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Police Raid Church of Scientology in Turin, Italy

Alanzo

Bardo Tulpa
You have to remember, this is Italy. This is a country where officials were marked for death for daring to go after the Mafia. They have ZERO tolerance for Mafia-like behavior.

Maintaining blackmail files on them is going to generate a response that DM was not anticipating. The Italians will NOT fuck around. OSA risks having some of its senior people in Italy meet with "accidents".

Ooo-ooo.

See?

Maybe Italy is more suppressive than Australia.
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
Interview with Luca Poma, May 22, 2010

Translation of an interview with journalist Luca Poma, from the Affaritaliani.it website, May 22, 2010.

Scientology/" Ecco come funziona la Chiesa". L'intervista di Affari a Luca Poma - Affaritaliani.it



Scientology: "This is how the church operates". Luca Poma interviewed by Affari

Saturday, May 22, 2010 4 P.M.

There exist hundreds of files containing sensitive information, from sexuality to health, about the followers of Scientology. There are also records about persons outside the organization who have in some way come into contact with the church founded by Ron Hubbard. But this is not all. Among the files are folders on people deemed dangerous by the church. This is what the Turin mobile squad found in the sect's secret archives which are stored on Via Bersezio: files on magistrates, policemen, journalists, and relatives of former followers. The contents are being examined by the prosecutor in the Piedmont capital. The subject of the suspected offense is the violation of the standards concerning the handling of sensitive data.

Files with sensitive data on sex, health, and politics, full of strange acronyms that are intelligible only to Scientology ministers, are stored together with the results of e-meter sessions, special examinations which supposedly enable Scientology to measure the spiritual state of patients. Among the many well-known names is Luca Poma, the Piedmont journalist and writer, who for ten years was an influential exponent of Scientology. The movement cast him out in 2003 when he questioned some of the group's methods. Affaritaliani interviewed Luca Poma, who described the secrets of the Scientology sect.


Luca Poma, you were a member of the Church of Scientology for six years. The raid in Turin uncovered an archive of sensitive information which has been seized by the police. What is the significance of these thousands of records and what is going on?

There have always been never-yet confirmed rumors about "Department 20" of the Church of Scientology (which consists of 21 departments), the department that deals with public relations as well as the protection of the church's image. The truth is now coming to the surface. It has been discovered that its duties involve keeping records not only about followers, but also about the church's enemies, real or potential. There have always been rumors, but there had never been evidence. And now, as a result of the seizure, there is evidence and it is abundant.

The enemies, who are they?

Myself, for example. I spent time with the group, I did some courses on communication techniques and some spiritual assistance services. But I saw things that I did not like and I wrote an essay to state the things that occur inside the group. I considered the essay critical, but not antagonistic. It was not an attack. I described what I had seen. It's too bad that they do not tolerate criticism, even the constructive kind. I became catalogued as an antisocial and dangerous person. But I am finding out from the news that investigations were carried out on the Honorable Luciano Violante, on Father Luigi Ciotti, on a magistrate in Milan, and other troublesome persons. The method was always the same. They had to find the crimes of the enemies, to dig into the past and in the shadowy areas. Anything would do, as long as it would make them desist from attacking.

What did you see that wasn't right in the Church of Scientology?

I haven't criticized the doctrine, but only the business and financial structure. The church does not publish financial statements, as all non-profit organizations do. There is a Calvinist attention to money. There are weekly statistics for which the staff must make more money than in the previous week. And this can only be achieved by selling more services and more books to the public which, of course, always gets squeezed for more. There is a substantial inconsistency: they speak of donations, however there is a specific price list...

For example?

From 10 euros for books up to thousands of euros for courses. The myth that people spend millions is an exaggeration, but one might spend from a few hundred euros to 80 to 100 thousand euros for a complete package of services. It's a program of spiritual improvement that begins with lessons of a technical and practical sort and then continues on paths whose nature is more spiritual, almost psychotherapeutic, essentially a passage through all areas of your past involving pain and discomfort in order to clear the negative emotions. This method, which is also used by psychotherapists, allows you to work on the areas of life where there have been tensions. What I dispute is not the doctrine, but how could a price list of donations be created. A donation is and should be a spontaneous act. A church, if it defines itself as such, should perform acts of charity. Here instead, there are discounts on donations: 30% if you buy more services, but if you run out of money, the spiritual assistance comes to a halt.

