Unit 10 / Listening 1B

Good evening, you're listening to BBC radio 4, and this is Trevor Jenkins with today's news.

The head of a company based in Edinburgh was arrested today and charged with genetic manipulation on human beings. James Foley, managing director of Beautiful Babes, a company officially registered as a modelling agency, admitted to police that for more than five years, couples have been paying to have their babies genetically engineered to be superior both physically and mentally. He further admitted to carrying out tests on pregnant women in Kenya without their consent.

There is widespread debate about the benefits and dangers of genetically modified plants or animals, but no country has yet accepted the genetic manipulation of human beings. The discovery that such practices have been going on in secret for several years caused consternation throughout the world. Full details have yet to emerge, but it appears that Foley, a well known and widely respected businessman, was driven by a desire, not just to make money, but to change the future of humanity.

 

Heather Mills reports from Edinburgh with the full story.

Heather: Good evening. I'm standing now outside the headquarters of Beautiful Babes, a modelling agency which has launched the careers of several top models, including one of the most famous and well paid models in the world, Scotland's own Melanie Buchanan. But behind this legitimate facade, it seems that a far more sinister operation has been going on, namely the fabrication of genetically superior babies for wealthy couples who were willing to pay high sums of money to have babies that were perfect, both physically and intellectually. I have with me Tom Hunter and Gina Thomson, of The Move magazine, who travelled round the world investigating the story and finally traced the origin of this immoral and criminal activity to James Foley, whose head office is in this building here in Drummond Street, near Edinburgh's city centre. I'd like to start with you, Gina, if I may. Now this is a totally sensational story - can you tell us exactly what James Foley's operation involved and how it was run?

Gina: Yes. Foley was not alone - he had an associate in the pharmaceutical company Biomed, Robert Gruninger, a specialist in the field of genetic engineering, who actually performed the manipulations required to alter the genetic composition of the babies. There was also an associate in London, Jason Freedman, a doctor in Harley Street, whose job it was to find the clients and direct them to Foley. We're not yet sure what Foley's motives were – it wasn't to make money because he was rich enough already – apparently he thought humanity would benefit from his activities.

Heather: Benefit? In what way?

Gina: He thought he was pushing back the frontiers of medical progress, which he was in a way. He just didn't realise that the process of achieving that was both immoral and illegal.

Heather: But these clients were fully aware of what was happening? The manipulation was carried out with their consent?

Gina: Yes, they agreed to the whole process, and indeed paid up to $50,000 in order to have these so-called superior babies. They promised never to reveal the role of Beautiful Babes, so we don't yet know how many couples actually paid for the treatment, but we think about thirty.

Heather: And in what way are these babies thought to be superior? Are they especially gifted, or intelligent or good-looking?

Gina: Yes, we've now collected photographs and films of some of the babies, and it's true they are all very healthy and good-looking. Basically the clients could choose a certain number of characteristics from a catalogue, almost as if they were choosing options for their car. Mr Foley employed a man whose job it was to collect samples of tissue or hair from exceptionally talented or good-looking people - film stars, scientists, writers, athletes and so on. We think he had samples from about fifty people, so he was able to offer quite an impressive catalogue.

Heather: Turning to you now Tom, can you tell us how you started to get interested in this investigation? What put you on the track?

Tom: It was at the request of my boss, who is editor of The Move, where I work, and also of the Limit. He asked me to investigate the disappearance of a colleague, Ben Griffiths, who lived in Los Angeles. Ben had written a story about the murder of a young woman, Judy Faringdon, and then he disappeared. So we started there and quickly discovered that Judy was one of the early clients of Beautiful Babes. But it took us a long time to find out the whole story.

Heather: And the investigation was also dangerous, I believe.

Tom: Yes, at one point Foley tried to murder us. He set a trap for us in Australia. He basically arranged for us to come out and rescue Ben, and then tried to have us run over by a lorry. It would have been very convenient for him to get rid of all three of us at once and make it look like a road accident.

Heather: My goodness! Gina, you must have been very scared, this isn't your usual line of work.

Gina: Well I have to say it gave me a real taste for it actually! When we managed to avoid crashing into the lorry, we had to run to get away and they started shooting at us, and that was a bit too scary for my liking, but apart from that I've really enjoyed it.

Heather: So what's next for both of you?

Tom: Well, a well deserved break I imagine for Gina. Unfortunately I have deadlines to meet and a new story to start work on.

Heather: Well I hope it goes well. I wish you the best of luck. Tom Hunter and Gina Thomson, thank you.

Both: Thanks.