Tagesanzeiger Zurich
Scientologists revile politician
"Nazi go home", shout Scientologists
Clearwater, USA
August 11, 2000
by Hugo Stamm
Ursula Caberta, Director of the Hamburg Agencies' Work Group on Scientology, did not
believe her eyes and ears when she arrived at the airport in Tampa, Florida. About 50
Scientologists were shouting "Nazi go home" at her, as proved by video tape
recordings. The Hubbard adherents were also holding up signs in the air which said the
same thing. "How the Scientologists learned of my arrival in Florida is a mystery to
me." Florida is the location of an international Scientology headquarters.
The psycho-terrorism continued at her hotel. "They followed every move I
made," said Caberta of the Hamburg SPD administration, who is involved with
Scientology as a result of her office. Nevertheless she still met with American
Scientology critics. The Scientologists' attorneys took their revenge with an operation of
a curious kind. They shoved a court summons under her hotel door. The attorneys had
managed to motivate a judge to order an immediate deposition. "It was a five-hour
hearing like the Stasi used to have," stated Caberta. A German Scientology attorney
had traveled from Munich for the occasion.
Lawsuit for Damages
The operation was rounded out with a lawsuit for damages from a Scientology-affiliated
businessman who demanded 75,000 dollars. The businessman claimed Caberta ruined a major
contract for him with her information work. "It has become painfully clear to me why
the Scientologists are able to operate unhindered in the USA," said Caberta,
"They can take care of any critic they want by using these court and legal
proceedings."
The German Consul General urged Caberta to depart ahead of schedule because he was
concerned about further actions from the Scientologists. Caberta didn't have to think it
over long: "Unbelievable what they can do in the USA with tourists," she said.
"And of all countries, this is the one which regularly accuses Germany of violating
human rights because we dare to talk about Scientologists." She lost her faith in the
American legal system.
Juerg Stettler, spokesman from Scientology, defended Scientology's action by saying
that Caberta held a press conference and wanted to organize a demonstration in front of
the Scientology buildings. He said that Caberta had provoked the reaction, the more so
since various Scientologists had taken refuge from her in the USA. Those people, he said,
were allergic to Caberta and would consider her now becoming active there as impudence.
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