A former Pentagon official testified to Congress that the US government has evidence that “we are not alone in the cosmos,” but that a “cabal” of officials is hiding the information.

The official, Luiz Elizondo, is the former head of the Defense Department’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which was tasked with investigating Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). He and other witnesses testified before the House Oversight Committee.

“Excessive secrecy has led to serious atrocities against loyal officials, military personnel and the public, all to hide the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos,” said Elizondo, who later called the group a “cabal.”

“A small cadre within our own government dealing with the UAP issue has created a culture of oppression and intimidation that I have personally been a victim of, along with many of my former colleagues,” he continued.

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A former Pentagon official says the government is withholding information about UAPs. (DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)

Elizondo then urged Congress to enact legislation to protect whistleblowers who are currently too afraid to come forward about government operations.

“I believe that we as Americans can handle the truth. And I also believe that the world deserves the truth,” he said.

The hearing is part of a larger effort by lawmakers to investigate UAPs and determine whether elements within the government are unlawfully withholding evidence from Congress.

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One of the key programs involved in this issue is the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

A UAP (unidentified anomalous phenomenon) was filmed from the USS Omaha off the coast of San Diego in July 2019. (Jeremy Corbell/WeaponizedPodcast)

AARO’s mission is to synchronize the efforts of the Department of Defense and other U.S. federal departments and agencies to “detect, identify, and attribute objects of interest” in or around military facilities or airspace that may pose a threat for the safety of operations or national security – this also includes anomalous, unidentified space, air, submerged and trans-medium objects.

The Pentagon says the program has not produced any evidence that UAPs have extraterrestrial origins.

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Dr. Tim Gallaudet, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, also testified at Wednesday’s hearing. He recounted an incident in which personnel aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt collided with UAPs during a military exercise.

“During this exercise, I received an email on the Navy’s secure network from the operations officer of Fleet Forces Command. The email was addressed to all subordinate commanders and the subject line read in capital letters: URGENT SAFETY OF FLIGHT PROBLEM. The text of the email was short but alarming, with the following words: ‘If any of you know what this is, please tell me as soon as possible. We are dealing with multiple mid-air collisions, and if we don’t resolve it quickly, we will have to stop the exercise,” Gallaudet said.

A new office dedicated to studying UAP (UFO) sightings secured full funding in the 2024 defense budget. (Ministry of Defence)

“Attached to the email was what is now known as the ‘Go Fast’ video, captured on the forward-looking infrared sensor aboard one of the Navy F/A-18 aircraft participating in the exercise,” it added he added.

“The next day the email disappeared from my account and those of the other recipients without explanation. Furthermore, the Fleet Force Commander and his operations officer never discussed the incident again,” he continued.

A third witness, journalist Michael Shellenberger, says sources within the Pentagon claim the existence of an Unacknowledged Special Access Program (USAP) known as ‘Immaculate Constellation’.

Journalist Michael Shellenberger testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.

He says the sources told him the program consolidates information about UAPs collected by the military.

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“One source warned that simply printing the name ‘Immaculate Constellation’ could result in government surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on whoever publishes the name,” Shellenberger said. “They “We don’t want to comment on it, but if you talk about it you’ll end up in the danger zone,” I was told. “They maintain secrecy with great force.”