From: modemac@netcom.com (Modemac)
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 95 20:15:52 PDT
To: letters@2600.com
Subject: Scientology tries to break PGP - and fails?
Message-ID: <199509080312.UAA03808@netcom15.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


News Flash!

According to an informed source, the so-called "church" of Scientology is
trying to force Larry Wollersheim to give them his de-encryption code for
PGP. 

Larry Wollersheim is the director of FACTNet, a Colorado BBS that 
specializes in distributing information about religious cults - 
especially the Church of Scientology.  Scientologists raided FACTNet 
recently and seized its hardware and records recently, in a case that has 
spread news of the Scientology wars all over the Internet.

Scientology has been in possession of Larry Wollersheim's computer 
records for quite a while now - at least three weeks, I believe.  They 
have been scanning it for what they claim to be "copyright violations."  
Yet, their list of scanning criteria also includes a list of 34 names of 
their critics and enemies, including a famous Netizen named "Rogue Agent."

Yet it seems that despite all their efforts to get what they want, they 
can't break PGP - so they have to force Wollersheim to reveal the key.

Mr. Wollersheim has stated that he will go to jail before he reveals his 
encryption key.

Please forward this note to all interested parties.

Call this one: BIG WIN FOR PGP!

For more information on Scientology's war against the Internet, read the 
many Web pages set up to cover the story.  My own page, an "Introduction 
to Scientology," is:

	http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/cos.html

It includes a link to the FACTNet Web page, as well as Ron Newman's 
famous Web page: "The Church of Scientology vs. the Net."