And this led you to express your doubts ...

Yes, I told them that reform is needed, and for this I was classified as a potential enemy. When I asked for the destruction of my files, I received both written and verbal assurances about their destruction. And I believed this, until there was a raid in Turin and my folder was found. You can't imagine my astonishement when the police informed me. Moreover, and this is the funny part, the letter requesting the destruction of the folder was in my file...

How does a person enter the Church of Scientology? How many followers are there?

Mainly by word of mouth. Celebrities like Tom Cruise have made a lot of publicity. But you can also join just by walking in. In Turin, there are about a hundred followers, in Italy, 4 thousand, though they claim that they number in the tens of thousands. But there is a very high turnover in the ranks of Scientology, both among staff and the public.

In any case, going in to join is simple: for example, people take the personality test (200 questions). The result is a breakdown of the weak and the strong points and the things that need improvement, essentially the information contained in the files. Then there is a series of services, as in any foundation. This is why it should be called a foundation for personal improvement and not a church. The term is a distortion, but it affords them exemptions which a foundation could not have.

And what happens after a person is in?

When you begin, a file is created about you and it contains technical, financial, and spiritual information: reports of your confessions and your progress are recorded minute by minute during the encounter with their expert, the auditor, "a person who listens". The file also contains information on many ethical and moral problems that come up. It was suspected that this internal department (OSA - Organization of Special Affairs) which is responsible for protecting Scientology's good image and for vigilance to prevent dangers for the Church, monitors the files: this would be questionable even though it might be within the law. What is illicit is skimming the folders in search of information. They did this in my case.

What happened?

As soon as they see that a person is not totally devoted to their beliefs, they probe for the person's weaknesses. Sexual, political, and other orientations. And when they are asked to destroy their documentation, they don't. Quite the opposite. They use the documents to protect themselves. I understand a group trying to protect itself, but resorting to unlawful means to do so cannot be tolerated. Then there is also a moral aspect: it is appalling that a religious minister would knowingly lie by stating things that are not true.

And what is the purpose of these files?

OSA is an internal network with a high degree of autonomy, an actual church within the church. Summaries of the dossiers are sent to the Italian central management of Department 20, in Vimodrone, near Milan, and for the more delicate matters, I imagine also to the central headquarters in Los Angeles, in the USA. The relationship with the United States is, in fact, very close, the hierarchy is very rigid. At the local level, churches don't have much authority to make decisions.

Let's talk about names that are known. Which ones, for example?

A "mole" within the organization, who in the past was actually responsible for these investigations and who is now cooperating with the prosecutor, has named Father Luigi Ciotti, Luciano Violante, Judge Clementina Forleo. Also journalist Massimo Numa (La Stampa) and fellow journalists Tommaso Cerno and Stefano Pitrelli from L'Espresso, Antonio Rossitto from Panorama, and Martini, who manages the Allarme Scientology website. All of them were given attention as soon as they voiced criticism. There are probably records on regional and national politicians, if they have been critical. There would also be files on people who have held top positions in the sect and then left. And me too, of course...

And how are these files used?

Not for public attacks, of course. The technique used is very intelligent. Leaks of information are deliberately engineered in such a way that personal details about a person are made known until that person's silence is obtained. An good example is a guy who had unusual sexual habits and dressed in women's clothing in private. No need to attack directly through lawyers. Instead, they post compromising photos and information on websites and blogs. As a result, the concerned person is terrified of the sources that are leaking this information and avoids other attacks against the church.

So it boils down to fear tactics...

Let's put it this way: information is the optimal weapon and can be used for legal actions. The more the church knows, the better it can defend itself. Not only in court. The sect does not like criticisms from outside. They have what I call a Calimero complex: fear that everyone has a grudge against them. This indicates a deep-seated insecurity. In my case, for example, I was simply doubtful about some of their practices; I had no grudge against them. At least not until a few days ago, when I found out about this outrageous lie concerning the folders.

Scientology lives thanks to donations, as we've said. How is money collected?

Through two main channels: the first is the sale of courses and books. An organization of average size rakes in between 25 thousand and 30 thousand euros a week. The second, which dwarfs the first one, is the donations given for no service in return to support the IAS, which organizes weekly events in Italy to raise funds and manages to collect 250 to 300 thousand euros a week. All this money is then transferred to the United States, no one knows where.

What will you do now, as far as they're concerned?

