In Ireland a story recently broke about a man called Odhran Fortune. Odhran is a 24 year old man from Gorey, Co. Wexford, Ireland. He was a member of Scientology in Copenhagen, Denmark until December last year when he returned home to his family. Odhran’s brother went to Dublin Airport to collect him, but walked straight past him in the arrivals hall, such was the change in Odhran’s appearance. Despite being six foot two inches tall he weighed just seven stone. When Odhran’s mother saw him she broke down in tears. He seemed to be in a trance like state and Odhran’s brothers and his friends found it very difficult to make conversation with Odhran. This was an unbelievable change from the outgoing person they remembered.
When Odhran was growing up he was always the life and soul of the group. He was the one with the zany ideas who brought people out of their shells. When he returned last December he not only looked like someone from a concentration camp, but he was totally introverted showing no personality or communication skills. His parents were deeply concerned and contacted exit counsellors Bonnie and Richard Woods in England. The Woods spoke to Odhran in the lounge of his father's house for aproximately four and a half hours before returning to England. Odhran has admitted in his statements that he was free to leave whenever he liked. The Woods approach is to describe what they experienced when they were members of Scientology and present information and documents by Scientology and its founder L Ron Hubbard. They never agree to meet with a cult member unless that person wants to speak to them. The question "do you mind speaking to us?" is repeated frequently during discussions because they consider it important not to impinge on the freedom of someone already under the totalitarian control of a cult.
Over the next five months Odhran began to relax and enjoy life. His brother Damien had a speedboat, and the two of them would go away for weekends together water skiing. He had the use of his cousin's caron at least one occassion. If he had wanted, he could have left his family for Scientology whenever he liked.
During this time a number of Irish Scientologists began to monitor Odhran's home. They also made unsubstantiated allegations to the Irish Police, who quickly grew tired of their time wasting. This harassment of Odhran eventually stopped when the police threatened to arrest the perpetrators.
In May, Odhran began working in a local hotel. By all accounts he enjoyed his work and seemed to be back to his old self. He had put on weight, was happy in the company of strangers, and had got back his easy, funny and helpful personality. Everything seemed to be getting back to normal.
On Sunday 1st June, Odhran went to work as normal. Later on in the evening he told his work colleagues he was going for his break and would be back in a few minutes. When Odhran failed to return, his work colleagues telephoned his family and the police.
That night Odhran was taken out of Ireland by ferry by two Scientologists. When they docked in England they were met by four English Scientologists who drove Odhran to Scientology headquarters at Saint Hill. He was later taken to a Surrey police station to make a statement against Bonnie and Richard Woods. Odhran's statement was released by Scientology public relations to the media, and to Scientologists in their Freedom publication.
Odhran's friends and family immediately contacted the Irish media. The Pat Kenny radio show sent their producer to Saint Hill and the family's picketing was broadcast live on Irish Radio. Between 40 and 50 friends and family picketed the Saint Hill headquarters for two days, something that had never happened before. The locals were so impressed by the family's tenacity that they brought them refreshments, charged their mobile phones and helped them in any way they could. One local arrived with a case of beer for the demonstrators. The downside was that Scientology personnel took the registration numbers of cars whose drivers offered support to the demonstrators. A typical intimidation tactic employed by Scientology.
In an attempt to break up the demonstration, Scientology took Odhran's parents to London to meet Odhran. They thought they would meet him and talk with him, but they were only permitted to see him closely guarded by the Scientologist solicitor Peter Hodkin. They were allowed a short meeting with him in a public toilet on the third floor of the High Court building in London. By this time, he had changed dramatically and was abusive of his parents who were extremely distressed, the meeting lasted only ten minutes before he was swiftly escorted away. As Odhran had been so mentally and physically ill after his previous time with Scientology, they were desperately worried for his mental health. Seeing such personality changes confirmed their worst fears. Those with a knowledge of Scientology, strongly suspect that he had been subjected to many hours of security checking, auditing and Training Routines, to get him back into a cult persona.
Next morning, one of the remaining demonstrators asked the man in the gate house if they could enter Saint Hill. The guard said that they could. The demonstrators entered the grounds and made their way to the main building, entering by the front and side doors, meeting the challenge of staff, peaceably and in silence.
When Scientologists on duty realised who they were, the police were called. The demonstrators left peacefully when the police arrived. Scientology subsequently took out an injunction against the demonstrators, and claimed £10,000 damages for trespass. The hearing in July resulted in the injunction being lifted . The claim for damages is void if Scientology cannot prove the injunction. Scientology have threatened to appeal against the lifting of the injunction, if they appeal the claim for damages could be reinstated. The demonstration was video taped and a person in the guard house can be clearly seen and heard on video giving demonstrators permission to enter Saint Hill. Scientology presented their claim in the High Court knowing that the Fortune family would have to spend money on an expensive barrister for the High Court whereas the county court would not require one. Scientology must realise that with the existing evidence they cannot win even if they appeal. However, they often enter into litigation where they cannot win but know that the financial and emotional stress of it is more than most people can take against a large wealthy corporation. It is just another example of their policy of using the law to harass. The legal action seems at odds with Scientology's claim that they are a religion open to the public. The Independent Television Commision lifted the ban on Scientology advertising in the UK after they agreed that the criteria of being open to the public was satisfied.
The following week the family demonstrated outside Scientology's sales office in Dublin. This demonstration passed off peacefully despite harassment from Scientology's personnel. Scientology obtained a High Court injunction against the family which prevented them picketing within 30 yards of the Sales Office or from harassing Scientology personnel. This injunction was lifted in July because the plaintiffs (Scientology Organisation) had misled the court by supplying incorrect information
Undeterred by this form of legal harassment, friends of the family organised another march from St. Stephens Green in Dublin, through the centre of Dublin to O'Connell Street. This march was attended by over 100 people from all over Ireland, and was monitored by a number of senior Scientology personnel from England and America.
After the march, the protesters began asking members of the public to sign a petition calling on the Irish government to investigate the activities of Scientology. This had been very successful on the previous protest. To date more than 50,000 signatures have been collected.
After an hour on O'Connell Street, a group of Scientologist counter demonstrators were seen coming along the road. After consulting with the police, the organisers decided that discretion was the better part of valour and they marched away from the counter demonstration to prevent any allegations of a breach of the High Court injunction.
On Saturday 28th June a demonstration with the theme "Free Odhran Fortune" took place throughout the world. A number of concerned people also organised demonstrations in support of Odhran’s family in Ireland.
Odhran's family, especially his mother, were extremely distraught by Odhran’s condition when he came home from Copenhagen. On the basis of this, and similar stories from families of other former scientologists, they are worried that Scientology is not capable of taking proper care of their son. They want Odhran to be released into their care, so that they can be assured that Odhran’s physical and mental health are not being adversely affected by his involvement with the cult. Scientologists who become mentally ill are treated by a technique called "baby watching" or an "isolation watch." This involves confining and monitoring the person without speaking with them. Scientologists are taught that they must not stimulate the "body thetans". "Body thetans" are supposed to be cause of psychological problems. "Body thetans" are spirits which have inhabited human bodies since the evil prince Zenu put billions of people into volcanos and blew them up with atomic bombs 75 million years ago. In December 1995 a American woman called Lisa McPherson died after being 'baby watched' by Scientology.
Odran's family will not stop protesting until he has been released, and will provide all the help and assistance they can to any other families who are in similar difficulties.