Berlin, Germany
May 31, 2000
IDEA Nr. 68/2000
(Ev. Nachrichtendienst "Informationsdienst der Ev. Allianz" Deutschland)

Berlin (idea) - The American Scientology organization is apparently ready to carry out a hate campaign against the award winner of this year's Alternative Charlemagne Award, Scientology critic and U.S. millionaire Bob Minton. That was told to "idea" on May 31 by the Sects and Weltanschauung Commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, Reverend Thomas Gandow. "With incriminating accusations associated with business dealings, the Scientologists are trying to make an anti-Minton campaign out of an anti-Scientology gathering " said Gandow, who is a member of the Award Committee. Minton, who openly opposes the Scientology Organization, is being placed in counter-point to U.S. President Bill Clinton, who receives the "real" Charlemagne Award in Aachen. For instance, Clinton authored an exclusive article for the "Freedom" Scientology magazine and was said to have expressed praise for Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's programs at a meeting with Scientologist John Travolta. In contrast, Minton, who receives the Alternative Charlemagne Award on June 3 in Leipzig, founded the "Lisa McPherson Trust," an organization which opposes Scientology.