Longmont (Colorado) Daily Times-Call 
Wednesday, August 23, 1995 -- Front Page

HEADLINE: SPEECH VS. RELIGION 
SUBHEAD: Ex-Scientologist says church duped judge into issuing warrant 

(by) Pam Regensberg and B.J. Plasket The Daily Times-Call 

NIWOT - Bob Penny continues to deny the Church of Scientology's allegations
that he violated United States copyright laws, despite a court order to
hand over items believed to contain secret church information. 

The 53-year-old ex-Scientologist said church officials somehow duped a
judge into issuing a search and seizure order. 

Three church members along with their photographers and U.S. marshals
showed up at Penny's Niwot home Tuesday at 9 a.m. with the order in hand. 

"It's the sort of thing the Church of Scientology does all the time,"
Penny said. 

The church has accused Penny and Larry Wollersheim of Boulder of placing
private church information on an electronic bulletin board they established. 

The information includes steps to "spiritual enlightenment." 

Penny denies that, but admits to placing information about cults on the
Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network (FACTNet Inc.,), that was run from
Penny's home. 

In a brochure supplied by FACTNet, the board of directors - Penny,
Wollersheim and Jon Atack-describe themselves at "victims of coercive mind
control." 

Penny claims the Church of Scientology is a dangerous cult that is
responsible for 300 suicides or attempted suicides. The organization is
the brainchild of L. Ron Hubbard, author of Dianetics. Penny was a member
for 13 years before he left. 

Deborah Danos, director of special affairs for the church, said the
information Penny put on the Internet is not readily available to the
public. It can be obtained only as each member advances to the next step
of "spiritual enlightenment." 

"There is freedom of speech, but not freedom to break copyrights," Danos
said at Penny's home on Tuesday. "He's making a mockery of it ...
spreading (material) around the world and saying 'Look how ridiculous this
is.' " The church became aware of the situation when one of its members
found the information about Scientology on the Internet. 

Danos said the church will not allow it to continue. 

Tina Rowe, who heads the U.S. Marshal's Office in Denver, said the seizure
was a routine execution of a federal court order. Computer software,
hardware, a fax machine and several files were taken from Penny's home. In
Boulder, a similar operation took place at Wollersheim's home. 

"This was not at all an unusual thing," Rowe said Tuesday. "We got an
order from the federal court and are carrying it out. "It is still in
progress and is going along smoothly. It has been a situation without
incident." 

Rowe said she is not familiar with the details of the case -- only the order
to seize certain items from the homes. 

Wollersheim claims he is being denied due process. The marshals just
showed up and began taking items. 

Ann Weber, Penny's friend who was with him during the seizure, said Penny
was not surprised when the marshals arrived. 

He called her and told her, "Now you will believe when I told you this is
what they do." 

A federal judge is now reviewing the search and seizure order. But, for
now, Penny and Wollersheim are out of business.