martinpoulter

I'm going to try inserting this into the Wikipedia page on Fair Game, although it probably belongs in a page of its own. I've just spent the last nine hours writing it (to make up for the fact that I didn't go an protest today).

I've also posted it at Scientology Fair Game and Harassment in the UK although its links are broken at the moment. Please read this in advance of next week's global protest.


History of Fair Game and Harassment in the UK
===================================

Maurice William Johnson was a scientologist who resigned in June 1966. He told a court that after leaving that he had received over 100 abusive letters, many of them using violent language. An article in "The Auditor", a Scientology publication, was produced to the court, stating outright that Johnstone was "fair game" and describing him as "an enemy of mankind, the planets and all life." [1]

Kenneth Robinson, a Minister for Health, had attributed Scientology's success to its targetting "the weak, the unbalanced, the immature, the rootless and mentally and emotionally unstable" and said its practices were "a potential menace to the personality and well-being of those so deluded as to become its followers". [2] [3] Scientology publications titled "Freedom Scientology", "Freedom and Scientology" and "Freedom" conducted a libel campaign against him, beginning in 1968. According to these newsletters, he was responsible for creating "death camps" to which innocent people were being kidnapped to be killed or maimed at will. Robinson successfully sued for libel, prompting a total retraction and substantial damages. [4]

Roy Wallis was the author of "The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of Scientology", first published in 1976. After the publication of the book, a Scientology agent visited Stirling University where Wallis was teaching and tried to get him to implicate himself in the drug scene. Subsequently, forged letters apparently from Wallis were sent to his colleagues implicating him in scandalous activities including a homosexual love affair. [5] [6]

Journalist Russell Miller wrote a biography of L. Ron Hubbard entitled "Bare-Faced Messiah", which was published in 1987. He was spied on while researching the book in the USA, and his friends and business associates recieved visits from scientologists and private detectives. Attempts were made to frame him for the murder of a London private detective, the murder of an American in East Berlin and a fire in an aircraft factory. [7] [8] [9] Senior executives at publishers Michael Joseph, and at the Sunday Times, which serialised the book, received threatening phone calls and also a visit from private investigator Eugene Ingram, who worked for the Church. [10] Another private investigator, Jarl Grieve Einar Cynewulf, told Sunday Times journalists that he had been offered "large sums of money" to find a link between Miller and the CIA. [11] The Church unsuccessfully tried for an injunction against Miller and Penguin Books to stop the book being published; a move that the judge described as "both mischievous and misconceived". [12] [13]

In 1988, Scientology-connected group the Citizens Commission on Human Rights conducted a defamation campaign against Professor Sir Martin Roth, a Cambridge University professor of psychiatry. Material provided by the CCHR falsely alleged that experiments run by Professor Roth had damaged patients' brains with huge doses of LSD, led to more than 20 deaths in an Australian hospital, and maimed human subjects in Canada. The Newcastle Times, which had published an article based on the CCHR material, admitted the falsity of the allegations and paid substantial libel damages in 1990.[14]

Jon Atack, an ex-scientologist who left in 1983, wrote the book "A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed" and the pamphlet "The Total Freedom Trap" as well as providing research for Bare-Faced Messiah. He provided help to other members in leaving the organisation, as well as acting as an expert witness in various cases concerning Scientology. In response, Atack's home was repeatedly picketed by placard-carrying Scientologists over the course of six days. Eugene Ingram, a private investigator employed by the Church, made visits to Atack, his elderly mother and other family and friends, spreading rumours that Atack would be going to prison. Scientologists also distributed leaflets entitled "The Truth about Jon Atack", implying that he was a drug dealer who only criticised Scientology for money. [15] [16]

Atack has complained of many additional forms of harassment. In 1991, he wrote, pairs of Scientologists would arrive on his doorstep weekly to harangue him.[17] In a court filing, Atack wrote that scientologists had used their own publications and leaflets, a public meeting and a letter to the Sunday Times to spread rumours that he had been convicted for drug dealing and for "lewdness" and that he was guilty of other criminal activities including rape, attempted murder and kidnap. He also named an individual scientologist who apparently had made a frivolous complaint of child molestation to social services. [18]

Atack eventually went bankrupt due to the cost of defending himself against legal action from the Church. [19]

During 1995, Beverley Ryall, a solicitor based in Chichester, was visted at midnight by a policewoman and by the head of the Church of Scientology's Bournemouth mission after a false tip-off that she was holding stolen documents in her house. At that time Ryall was helping ex-scientologists in litigation against the Church. [20] [21]

An American who moved to Britain, Bonnie Woods had been a member of the Sea Organisation, but left Scientology in 1982. Since 1992, she and her husband Richard have run a telephone helpline for families affected by Scientology. Having been declared a Suppressive Person, she had her house picketed and her family were put under surveillance. Private investigator Eugene Ingram persuaded a creditor of Richard Woods' failed building firm to accept free help from scientologists to pursue her money. As a result, the family were bankrupted. [22] [23] Scientologists spread leaflets around her neighbourhood calling Woods a "hate campaigner". After six years of litigation, eventually reaching the High Court, the Church of Scientology admitted that the claims were lies and paid damages and costs. [24] [25] She told journalists that during the case she had been subjected to "level of harassment that most people would find intolerable". [26]

