Attempt by Germany to Ban Scientology Dropped

Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding
insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said
Friday. Domestic intelligence services will continue to monitor the
group, officials said.

The German branch of the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology has
been under observation by domestic intelligence services for more than
a decade. Top security officials asked state governments in December
to begin gathering information on whether they had sufficient grounds
to seek a ban.

The Church of Scientology welcomed the ministers' decision to stop
seeking a ban as the "only one possible." "There never was a legal
basis to open such proceedings," said Sabine Weber, a spokeswoman for
Scientology in Germany. Scientology further called on officials to end
the observation, and what it called "the discrimination and the
harassment that go along with it."

Germany has said it considers Scientology to be in conflict with the
principles of the nation's constitution, calling it less a church than
a business that uses coercion to take advantage of vulnerable people.

A report on extremism last charged that Scientology "seeks to limit or
rescind basic and human rights, such as the right to develop one's
personality and the right to be treated equally."