I'm really disappointed. I'm trying again to get my documents back. If there are grounds to do so, I will register as an injured party in the prosecution.
 
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ElenaP

Patron
Here is something in Macedonian http://vistina.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/policiska-racija-na-skientoloskata-crkva-vo-torino-italija/

Рација на Скиентолошкото седиште во Торино: Откриена тајна архива со информации за секс, здравје, и политика

Police raid of Scientology org in Turin, Italy

20 мај 2010

Скиентологијата е под истрага од страна на канцеларијата на обвинителот во Торино. Опремени со судски нналог, мобилната полиција спроведе рација во седиштето на верска организација во Торино. Според извештајот од Ла Стампа, иследниците ги барале личните досиеја направени за членовите, како и за непријателите на Скиентологијата.

За девет часа, полицијата ги пребаруваше канцелариите лоцирани на Виа Берсецио. Во подрумот, скриени зад заклучена врата, инспекторите ги пронашле тајните архиви со датотеки на судии, полицајци, новинари и роднини на поранешни следбеници.

Нивната содржина сега се испитува од страна на судството, но дневниот весник на Торино објави дека датотеките се преполн со чувствителни информации за сексот, здравствената состојба и политиката. Листови А4 формат полни со чудни акроними и разбирливи само за свештениците од култот, кои ги заведуваат на овие страници резултатите од е-метар сесиите, специјално распрашување кое наводно и овозможува на Скиентологијата да ја разбере духовната состојба на пациентите.

Сомневањето за кривично дело се однесува на повреда на стандардите за ракување со чувствителните податоци.
Извор: Газета Ди Парма

Во продолжение е дадено во кратки црти е интервјуто со поранешниот скиентолог кој работел 8 години во Торино Скиентолошката црква.
Извор:
Прв дел од интервју http://www.dimarzio.it/srs/modules/mydownloads/cache/files/63394287721386634236453733932777-scientology_52.pdf

Втор дел од интервју http://www.dimarzio.it/srs/modules/mydownloads/cache/files/49847739617672182187698355943236-scientology_53.pdf

По неговото заминување, поранешниот скиентолог доби закани дека негоивите тајна и злосторства ќе бидат откриени. Ова би било непријатно, но повредил многу луѓе, лоши работи, и има спомени кои постојано го разбуди ноќе.

На ex-скиентологот има околу 50 години.

Еx-скиентологот објаснува дека COS (скиентолошката црква) има фајлови со интимни признанија направени за многу луѓе, како и тајните фајлови на непријателите Скиентологијата. Вториот тип на фајлов веројатно се чуваат во домовите на лицата соучесници.

Примери на непријателите, за кои има COS датотеки се поранешен спикер на парламентот Лучијано Виоланте , д-р Луиџи Сиоти, судијата Милан, и еден татко кој се обидува да ја ослободи неговата ќерка од Скиентологијата. Истражниот метод е да се најдат злосторствата на лицето и да се најдат непријателите на лицето. Во некои случаи, се користени платени приватни истражители.

Еx-скиентологот дава пример на еден човек кој бил уценуван со добивањето на анонимно писмо со неговите лични информации, вклучувајќи го и фактот дека тој уживал да носи женска облека.

Вториот тип на фајлови: Во организација Торино најмалку 20 години наназад се чуваат истите, и имаат речиси 20.000 папки, некои од лицата кои само купиле една книга. Досиејата чувани под клуч се однесуваат на персоналот, на лицата кои биле предмет на истрага , како и на “специјални операции”.

Лучијано Виоланте се смета за непријател затоа што тој јавно ја нападнал Скиентологијата. А лажен новинар бил испратен да го интервјуира и било направено досие за изјавеното.

Луиџи Сиотие “бил истражуван”, бидејќи тој јавно го критикувал Нарконон.

Сите информации составена од Торино COS се преведени и предадени во седиштето на скиентолошката црква во САД.

Еx-скиентологот спомнува жена- судија, родена во Торино, кој работи за канцеларија на обвинителот на Милан. Истрагата за нејзиното потекло вклучила наоѓање на нејзината дипломска теза, интервјуирање на нејзините непријатели, проучување на договори ко ги има дадено, и многу интересни работи биле пронајдени.

Датотеките најчесто се користат само за да се обезбеди знаење за луѓето, но информацијата е понекогаш објавена во печат или на интернет. Целта е да се убеди непријателот да се држи настрана.

