Presenting Rod Keller's
Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review

Volume 5, Issue 23 - September 17 2000


Mark Bunker

Mark Bunker posted an update on the Scientologist who attacked him with a hammer during a video assignment in Clearwater, Florida. "Richard Barnard is now serving a one year jail term in Key West for skipping bail on a cocaine trafficking charge. He lied about his identity to the police at the scene and later when Sgt. Zegzdren went to do a follow up report. The first officer at the scene of the attack, Terrance Kelly, was ordered to do an investigation of the hammer incident but he never even asked Barnard for an I.D. When Sgt. Zegzdren arrested Barnard weeks later, Barnard told him that Scientology had offered to provide him an attorney. A friend of Barnard's also assured him that he had nothing to worry about since 85% of the Clearwater police force are Scientologists. Zegzdren told him he thought that number was a little high. Barnard was working for Joe Duncanson, a member of the OT Committee." Message-ID: 39c16173.0@news2.lightlink.com

Clearwater

Jeff Jacobsen reported attending a meeting of Citizens for a Better Clearwater, a community group in which many Scientologists participate. "There seemed to be quite a few Scientologists there; Bennetta Slaughter, Susan Cook, Mary Story, plus a few other faces I recognized. Reverend Al Buttnor and Mary DeMoss came in just as most people were leaving. Bennetta seemed to have a position of authority there. They are planning a cleanup day, a Food festival day, a Jazz festival, and a renovation of an alley. They had a schematic of the alley, a sample mural they wanted to put on the Coachman building wall (Scientology graciously offered to prepare the wall for the artist), and a plan to raise the money - sell bricks for the pavement (see my other post about that). "The plan is to make a mural on the Coachman building, put plants and benches in there, and tear out the asphalt and put in bricks. You can buy a brick, and put a message on it that will stay there forever! Right next to the Coachman building! 1 line of text, up to 15 spaces (includes blank spaces) - $35. 2 lines of text, up to 30 spaces - $45. 3 lines of text, up to 45 spaces - $55. Citizens for a Better Clearwater; 1811 N. Belcher Rd. I-2; Clearwater FL 33765. Designate the payment for Cleveland Street Alley Park Their phone is 727-799-1955. Message-ID: 39c1a350.48576641@news.primenet.com Message-ID: 39c1ac4d.50877836@news.primenet.com

France

Scientology distributed a petition to its members this week to be sent to the French government to protest alleged mistreatment. "Enclosed is a petition that will go to the French government in protest of the bill that was passed by the National Assembly in France. Please sign it, put your address, and contact info, and forward a copy to crusade@relaypoint.net and then forward this petition along to anyone you know of any faith. Thank you for your support! "Sincerely, Joava Good Executive Director Foundation For Religious Tolerance. "Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that 'Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.' and the UN has determined that to label new and minority faiths as 'sects' is discriminatory. The French government is currently violating these principles despite the fact that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. We, the undersigned, men and women of diverse religious, ethnic and cultural background call upon the United Nations to investigate the oppressive actions of the French government in targeting minority religions and; urge that France immediately abide by the principles of equality and nondiscrimination so clearly laid out in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights." Message-ID: M5Cw5.84$3H3.46651@news.pacbell.net

