April 11, 1998
Los Angeles (Reuters) - The Scientology organization has accused Germany of spying on its members. The recent arrest of a Baden-Wurttemberg Constitutional Protection agent, who was collecting information about the organization in Switzerland, is only the tip of the iceberg, wrote Scientology President Heber Jentzsch to the German Ambassador in Washington on Friday. Germany, he wrote, must stop its espionage activities. The Office of Constitutional Protection has observed Scientology in Germany since the summer of last year.
The Federal District Attorney's Office in Bern had released information to the effect that a German Constitutional Protection agent had met with a Swiss in Basel, in order to obtain information about Scientology. Among other things, he had false identification. The man was released on bail. The Baden-Wurttemberg Office of Constitutional Protection has apologized to the Swiss officials.
The American administration has repeatedly criticized Germany for allegedly persecuting Scientology. The German administration has accused the organization of commercially exploiting its members and using threats to keep them from leaving.
olk