Volume 0, Issue 31 vom 26. 11. 1995

Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review
Volume 0, Issue 31
11/26/95
by Rod Keller [rkeller@netaxs.com]
copyright 1995

Contents

  1. Newkid
  2. Who is AB?
  3. Arnie's Deposition
  4. Claims of Clears
  5. Miscavige Deposition
  6. Condition Enemy
  7. Past Lives
  8. Henry Update
  9. Cult vs. David Mayo
  10. Threats in Memphis
  11. Spurlock v. FBI
  12. Time, Victory or Defeat?

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 the articles. 
Many include an excerpt, and all include message IDs for the articles I
cover. This may or may not be useful to you, 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://www.amazing.com/scientology/ars-summary.html
        http://users.aimnet.com/~jdiver/scieno.htm
        http://www.thur.de/religio/publik/arsfaq.html
        http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html

#####

Newkid

The surprising and somewhat confusing story of Jan Peter Mante (aka Snorri Helgarsson aka Newkid) unfolded in numerous postings with week. Excerpts from articles in the November 18th issue of Trouw, a Dutch national newspaper. "In close collaboration with the US embassy, the scientology church has exposed a swindler. The man tried to sell secret US-government documents to the cult. "The documents would allegedly prove that the US government was supporting the Dutch electronic anti-scientology movement. The blackmailer turned out to be employed as computer-programmer on the US embassy. The programmer, Jan Peter Mante, has been fired this week. The collaboration between the cult and the embassy is extremely remarkable: the cult and the US government have had many disputes in the past. "US citizen Frank Marshall, who negotiated with Mante on behalf of the cult and is consultant to a law-firm in the States, regularly reported to the US embassy. Mante claims never to have been interested in money. His only goal was to play a nasty trick on the cult that he hates. "When the cult seized the computers of the Dutch Internet-provider XS4ALL, he decided the time to act had arrived. Mante recorded the negotiations on audio-tape and was hoping to be able to show the climax, the actual transaction, to the world press. But his girlfriend, with whom he shared all his secrets, betrayed him to scientology." Jan clarified some details in a series of posts. Here are some excerpts from the series. "Why did I do it, as the Dutch action was gaining momentum and I began studying that what is the real nature of this criminal cult, I became over motivated. I found that the Co$ is totally obsessed with the notion of a global conspiracy against them which brought me on the idea to play into that. First the objective was just to waist there time, they were already stressed out and I figured that there would be no harm in increasing that state. "At first they wanted communication between myself and Karin Spaink, Felipe Rodriquez and other prominent Co$ opponents. There was no way in which I could do that, and I NEVER DID THAT. Unfortunately it now expires that the one person who I fully trusted betrayed my trust and delivered just that for nothing more that sandwiches and cigarettes. It is that what hurts me the most at this time. "In the course of negotiations it became clear that it required higher authority to aprove a million dollar's, and that Marshall was going to call in such authority. This lead me to the idea to prolong the operation in the hope that such higher authority would indeed arrive. "My true identity and employer only become known during the last meeting during which I produced a fake classified cable which Frank Marshall could look at after which I destroyed it. I told him that the whole deal would consist of 22 documents outlining the whole strategy. "On the subject of Jennifer Kadir there are some things I would like to clarify. At the moment she is getting all the blame for what happened and it is true that she betrayed me in the worst possible way and there is no way to forgive her. There are however a possible explanation for what she did. First the manner in which she was fired from the Embassy was below any standards, she was accused of incompetence but I know for a fact that this wasn't the case, she was overly curious and it appears to me and her that she was framed. When she became jobless she never received any social benefits. Reasons for that are very unclear and she began to see her misfortune as the result of an campaign against her aiming at totally wrecking her. "I knew her and indeed trusted her, I saw her and spoke so often about her feelings and events in her live. I just cannot make sense out all of this. It is clear that I was totally blind for who and what she really is. And what that is I don't know, yes I helped her in her problems as she helped me with some problems of my own. "It is clear to me now that nothing she said or did was true and that I went for her trap with my eyes open and still not able to see. It is so hard to talk of this as it breaks me up inside. "Frank Marshall was a PI who came in the picture when my *friend* Jennifer Kadir contacted the Co$, or more exact the OSA office in Amsterdam. She spoke with Julia Rijnvis who at that time was attempting to deal with the Dutch Protest Action, and convinced her that I was part of a CIA conspiracy against the Co$. This was two weeks before I ever thought up the scheme to frame the Co$. "In this way Jennifer initiated the plan before it was ever conceived. The frame was such that I would have been able to catch the Co$ in the act of buying Government Documents, pictures, press etc,. Pay them back for what they did to so many others. At any rate it looks that OSA took the thing serious, and got a PI in (Frank Marshall). Frank Marshall was not a Church Attorney. When I initiated contact to Alan Cartwright (Two weeks later) Marshall joined in the first meeting. The Embassy Security Office was only contacted later, most likely after the fifth meeting when they found that the cable they received was a fake. "Whether they discovered that it was faked, or whether Jennifer informed them or whether the was a Co$ member in the Embassy, is still unclear. What is clear however is that they were willing and ready to obtain documents, which would proof their conspiracy hangup. "The scenario as I now see it is that first Jennifer Kadir got in contact with Julia Rijnvis in Amsterdam, subsequently Julia provided an opening for her to get in contact with higher levels in your organization. She convinced them that I would have the information and that she would be able to get it from me, because of her influence on me. "Initially your PI had to work out the deal, but than something went wrong, Jennifer began to realize that 1) I wasn't seeking to keep the money (the whole thing was to be exposed to the press) and 2) the information was faked. She turned around and told Marshall of the fact that they would have been had." Message-ID: <48nknn$eb6@enterprise.cistron.nl> Message-ID: <48nvpp$s5m@news.xs4all.nl> Message-ID: <48q04d$q3c@enterprise.cistron.nl> Message-ID: <48q1cj$q3c@enterprise.cistron.nl> Message-ID: <494ets$jq5@enterprise.cistron.nl> Message-ID: <491pjh$7gi@enterprise.cistron.nl> ##########