Germany

Freie Presse reported on September 11th that the promise of a prominent Scientologist to leave the city of Zwickau was a facade. "Fliegerbauer announced his pull-out from Zwickau on February 10. While the top Scientologist who had renovated 250 historical buildings appeared before the press, his staff were unscrewing the brass plates with his company's name on them and removing the corporation's placards. 'I will withdraw from all business areas of my company in Zwickau. The corporation will move its office to Munich. All business activities conducted by my person in this city are ended,' is how he worded his farewell. "Fliegerbauer's 'Schloss Osterstein Verwaltungs GmbH' is still on board in the renovation of some old town buildings. In the next several weeks, the controversial businessman will refurbish a string of buildings on Magazin Street in the heart of the city. His company is in possession of eight buildings there. At the same time, he has made mention of the the 'Stadt Zwickau' Hotel on Bahnhof Street which came into possession of his corporation through a mandatory auction. "He announced his withdrawal at the point in time in which Zwickau Executive Mayor Rainer Eichhorn (CDU) got pulled into the Scientology debate. 'I have to get away from here quick,' Fliegerbauer was saying everyday. Was the talk about departure only to help the mayor who was suddenly being put under pressure? Freie Presse had published a secret letter from Eichhorn to Fliegerbauer one week before. It clearly showed that the mayor maintained a much closer relationship to the Scientologist than he had previously admitted. Kurt Fliegerbauer, in the beginning of the year, was making negative headlines all across Germany, said Hamburg Scientology expert Ursula Caberta. Therefore the sect had him disappear from public view in Zwickau in short order so that he could continue to work in the city without being noticed." MainRheiner reported on September 13th that the SPD party has been slow to remove a Scientologist from its membership. "Birgit W. had been charged for making a false statement not under oath because, in a civil lawsuit, she had claimed that she had only had sexual intercourse with her husband. A DNA test proved, however, that the youngest child did not come from him. In response to that, Birgit W. revealed that it could have come about by necking [sic] with a stranger, which would make it a virgin conception. Judge Henge did not want to rule that out as 'the cultural history of the Christian Occident' was founded on that concept to a 'not inconsiderable' degree. "In 1996, the Frankfurt Superior State Court believed that the woman from Idstein, 'was operating in concert with the Scientologists' organization.' Birgit W. was the business manager of the Moewe Publishers in Huenstetten, which publishes books by Scientology authors. She was also connected with Horst Mehler, a Scientologist of some rank. The SPD has been surprisingly slow in expelling Birgit W. from the party. Two years ago she was given a statement to sign whereby she was to have affirmed that she had no close connection with the sect, said Dietrich Schnellbach. Birgit W. was suspended because she did not want to sign the document. A couple of days ago, he asked Birgit W. again to take a position on her relationship to Scientology, said Schnellbach. It was too late; Birgit W. wanted to leave the party long ago - several months after she had co-signed on a piece of real estate in Idstein's downtown with SPD Federal Representative Schuster." Die Welt reported on September 14th that Rev. Thomas Gandow may sue Scientology for brochures distributed against him. "Glossy brochures from the Scientologists were distributed in the daily mail in Zehlendorf on the 18th of August, his birthday, of all days. In those brochures, Gandow was defamed as a 'Chief Inquisitor' and 'Anti-Sect Commissioner.' 'I regard Scientology as a menace comparable to the Nazi movement when it was on the rise. Both had to be stopped.' At the end of August, Steglitz residents found the same Scientology brochures in their mail boxes. At the same time, Scientology Germany, with its offices in Munich, has also demanded the clergyman be dismissed in a letter to State Bishop Wolfgang Huber. "The cause of the smear operation was the bestowal in June of the first 'Alternative Charlemagne Award' by the 'European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA.' to U.S. American Robert Minton Minton supports the family of a former Scientologist in the USA, Lisa McPherson. 'She was tormented for 17 days after she tried to leave and died as a result,' said Thomas Gandow, who will be holding a service on Sunday in the Luisen Church in Charlottenburg for Lisa McPherson. The Evangelical Church stands behind Gandow; as its spokesman stated, 'Information about groups which appear making religious claim, but which in practice apply methods which exploit human rights, is an indispensable component of church work.'" The new edition of Freiheit (Freedom) magazine in Germany announced that Scientology has filed a complaint against Ursula Caberta for bribery and money laundering. No action from German prosecutors has been reported. "This morning the Scientology Church filed criminal charges at the Hamburg State Attorney's Office against Ursula Caberta for suspicion of taking favors, accepting a bribe and money-laundering, as well as Robert Minton for suspicion of soliciting favors and bribery. A U.S. Civil Court judge ordered that she be deposed in the scope of a civil trial. 'Yes, I have accepted private money from Bob Minton, he gave be a loan.' Because Minton did not obtain his fortune in an honorable fashion, further charges were placed against Caberta for suspicion of frivolous money-laundering." Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1000912173605.114A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1000913201921.114A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1000914115423.116A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1000914115458.116B-100000@darkstar.zippy

