Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review
Volume 3, Issue 4
05/03/98
by Rod Keller [rkeller@voicenet.com]
copyright 1998

Contents

1. AOLA
2. CCHR
3. FBI
4. Grady Ward
5. Gerry Armstrong
6. Web Rules
7. Germany
8. Italy
9. Boston
10. Proclamation Revoked
11. Bob Minton
12. NAACP
13. OT 9 and 10
14. Tom Padgett
15. Picket Summary
16. Russia
17. Switzerland

Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review summarizes the most significant
postings from the Usenet group Alt.religion.scientology for the preceding
week for the benefit of those who can't follow the group as closely as
they'd like. Out of thousands of postings, I attempt to include news of
significant events, new affidavits, court rulings, new contributors,
whatever. I hope you find it useful. Like many readers of a.r.s, I have a
kill file. So please take into consideration that I may not have seen some
of the most significant postings. 

The articles in A.r.s Week in Review are brief summaries of articles
posted to the newsgroup. They include message IDs for the original
articles, and many have a URL to get more information. You may be able to
find the original article, depending on how long your site stores articles
in the newsgroup before expiring them. 

Free A.r.s Week in Review subscriptions are available, just email me at 
rkeller@voicenet.com
It is archived at:
        http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
        http://www.thur.de/religio/publik/arsfaq.html
        http://www.xenu.net/archive/WIR/
        http://www.ecis.com/~mallen/scn/arswr/ars-summary.html
        http://alfa.ist.utl.pt/~dif/ic/reviews.htm

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AOLA

"Here are a few stats from the Advance! 'special issue' magazine. New OT 1 - 4 completions, New OT 2 - 5 completions, New OT 3 - 4 completions, New OT 4 - 2 completions, New OT 5 - 6 completions.

"While in the past the completions page could easily take up a full page of the magazine, they have been reduced to a 6 inch by 6 inch square with decent sized type. Oh by the way....no one finished the Class 8 course this month."

"Usually in the past, getting a recruit to the org resulted in like, 1/8 of a Class 8 course, or maybe $1000 in training awards or some such thing. But never, never did you get auditing for free. Now when you get 5 arrivals to a Sea Org Org (AOLA, ASHO etc) you get a fee Advanced course (OT 1, 2, 3) for yourself. This is unprecedented! 'For every 5 arrivals you get onto a major service at any Sea Org org, each consuming a minimum of $8,000 between March 13 and June 30, 1998, you will be awarded ONE ADVANCED COURSE (OT 1 OT 2 OT 3) for yourself or your immediate family.'"

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CCHR

"EMERGENCY! Get in comm with Senator William Bankhead IMMEDIATELY! Ask him NOT to put SB 268 on the Special Order Calendar. The Mental Health parity Bill (would force insurance companies to pay for mental health coverage) is on again and once more we need to rise to the occasion and get this psych bill killed. This bill already has passed the House floor (last year) and is moving quickly in the Senate.

"Insurance cost will go up, not down. Cost will go up for all insured. The Mental Health industry is known to keep people locked up in psych wards until their money runs out. The bill states it will only cover 'serious Mental Illness'. The psychiatrists themselves do not agree on the diagnosis and what is serious mental illness. The psychs run the lines that mental health parity will improve public health. This is of course a lie since by statistics, people get worse with their treatments."

The Greensboro News & Record reported that CCHR held a picket outside a hospital where a patient died recently. "More than 50 people, many of them carrying signs or banners decrying psychiatric abuse, marched along the sidewalk in front of the entrance to Charter Behavioral System's Greensboro hospital Wednesday night in a candlelight memorial for Tristan Sovern. Tristan, 16, died at Charter on March 4 while being restrained by hospital staffers. 'More children will die unless we, the people, stand up and have a voice for our children,' said Jackie Bradley, a Greensboro College student who joined the crowd. 'It's not an anger protest,' she said. 'It's an education protest. "The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology, has 120 chapters in 28 countries worldwide. The nonprofit group says it is dedicated to exposing rights abuses by psychiatrists. Williams said he hoped the local vigil would prompt people to report incidents of psychiatric abuse. 'It's just a matter of the sanctity of our kids,' said Vin Feudo, a Greensboro College teacher and the father of two grown children. "Tristan, a youth with a history of emotional trouble, was admitted to Charter by his parents on February 26 because he was severely depressed and talked of suicide. Six days later, on March 4, he died while mental health aides and nurses struggled to restrain him."

