Germany



Swiss newspaper Tagesanzeiger reported on October 19th that the Bavarian

government will be issuing a report that finds that Scientology is opposed

to the principles of the the legal system in Germany.



"The Bavarian government pursued the topic and a report will be appearing

in November.  Reputable lawyers, psychologists and forensic psychiatrists

have investigated Scientology these last four years, and their work is

covered by a 680 page report.



"The result of the quarter million Euro study is that Scientology's

internal structure and several areas of operation are in contradiction to

central principles of the legal system. The authors recommended that

politicians consider banning the organization. They also regard it as

possible that the formation of a criminal organization has occurred with

respect to Scientology. State Interior Minister Gunther Beckstein was not

displeased with this news, as Scientology has successfully outmaneuvered

the legal system in Bavaria in the past.



"Scientology's dealings with its staff was a pointed issue of the study,

which said that heavy pressure was used to obtain results, and that

sometimes people were required to give up speaking with members of their

family. The cult's courses were also taken into consideration, and some of

the promises made about them were said to fulfill the conditions for

fraud. Some practices were also regarded as a violation of medical

malpractice laws."



Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1021026055820.137A-100000@darkstar.zippy





Psychiatry



The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on October 18th that Scientologist

Randy Kretchmar will defend a patient in Chester, Missouri at a commitment

hearing. He has announced that he plans to use the hearing to put

Psychiatry itself on trial.



"It's a commitment hearing for Rodney Yoder, an unwilling 'patient' at the

Chester Mental Health Center. But Yoder and his supporters intend to do

more than argue that Yoder ought to go free. They intend to put psychiatry

on trial. They hope that this hearing will do to psychiatry what the

Scopes Monkey Trial did to creationism. That is, expose it as a false

science.



"First there's Rodney Yoder. Time magazine called him one of America's

most spectacular jerks because he is so often rude and impatient with

people. He has been held at the Chester Mental Health Center for more than

10 years, and he argues that he is sane. Before being thrown into the

asylum, he had done a stretch in the prison in Chester for assaulting his

wife. She is now his ex-wife, and he is engaged to Millie Strom, a

Canadian who was once married to the legendary musician, John Lee Hooker.



"Yoder's attorney is Randy Kretchmar. He's new to the practice of law.

This will be his first trial. By the way, he is a Scientologist, and

followers of that faith seem to make up a good portion of Yoder's

supporters. (Yoder is not a Scientologist.) Also supporting Yoder are

so-called psychiatric survivors. Throw in a smattering of journalists and

you've got the makings of an interesting audience."



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Narconon



Signonsandiego.com reported on October 19th that Narconon has received

permission from the planning commission to operate a facility in Warner

Springs, California.



"The Narconon center would be housed in a former motel and two houses off

state Route 79. It would serve up to 30 people ages 18 to 25, and they

would be treated by a staff of 15, three who would live at the center.

Patients would pay $22,000 to participate in a voluntary six-month

program.  The project - which had many supporters at yesterday's

commission hearing - was approved in a 4-0 vote, with Michael York absent.

But opponents vow to appeal the project to the Board of Supervisors."



Message-ID: 3DB6CD1D.D653A79D@bc.cc.ca.us





Tom Padgett



Arnie Lerma reported that Tom Padgett was released from jail on October

22nd. He has been involved in a family court dispute with his ex-wife, a

Scientologist, which led to his extradition from Rhode Island to a

Kentucky jail.



"The bogus 'felony indictment' of child support allegations filed in march

1998 was reduced to a misdemeanor charge, the court did acknowledge that

Mr. Pagett's child support had in fact been fully and completely paid, and

that all future support had already been paid. In addition, a $12,000

overpayment was due to be returned by the court.



"The Kentucky Court ordered Padgett to pay a $1,900 'extradition' travel

expense before they released him. This would pay for his travel as well as

the Hopkins county sheriffs that went to Rhode Island to take him back to

Kentucky before the extradition hearing in Rhode Island could even be

held. A post ruling affidavit will be filed to object strenuously since

the extradition procedure was done illegally from Rhode Island."



Message-ID: 3db7611f.26446660@news.verizon.net





Protest Summary



Jens Tingleff reported a protest at the Birmingham, England Scientology

org on October 26th.



"Dave, John, Hartley and myself had a cracking day out picketing. Quite a

few kids wanted balloons only for the helium, but there were lots of

balloons that people kept, so our XENU logo is getting out there. When the

youngsters queued up for balloons, some of them asked for an explanation

and got the spiel about how Scientology was a self-help therapy combined

with a pyramid money-making scheme which dragged members in from the real

world to the phony alternative of a cult. Quite a few of them knew that

Travolta and Cruise are members, and I offered the theory that some actors

need the comfort of bought friends enough to sign up for craziness as bad

as the UFO-cult.