Keith Henson

Keith Henson has been charged by Hemet, California prosecutors under an anti-terrorism law for making threats with bombs or missiles. From a declaration by Ken Hoden, the Scientologist in charge of Gold Base. "For more than a month I and the staff of Golden Era Productions have lived in fear that we would be attacked at any moment by either missiles or bombs or other incendiary devices launched at us by Keith Henson or one of his friends, specifically David Rice and Fredric Rice. I have reed a portion of a book entitled 'The Great Mumbo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition' which describes Henson's history of creating and setting off bombs of mass destruction. I have had to take extraordinary measures to protect members of my church and my family here at Gold's property. "Henson and his associates have walked down the highway and stood above the pedestrian tunnels as church staff walk through. To prevent Henson from throwing a bomb or other incendiary device on church staff, I have had to post staff near both tunnels. This has caused a tremendous disruption of our activities, but I have no choice as we all fear that at any moment Henson or the Rices may throw a bomb or some other form of explosive." Keith reported on the legal developments this week. "The deal was that I would go to Hemet to be arraigned on Sept. 25. Then Graham asked whether I might be arrested if I was out there picketing? Yes I would, picketing was out of the question. A lot of discussion went back and forth about me not being willing to let the DA's office chill my first amendment right to protest the killer cult and the cult's claims that they are 'in fear' of me being enough to invoke the law. Graham kept making the point that the scientologists claims of being in fear of Henson's ability to pull a cruise missile out of his pocket and lob it across the fence was not what they were really in fear of. What they truly feared were the words on his picket signs. The DA several times told Graham that the Scientologists were in constant fear of Henson by his mere presence on the side of the road and not whether he was carrying a cruise missile. "The DA commented that defendants regularly win at trial and the fact that they had charged the matter as misdemeanor and not a felony indicated how the DA viewed the case. Graham told him he was being used by the cult. The DA immediately made a comment that Graham might see thing differently when he sobered up. That make it clear this guy had dead agent material from the cult as to whom Graham was. Graham was most indignant because it has been 18 months since he has had any alcohol. Both then apologized." Keith described the arraignment hearing. "On Graham's advice, I ask the arraignment to be continued for ten days. The young sleek DA at the table says that's ok with him, but he wants a restraining order to keep me 300 yards from the cult's compound and away from this list of people. At first, the judge says that's wider than the road, how can he keep me off a public road? The DA insists, says I can go some other way, and the judge gives in. I ask specifically if this means I cannot exercise my first Amendment right to picket out at gold and he verifies this, if I don't like it I will be arrested and arraigned on the spot. Last I ask if this would apply to my wife picketing gold. He states that my wife is not the subject of this hearing, but says it in a tone of voice that indicates he is baffled by such a possibility. Ken Hoden (looking unhappy) leaves. I think he was expecting an arrest warrant would be issued so they could get me arrested out by gold base. "I complain that another scientologist, Glenn Barton obtained a RO, chased me and had the cops and his goons citizen-arrest me for violating the order. I don't know what these people look like, I would not know who they were if I were in a bank line with them! The judge can't believe anyone would play such game with the legal system, but he does say I would have a good defense if one of them did it. Well, I hope I made enough of an impression that this judge will get steamed at them if the pull a 'Barton' on me." The Riverside Press-Enterprise published an article on Keith's protests and charges on September 16th. "A frequent critic of the Church of Scientology has been charged with making terrorist threats against the group on the Internet and at its San Jacinto facilities. Prosecutors allege Palo Alto resident Keith Henson, 58, made the threats against the church earlier this year on an anti-Scientology Internet site, then made threatening statements overheard by a security guard while picketing at the church's Golden Era Productions facility on Gilman Springs Road. Henson faces up to a year in county jail if he is convicted of the misdemeanor charge. "Henson, who has picketed Golden Era and other Scientology facilities across the nation, resumed picketing at the San Jacinto facility in May after a 16-year-old girl was killed in a road collision with a tractor that was doing work for the studio. A month later, a 20-year-old woman working for Golden Era was electrocuted when she slipped in an underground vault at the facility. Authorities ruled the death an accident. Henson said he believes Scientology is responsible for the accidents." Keith also reported developments in his bankruptcy case this week. "Scientology is trying to convert it from chapter 13 to chapter 7 If I lose my house in Palo Alto due to going into Chapter 7 bankruptcy, I would have to live elsewhere. Hemet seems like it would be a good place to live. The judge asked that they consider some kind of settlement, and commented on the number of lawyers. It seems to be clear to him that this is case of Scientology using the courts to punish someone for an act that was rooted in warning the public about the cult's medical malpractice activities. "I went right from court to the airport, because of the hearing the next morning I had for a protective order in the Hurtado case. Helena started out by saying that this case had nothing to do with Scientology. She then stated that I had copied material from another case where they had corrected a citation. Eventually the judge cut her off and told her she was repeating what was in here papers. He made it clear that I could not give any admissible testimony regarding Graham's professional performance in connection with other clients. The judge was surprised that not only the cult refused to limit its deposition as suggested but now insisted on a retired judge as referee in all forthcoming depositions. They were upset that Graham's lawyer has taken 10 depositions and they have only taken four. The Judge made it clear that he would not permit discovery to proceed based on Kobrin trying to exceed the number of depositions taken by Graham's attorney. He ordered the appointment of a referee and made it clear that if Kobrin and Petunia were back in court again in connection with the Henson deposition, he might consider sanctioning them for their conduct and reminded them that he had made similar comments to Mr. Moxon before he vanished from this case and about Mr. Moxon's objectivity in this matter." Message-ID: 7covrsg4ic2kdsg30crgpuh15avhrd41m4@4ax.com Message-ID: uf02ssgl4r9nucmg4fqem5ed159p5ehuo2@4ax.com Message-ID: 8prlnp$p45$1@slb0.atl.mindspring.net Message-ID: 8ps9ph$sa2$1@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net Message-ID: 8ptamj$cet$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net Message-ID: 8pu53c$123$1@slb0.atl.mindspring.net Message-ID: 8q0182$j9o@netaxs.com