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FBI

"Although I have few details all I can make of this is that the United States Government, not some special interest using the government, has launched an attack upon religion and is seizing and burning books of philosophy. As an author this is the only thing that concerns me: The government has begun to seize religious texts. Apparently a burning of the books has begun in the United States. Where will this end? Complete censorship? A complete ignoring of the First Amendment? Are churches to be attacked and books burned as a normal course of action?"

"Toward the end of August 62 I offered President Kennedy my assistance and the help of Scientology in narrowing the gap in the space race. Twice in recent years the White House has specifically requested from us a presentation of Scientology to see what it could do to help the general effort. As Scientology can raise men's ability through the Church's processing procedures it could be of benefit in improving American scientists in their work on technical problems. However, as Scientology fell in the realm of the spirit and refused to consider Man an animal sprung from mud, the help was not accepted.

"I would greatly like to have a conference with Mr. Kennedy on this subject. I am sure we could come to some amicable understanding on religious matters. Extreme measures such as attacking churches and burning philosophical texts are not going to solve anything. It puts America no further ahead in the space race. Religion should not be a factor in these matters. If Scientology can make smarter scientists I don't think we should forego this national victory just because of some point of religious difference."

And this report on a shooting in the Seattle org in 1963.

"On September 13, 1963, [BLACKED OUT] advised that on September 11, 1963, [BLACKED OUT] Seattle, head of a religious mystical church was shot to death before members of his group in the Seattle headquarters in the Church of Scientology of Washington State. [BLACKED OUT] Seattle, surrendered to the Seattle Police Department. He was charged with the premeditated killing and his apparent motive was his belief that his wife's estrangement from him resulted from the instructions given to this group by [BLACKED OUT]

"Among the possessions of the deceased was the enclosed pamphlet entitled 'Brain-Washing, A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Phycopolitics [sic]', a copy of which is enclosed for the Bureau's information. [BLACKED OUT] advised that it was apparent from the prepared lectures of the deceased that this pamphlet was used in instructing his group."

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Grady Ward

"Dear Mr. Ward:

"This letter will serve to acknowledge a conversation you had with Special Agent John D. McClure of the San Francisco Federal Bureau of Investigation office on April 22, 1998, whereby you instructed SA McClure to put forth in writing his request for an interview. A McClure attended the pre-trial conference in order to speak with you in person. His intentions were to arrange for a time and place in order to conduct a routine interview.

"In response to SA McClure's verbal request, you informed SA McClure that you would prefer a written communication requesting an interview. In addition, you informed SA McClure that you are or will be be represented by legal counsel who would also be present at an interview. As such, this letter is to request that you contact SA McClure so that arrangements can be made for an interview.

"Sincerely, Grant D. Ashley Acting Special Agent in Charge"

"Dear Agent McClure,

"You first said that you wanted to give me information and that you wanted to talk to me in your office. I asked if I were the target of an investigation, but you said that I was not. I said that I would be glad to be of assistance, but that you could give me information right there on the street rather than somewhere else. You then said that you had replaced Special Agent Eric Pham on 'the investigation' and that you wanted to ask me questions. I then pointed out the contradiction with your earlier unqualified statement that you simply wanted to give me information.

"I then commented that I felt you, as Pham before you, were obviously lying to me in order to try to interrogate me without the assistance of counsel. Because of the frank dishonesty of you and Special Agent Pham and your attempt to 'ambush' interview me outside the courthouse, I will not be meeting with you or any other Special Agent at any time concerning any allegations of the criminal cult of scientology Otherwise, if you have questions you would like me to comment on, please submit them in writing and I will consider if any response is warranted."

"Dear Mr. Ashley,

"I have no idea why your agency is harassing me other than the report of Mr. Keith Henson who interviewed SA Pham several weeks ago and informed me that a request by Chief Magistrate Judge Edward A. Infante based upon a false complaint by the criminal cult of scientology. As I said in my letter of March 9, 1998 I will fully cooperate with any investigation of the Bureau. However I am unwilling to personally meet with representatives of your agency who have proven themselves to misrepresent themselves to me. If in the unlikely event SA McClure was truthful that he just wanted to 'give me information,' then he can certainly put that information in writing and send it to me. And as I said in my letter to him dated April 24, 1998, any questions you would like to put to me, you can also put them in writing for my fullest consideration.

