The Church of Scientology has won the first major skirmish in a $1.5-million damage suit brought against it by former Clearwater Mayor Gabriel Cazares and his wife Maggie. Circuit Judge Fred Bryson ruled Friday that there has been so much negative publicity about Scientology in Pinellas County that a fair and impartial jury could not be seated here. He ordered that the trial portion of the Cazares' suit be moved to Daytona Beach. Asked what factors led to his decision, Bryson ...

Toronto ON — Four Ontario Cabinet ministers and a former minister have been accused in a lawsuit of a conspiracy "to bring about the demise" of the Church of Scientology of Toronto. The controversial cult claims that the ministers and others, including the Ontario Provincial Police and the Metro Toronto police, have violated its constitutional rights to freedom of religion, speech and assembly. Among actions cited as harassment is the provincial inquiry, headed by Daniel Hill, into the practices of cults, ...

The woman would be "very tough," "obviously pregnant" and a "good actress." She would storm into the Sacramento office of the state attorney general, the boss of Deputy Atty. Gen. Lawrence Tapper of Los Angeles. "I told Larry I wouldn't do this but he gave me no choise (sic)," she would shout, following the "Operation Snapper" scenario written for her by someone connected with the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles. "I don't care about his career anymore! I mean look ...

EDMONTON (CP) — The Church of Scientology has been ruled in contempt of court for failing to present financial records to seven Albertans it is suing. Mr. Justice L. D. MacLean of the Court of Queen's Bench also ordered the church to proceed with its defamation action against the defendants after labelling the 1/2-year court delay "absolutely ridiculous." He said the Church of Scientology must appear ready for a two-week trial on Oct. 6 or its action, launched in 1976, will ...

Church of Scientology members planned to discredit a high-level official in the California attorney general's office in Los Angeles with a bizarre undercover operation involving a pregnant woman, a phony nun and a fake bribery kickback, according to documents obtained by the Herald Examiner. The church's records of "Operation Snapper" — part of 100,000 pages of documents seized by the FBI in Los Angeles three years ago — identified the target at Lawrence Tapper, deputy attorney general in charge of the ...

CLEARWATER — Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney James T. Russell said Tuesday that members of the Church of Scientology have attempted to infiltrate his office at least five times since 1976. The alleged infiltration attempts failed because routine background checks on the job applicants revealed that hey were members of the Church of Scientology, Russell said. Asked if it was legal to turn down job applicants solely because they are Scientologists, Russell said, "I don't know, but I'd like to fight a lawsuit ...

The faithful inner core serve as thieves, decoys and spies. The shocking story behind one of the most dangerous “religious cults” operating today IN THE late 1940s, pulp writer L. Ron Hubbard declared, “Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million, the best way would be to start his own religion.” Hubbard did start his own religion, calling it the “Church of Scientology,” and it has grown into an enterprise today grossing ...

The Church of Scientology is apparently pulling out all the stops in a worldwide effort to block publication of a forthcoming Reader's Digest article critical of the church. Fearful that such an article in an 18-million circulation magazine would be damaging to Scientology, church officials have: * Instituted legal action against Reader's Digest in South Africa and reportedly in West Germany in an effort to block distribution of the may issue in those countries. * Threatened to sue Reader's Digest offices ...

The Church of Scientology first moved into Riverside County when it opened a mission in Riverside in 1972. Later, it was revealed that the Church had a secret operation at La Quinta, near Indio. Now, from court records, it has been learned the church has established its worldwide command center at Gilman Hot Springs near Hemet. Here is the second of a two parts on the Gilman operation. ''[I do not have the first part of this special Gilman coverage. Of ...

On Dec. 13, former Scientologist LaVenda Van Schaick filed a $200-million class-action lawsuit against the Church of Scientology in Federal Court in Boston, contending that the church falsely promises to improve the lives of its members. Since then, 10 other ex-Scientologists have filed affidavits in support of the suit, giving a glimpse of life within Scientology. The church has filed a motion to dismiss that case. It also sued Mrs. Van Schaick and others, contending that she is "motivated by malice." ...

''On Dec. 13, former Scientologist LaVenda Van Schaick filed a $200-million class-action lawsuit against the Church of Scientology in Federal Court in Boston, contending that the church falsely promises to improve the lives of its members. Since then, 10 other ex-Scientologists have filed affidavits in support of the suit, giving a glimpse of life within Scientology. The church has files motion to dismiss that case. It also sued Mrs. Van Schaick and others, contending that she is "motivated by malice." Last ...

LANSING — The Michigan Department of Corrections paid more than $100,000 during the last three years to a drug treatment program with veiled ties to the controversial Church of Scientology. Leaders of the drug program, known as Narconon, admit it is based on Scientology teachings, but they deny any affiliation with the church. A state corrections official said he was satisfied that Scientology does not run Narconon. Church records obtained by The Detroit News showed, however, that Scientology leaders created Narconon ...

DAVID BERESFORD investigates the activities of Scientology's secret intelligence unit whose director is based in Britain IT WAS a familiar beginning to an American public scandal: soon after 7 pm on the night of June 11, 1976, two burglars were caught in the US Court House in Washington DC. In the Watergate tradition frantic attempts were made to localise responsibility. But the cover-up finally cracked and disclosures followed which were to lead, not to the top of the Republican Party, but ...

A 1977 order from the top level of the Church of Scientology sought to silence criticism of the cult by a New York-based organization dedicated to investigating UFOs and claims of psychic wonders.

Freelance writer Paulette Cooper is a finely honed, long-haired accumulation of nervous energy. She was dressed with a New Yorker flair that seemed out of context in the small windowless room in the grey dignity of the U. S. District Court building in Washington.

Toronto ON — L. Ron Hubbard, the former science fiction writer who publicly resigned in 1966 from leadership of the Church of Scientology, continued to give orders to its leaders into 1977, a Washington court has been told. Evidence obtained in 1977 in raids on U. S. offices of the cult by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed there was a detailed program to cover up Mr. Hubbard's involvement in the leadership of Scientology. Called Operation Bulldozer Leak, it was part ...

Confidential documents from various Ontario Government offices including an attorney-general's communication about police intelligence operations have been found in U.S. Church of Scientology files. The documents were part of the evidence submitted by federal attorneys in the Washington prosecution of U.S. leaders of the cult on charges of conspiring to steal government documents and obstruct justice by cover-ups and by kidnapping an informer. Of 12 indicted, including two in Britain and the informer, nine have been tried, convicted and sentenced by ...

A woman who was a member of the Church of Scientology for seven years and who has now filed a $200 million class action suit against the church, said of her experience that “it was a whole menagerie of lies.” Lavenda Van Schaick, a 29-year-old native of Texas who joined the church in Las Vegas, recited a list of experiences that her attorney, Michael Flynn, said, can only be described as “Orweilian,” referring to George Orwell’s depiction of a future society ...