In 1995 a campaigning group was formed, calling itself Families Under Scientology Stress, to bring together ex-members and concerned families. [27] [28] Two members of FUSS, Richard and Judy Price of Tonbridge in Kent, were amongst those who received threats of legal action from the Church's solicitor, accusing them of planning "unlawful and tortuous acts" against the Church. The Prices told a local newspaper that they were suffering "harassment and intimidation" including unsolicited visitors to their house late at night. [29] [30]

When Twenty Twenty television made a documentary for national television called "Inside the Cult", using undercover filming, the Church of Scientology took out an abusive private prosecution against the reporter, producer and production company.[31]

Paul Bracchi was a journalist at local paper the Evening Argus and later at the national Daily Mail. He revealed in 2007 that after writing a series of investigative articles on the Church for the Evening Argus, he was subjected to a "vicious smear campaign" that included defamatory leaflets, threatening letters and faxes and an attempt to find his ex-directory telephone number. One of his sources was a scientologist who was suspected of stealing documents. According to Bracchi, the man had been kidnapped and taken to Saint Hill Manor to be interrogated and subsequently received a written Suppressive Person declare, confirming that he was Fair Game. After that, he and his partner received anonymous death threats almost daily until they moved away.[32]

In 1997, the makers of "Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard", a biographical television documentary, reported various forms of harassment. Private detective Eugene Ingram visited friends and associates of members of the team, spreading rumours that they were involved in crimes including money-laundering. A Scientologist agent phoned friends of the director and producer, posing as a member of a survey organisation and thereby tricking the phone contacts into revealing their addresses. Those who did were visited by private detectives. It is not known how the agent obtained the numbers that the programme makers had dialled from their private phones. [33] During the making of the programme, the crew said that they were trailed by private detectives in the United States and Canada as well as in England. [34] A film crew calling itself "Freedom TV" made unannounced visits to the homes of the programme makers to film them. [35]

When the BBC Panorama television programme visited the USA in 2007 to film a documentary about the Church, Scientology representatives followed them and repeatedly harangued them. Unknown men also trailed the team, one even appearing at the wedding of reporter John Sweeney. [36] [37]