Stephen Kent

A letter from Scientologist Deborah Jurt on May 10th to administrators of the University of Alberta was posted this week, in which she complains about Dr. Stephen Kent. "Professor Kent was in Germany again this year meeting with the media and continuing to foment intolerance against Scientology in Germany. Most recently in the Lisa mcPherson court case in Clearwater, Florida, Stephen Kent filed an affidavit with the courts to appear as a witness on this case. Professor Kent states on page 13 that 'Scientology is not for all purposes a religion, since key components of Hubbard's writings addressed secular issues.' In November of 1999, Stephen Kent filed an affidavit for the plaintiff in the case of Animal Medical Centre and provides his 'expert' testimony regarding the Church of Scientology. On the first page Professor Kent states that he 'will identify religious elements in what is supposed to be secular learning material.' "What is most shocking is the huge sums of money that Stephen Kent charged for this 'expertise'. For the last affidavit he charged $200 per hour (U.S) for 109 hours. This is US $21,600. On the Lisa McPherson affidavit he charged 55 hours at $200 an hour - US $11,000." From the reply by Doug Owram, Vice President of the University and Provost: "At a University, academic freedom is a principle that is strongly valued. As a faculty member at the University of Alberta, Dr. Kent is free to pursue a legitimate research subject. Responsibilities for faculty members include participation in research and the dissemination of the results of the research by means appropriate to the discipline. In addition, faculty members are responsible to provide services in the members' discipline and the disseminate knowledge to the general public by making expertise and knowledge available. I must also add that faculty members are entitled to pursue supplementary professional activities and receive the appropriate remuneration for the professional activities." Message-ID: 8pm9gq$k5j$1@nnrp1.deja.com

Lisa McPherson Trust

Stacy Brooks and Greg Barnes appeared on a cable TV talk show this week to refute charges made on a previous show by Scientology against the Lisa McPherson Trust. "It is a local show for Time Warner cable viewers only, that will air 6 times during the next week. The first airing was 7:30 p.m. E last night. The interviewer, Syl Farrell, invited Stacy and Greg do a similar show for his other talk show on a PBS station that is not dependent on what cable company you use, and is aired in 17 counties. Syl also talked to Stacy and I about a future show that deals more specifically with the LMT and Lisa's story." Message-ID: joi1ss8kffdek9rr631mqs2t6j79brkf8k@4ax.com

