Berliner Zeitung
January 20, 2003

Ex-member reports in Luisen Church about Scientology
Police Protects Sunday Service

By Michael Pagel

Berlin - He is counted as one of the strongest opponents of the Scientology organization: Thomas Gandow Sect Commissioner of the Evangelical Church, Berlin. In the Luisen Parish (Charlottenburg) he preached yesterday only with police protection. The reason: Gandow was stalked, feared disturbance of the Sunday service.

Already on the way to the talk in the church, Gandow and Scientology ex-member Gerald Armstrong had been stalked and photographed by an unknown person. "They wanted to intimidate us," says Gandow to BZ. During the drive he alerted the police. They stopped the stalker at the Michendorf autobahn rest stop and took his personal information. According to Gandow, it was Mirko O., an active member of the Scientology organization (SO). The Sunday service in the Luisen Parish was therefore put under police protection.

Several Scientology members were said to have been among the attendees of the event. Pastor Gandow recognized, among others, one leading member of the organization. The woman wrote down the sermon and the testimony of the cult victim Gerald Armstrong.

Two years ago, a similar event was disturbed by Scientology adherents. According to the observations of the Office of Constitutional Protection (VSG) there are approximately two hundred members in Berlin. Because the VSG sees in Scientology "indications of efforts against the free basic order" this organization is under observation.

Photo captions:
[1]
Several officers are securing the Sunday service at Luisen Church at Gierkeplatz in
Charlottenburg.

[2]
She notes every word.
Is this Scientology taking notes during the sermon?
During the sermon this woman diligently took notes.

[3]
Thomas Gandow (left) Sect Commissioner of the Evangelical Church and Gerald Armstrong, Scientology escapee.