"Considering the proven criminal background of the so-called Church of Scientology and the admitted law-breaking by their agents in, for example, lying to my wife's bank to obtain account information or using the US Mails to complete the defrauding of my elderly mother of photographs of my children, you have your 'investigation' backwards."

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Gerry Armstrong

"I am a director of defendant Church of Scientology International. I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth below and, if called upon to testify on such matters, would and could do so competently. CSI is a California corporation with its principal place of business in California. CSI has no offices or subsidiaries in Nevada. It is not qualified to conduct business in Nevada and it does not conduct business in Nevada. CSI does not own real or personal property in Nevada, does not own bank accounts in Nevada, does not have employees in Nevada and has no dbas in Nevada. I declare under penalty of perjury of the laws of the United States and of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct."

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Web Rules

"Church of Scientology International has been authorized to grant you, as a Scientologist in good standing, the non-exclusive, royalty-free right to reproduce and display on your personal Web site the collective membership mark 'SCIENTOLOGIST' and the Scientology symbol, upon certain terms and conditions. If you agree to abide by these terms and conditions, this letter will be your authorization, as long as you remain a Scientologist in good standing and comply with all standards, specifications and guidelines on such use of the Marks. CSI also has the authority to include in this grant the right to reproduce and display on your Web site certain copyrighted photographs of L. Ron Hubbard and certain quotations from the copyrighted works.

"If you wish to use this authorization regarding the Marks and the Works, you must: submit a copy of your proposed use of the Marks or any quotations from the Works of L. Ron Hubbard to CSI and receive prior written approval on any of these from CSI before putting up or adding to your Web site, and also for any subsequent changes that you wish to make in your Web site; not use the Marks or copyrighted materials in any way or in conjunction with any activities or materials that may be deemed improper or a discredit to the Scientology religion; comply immediately and completely with any and all changes that CSI may require in the Web site, including termination of use of the Marks and the Works if required by CSI; agree to use the specific Internet Filter Program that CSI has provided to you which allows you freedom to view other sites on Dianetics, Scientology or its principals without threat of accessing sites deemed to be using the Marks or Works in an unauthorized fashion or deemed to be improper or discreditable to the Scientology religion.

"Sincerely, Church of Scientology International Lynn Farny Secretary"

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Germany

"The Scientology organization, according to a statement of the regional Secret Service of the German State of Baden-Wurttemberg, uses a secret service to spy upon its critics. In order to carry out their extremist and totalitarian goals, Scientology systematically shadows their opponents and selectively slanders them, said the President of the regional secret service (State Office of Constitutional Protection), Helmut Rannacher, on Friday in Stuttgart.

"The Scientology propaganda machine and secret service, Office of Special Affairs (OSA), is said to compile blacklists of their critics. The means they use of doing this are, to some degree, adventurous: Scientologists are said to, among other things, photograph the dwellings and surroundings of its critics. Disguised as street sweepers, they have rummaged about in garage trash containers for waste paper, in order to obtain information on critical organizations, said Rannacher."

>From Berliner Morgenpost:

"The strong reactions to the book 'Helnwein and Scientology' have, a half year after its appearance, died down. Despite that, the legal consequences continue on. At first the painter, Gottfried Helnwein, tried to have the book enjoined, but could not get the agreement of the Berlin State Court ('Landgericht'). In his book, the author, Peter Reichelt, shows in detail the relationship of the painter, Gottfried Helnwein, to Scientology. For many years Helnwein has disputed that he was a Scientologist. His words are, 'I shit on Scientology.' He reacted with a temporary enjoinment, the calling in of declarations of omission, and complaints against numerous media publications.

"According to a judgment by the Frankfurt Superior State Court of 1996, Helnwein may even be described as a 'minister of Scientology.' The painter, in turn, calls the judge a 'Nazi judge' and disputed the decision that same year in the constitutional court. The Federal Constitutional Court has not yet reached a decision. On his side, the Frankfurt judge has charged Helnwein with personal offense. The investigations are still in process."

