(french and english on http://home.worldnet.fr/gonnet/minton-paris.htm (the scan will be online soon as well)

Scientology
Bob Minton's Challenge

(photo of Bob)

Christophe Deloire
Le Point, Apr 12th, 2000

Before, Bob Minton knew about scientology what the Cruise and Travolta's interviews said, which was good. Then the american banker read some critics that he first thought exxagerated.

He came eventually in Clearwater, Florida, four years ago, and that's where he saw young scientologists running in the street with their paramilitary suits: it's then that he changed his mind about scientology.

This 50 years man retired, who did a fortune negociating the debts of the Third World - he says owning in the tens of millions of dollars, - founded the Lisa Mc Pherson's Trust.

Lisa Mc Pherson is that scientology member who died from a pulmonary thrombosis after having been dehydrated, while the cult, at least is it accused of it - had guarded her in its walls during 17 days. She's now the symbol of scientology opposants. Bob Minton started to finance the Lisa's family attorney. Then he helped some seven other ex-adepts. He has already paid about 4 millions dollars to help them to have enough weapons in this expansive struggle: most of times, the judiciary costs are too high for them to keep on the combat.

Bob Minton says he has suffered of the cult's harrassement: leaflets glued near his home, private detectives enquiries about him, pressures on his family, his friends...

The day after our rendez-vous with Minton, we were receiving a letter from the french association of scientology of Ile-de-France, where he's accused of "being implicated into an affair of buying-back the debts of Nigeria", copies of the Sunday Times joined to the letter. Scientology gave also a file with police papers noting that Bob Minton has shot twice in the air to threaten scientologists, and that he would have brandished an axe and launched stones to other adepts. The document proves at least that scientology has splendid relationships with local police, to which it is offering sometimes its websites.

This is not much to divert Bob Minton: he bought a building two doors from one of the scientology installations in Clearwater, as a sort of provocation toward the cult's managers. And he has put his association's QG there.

Le Point - 14/04/2000 - N°1439 - par Christophe Deloire