Едно лице беше одговорно за составувањето на датотеки и ова лице исто така беше одговорен за опоравување на луѓе кои ја напуштиле скиентологијата.

Околу 700 лица се во Торино организацијата. Вработените во просек работат 3 или 4 години.

Приходите на Торино оргот (организацијата) се приближно 35.000 € неделно во просек, околу еден милион евра годишно.

Запрашан зошто проговорува за ова, поранешниот скиентолог одговори: “Бидејќи се срамам од она што бев и правев.”

Запрашан дали тој се плаши, поранешниот скиентолог одговори дека тој се плаши повеќе од американските скиентолози отколку од италијанските бидејќи таму се случуваат мистериозни смртни случаи поврзани со скиентологијата.
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
La Stampa, May 20, 2010

Translation of an Italian article in La Stampa, May 20, 2010. Thanks to the Allarme Scientology website, which has the text of the articles that are otherwise available only by subscription to La Stampa.

http://xenu.com-it.net/txt/torino_2010.htm#a4

Former speaker of Parliament Luciano Violante and Father Luigi Ciotti are two of the names that have been mentioned as enemies of the Turin Church of Scientology.


Violante and Father Ciotti - "Manipulators of souls who don't inspire fear"

by Grazia Longo

May 20, 2010

One from the benches of Parliament, the other from the pulpit, the Honourable Luciano Violante and the founder of Gruppo Abele, Father Luigi Ciotti, have for years have been committed in their opposition to Scientology. Both of them, according to two ex-members of the religious organization founded in the United States half a century ago, have been the subject of internal investigations.

"I still remember, albeit vaguely, a fake reporter who wanted to interview me about my campaign against the Church of Scientology," says Violante. "It was the time when I had asked certain questions in Parliament in defense of victims of this form of fanaticism: people who had squandered their wealth by handing it over to the organization founded by Ron Hubbard." The former president of the Chamber of Deputies condemns this "high-level mental manipulation which finds fertile ground in Western society torn apart by the lack of strong values. Adding to this the media exposure of famous actors and singers in the USA, the risk of proselytism is even higher."

Father Ciotti was the proponent of a measure to shut down the Scientology centers for the treatment of drug addiction. "In the eighties and nineties," he recalls, "people turned to us from many parts of Italy, not only drug addicts, but people who had had some contact with the structures of Scientology, to speak out with anguish about situations of conditioning or manipulation in which they felt they had been victims. We always invited them to contact the judiciary authorities." Father Ciotti also a member of the Regional Commission on Health, and in agreement with all the communities of Piedmont, he suggested to the regional councillor a "measure to close two of Scientology's centers that did not meet the requirements established by law. Scientology appealed to the Regional Administrative Tribunal and, before the verdict was delivered, a closure decision came down at the national level. We were, of course, along with other communities, prepared to accept the persons who had to leave the two centers."

During the same period, between 1986 and 1987, The Gruppo Abele's monthly bulletin Aspe published a few articles about the Narconon centers in Italy and the judicial investigations aimed at shedding light on the inadequacy of the programs and the transparency of donations. "As a result," concludes the priest, "Scientology lawyers came over from the United States with an urgent request to meet me and what I remember about them is their resolute attitude, bordering on arrogance."
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
"Scientology's List" by Tommaso Cerno, L'Espresso, June 3, 2010 issue

Translation of an article from the June 3 issue of the Italian newsmagazine L'Espresso:

http://espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio/scientologys-list/2128161/8

Scientology's list

by Tommaso Cerno

June 1, 2010

Secret lists seized at the sect's Torino chapter. Dozens of files containing the names of members and even enemies: politicians, judges, journalists

Officially, he has never existed. He is a follower like all the others, a Scientology staff member who ministers to the souls of the richest and most controversial sect on the planet. In reality, however, his job is more delicate. He is part of Department 20, a parallel structure on which the security of the church founded by Ron Hubbard depends. It is an organization which, just like an intelligence service, has its own hierarchy and reports to the headquarters in Los Angeles.

Until now, the information-gathering activity of Scientology's 007s had only been described by rumors and the accounts of persons who have left Scientology. Educational background, political affiliation, health status, sexual orientation: all of these details are collected over the years by "religious ministers" to whom believers confess with the aid of a so-called e-meter, a device that supposedly locates areas of spiritual distress. This went on for decades, until something happened in Turin: a nine-hour raid on Via Bersezio that brought to light part this hidden truth. The detectives of the mobile squad seized documents and personal computers in a basement storeroom containing "dozens of files".

