Turin, Italy Church of Scientology Raided by Police, Secret Files on CoS Enemies Seized

Raid at the Scientology Headquarters in Turin: Secret Archives with Information on Sex, Health, and Politics Found

May 20, 2010

Scientology is under investigation by the Turin prosecutor's office. Equipped with a magistrate's warrant, a mobile squad raided the religious organization's headquarters in Turin. According to a report by La Stampa, investigators were looking for the personal files dedicated to members as well as to enemies of Scientology.

For nine hours, police rummaged through the offices located on Via Bersezio. In the basement, hidden behind a locked door, investigators are said to have found secret archives with files on magistrates, policemen, journalists, and relatives of former followers.

Their content is now being examined by the judiciary, however the Turin daily newspaper reports that the files are crammed with sensitive information about sex, health and politics. A4 sheets full of strange acronyms and intelligible only to the cult's ministers, who record on these pages the results of e-meter sessions, a special examination which supposedly enables Scientology to understand the spiritual state of patients.

The suspected offense is related to the violation of the standards for the handling of sensitive data.

Scientology in Trouble: Secret Files Discovered in the Turin Headquarters

by Gianni Leone

May 20, 2010

I've always said that Scientology is an organization with little transparency and, for a long time already, I've been speaking out against the activities of this psycho-sect on Italian territory and abroad. For months, I've been demanding an investigation into Scientology's establishments in Italy.

Acting on a warrant, the Turin police have raided the Scientology headquarters in Turin. Guess what came up? In the basement, hidden behind a locked door, secret archives were found with files on magistrates, policemen, journalists (me maybe??), and, of course, everyone Scientology considers an enemy. The files apparently contain sensitive information and photos.

The material is currently being examined by the judiciary. The suspected offense is related to the violation of the standards for the handling of sensitive data.

I continue to formally request, from the pages of this magazine:
that the competent authorities verify the actual funds and property of Scientology on Italian territory
that the Ministry of Health perform a verification concerning the "Narconon" communities which charge money for a detoxification method with no scientific value
that consumer groups campaign against this psycho-sect which operates on Italian territory and practices mental conditioning
that antitrust authorities take action against the "deceptive advertising" and "press releases" that Scientology spreads over the Internet
I appeal to all honest parliamentarians who know the dangers of psycho-sects to launch an inquiry into the real activity of Scientology in Italy. DO NOT REMAIN PASSIVE.

The problem of psycho-sects touches 1 million people in Italy. It is a very grave problem which must be tackled seriously and firmly.

Turin police raid Scientology chapter

Sect suspected of inappropriately using sensitive personal data

May 20, 2010

(ANSA) - Turin, May 20 - Police raided a local Scientology chapter here and discovered a hidden archive which contained not only information on the group's members but also on the sect's 'enemies', the Turin daily La Stampa reported on Thursday.

Police were acting on a warrant issued by magistrates who have opened a probe into the religion which is suspected of violating laws governing the handling of personal information.

According to La Stampa, police searched the chapter on Via Bersezio for some nine hours and in the basement, behind a locked door, found the sect's secret archive which had files on magistrates, policemen, journalists and relatives of former members. La Stampa said magistrates were now examining these documents which were "chock full" of sensitive information dealing with sexual habits, health and political inclinations.

In 2000, the Italian supreme Court of Cassation recognised Scientology as a religion but said it was organised as a business and thus subject to taxation.

Member are said to pay high fees for counseling or 'auditing' to advance through the religion's various 'levels'.

Scientology has been at the center of controversy because of its nature as a sect, which has led to accusations of fraud, and many countries do not qualify it as a religion.

Aside from charging high fees to its members, Scientologists have drawn criticism for aggressively reacting to critics and their opposition to psychiatry, which they consider to be destructive and abusive and say should be outlawed.

Scientology, which claims to focus on spiritual rehabilitation, was founded in the early 1950s by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and evolved out of his self-help program Dianetics.

Despite its controversy, it has drawn a number of high-profile celebrities including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta and musicians Isaac Hayes and Chick Corea.