, since it was feared that the circles could bring about a 'change of world consciousness'.

In England, the tapes caused a stir, after their publication at the Quest International UFO Conference at Leeds in mid-September 1992, and soon there was some talk about a 'Circlegate'. However, Schnabel came to explain that the whole conversation had been a joke, saying he had recognised Victorian and had wanted to pull his leg. A nifty excuse.

The fact is that Schnabel said nothing on the tape which wasn't known to insiders long before. And his diverse actions - together with Robert Irving - indicate that he - whether on his own account or on somebody's instructions - quite obviously had an interest in bringing crop circle euphoria to an end and in bringing circle researchers into disrepute.

The complete 'Schnabel Tape' was published in Magazin 2000 in Germany (no 93, April 1993), and here follow the most interesting passages: 

THE 'SCHNABEL TAPE'

AV = ARMEN VICTORIAN
JS = JIM SCHNABEL

AV: You know, there is a story...

JS: I don't quite know who you are, so I don't want to talk about it in too much detail.

AV: No, but I've been reading some of these magazines they have issued about groups and these articles about the 7-foot green men... groups put out that there's intelligence in it, etc, etc, and now Robert Irving says that to me. You see, I was a bit taken back. Is there any interest from the intelligence part in it as well?

JS: Are you talking about MI5, or are you talking about UFOs? ...Yes, well, I mean... off the record, I mean I think a number of agencies throughout the world have taken an interest in this.

AV: Well, that we've heard, haven't we?

JS: It is potentially a very explosive phenomenon.

AV: I mean, how can they exploit the phenomenon?

JS: We believe there is certainly something very sinister about what's going on, er... I don't know whether you are Christian man or not...?

AV: Yes, I am a Christian, of course I am.... I'm a Catholic.

JS: Well, yes, yes, so am I. Some of us feel concerned that, er...

AV: Some arms of the government are doing something, psychological warfare or psychotronic weaponry, you know.

JS: We think that sometimes a little bit of intrigue... sometimes is necessary in cases as serious as this, um, and sometimes measures have to be taken. But I think, I mean, overall, I think that the phenomenon is something which we think will disappear very shortly.

AV: How? I mean, I'm sorry, I'm just curious. It's mind-boggling, what you are saying! But how do you know that will happen?

JS: Well, we think that people will no longer take notice of it, I mean, it may continue, but, er, it...

AV: But why do you say 'phenomena'? You proved that this is man-made... how could it be a phenomena? Or am I in the dark, or I've missed something somewhere?

JS: Well, I think some of them are definitely man-made; I mean definitely.

AV: But so, we are suggesting that there's also a part of it that is genuine?

JS: I think there is a part which is entirely sinister and I'm not sure how genuine it is or whether it's made by people, but it's something very sinister...

AV: Are we talking about magic, dark powers?

JS: Possibly, yes, and I think that it...

AV: Now hang on, I'm getting a bit... it's intriguing when we say dark powers... are we talking about... sort of... Satan and that sort of thing...?

JS: Absolutely!

AV: I see, so there isn't any sort of military implication or the test of weaponry, or anything of that sort which is sinister?

JS: Oh, I wouldn't say that.... I think it's a very complex issue though...

AV: Are we talking about the part of the military wing who's under the brainwashing, or whatever, of the sinister forces who are doing this - you know, making it a bit more complex?
 

JS: Well it's very difficult to explain to you - to explain the structure of some of these organisations, but... I can't go into detail, but, er, basically it is something which is concerning people worldwide and various organisations have pooled their resources, worldwide, and are involved...

AV: How about the British government? Are they also...

JS: Well, yes. The German government, the American government, the Vatican has some involvement as well.

AV: But how about Robert Irving? Does Robert have anything with any of this to help them along with it, to determine what is going on?

[Note by Michael Irving of World-Action: 'Robert Irving' is not related to or connected to me in any way. 'Robert Irving' may not be his correct name. Strange how another 'Irving' turned up connected with the crop patterns; Irving is not a very common family name.]

JS: I wouldn't want to comment on the record or anything like that.

AV: Of course not. What you're saying makes me worried. He is definitely on the good side...

JS: He is... he is one of our best people, yes.   [Ah! So ....!]

AV: And he is helping the governments to determine which faction is doing this...

JS: Yes, it's very... extremely sensitive, sensitive work as you can probably imagine...

AV: It is, er, now, let's see, are we talking about military, or are we talking about intelligence, are we talking about the negative side, you see what I'm trying to say?

JS: It is not quite a military thing, but there are elements of military intelligence which have loaned resources.

AV: Ah! We are talking about people who have had a career, they've left their career, they have corporations etc. They are developing some kind of weaponry, and these are the testing ground.

JS: No, no, no. I wouldn't, I wouldn't go into that, it's much more of a spiritual warfare type of angle, I think...

AV: And are they trying to exploit the populace, I mean, what are they trying to achieve? That's what I'm trying to determine.

JS: I think they are trying to bring about changes in world consciousness and ... for evil, you know, not for good, and, eh, there are some of us who are concerned about this and would like to see this new trend stopped.

AV: Is there any positive element in the government who are supporting people like yourself or Robert or anybody else for that matter?

JS: We have support, yes, we have support at the highest levels.

AV: That's marvelous. Is it the British government or a....

JS: It involves several countries and as I say...

AV: Are we talking NATO allies or are we talking about...?

JS: NATO? ... It is not at NATO level, but it's Germany involved, and this country (Britain) and the United States... the Vatican as well.

AV: I see... are we talking about….

JS: It's actually, it involves a supernational organisation which I will not name.

AV: Supranational?

JS: Supernational organisation.

AV: Oh, good God! ... This is above my head.

JS: Which has ties to these countries and organisations.

AV: Are we talking, for example Trilateral, that sort of thing?

JS: I wouldn't want to get into any specifics. (...)

AV: And the information that you gather is passed on to the higher-ups in order to be filtered out and deductions have to be taken, obviously; that should be the case?

JS: Yes, yes...  we are not only just feeding information, we are taking active measures.