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Declaration of Elliot Abelson

Title: Declaration of Elliot Abelson
Date: Thursday, 15 October 2009
Publisher:
Main source: tampabay.com

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DECLARATION OF ELLIOT ABELSON

I, Elliot Abelson, hereby declare and state:

1. I make the following statements out of my personal knowledge and if called to testify thereto could and would do so competently.

2. I am an attorney licensed to practice in the State of California since 1969. I am currently General Counsel for the Church of Scientology International ("CSI") and have held this position since the 1990s. I am primarily responsible for coordinating legal matters for CSI.

3, CSI confronts legal issues ranging from the everyday issues of an international corporation to the First Amendment protections underlying Church litigation. The Church has been under attack in the past both nationally and internationally from discriminatory governments, and individuals guided by intolerance and religious bigotry, including protracted litigation.

4. While the Church's litigation is largely a thing of the past, the defense of the Church and individual Scientologists continues. The Church continues to be the victim of hate crimes including a shooting and attempted arson at the Church in Portland, Oregon, an attempt to blow up a Church in Los Angeles, an incident in Las Vegas where an individual entered the Church with a Molotov cocktail, and a man with a Ninja sword entering a Church in Los Angeles swinging the sword at staff and parishioners. Similar incidents have occurred overseas.

5. In addition, there have been numerous threats against Church facilities and individual Church leaders. I assist in coordination with local and federal law enforcement agencies regarding these hate crimes.

6. As part of my responsibility as General Counsel, I hire and oversee the use of private investigators who assist me in my work for the Church. I require that the private investigators I retain conduct themselves according to their rules and regulations as licensed private investigators, as well as comply with all state and local laws.

7. Private investigators have provided valuable assistance both in litigation and in avoiding litigation. They have assisted in preventing violence and threats of violence to Church members and property.

8. I have never had any discussions with or correspondence from Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center regarding the use of private investigators. He is simply not involved.

I declare under the penalty of perjury of the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed this 15th day of October, 2009 at Los Angeles, California.
[Signature]
Elliot Abelson