Tom Padgett

Tom Padgett was released from a Kentucky jail this week. He had been convicted of failure to pay child support, a charge that proved to be not true. "On Monday, September 11th, Mike Ruschell presented exculpatory evidence in the Hopkins County Court that proved Padgett was innocent of recent charges against him by his Scientologist ex-wife. Investigations into the handling of child support checks for Kentucky Support Collection Unit in Lexington found that while the checks had cleared the bank a while ago, they were (mysteriously) missing as a result of an error from a processing clerk. Padgett's family and friends in Massachusetts believe this was deliberate and a result of covert tampering. "The judge and local prosecutor tried to have Padgett promise not to appeal any pending civil court matters to higher courts. Tom refused to sign these under the threat of coercion, as they replete with falsehoods and misleading statements Padgett was sent back to solitary confinement cell for the evening to 'think about it.' The cell had no bed, blankets, or toilet paper. He was only given a 3' X 6' thin plastic mat to sit or sleep on. The next day Padgett was brought back to a grand jury room where more efforts were made to have him sign agreements drafted by Laura Padgett's private civil attorney. Tom would not sign them. He was marched out in court handcuffed in a striped jail uniform and stood before the bench. The judge ruled they could no longer retain him in custody because of the new evidence alleged to be 'just a simple mix up!' However, it was ordered that yet another evidentiary hearing was scheduled on October 2, 2000 to decide if a felony label shall remain with Padgett the remainder of his life, or if the charges should be reduced to a misdemeanor plea and dismissed and expunged from the record. "Padgett's family members and friends back in Cape Cod, MA, collected enough money to 'pre-pay' all child support until his son reached 18 years old and graduated from high school." Message-ID: 39c25dc6.6886382@news2.lightlink.com

Protest Summary

"Android Cat" and Gregg Hagglund reported a protest in Toronto this week. "Three picketers - Gregg, Nan, and myself. I handed out over a hundred 'Human Costs' / '$cientology Costs a Mint' Gregg and Nan did more of 'The Story of Xenu' and something else. I arrived just before 10am. First up to bat for $cientology on the morning roster were Brian, Andy and Dan. Brian and Andy tried the 'why are you here?' question on me, while Dan concentrated on Gregg (same question). Brian tried the 'I have never lied to you before' tactic to claim that he wasn't OSA, nobody in Toronto was OSA, in fact. "Just before we broke for lunch, Nan showed up. She pickets like five and since she is under a restraining order to not talk about $cientology, there's still lots that I don't know. After lunch, Nan picketed for at least an hour." "It's the Toronto Film Festival this week so I arrived early downtown so as to distribute flyers to moviegoers standing in line two blocks north of the bOrg. I did 100 flyers in about 10 minutes. I kept saying 'Get your cult protest flyers'. I was carrying my 'Scientology Dangerous UFO Cult' picket sign. The Police Officer the Co$ are forced to hire for the day was soft spoken, polite and very firm. He did not want any shenanigans and was pleased to read a copy of our Picketers Advisory. He took the time to let the OSA GoonSquad know flyer snatching, shoving etc would not be tolerated. Dirty Dan kept standing beside me and in the centre of the sidewalk trying to keep between me and the passersby, so as to make distributing my RX Special Flyers more difficult. When I would switch sides of the sidewalk, DirtyDan would again move to the centre and block me, talking all the time. Suddenly I started to slowly walk around DirtyDan. He stayed in the centre of the sidewalk and turned to face me. Except I kept moving around him, so he kept turning. I slowly increased by pace and about the fourth time I had walked a circle around him, with him pivoting ever faster to face me and yammering away, he complained I was spinning. DirtyDan even tried screaming in my ear to get my attention. "OSA Goonette Paulette chanting 'Wife Beater Child Molester' over and over while holding her fist an inch from my mouth for a good 5 minutes certainly made her appear to one observer as 'a certifiable whacko.' DirtyDan also tried a little physical stuff with me. Again when the cop had stepped away for a soda, DirtyDan and AndyShill double teamed me which resulted in DirtyDan chest butting me when I tried to escape them. "My son called me in the early afternoon to tell me two bedraggled OSA Goonettes and a sickly beagle were Revenge Picketing at our suburban Oakville house. The Goonettes assigned the job today had to contend with a 10 foot by 3 foot banner I had hung 8 feet off the ground at the end of my driveway. The banner read: MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY ARE BEING MALICIOUSLY HARASSED FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE CRIMINALLY CONVICTED CULT CALLED 'SCIENTOLOGY.' The Goonettes stayed for about 15 minutes until the local children apparently started to heckle them." "Barb" reported a stealth protest in San Diego this week. "I printed up a load of 'Cult in Your Neighborhood?' and 'Xenu' fliers at Kinko's, and started wandering around downtown. Sometimes nobody seems interested in talking to us, other times, we can't even walk a block without speaking to several people at a time. This was one of those times; everybody seemed to want to discuss the cult! One fellow saw our shirts and chatted with us a bit. A friend of his had some articles about Scientology published in Germany, and has been harassed by the cult ever since. He took a couple of our fliers, and seemed pretty knowledgeable about Scientology. I guess when you're friends with Frank Oliver, you can't help but pick this stuff up! We gave out 45 of our 50 fliers to the crowd. "Sunday morning, I printed up 500 more fliers and went out around 5 pm. I encountered a group of buskers on a street corner outside the Street Scene gates; two pipers and drum. They all took fliers for later. I just stood around in my Kills T-shirt, enjoying the music. Conversation is impossible when the pipes are blowing, so I held a sheaf of fliers and handed them to people. I gave out 300+." Gregg Hagglund reported that Bob Minton was assaulted during a protest at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater this week. "Bob Minton was beset upon at a picket at the Ft Harrison this evening. The apparent attacker was Joe Neal. Police seized security camera video showing the attack by Neal. Bob was thrown to the ground by Neal who then continued the assault. Bob was rescued by other members of his party. The extent of Bob's injuries are not available at this time." From Tory Bezazian: "As far as the cops, it was pathetic. They came and talked to the C of S for about an hour while we demonstrated. They interviewed Randy and Anita and were supposed to interview Jeff and I, but instead just drove off. They then went over to LMT to talk to Bob and Stacy, and were there all of about 10-15 minutes." Bruce Pettycrew protested in Mesa, Arizona this week. "Kathy and I picketed from 9:15 to 10:30 this morning, with the temperature over 100 when we finished. There were only four cars in the mi$$ion parking lot when we started, and no change by the time we left. We still got a good number of honks and thumbs-up signs. Two people stopped to talk about the picket: One middle-aged man walked with me for over 20 minutes and asked questions about the cult and why we were putting in the time in the heat." Keith Henson was prohibited from protesting at Gold Base, but protested in downtown Hemet instead. "I was able to go through roughly 50 flyers an hour. At least a dozen people asked if I was the guy in the paper or mentioned the story. Several who got flyers asked what they could do. I got snippets of stories, such as one woman saying the cult got her brother put in jail for 6 years when he was 16. There must be thousands of such stories if someone had resources to collect them. "Graham decided to have another go at Gold. The rest of the picketers were on other missions or taking naps so Graham and I set off. He dropped me near State and Florida at a copy shop I have used before. The guy who runs it said the PIs came in and wanted to know what connection he had with me. He told them (just making copies for me!) but the experience sure left an impression. He had taken my stories of the PIs with just a grain of salt, but now says if anything I understate the matter." Message-ID: kKVu5.3397$Kp4.125983@news20.bellglobal.com Message-ID: d6gorsstmft48omu6vll7o6t3knkt69tg3@4ax.com Message-ID: 39BF9424.247E60B2@pacbell.net Message-ID: 9fm8sskmkdfl1mfthtbergn8u1mim5osb1@4ax.com Message-ID: 20000917095652.22348.00001694@ng-cu1.aol.com Message-ID: rRPw5.26643$I6.167473@news1.rdc1.az.home.com Message-ID: 8q15hs$gio$1@slb0.atl.mindspring.net

