The international space station ISS would have theoretically appeared over Bellinzona TWICE that evening, but it would not have been very bright and it would not have reflected any light for most of it’s first passage at around 21: (you can calculate this information yourself with the Nasa Tracking system Java application - it can calculate backwards in time as well - at
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/tracking/
Coordinates for the sighting (Claro/Bellinzona) were Saturday 2 August, 2008 at N 46.249994°, E 9.016669° decimal somewhere between dusk and midnight I would assume.)

In any case, the American government/military ALWAYS deny that anything out of the ordinary is ever seen by ANYONE (including military/commercial pilots, professional people, etc.) That the Swiss decide to play along with this kind of deception and “debunking” is just “business as usual” in most parts of the world (but not everywhere!)

Ja aber diese satelliten, (hab ich schon oft welche gesehen) sind doch nicht so hell...es handelt sich nur um lichtpunkte, von der grösse und helligkeit eines mittleren sternes.

ihr müsst mal "Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis" lesen ;-) wirklich geile urlaubslektüre.