>From Berliner Morgenpost:

"Despite dismissal of charges for releasing data to Scientology, the police administration wants to revive disciplinary procedures against a CID commissioner. The man is a member of the Scientology sect and has been suspended from service. The police legal department must now address the difficult question of determining to what degree the official can be disciplined independent of the dismissal. In the first two cases the chief commissioner received fines of 16,000 and 12,000 marks, respectively. The fines were turned over on appeal by the appeals court, because he 'inadvertently' did not delete the person's data, which is how it was passed to the sect. In a recruitment talk he had used the Scientologist software.

"The police legal department must now determine if a 'disciplinary overhang' exists. That means they have to determine if the official has inflicted any harm upon the police."

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Italy

"Alarm reigned in Italy after a press release outlining possible violent activities or spectacular scenes by sect adherents in the year 2000. These groups could misuse Rome as a stage [for their activities], wrote the daily paper 'La Repubblica' on Thursday. 30 to 40 million pilgrims are expected in the Italian capitol city in the jubilee year. According to the statement of the Interior Secretary, a 100 page dossier with the [names of the] groups active in Italy was forwarded to the Constitution Committee of Parliament. Its purpose is to see whether 'a danger for security and order' exists. According the the statement, the report includes the Scientology organization with approximately 7,000 members and 41 offices in Italy."

Harry Tuttle posted more news from Italy concerning this report.

"Scientology is currently involved in a eleven years long trial for 'criminal association'. It has been sentenced two times for 'criminal association' by two sections of the Court of Appeal of Milan, but then the Court of Cassation (a constitutional organism) has quashed these sentences merely for 'legal flaws' connected to its supposed 'religious nature', and postponed the organization to another appeal.

"The report declares that scientologists are telling a lots of propaganda *LIES* about their Italian membership: not 25,000 members in the city of Milan alone and 100,000 in the whole country as they're claiming, but less than '7000' at all!"

>From Reuters:

"The Interior Ministry said studied the subject because of public concern over cults in the lead up to the year 2000. 'There is widespread fear that individuals or uncontrolled religious groups, caught up in some type of religious fervor, might take the end of the Millennium as a spur for acts of great cruelty or deviant acts. Faced with growing public alarm, it was deemed necessary to examine the phenomenon and assess the possible existence of true threats to order and security,' the report said.

"The most worrying groups, the report said, were 'psychological-sects' such as Scientology, which has some 7,000 followers in Italy. 'These are regarded as the most dangerous of all the sects. They are capable of causing complete mental breakdown in their followers,' the report said."

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Boston

"This one is titled 'Results! The Publication of Applied Scholastics for New England Issue 1'. The front page above the fold contains a color photograph of 2 black schoolchildren, and the title of the main story is 'Rebuilding Communities Through Effective Education'. Other stories on the front are 'What is Applied Scholastics', and 'Learning and Results'. The return address is the Delphi Academy of Boston. The second page has a story 'Eradicating Illiteracy: Isaac Hayes Speaks Out' Solving our communities' greatest challenge'. This includes a photograph of Isaac Hayes and some schoolchildren. Other items on this page are 'Teachers Welcome Tools for Effective Learning' and 'What is Study Technology'.

"The 3rd page main story is 'High Standards Achieved by Delphi Academy', and the other story is 'What I Think of Study Technology', signed by John Travolta. The last page has a story 'Teaching' by L. Ron Hubbard. There is not one mention of Scientology in the whole publication."

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Proclamation Revoked

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Bob Minton

"The sect members remain behind the walls of the former luxury hotel, 'Fort Harrison.' But outside, only a few yards from Bob Minton, Scientology's security officers observe each step of the lone demonstrator. Also the SAT-1 camera, which has accompanied the crusade of Bob Minton for three weeks, has, since the arrive in Clearwater, constantly been in the sights of the sect 'sheriffs': armed with cameras and camcorders, they report each movement over walkie-talkies to the sect headquarters. When Bob Minton, the millionaire, starts a protest demonstration, the Scientology management in Los Angeles and Clearwater go to first stage alert. The man with the soft voice and the decisive appearance fights Scientology on multiple fronts: on talk shows and presentations, on the street and over the internet, above all with his millions of dollars.