Who is AB?

New evidence was released this week on the identity of AB, the anonymous poster tracked down by the cult through the Penet remailer and Caltech. The post was made by Biz <biz@interlog.com>. "-AB- was revealed to be tc@alumni.caltech.edu. The following will show that the tc account was forwarded to tgr@alumni.caltech.edu (T. Rau). "Welcome to the InterNIC Directory and Database Server. Enter person and keys (blank to exit) --> tc alumni caltech edu Searching alumni.caltech.edu ( 1) SMTP_Finger_Search: checking domain alumni.caltech.edu Mail for T. Rau is forwarded to tgr@alumni.caltech.edu NOTE: this is a domain mail forwarding arrangement - so mail intended for 'tc' should be addressed to 'tgr@alumni.caltech.edu'. "So mail sent to tc@alumni.caltech.edu hits a .forward file and is redirected to tgr@alumni.caltech.edu. It appears that this person (T.G. Rau) is the mysterious -AB-." Message-ID: <48te5h$4na@gold.interlog.com> #####

Arnie's Deposition

Andy Milne this week posted a portion of Arnie's deposition in his case vs. the RTC. "Extract from Lerma's deposition of October 17, 1995: Q: Was it your desire to bring the free zone people and the Factnet kind of people together? A: Not necessarily keep them together -- you know, bring them together, just not -- "Q: Just not alienate them? A: Alienate everybody. "Q: And what about Factnet did you think might alienate the free zone? A: Larry's abrasive attitude. "Q: You found Larry to be abrasive? A: Larry, you know, he's not the easiest guy to deal with." This was not only a feeble Dead Agent attack, it also appears to have been illegally revealed, as Arnie Lerma reported. "You are in DEEP shit pal, Judge Brinkema SEALED this deposition at RTC's request. It is a SEALED COURT DOCUMENT! (unlike what I posted to the net, that the lawsuit is all about - an OPEN PUBLIC RECORD)" Message-ID: <48h45k$13g@crl10.crl.com> Message-ID: <48lsqn$d3j@news.dgsys.com> #####

