FC: Details on Scientology critic's arrest in Toronto

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Wed May 30 2001 - 07:09:49 PDT

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    Background: http://www.politechbot.com/cgi-bin/politech.cgi?name=henson
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    Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 05:23:33 +0200
    From: Zenon Panoussis <oracleat_private>
    To: politechat_private
    Subject: Re: FC: Scientology critic seeks asylum in Canada, reportedly arrested
    
    In http://www.politechbot.com/p-02072.html Declan wrote:
    
     > Some quick searches turned up no news articles about Henson's reported
     > arrest.
    
    The Toronto Globe & Mail wrote about the arrest:
    http://www.globeandmail.com/gam/Toronto/20010529/UARESM.html
    The Register covered the case before the arrest, but is must:
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/19071.html
    
    A posting about the arrest by Gregg Hagglund, who witnessed it,
    and one of Arel Lucas, Henson's wife:
    http://216.240.45.86/hagglund-takedown.txt
    http://216.240.45.86/hensonalert.txt
    
    The most complete and up-to-date site on this affair:
    http://freehenson.da.ru/
    
    Z
    
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    From: xenuat_private
    Date: 29 May 2001 02:02:49 -0000
    Subject: Update from Henson's wife and brief note
    
    This mail may be cited as http://216.240.45.86/hensonalert.txt
    
    WHEREVER http://www.operatingthetan.com occurs substitute
    http://216.240.45.86.  www.operatingthetan.com resolves to two hosts,
    one of which is not mirroring properly.
    
    Here's the update about the heavily-armed "fugitive team" collaring
    Henson with automatic weapons and the whole deal in an ordinarily
    peaceful parking lot of a suburban shopping mall.
    
    
    Reply to arelxenuat_private for any questions about this mail,
    the latest news.  (Arel is Arel Lucas, Henson's wife.)
    
    Sorry to spam y'all, but I have very little time.
    
    Keith was arrested today at gunpoint by the Toronto Police "fugitive squad"
    in a parking lot in Oakville, Ontario, while in the company of his Canadian
    host, Gregg Haglund.  Gregg was released, but Keith was taken into custody
    for "failure to declare that he was a fugitive when he entered Canada."
    Keith was not a fugitive when he entered Canada.  He only decided to prolong
    his visit (after picketing there) on the advice of an attorney whom he saw
    on Monday, May 14.  His sentencing was scheduled for May 16, but he had
    reason to believe that sentencing would not take place then, since the
    sentencing report could not be found, and he also had a motion in pro se
    before the court that might have delayed or stopped the action.  He had
    airline reservations back to San Jose that are probably still on the books
    unless he has managed to get a refund.
    
    His attorney is Guidy Mamann, but the case is actually being handled by Ron
    Polton of that office, (416) 862-0000.
    
    As those of you who are receiving this know, Keith has been the object of a
    $cientology campaign to silence him since 1996.  This is the latest and
    worst of their attempts, although if they succeed in getting him back to
    California there is a bench warrant out for him since he failed to appear
    for what did turn out to be a sentencing hearing on May 16.  It is a "no
    bail warrant," unheard of in a misdemeanor case.  If he should be returned
    to California and jailed here, it could be a death sentence, since the
    $cientologists have been doing their best to hang a "child molester" jacket
    on him for years now.  He is applying for refugee status in Canada, but the
    papers had not been filed by his attorney yet.  His sentence is 200 days and
    five years' probation.  If the probation terms are the same as the deal
    offered (and turned down) before sentencing, they include random and
    unannounced searches of his person, home and car for "incendiary devices,"
    which, like the marijuana in Jesse Prince's case just dismissed last week,
    could easily be planted.  If he is allowed to live through his jail
    sentence, it's clear that felony violations of his probation would follow.
    Keith's only hope is to manage to stay outside the US, at least until an
    appeal--not currently being financed or filed by anyone, and we've been
    quoted $50,000 to do it, and Keith is bankrupt and I have no savings
    left--clears him.
    
    It is my and his host's belief that false information was given to Canadian
    Immigration that must have included a claim that he was a terrorist, or they
    would not have brought out a parking lot full of armed police with their
    guns drawn (including automatic weapons).  It must have been alleged that he
    was armed and dangerous for this to have happened.  If either he or his host
    had made a false move, they would be dead now.
    
    The Toronto *Globe and Mail* has been given an exclusive on this story by
    Gregg, and they are talking headlines tomorrow morning.
    
    Arel
    
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