"'I thought we lived in a free country. Who really protects our freedom of speech?' ponders Bob Minton. Because Scientology is recognized as a church in the USA, and is therefore widely protected from undercover police investigations, the millionaire decided to take it upon himself, to see to it that 'the odds are evened up a little bit.' Up to now he has paid out almost 3 million marks ($2 million) for his crusade. Checks for 'a couple of hundred thousand more dollars' are ready to be written.

"The Robin Hood of the cult opponents supports, in the meanwhile, a dozen Scientology ex-members who are at their wit's and financial end in their years-long disputes with the sect. For two high-ranking ex-Scientologists, Stacy and Vaughn Young, Bob Minton recently provided a house on an island in the northwestern USA, so that the couple could finally have some peace and quite from the persecution of the sect.

"Private detectives in the employ of the Scientologists investigate Minton's relatives and business partners for damaging material. A PI even finds his way to a secluded country home of the family in the forests of New Hampshire, where he questioned the town police about the millionaire in the name of the 'church.'"

Bob also reported this week that Scientology has been offering money for information damaging to him.

"For the third time that I know of, a pi working for $cientology has offered money in exchange for information on me. The offer was made by a Toronto based pi named Ron Christopher who gave a phone number of 416 352-5259. This offer was made to a US citizen. The other 2 offers that I am aware of were made in England to non US citizens. None of the people to whom such suggestions were made are willing to be interviewed on camera to confirm these incidents."

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NAACP

"Gabe Cazares reported on a banquet hosted recently by the local NAACP chapter. Not only was the cult of $cientology sponsoring a table at the banquet, but they also had a full-page ad in one of the programs. Pat Jones was, of course, in attendance. There is speculation that the local NAACP chapter would have had to consult with the national organization on the issue, and there was some concern on the organization's part that exclusion of Co$ from the event could spur a lawsuit."

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OT 9 and 10

"The captains of the Pacifica Bridge invite you to attend a special briefing: RELEASING OT IX & X. What are the strategic plans regrading [sic] the release of OT IX & X? When will they be complete? What does this have to do with you?

"Dave Petit, Captain Celebrity Centre International Edy Lundeen, Captain AOLA Jon Lundeen Captain ASHO Day Cheryl Fiandaca, Captain ASHO Fdn

"Saturday, May 2nd 7:00 PM AOLA Atrium Call to confirm 213 953-3300"

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Tom Padgett

"TOM PADGETT - enters Into his 6th year of litigation from his ex-wife Laura Padgett, a devoted follower of L. Ron Hubbard, whereby she must litigate him into submission or total ruin through legal harassment - a strict LRH policy. The venomous Laura, and her lawyer on a newer front hove filed criminal charges against Tom in Kentucky to have him extradited from Massachusetts on trumped-up allegations of child support failures so that he can be totally under control by the cult, the venue, and his ex. The case in Kentucky abounds in bogus experts, missing orders, and transcripts in the court records where the local Judge is a maternal family and Scientology ally. The Padgett children - Beau & Julie - continue to suffer harm from isolation, suppression and disconnection, Donations are greatly appreciated so that facts are not suppressed. Send checks or money orders to: "Tom Padgett defense fund C.A.S.H. (Citizens Against Scientologist's Harassment) Harwich., MA. 02645"

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Picket Summary

"I used the same message I had on my sign at the Minneapolis picket last Saturday 'SCIENTOLOGY: SPACE ALIEN SCAM' and 'DOES THE BRIDGE REALLY COST $360,000?'. About 15-20 min after I started picketing, two Scieno women, the witch that had harassed me at my last picket and another woman, came out; they were standing by the bus shelter which is in front of the org, and they took my picture as I walked by. Two passersby were at the corner; one of them was on her way to the bus stop and she took the Xemu and San Diego flyers that I offered her. I noticed that the Sea Witch must have gotten the woman waiting for the bus to give HER the flyers. I saw the Sea Witch reading the San Diego flyer, looking pissed off as hell!"