Claims of Clears

Steve Holroyd posted an ad he recently came across in the West End Extra which lists the current claims of the cult for the state of "clear". "SCIENTOLOGY 'Do you want more out of life?' Become a Scientology Clear A Scientology Clear has - Over 135 IQ - Creative imagination - Amazing vitality - Deep relaxation - Good memory - Strong willpower - Radiant health - Magnetic personality - Good self control If you would like to have all these qualities then look into Scientology. Enquire today" Message-ID: <48q13m$2rj@romeo.logica.co.uk> #####

Miscavige Deposition

Shelley Thomson (aka Biased Journalism) posted an update this week on plans to depose David Miscavige, Chairman of the RTC. "The rumor that David Miscavige, head of the church of scientology, will be deposed in the lawsuit brought by the Religious Technology Corporation against Arnoldo Lerma, Digital Gateway, the Washington Post, Richard Leiby and Marc Fisher lawsuit is true. He will be deposed by attorneys for Lerma and Digital Gateway. "A date for the deposition will be set within a week. If the parties fail to agree, the Judge will set the date herself. The location will be in a place chosen by the defendant's law firm, probably in the city of Los Angeles. "The church struggled desperately to prevent this outcome. When the deposition was first asked for, the RTC made a motion to quash the deposition. The motion was opposed by the attorneys for Lerma and Digital Gateway. A hearing was held on the subject last Thursday before Judge Leonie Brinkema, who denied the motion to quash. "The RTC then made a request for an emergency hearing to quash the deposition. The emergency hearing was held on the following Friday. The request was denied. This is apparently a final decision. "The RTC vs. Lerma et al. lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial on January 29, 1996." Message-ID: <sthomsonDIDpL7.BJu@netcom.com> #####

Condition Enemy

A case was posted this week that indicates cult members employ the "Lower Level" conditions when dealing with their employees. "My boss is into Scientology. He's very high up, an auditor or something. We recently got into an argument, and I cussed him out.I later came back and apologized. Now he won't let me come back to work. He says I took on the look of the 'enemy', and I need to do something to get back into the 'group'. I need to come up with some sort of punishment for myself. WHAT SHOULD I DO? I've lost a lot of sleep, let alone money already over this. Please e-mail me or post here. Thanks." Rogue Agent posted the part of the tech that indicates what the employee should expect. "HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex Remimeo HCO Policy Letter of 18 October 1967 Issue IV "ENEMY SP Order. Fair game. May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed." Message-ID: <48ml9p$kpd@news2.isp.net> Message-ID: <48oq9k$ov1@camelot.ccs.neu.edu> #####

Past Lives

Former cult member and current supporter Wolftrip posted excerpts from Freewinds magazine concerning past lives and implants. "WARNING! SEVERE TURBULENCE AHEAD you are piloting your way through a highly charged part of the track - through an incident the pc hasn't seen in 200 lifetimes. Miss a read and you could wrap the case in a ball. Wouldn't you want to fly with the best instrumentation possible? "EARTH WAS COLONIZED 35,000 YEARS AGO. (picture of ice cubes) YOU ARRIVED IN AN ICE CUBE.... Where were you 35,000 years ago? And what incidents lie buried in human memory? Discover the 'coffee grinder' incident, called Fac One, which laid in a bone deep somatic with a series of electronic stuttering 'baps'. The halver, which is at the root of religious aberration, and many other implant incidents which have been found common to all preclears on earth. Discover also the 'Injected Entities' - the source of voices in your mind, and much more. Read this cold-blooded, factual account of your past, and be protected the next time you find yourself *between lives*" Message-ID: <48hdme$8sm@mis02.micron.net> #####

