Letter to the Editor
Aljazeera.net
May 25, 2006

Dear Editor, I note that in your article about the predicted comet strike in the Atlantic Ocean and the panic that this has caused in Morocco, you have given a link to an article that Eric Julien wrote that has the banner of the Exopolitics Institute on it: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F4396687-6C85-4C8C-B47A-3B8F785FE95C.htm . Please note that Eric Julien wrote the article on April 11 when he occupied a position of director with the Institute and was speculating about a possible extraterrestrial response to a preemptive nuclear attack on Iran. Due to his subsequent decision to promote a public campaign to warn people regarding a possible comet strike in the Atlantic region and to evacuate coastal areas, he lost the support of myself and other directors of the Institute. He subsequently resigned from the Institute on April 23 and withdrew from all Institute activities when I and other directors expressed opposition to his public campaign.

I wish to clarify for your readers that the Exopolitics Institute does not support Mr Julien's prediction of a comet strike in the Atlantic Ocean and the Board of Directors believe that he has misinterpreted the available data. He has, in my opinion, mistakenly mixed his own personal visions and alleged extraterrestrial communications with empirical data concerning the fragmentation and trajectory of Comet 73P Schwassman-Wachman. I released a public statement on April 25 formally dissociating myself and the Exopolitics Institute from Mr Julien's prediction, see: http://www.exopolitics.org/Exo-Comment-43.htm.

In conclusion, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Exopolitics Institute we would appreciate it if you could notify your international readership that Eric Julien is no longer a member of the Exopolitics Institute and the Institute has formally disassociated itself from Mr Julien and his prediction over a month ago. For the record, I do not believe that a comet impact will occur in the Atlantic and that Mr Julien has unnecessarily frightened many individuals who inhabit coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Aloha,

Michael E. Salla, PhD
President and Founder
Exopolitics Institute
www.exopoliticsinstitute.org