Ritalin

Attorney and Scientologist John Coale is among a group of lawyers planning a class action lawsuit against Novartis, the manufacturer of Ritalin. From the New York Times on September 14th: "The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in California and New Jersey, say the Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the drug's manufacturer, and the American Psychiatric Association, a professional group, conspired to create a market for Ritalin and expand its use. For more than a decade, Ritalin has been increasingly prescribed for children in whom attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been diagnosed. "The psychiatric association called the accusations in the Texas suit 'groundless' and an 'opportunistic attack on the scientific process that underlies this effort.' One of those bringing the latest lawsuits is Richard Scruggs, a lawyer from Pascagoula, Miss., who represented dozens of states in actions brought in recent years against cigarette makers. John Coale, a Washington lawyer who is also involved in the Ritalin lawsuits, said the litigation was brought because Novartis and the psychiatric group promoted the idea that many children had attention deficit order and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a way of expanding the market for the drug. 'They were giving this stuff away like candy,' Mr. Coale said." Message-ID: 8pvqgd$qrr@netaxs.com

Sweden

"Essle" reported that a Scientology-affiliated school is being approved in Gottenburg, Sweden. "The local city commissioners in Gothenburg have OK-ed some twenty applications to start private (but publicly financed) schools, among them one that is supposed to use Applied Scholastics. The final decision will be made by the National School Authority." Message-ID: MPG.142c5885ffa812b9989680@news.abc.se


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