Henry Update

Robert Clark (aka henry) posted this week to publicize his need for housing in the wake of an attempt by the cult to frame him for making bomb threats. "this is the deal. i need _temporary_ crash-space, preferably somewhere in Pennsylvania or nearby, and will explain why and what for to anyone interested whom i believe to be trustworthy. "btw, things in my life will probably soon get better--they're just going to get much much worse practically instantaneously." Message-ID: <henriDIFCA0.359@netcom.com> #####

Cult vs. David Mayo

A summary was posted from the 11/14/95 hearing of the cult vs. David Mayo, expelled author of the NOTS secret levels. "This litigation began in Jan 1985 and grew into three massive federal cases in which the Scientologists alleged RICO, copyright, trade secret, trade mark, unfair competition, contract violations, etc., etc., against Mayo, CNC and others. The Scientology plaintiffs were RTC, CSI and CSC. Mayo and CNC filed counter suits against RTC, CSI, CSC and COST. These included unfair competition and anti trust allegations and Mayo's counter suit alleged libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress. "Each of those suits was dismissed -- the Scientology suits against Mayo defendants were dismissed due to abusive litigation and flouting of court orders by the Scientologists. In one instance the Court sanctioned the Scientology plaintiffs lawyers (Kobrin, Moxon) $17,000 and in the other, the court sanctioned the Scientologists $2.9 million, (not yet paid). The Mayo counter suit against the Scientologists was dismissed on a summary judgment motion in which the Scientologists essentially claimed that their harassive actions were religiously privileged (Cooley: we're not admitting we did those acts but even if we did we were following the tenets of our religion) and that libeling Mayo was 'rhetoric hyperbole.'" Excerpts from the court materials: "Plaintiffs continue to withhold discovery based upon the argument that, court orders notwithstanding, they need only produce such discovery as relates to the actual claims, affirmative defenses, and counterclaims at issue during trial. Moreover, it is unclear whether plaintiffs view themselves or the courts as the final authority as to what relates to the actual claims, affirmative defenses, and counterclaims. Defendants have made it clear that they will never accede to these terms and consistently and persistently object to plaintiffs' noncompliance with standing discovery orders. "The prerequisite bad faith exists. The five factors test overwhelmingly favors dismissal. All but the fourth factor support defendants' claim that the harshest sanction is in order. Indeed, there appears to be no other way to rectify this problem. Plaintiffs [the cult] have not and will not comply with discovery. The Special Master cannot force them to comply. The Special Master can, however, remedy the resulting unfairness of the non-compliance. A harsh remedy just short of dismissal has been imposed without success. Despite the issues sanction, plaintiffs continue to avoid discovery. Therefore, the only remaining meaningful remedy is dismissal. The time to impose that remedy has come. Therefore, the Special Master will dismiss the amended complaints. Also posted, a summary of a separate hearing against Stephen Fishman, who submitted OT affidavits which have been posted on dozens of sites in the Netherlands. "Scientology vs. Fishman litigation This hearing followed in front of the same panel of judges. In the Scientology vs Fishman, Geertz litigation (over the 'Cult of Greed and Power', Time magazine article) Fishman had filed a declaration with attachments that by now needs no further introduction. The Scientologists sought to get that declaration sealed and to get it removed from the case in the district court and having failed there, came to this appeal. The Scientologists were represented by Bill Drescher, and Fishman was represented by Ford Greene." Message-ID: <199511160855.AAA03964@infinity.c2.org> Message-ID: <199511201921.LAA20980@infinity.c2.org> #####

