Church of Scientology to be prosecuted

The federal justice department is prosecuting the Church of Scientology of Belgium as a criminal organisation, De Tijd and L’Echo report. The government has accused the Belgian branch of the California-based movement and two of its senior executives for fraud, illegal practice of medicine, various breaches of privacy and extortion. A previous inquest in the Brussels court dragged on for years and is still unresolved. The present investigation is the result of a complaint from the Brussels Regional Employment Office on dubious employment contracts of the Church of Scientology of Belgium. Investigating judge Michel Claise has already worked on the case; in April 2008 he had police raid Scientology premises, where  incriminating materials were collected. The Church of Scientology, which moved its Belgian headquarters from Brussels (pictured) to Mechelen three years ago, has been active in the country since 1974. The federal prosecutor and the Church of Scientology of Belgium refused to comment yesterday.

(Belga)