1. ^ Scientology is slammed in court as "evil cult" East Grinstead Observer. 1968-06-13
2. ^ Robert Warren Bid to Muzzle Us Fails News of the World 1969-05-04
3. ^ David Lancashire "Largest Mental Health Institution" Becomes Storm Center in Britain Iowa City Press-Citizen. 1968-09-11 Online at Iowa City Press-Citizen (Sep. 1968): "'Largest Mental Health Institution' Becomes Storm Center in Britain" by David Lancashire Accessed 2008-03-05
4. ^ Church of Scientology to pay libel damages to former Minister The Times 1973-06-06 Online at The Times (Jun. 1973): "Church of Scientology to pay libel damages to former Minister" Accessed 2008-05-03
5. ^ Roy Wallis (1977) "The Moral Career of the Research Project" in Colin Bell and Howard Newby (Eds) Doing Sociological Research London: Allen and Unwin. ISBN 0029023505
6. ^ Stewart Lamont (1986) Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology London: Harrap. ISBN 0-245-54334-1. page 87
7. ^ Robert W. Welkos Shudder into silence: The Church of Scientology doesn't take kindly to negative coverage The Quill, November/December 1991
8. ^ Russell Miller, See you in court Punch 1988-02-19, page 46
9. ^ Richard Palmer Cult threatens to sue on book Sunday Times 1987-11-01
10. ^ Scientologists In Dirty Campaign To Stop Book Sunday Times 1987-10-18, page 7
11. ^ Richard Palmer Cult's private detective fires at journalists Sunday Times 1987-11-08
12. ^ Scientologists In Dirty Campaign To Stop Book Sunday Times 1987-10-18, page 7
13. ^ Russell Miller See you in court Punch 1988-02-19, page 46
14. ^ Prof's Libel Victory Over LSD Claims Northern Echo. Online at Scientology in the UK Media: Archived news item Accessed 2008-05-03
15. ^ Richard Palmer Cult Accused of Intimidation Sunday Times 1994-04-03
16. ^ Evening Argus Victims Who Are Fair Game 1994-04-12 Online at Victims Who Are Fair Game (Scientology in the UK Media) Accessed 2008-05-03
17. ^ Jon Atack (1995) Scientology: Religion or Intelligence Agency? Online at Scientology: Religion or Intelligence Agency? Accessed 2008-05-03
18. ^ Jon Atack Amended Particulars of Claim in Jonathan Caven-Atack vs. Church Of Scientology Religious Education College Inc. et al. Haywards Heath County Court, Case No. HH 402401 Online at Atack-lawsuit Accessed 2008-03-05
19. ^ Writer is quizzed by creditors Nottingham Evening Post 1996-04-27 Online at Scientology in the UK Media: Archived news item Accessed 2008-05-03
20. ^ Victims Who Are Fair Game Evening Argus 1994-04-12 Online at Victims Who Are Fair Game (Scientology in the UK Media) Accessed 2008-05-03
21. ^ Richard Palmer Cult Accused of Intimidation Sunday Times 1994-04-03
22. ^ Rossitsa Nicolova Scientology's Campaign Of Hate, By "Cult Busters" The American, 1998-03-06, Page 5. Online at Scientology's Campaign Of Hate, By 'Cult Busters' Bonnie and Richard Woods Accessed 2008-05-03
23. ^ Margarette Driscoll and Steven Haynes Hounded by the church of stars and hype Sunday Times 1997-01-19
24. ^ Clare Dyer Scientologists pay for libel The Guardian 1999-06-09 Online at Scientologists pay for libel | UK news | The Guardian Accessed 2008-05-03
25. ^ Cult pays £155,000 over hate campaign Daily Mail 1999-06-09
26. ^ Richard Palmer My victory joy after six year battle with cult The Express 1999-06-09
27. ^ 'Making a FUSS over Scientology Evening Echo, Bournemouth 1995-07-13
28. ^ Cathy Buss New pressure group under fire from cult East Grinstead Courier, 1995-07-14, page 4
29. ^ Cathy Buss New pressure group under fire from cult East Grinstead Courier, 1995-07-14, page 4
30. ^ Sheila Gow We Live In Fear: Cult threatens legal action over defamation Tonbridge Courier, 1995-07-14 Online at We Live In Fear (Scientology in the UK Media) Accessed 2008-05-03
31. ^ Nicola Methven Scientologist's Court Case Thrown Out By Magistrates UK Press Gazette 1995-09-25 "City of London magistrates dismissed private prosecutions for theft brought by the Scientologists against Braund, producer Claudia Milne and Twenty Twenty Television as an abuse of process."
32. ^ Paul Bracchi (2007) Tom Cruise's Church of hate tried to destroy me [Daily Mail]] 2007-05-19
33. ^ Tom Uttley, Detective on trail of TV pair Daily Telegraph, Thursday, 1997-11-20, page 14. Online at Detective on trail of TV pair (Scientology in the UK Media), accessed 2008-05-03
34. ^ Chris Blackhurst, "Why Channel 4 is haunted by Scientology". Independent on Sunday 1997-11-09
35. ^ Chris Blackhurst "Travolta begs Channel 4 not to attack Scientology" Independent on Sunday, 1997-11-09
36. ^ Steven Swinford Scientologists to BBC: what planet are you on? The Sunday Times, 2007-05-13 Online at Scientologists to BBC: what planet are you on? -Times Online Accessed 2008-05-03
37. ^ BBC 1 (TV) The Heaven and Earth Show with Gloria Hunniford 2007-05-13

Scientology Criticism UK site, including media archive
History of Fair Game in the UK
My WikiPedia contributions (incl. Disconnection, Downtown Medical)

Anon-ymous

Very nice. I will admit to going tl;dr halfway through but will get round to reading it all tomorrow.

Scientology is a cult. Scientology is a cult. Scientology is a cult.

Anne Ominous

Wikipedia plox!

Excellent comprehensive work. I compiled data on some UK $cilons today - now in Rogues' Gallery. Will hopefully have moar. Soon.

Is it nerdy to find digging to be filled with lulz?

I LOVE AXIOMS!!

Ebeneezer_Goode

Martin, your website is ace. Why isn't it linked here, it totally should be!

LOLDONONS GO HERE: http://ysosrs.org/b
http://network.marcab.org/group/loldon (backup forum)
irc://irc.anonnet.org Channel is #london


Scientology is a cult; in fact, a dangerous cult. Scientologists, grab a clue.

"If you want to say something and have people listen, you have to wear a mask."
--Banksy

anon2487

Nice work Sir.

martinpoulter

Okay, tl;dr version: the following UK citizens have been victims of Fair Game and related harassment from the Church of Scientology. It's only a small subset of the known victims. There are lots of people I haven't included yet. Plus the great majority of victims we just don't hear about because they are "shuddered into silence". But if anyone's making a "roll call" of Fair Game targets, please include these people:

Jon Atack and family
Bonnie Woods and family
Families Under Scientology Stress
Richard Price and family
Maurice William Johnson
Kenneth Robinson
Roy Wallis
Russell Miller
Professor Sir Martin Roth
Beverley Ryall
Paul Bracchi
Alison Braund and Claudia Milne (Twenty Twenty Television)
Jill Robinson, Simon Berthon and colleagues (3BM)
John Sweeney and colleagues (BBC Panorama)

I've heard a couple of times from Anons that "Fair Game doesn't happen so much over here (the UK)" and maybe that just reflects that a lot of people's stories have got lost in the bitpipe.

Scientology Criticism UK site, including media archive
History of Fair Game in the UK
My WikiPedia contributions (incl. Disconnection, Downtown Medical)