Page 37 - 200303 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2003

Baby “Clon-Jane” 37 Baby “Clon-Jane” 37 Cloned Baby Saga Continues Judge John Frusciante threw out idealists. The alien abduction in Israel the case Wednesday after Boisselier said phenomenon, for instance, generally the baby was in Israel. Bernard Siegel, the breaks down into two categories among attorney who had sought the those who claim they've been taken: Associated Press, Jan. 30, 2003 guardianship, said he hopes Israeli victims who feel traumatized, and http://www.sun-sentinel.com/ authorities investigate the case. contactees professing enlightenment. By DAN PERRY, Associated Press In Israel, the law forbids cloning The latter, he says, often feel Writer until the end of 2004, pending more empowered with insights that appear research. Religious authorities have also similar to the Raelians' "utopian" JERUSALEM -- The baby girl debated the issue. Chief Rabbi Yisrael philosophies. "It's very enticing, very alleged to be the first human clone is in Lau told The Associated Press he seductive, to want to save this devastated hiding with her parents in Israel for fear supports technological breakthroughs that world of ours," he says. "But what I that U.S. authorities would separate further medical care, but opposes worry about is this turning into a them, an Israeli spokesman for the "interference in the act of creation," dangerous cult, like Heaven's Gate." religious sect behind the cloning claims which is the sole domain of God. Heaven's Gate was a UFO-based said Thursday. Rabbi Yigal Shafran, head of the sect founded by charismatic leader But whether a baby exists at all -- Chief Rabbinate's medical ethics Marshall Applewhite. The group let alone evidence that she is a clone -- department, has said that when all other collapsed in 1997 with the suicides of 39 has never been proven in the bizarre saga fertility procedures have been tried, members in San Diego. of the baby called "Eve." cloning should be used to create children "We consider (Raelians) at the very The Israel connection is the latest if it becomes possible. least a nuisance," says Don Berliner, twist in the story told by Clonaid, a Drori, who said his movement had chairman of the Fund for UFO Research company that announced in Florida two several hundred followers in Israel, said (FUFOR), a nonprofit that since 1979 has days after Christmas that it had delivered Eve's 31-year-old mother had gone awarded grants for UFO investigations. the world's first human clone. The through 10 years of unsuccessful in vitro "There are a lot of groups on the fringes company reneged on promises to prove fertilizations before turning to cloning. of the UFO community who are nothing the claim through DNA testing, fueling At his request, he was interviewed but trouble and make all sorts of flashy widespread belief that the whole thing is by AP Television News at a Tel Aviv cafe claims." a hoax. named Crick And Watson -- after James An aviation enthusiast who has Clonaid chief Brigitte Boisselier Watson and Francis Crick, the pair of been in the UFO game for 50 years, has said the baby was cloned from an scientists who 50 years ago unlocked the Berliner says he was a college student American woman, who remains secrets of DNA. [End] when he "first got annoyed that there unidentified. On Wednesday, she testified were things flying through my skies that in a Florida court that the baby exists and nobody seemed to be able to identify." UFO groups keep wary eye is now in Israel. UFO groups keep wary eye Although he has never seen a UFO or on Raelians Authorities in Israel, where on Raelians crossed paths with an alien, he knows of cloning is illegal, said they had no so many respected people who have that information on the matter. he no longer harbors any doubts. The religious sect behind Clonaid, Florida Today, Jan. 256, 2003 Berliner has also been aware of the a group called the Raelians, believes life http://www.floridatoday.com/ Raelians for years. "It's people like that on Earth was created by space aliens. FLORIDA TODAY Staff and Wire who give the UFO field a bad name," he The Israeli spokesman for the reports says, explaining that FUFOR's approach group, Kobi Drori, said Thursday that the is to apply conventional scientific baby was brought to Israel because the When the Raelian cloning story techniques to an unscientific subject. "But parents were Jewish and thus had broke last month, Joe Jordan felt obliged with nut cases like that running around automatic rights to arrive and even seek to check the latest updates on the group's loose, it is more difficult." [End] immediate citizenship here. Web Site. As state section director for the Israeli Interior Ministry Mutual UFO Network's Brevard chapter, spokeswoman Tova Elinson said she had the Port St. John resident was already no information on the claims, and familiar with much of the sect's dogma. without a name "there is no way to "What was really interesting were check." the numbers on their (Web Site) Health Ministry spokesman Ido counters," Jordan recalls. "I'd leave for a Hedari depanned that while cloning is minute or two to go somewhere else, and illegal in Israel, airport authorities don't when I'd come back, the number of ask arrivals whether they were cloned visitors would increase significantly, by abroad. the thousands. Whether or not they're Drori said the family did not buying it, I don't know. But there's no volunteer the information upon arrival. doubt they're getting the attention they He said they left the United States wanted." because of the Florida court case in Jordan doubts the Raelian clamor which a lawyer asked a judge to appoint will further stigmatize the already a guardian for the child, for fear she controversial field of UFOlogy, but he's RAEL sings to his listening audience of suffered genetic defects -- if she exists. concerned about its impact on naive Raelian Groupies.