usa today article
dkrieger.
Thought this might be of interest:
X-within-URL: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nds9.htm
FOUR SHOT AT OREGON SCIENTOLOGY CENTER
PORTLAND, Ore. - A man who blamed his business problems on the Church
of Scientology shot four people at a downtown branch and started a
fire with a can of gasoline, authorities said.
Jairus C. Godeka, 38, who was under court order not to have any
contact with the church, surrendered after walking out with a female
hostage who was heard shouting: "Don't do anything. He's got a gun to
my head."
Police talked Godeka into releasing the woman unharmed and dropping
his gun.
Another woman, who is at least four months pregnant, was shot in the
shoulder and hospitalized in critical condition. Firefighters found
church worker Helen Burke, 44, hiding in a stairwell.
The center's executive director was in fair condition with a wound to
his right side and another man was in serious condition with a wound
to his chest. The fourth victim was treated for a wound to his
buttocks and released.
Firefighters quickly put out the blaze, which did not cause serious
damage. The man had carried a 1-gallon can of gas and ignited the
floor near a reception desk.
Godeka was arrested on charges of attempted aggravated murder, arson,
kidnapping, assault and burglary. The church, however, denounced it as
a hate crime.
"There's a lesson here, and the lesson is about the damage religious
hate mongers cause," said a statement issued by the church's Los
Angeles office.
Godeka, originally from Kenya, is a legal resident of the United
States with a record for crimes including drunken driving and minor
thefts dating back to 1984, police Lt. Cliff Madison said.
He had run-ins with the downtown branch in 1994 and again last
February, when he demanded $50,000 and threatened to shoot everyone in
the church, said Karin Pouw, a church spokeswoman in Los Angeles.
"It was the typical ranting of a psychotic," Pouw said, adding that
Godeka was not a church member.
Godeka was convicted of attempted coercion for threatening the church
in February. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, and ordered not to
have any contact with the church as a condition of his probation.
He apparently had once taken the church's personality test and bought
some Scientology books, Burke told police after the threats in
February. For some reason, he blamed his business problems on the
church, police quoted her as saying.
Founded 40 years ago by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard,
Scientology teaches that technology can expand the mind and help solve
human problems. Hubbard died in 1986 at the age of 74.
The church claims as adherents a number of celebrities, including John
Travolta, Tom Cruise, Anne Archer and Chick Corea.
By The Associated Press
_________________________________________________________________
* [2]Go to Nationline
* [3]Go to News front page
_________________________________________________________________
--
Don Krieger dkri...@dns.city-net.com http://www.city-net.com/~dkrieger/
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StukaFox
: The church, however, denounced it as a hate crime.
:
. . .
: "It was the typical ranting of a psychotic," Pouw said, adding that
: Godeka was not a church member.
:
So which was it? A hate crime or the random act of violence by a
maniac?
Mike "Random act of hate crime?" Beebe
--
A society without religion is like a crazed psychopath without a loaded .45
"We are not liars, we are telling the 100% truth (with some xceptions)"
-- Sean Jorden on the validity of racist
claims made on alt.politics.white-power
Steve A
In alt.religion.scientology, dkri...@city-net.com (dkrieger.)
wrote:
> Thought this might be of interest:
>
>
> X-within-URL: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nds9.htm
>
>
> FOUR SHOT AT OREGON SCIENTOLOGY CENTER
[re Portland gunman]
> He apparently had once taken the church's personality test and bought
> some Scientology books, Burke told police after the threats in
> February.
This is almost word-for-word what the cult says about anyone who
has had contact with them, and who does something Bad. So much
for their Gnarly Sales Tech - everybody seems to buy a couple
books and do a personality test...
--
ObDenial: I am not Arthur Stevens of Crawley.
ObURLS:
Beginners: http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/cos.html
In-depth: http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html
Harassment: http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/harass/timeline-95.html
Fools, losers, and mugs: http://www.scientology.org
SP4, GGBC, KBM, Unsalvageable PTS/SP #12
Child molesters! Join Scientology and grope with impunity!
IN MEMORIAM: Richard Collins, victim of the criminal cult of Scientology
IN MEMORIAM: anon.penet.fi, rema...@utopia.hacktic.nl, victims of the
criminal cult of Scientology.
David M. Cook
On Fri, 27 Sep 1996 13:54:18 GMT, Steve A <ste...@castlsys.demon.co.uk.see.organisation.line.for.email.id> wrote:
>> He apparently had once taken the church's personality test and bought
>> some Scientology books, Burke told police after the threats in
>> February.
>This is almost word-for-word what the cult says about anyone who
>has had contact with them, and who does something Bad.
A few books and a personality test? Well, Heber says he's a member then,
and that's good enough for me.
Dave Cook