FROM THE FILES OF THE FBI 323
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE
Published with The New York Times and the Washington Post
PARIS, MONDAY, MARCH 3, 1980
Court in France Recognizes Cult, Acquits Ex-Head
PARIS, March [?] (Reuters)--The Paris Court of Appeal has recognized the
U.S.-based Church of Scientology as a religion and cleared a former leader
of the movement's French branch of fraud.
Georges Andreu, former head of the cult in France, and three other leaders
including the American founder, Ron Hubbard, had received fines and
suspended prison sentences a year ago after the movement was accused of
enticing people to join by making fraudulent promises. Mr. Andreu was the
only one of the four to appeal.
The appeals court acquitted him on Friday because of what judges called
his evident good faith. The court's president indicated that the three
others, who were sentenced in their absence, might be acquitted if they
appealed.
"Scientology seemed to correspond to a definition of religion in that it
embraces both a faith and a community," the court said. The sect claims
to have 5 million members around the world, including [illegible words]
France.