"John keeps developing his spiel on the microphone, and worked in the

message that, unlike most other UFO-cults, Scientology didn't have the

courage of their own convictions to admit to being a UFO-cult. I had two

youngsters walk up and say 'Scientology stole my brother.' At least he got

out again, as far as I understood.



"We did have a brief visit from a nasty git.  He tore one of our XENU

balloons from a girl. He also threw a few pennies at John's feet which was

considered hilarious by the Scientologists. The Scientologists had four

people there permanently, and occasional reinforcements of another three

or four.



"The 'anti-drugs' leaflets handed out by the Scientologists started with a

page that did not describe the drug they purported to discuss but

describing how groups who were trying to rid society of drugs were often

attacked by people and other groups who had some interest in keeping

society affected negatively by drugs."



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Lisa Marie Presley



The National Enquirer reported in the October 29th issue that Scientology

celebrity Lisa Marie Presley and actor Nicolas Cage will be separating in

part because he refuses to convert to Scientology.



"They've had arguments about Nicolas wanting to go out partying with his

buddies whenever he wants and Lisa Marie objects to that. Nic also wants

to close down Graceland to the public and move in there with Lisa Marie

but she would rather live in Southern California. He also wants Lisa Marie

to get pregnant right away and have his child but Lisa Marie wants to wait

for a while to have any more kids so she can keep her figure. Also,

according to a source, 'On top of all that, Nic isn't a Scientologist like

Lisa Marie - and he refuses to be converted.'



From UK magazine Anorak on October 25th:



"It appears to be too late to save the marriage of Lisa Marie Presley and

Nicolas Cage.  'The marriage has exploded,' a pal tells. 'Fights have

brought Nic and Lisa Marie to the brink of divorce.' They not yet have

matching plasters, but they do seem to share a mutual antipathy. He, it

seems, is upset that she is reluctant to have a baby. She's upset over his

partying with friends, when he drinks, smokes and plays pool.



"And then came the row to which we can all relate: where are we going to

live. Will it be his Beverly Hills mansion? And if it is, then what about

her Hidden Hills home, her mansions in Florida and New Orleans or even her

daddy's Graceland home? Or how about the spaceship orbiting planet earth,

although only she can go there because he's refusing to convert to

Scientology. But it remains an option."



Message-ID: co3eruouki9ok3lm9c10q7riuh56d4o6m5@4ax.com

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Roger Gonnet



Roger Gonnet reported on developments in a number of lawsuits brought

against him by Scientology in France.



"Scientologists have presented twice the same suit against me since 2000

before the instruction judge. I was supposed to have menaced them of

bombing and tried to blackmail them. None of it true. The instructor judge

dismissed it the first time. Their attorney came back with the same

complaint, slightly different this time. I learned that the instructor

judge had dismissed that second complaint in July 2002.



"The situation of complaints is that The case above won twice without

having had to go before the courts. One civil case for 300 Euros damages

lost, to be paid to Moxon. One Euro damage to Ethique et Liberate (Freedom

magazine) for a copyright issue. One civil case from Arsac dismissed,

except I should have declared my website sooner than I did, and I have to

go before the courts for that. One case from Laurent Quoisse won but he

retried the same. One case from Panda who complained for libel. That one

case is won because of amnesty, but the civil part remains for December.

Another case from Ethique and Liberte for 'insults' (untrue), which is

already already won, but will be defended before courts in March 2003."



Message-ID: 3db3faf6$0$236$626a54ce@news.free.fr





Russia



Alexander Dvorkin reported on October 22nd that the Scientology event at

the Kremlin reported previously in the press appears to be a hoax.



"This 'event' is a Scientology hoax. Our staff member with great

difficulty got an invitation card and went to the Kremlin. Nobody there

had heard of this event. The guards said that our staff member was the

first person that day who tried to pass inside the Kremlin with such card.

She went in and the advertised place was empty and none of the workers

even heard than anything like that was supposed to take place."



An appeal for funds was sent to Scientologists this week to help Volunteer

Ministers work at the site of a Moscow theater where Chechens have taken

hostages to pressure the release of combatants in the Russian-Chechen war.



"Right now Russian Volunteer Ministers are working to set up 2 or 3 stable

bases around this area to deliver help to family members as well as to

some hostages who were allowed out. As the situation continues there will

be more and more people there that will need their help. VMs are also

organizing teams to go around each metro station in Moscow to distribute

simple handouts with VM Hotline phone number people can call if they have

someone who needs help.



"We have enough Volunteer Ministers in Moscow who are willing to work to

do all they can to help this situation. They are lacking funds to print

materials, get VM jackets, get Way to Happiness booklets, etc. Donations

are needed right now to keep the actions of theses VMs.  They will make

all the difference.



"- Olivia Meijer

CO I Help Europe"



Message-ID: 3db56e09$0$5126$626a54ce@news.free.fr

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