These are normal records about the progress of followers, Scientology officials argue. However this is contradicted by the case of journalist Luca Poma, who for several years was associated with the sect and received assurances in writing that the information about him had been destroyed: "Instead, my file was still there," he says. Unfortunately, these files do not only concern members, but also outsiders. For this reason, the investigation is delicate. One of the suspected offenses is a violation of Article 100, which regulates the protection and processing of sensitive data. Investigators will have to examine how the information was acquired and stored.

What are these folders really for? "L'Espresso" succeeded in contacting an official of the secret department who has decided to speak out. He requested that his identity remain undisclosed. He fears that that the sect might go after him as he himself went after others, and that the dossiers he compiled could be used against him. Because Turin is not an isolated case: "In every city where there is a church, there is a Department 20. Its purpose is to keep under control persons who are hostile to the sect, as well as those who could help it. Every meeting with opinion leaders or politicians is described in writing along with other information. The report is stored for future use," says the Hubbard 007. Among the ranks of politicians, judges, and journalists, Scientology discerns those who, in its jargon, are called "suppressive persons" - real or potential enemies.

"Information is collected through research, from details confided by friends and acquaintances, and by participation at events. There is also a form of surveillance, but in Italy it might be entrusted to private investigators and not done directly as in the United States," he says. "These files are mined to obtain money, because they can be used to make people pay for courses to handle their 'ruin' - the reason a person's life is not heading in the desired direction. But the files are also culled for information about a person's private life, should a person become hostile to Scientology."

One sign of this is the anonymous websites that have sprung up against former members and which post letters, phone calls, and information about encounters that are too frequent to occur by chance. There are even instances of political pressure, says the official. "One famous example is 'Tell It All', a website built ad hoc under direct orders from the U.S.. A made-up story was posted about supposed Interior Ministry and Secret Service officials having infiltrated the organization. The purpose was obvious: to flush out any real infiltrators and, most of all, to receive protection from these institutions." Protection that the investigations will now be able to weaken.
 
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AnonKat

Crusader
bump.jpg
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
Update on the outcome of the Turin raid posted by Luca Poma on January 6, 2012 on a WWP thread:
Luca Poma on WWP said:
<several paragraphs omitted>

I conclude with an update on the blitz of Turin: the ordinary judiciary has decided to close the case, because in spite of the blitz was not possible to gather enough evidence on the existence of investigation files of personalities, journalists and judges.

These files certainly exist, but from sources related to former officials of the department 20 interviewed by me, of course, are not kept in the Org, and then when the police carried out the raid did not found them . The only exception was my file that as someone of you could remember, the Church claimed to have destroyed while still preserved one copy of that: then, the dispute at law will continue at the National guarantor of Privacy, which will provide reasonable sanctions against the Church. It would be more desirable to have a stronger action of censorship, but since they didn’t the files - apparently kept in members of Department 20 and Sientologist’s private houses - this was not possible. However it was a useful action of pressure and control: I hope that the Church understands that it can not do what it want and that the principle "the end justifies the means" can not be applied as a justification for systematically violations of the law.
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
Translation of an Italian article posted on January 10, 2012 on various websites:
Il gip di Torino: “I dossier di Scientology non ledono la privacy”
Turin investigating judge says Scientology files not in violation of privacy

January 10, 2012

TURIN - Scientology's files are not illegal from the perspective of the penal code, according to statements by the prosecutor and the court of Turin in a decree that, a few days ago, closed an investigation of a church official for violation of privacy laws.

The central issue was the "personal profiles" that were written after initial conversations (so-called "auditing") with persons who were asking to join the religious organization. The profiles were archived and could be consulted by managers.

Prosecutor Stefano Castellani examined the material gathered by police during a search and concluded that "there was no indication of sharing of the collected information with third parties or of illegal processing liable to cause actual harm to the subjects of the information."

The judge who presided over the preliminary hearing, Francesco Moroni, agreed and closed the investigation. Prosecutor Castellani did, however, send the files to the privacy commissioner to look into possible administrative violations. Some files had been left in places that were freely accessible to Scientology students or members.

The investigation was opened following statements by a former member of the faith group.
 
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