>From Bruce Pettycrew in Mesa, Arizona:

"I hit the early rush hour Wednesday, picketing from 3:30 to 4:30. There were 7 cars at the mission. I had a brief conversation with one of the members, in regards to my sign message 'Scientology Hurts People'. Scientologists always claim that you can't know what the church is about if you haven't taken the courses - I pointed out that they try to keep most of the advanced material a secret. I also mentioned the latest insult to members: the web site filter. There was no response."

>From Keith Henson and Jour in San Jose:

"5:00 p.m. to 5:25, 37 cars. It is amusing to watch the scns driving by me going in or out. They completely avoid eye contact, being so careful about it that you know they are having to work hard. I think this was the *second* picket of the day. I was going to picket earlier with someone, but got delayed filing legal papers for Graham."

"1 1/2 hour picket at San Jose org on Rosemary Wednesday, April 29 I had my same sign - one side says $CIENTOLOGY: ANTI-FEMINIST ANTI-GAY ANTI-CHRISTIAN & TAX EXEMPT and on the other side: $CIENTOLOGY - USING YOUR TAX $$$ TO DEFRAUD THE PUBLIC, PRACTICE MEDICINE ILLEGALLY, HARASS CRITICS IN COURT"

"A well-dressed woman appeared on the sidewalk. She gestured toward my sign and said she'd never heard the anti-feminist angle before. I handed her my 'Why I'm Picketing' flier. I asked if she was OT3 or above, and she kind of smiled and said if she wasn't supposed to read it she wouldn't. I didn't give her a Xenu, just to be safe, but I did give her a Lisa. She was surprised that I was considerate about respecting her restrictions on upper-level materials. While she was glancing over my 'Why I Picket' flier, I told her that, if it mattered, I have no hostility toward individual Scientologists. I just think the corporation is breaking the law and endangering people, and I want them to stop it. Several minutes into the conversation she told me that she was 'the famous Darlene.'"

>From "Realpch" in San Francisco:

"Tani and myself got there around 11:30. Jour was there and had already had some interaction with the staff. In fact, the staff was more assertive this time, perhaps because due to the threat of rain, they didn't have the bulwark of the Stress Test table this time. I did have several conversations with local street people. They all mentioned the 'Help Wanted' sign in the Org window. The locals had apparently all discovered that their help was not what was required. One man told me that they always have their offices in poor areas.

"The Camera Man was there again today doing what appeared to be video. Jour and I were talking to a woman from El Salvador when she realized that she was being photographed, which in her country had been cause for alarm. She talked to the Camera Man and I heard him tell her that the picketers were bigots, and they would turn the pictures over to their lawyer. Later on the Camera Man attached himself to Tani, for quite a bit of conversation. He indicated that the plan was to report this picketing as a hate crime. The question is, how does one convince the police with moving pictures of smiling pleasant picketers, that some massive amount of hate is going on?"

>From Karsten Lorenzen in Aarhus, Denmark:

"Susanne Elleby and I had a sign saying Scientology Destroys families. Is yours the next? We had only just arrived, when scios came. they where 8, four of them taking pictures and one of them taping it with his camcorder. The other three stood talking in their cellular phones. Then the Danish TV came, and started to make interview with me. At that moment it was an open war, but unfortunately, for the scios, the television crew had enough, and started to interview them: why are you sabotaging our interview, why do you take pictures, they asked the scios.

"A couple of minutes later my interview was made, and then it was Susanne's turn. Scios tried once more to ruin it, but as the first time they did not succeed. Then they left, and I started to hand out the Xemu leaflet, which I have translated into Danish. I guess we handed out 75 leaflets within 20 min. They had, as far as my information is true, a crisis meeting Friday evening."

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Russia

"The American psycho-sect, Scientology, has mobilized in Russia and now holds more key positions in businesses as well as state administrations. Even the new Russian Minister President, the 35-year old Sergei Kirijenko, is supposed to have had contacts with Scientology, according to the statements of Russian sect experts. The several thousand dollar courses in the Hubbard Colleges, which bear titles such as 'Team Spirit and Responsibility - Sharing on the Management Level', are favored by the new business elite of Russia, and amount to, if one believes the sect commissioner of the Russian Orthodox Church, Alexander Dvorkin, joining the Scientology organization.

