Agents from the FBI and the US Air Force have raided the homes of a man who runs a website on the top-secret military base in Nevada known as Area 51.
Officers entered Joerg Arnu’s Las Vegas properties and the town of Rachel, which is close to the defense facility, earlier this month as part of a joint investigation, authorities confirmed but did not provide. further details.
The blogger runs a site called Dreamland Resort that focuses on Area 51, an air force base about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas where tests of classified military aircraft are conducted.
Started by Mr. Arnu in 1999, it includes satellite images of the base; articles on test flights, “black projects” and UFOs; drone videos of locations around Area 51 and details on scanner frequencies.
Confirming the raids, Lt. Col. Bryon McGarry, a spokesman for Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “This is an open and ongoing investigation between the FBI in Las Vegas and the Air Force OSI (Office of Special Investigations).”
In a press release posted on his website, Arnu said, “I believe the search, carried out with wholly unnecessary force by overzealous government agents, was intended as a message to silence the Area 51 research community.” “.
He said each of his homes were raided on Nov. 3 by up to 20 officers “in riot gear”.
The raids occurred while Mr Arnu was at his home with Rachel and his girlfriend in Las Vegas, and he said they were both “detained and treated in the most disrespectful manner”.
He added: ‘My girlfriend was led into the street barefoot and in only her underwear in full view of our neighbours.
“I was led outside, handcuffed and in just my T-shirt and sweats in sub-zero temperatures.
“Despite my repeated requests for an explanation, I was only told that the search was related to images posted on my Area 51 website.”
Classified military aircraft are tested at the defense facility
During the raid, Mr Arnu said all of his “laptops, phones, backup units, camera equipment and my drone were seized”.
He estimated the damage to his home at $5,000 (£4,206) and the value of the confiscated equipment at $20,000 (£16,823).
He claimed that 40 pages were missing from the search warrant he had received and that the case file had been sealed, preventing him from reading it.
Mr Arnu continued: “In an attempt to defuse the situation, I have removed material from my Dreamland Resort website, although I believe it was obtained lawfully and it is legal to publish it.
“I don’t share anything on my website that can’t be found on dozens of other websites and news organization publications.
“Considering how this turned out, I have no plans to remove any more material unless ordered by a federal judge.”
Arnu believes the raids were intended to “silence the Area 51 research community.” photo: AP
Area 51 has long been a focus of UFO and alien conspiracy theories, only bolstered by its covert role.
Nearby State Highway 375 was even officially dubbed the Extraterrestrial Highway in 1996.
But Mr. Arnu is dismissive on his UFO story website.
Area 51 has long been the focus of UFO and alien conspiracy theories. photo: AP
He states, “Actually, anyone who spends any time investigating Area 51 will quickly understand that what goes on there has a very earthly origin and has nothing to do with ‘ET’.
“It becomes apparent that the abundant UFO folklore is no more than a welcome smokescreen, a distraction from the true purpose of the base, research and development of all sorts of black projects.”