Threats in Memphis

Mark Dallara reports on threats from the cult to the University of Memphis complaining that a student placed Scamizdat 11 (the entire old OT materials) on a web page. "I received a response about the University's run-in with the $cienos from Academic Computer Services, and I'm now waiting for a response from Dean Kathryn Story in Judicial Affairs. Apparently someone placed SCAMIZDAT #11 on a personal web page shortly after I cross-posted it to umem.talk, and ACS was told by Judicial to keep it from being posted again on the school's system." An excerpt from a letter by chief legal intimidator Helena Kobrin in her usual warning letter. "An anonymous posting, referred to as 'SCAMIZDAT #11' has been made to a Web page on your system. I am informed that this posting is over 200 pages long. It consists almost exclusively of copyrighted documents to which my clients have the rights. More than half of the documents--over 100 pages--are also confidential, unpublished, copyrighted trade secrets owned by RTC. These materials have been posted onto this Web site without the authorization of my clients, which, of course, would not have given such authorization had it been requested. "There are numerous copyright registrations applicable to various documents contained on this posting, for which I can supply copyright registrations if you wish, although I have not done so at this time in the interests of being able to send this e-mail with greatest possible speed." #####

Spurlock v. FBI

William Bardwell posted an appeal by the FBI in a case against RTC board member Lyman Spurlock. Spylock is attempting to get all materials concerning him in FBI files. The appeal was successful, and the FBI does not have to reveal the materials under FOIA. "The FBI contends that reversal is compelled because the district court erred in ordering the FBI to produce documents contained in its investigative files once it determined those documents were properly withheld from disclosure pursuant to FOIA exemptions. We affirm the portion of the order that holds that the documents at issue are exempt from disclosure pursuant to FOIA, and reverse the portion of the order requiring the FBI to disclose exempt information. "Two of the files (LA 72-271 & FBIHQ 72-3383) concerned an investigation resulting from allegations by a third party that Spurlock, along with other members of the Church of Scientology (COS), attempted to blackmail an individual working within the federal court system. The FBI investigated these allegations for possible obstruction of justice charges, and presented its findings to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice ultimately declined to prosecute." Message-ID: <wkfM==u00YUrNDK1ME@andrew.cmu.edu> #####

Time, Victory or Defeat?

Is the November 14th decision in the case of the cult vs. Time Magazine a victory or a defeat? Some excerpts from the decision were posted that may help clarify the discussion. The case will continue with only one out of the original ten potentially libel ous statements being presented to a jury. "A libel suit cannot be allowed to get to the jury, at enormous expense to the defendant, based on mere assertions of malice by the plaintiff...Indeed, without judicious use of summary judgment to dispose of libel suits, the threat of being put to the defense of a lawsuit...may be as chilling to the exercise of First Amendment freedoms as fear of the outcome of the lawsuit itself...Indeed, this Court finds little to distinguish silence enforced by oppressive litigation from silence coerced by law- the argument of force in its worst form. "However, plaintiff (Scientology) has failed to demonstrate the correlative circumstance of inadequate investigation to make its evidence of bias probative of actual malice, rather than probative of lack thereof. Without a showing of inadequate investigation, bias merely confirms the publisher's firmly-held belief in the allegedly defamatory statements. "Time relied on many sources as the basis for its belief that 'the church...survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner.' None of these sources is so obviously incredible that a reasonable jury could infer from Time's reliance on them knowledge of falsity or subjective doubt as to veracity. "Nor are there obvious reasons to doubt (Cynthia) Kisser's veracity. There is no doubt that her views are deeply opposed to CSI's views, and each likely regards the other's conduct as reprehensible if not criminal...but such sharp disagreement and Kisser's obvious antagonistic relationship with Scientology does not amount to an obvious reason to doubt her veracity. On the contrary, as executive director of an organization (Cult Awareness Network) dedicated to studying so-called cults, her judgment as to CSI's ruthlessness and terroristic practices likely carried credence with Behar." Message-ID: <48lmb2$i6h@linet02.li.net>