"Scientology is expanding in Russia faster than anywhere else in the world. The headquarters in Moscow, with a staff of 150, is the largest world-wide. Altogether there are 54 centers which are named after Hubbard's doctrine. In the near future, 50 more of these bases are to be established in other GUS states such as Uzbekistan and Kasachistan. Add the Hubbard colleges to that, and Scientology is located in about 300 places in Russia.

"Near the metropolises of Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Scientologists have shown a high interest in areas where gigantic military/industrial complexes exist or where they are advancing. This is the case in the Ural cities of Perm, Jekaterinburg, and in Nishnij Novgorod on the Volga, where numerous armament factories exist, as well as in oil areas such as Tiumen, where strong contingents of Scientologist have arisen. Scientology has had marked success in the Ural city of Perm. Ex-mayor Vladimir Fil wanted the entire city administration indoctrinated in the Hubbardian style of leadership within one year. In Nishnij Novgorod all the lead administrators have taken part in Scientology seminars. The city administration ended the cooperation in March, 1997. The officials had to take down the portraits of Hubbard from the office walls.

"Scientology has also found adherents in the highest circles. The former Chief of Secret Service and current Minister of the Interior, Sergei Stepashin, had warm words for the psycho-sect. Also Michail Teodorowitsh, Advisor to the First Premier, Boris Nemzow, is, according to Dvorkin, a 'confirmed Hubbardist.'"

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Switzerland

"The Stuttgart Constitutional Protection agent, who was arrested in Basel while gathering information about Scientology earlier this month, was apparently treated by the Swiss Federal police as a dangerous criminal. The official from Stuttgart was overpowered Rambo style in a parking garage by his Swiss colleagues. An example of this is that a sack was pulled over his head. A strip search was performed on him. The official, who did not offer any resistance and admitted to his offense, was then put in a cell that was described as 'similar to pre-war.' The cell was filthy; he was only given two slices of bread to eat. The Constitutional Protection agent sat in a detention cell for more than three days. He was not freed until after an official apology and the posting of 25,000 francs bail by the the Stuttgart Ministry of Interior. Besides that, the German authorities have to insure that the official appears at a judicial hearing in Switzerland.

"Officially, one does not want to further instigate the prosecutors in Switzerland. On the other hand, some people are gritting their teeth. Up until this time, the Swiss investigators helpfully answered questions. Now, however, the readiness of the 'quarrelsome mountain folk' (quoted from an investigator who said it half in jest, half in earnest) to cooperate across the border has decreased. 'If we would have arrested one of our Swiss colleagues for something like that, at least we would have seen to it that he had a proper place to sleep and gotten some decent food,' stated a source."

Tribune de Geneve reported this week that a Swiss doctor is being charged with homicide in a death at the Scientology org in Geneva.

"A Geneve's MD has been incriminated last Tuesday for homicide by neglect and exposition to risk by the Judge d'Instruction Claude Wenger. This incrimination comes from a complaint deposed by the two daughters of a patient dead of cancer on Dec 17, 1995. The GFPI, the Group for the Protection of Family and Individual, managed by Francois Lavergnat had further denounced the facts to the General Prosecutor who therefore opened a criminal inquiry.

"This patient was a member of the Church of Scientology having followed courses in the same cult/sect. For the first period, from mid-94 to December 94, the patient had received ambulatory cure from the MD, for abdominal aches, between others. On January 2, 1995, she was sent urgently to the Canton's Hospital where an ovary's cancer was diagnosed. She gets a chemotherapeutic, goes better, then refuses to continue her cure and leaves the hospital in June, 1995. She comes back a bit later to her MD who prescribes her an alternate cure base on homeopathy. On 1st Dec, 1995, the patient is gotten back urgently to the cantonal Hospital, her cancer expanding extremely fast. She dies there seventeen days later.

"The Judge ordered a medical expertise, whose conclusions accuse the MD without doubt. The Expert observes between else that his colleague lacked of professional consciousness for the first part of the treatment since he did not ordered the necessary tests. But worse, the medical expert is thinking that the MD has profited of his Scientology membership to influence his patient to inhibit her to continue the anti-cancer cure prescribed in the hospital.

"The Instruction judge has ordered searches. Some pieces related to scientology have been seized. The cult protested against that, speaking of 'ecclesiastical secret'. The magistrate refused, underlining that scientology had not the church's characters according to the usual sense."

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