The equipment was seized in the Academy of Scientology, founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, a British subject.

A spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration, which managed after a year of tracing complaints about scientology to get a court order to seize its equipment, said the cult claimed polygraphs or lie detectors could control emotions.

By controlling emotions with the machines, FDA said, the scientologists claimed they could cure anything from cancer to nuclear radiation burns.

The cult founded by Hubbard bases its beliefs on a book he wrote in the 1950's in which he outlined "dianetics" which he described as "the modern science of mental health."

The government, in seeking the court seizure order, said scientology claims the polygraph, also known as "the Hubbard Electrometer," "is adequate and effective for diagnosis, prevention, treatment, detection and elimination of the causes of all mental and nervous disorders and illnesses such as neurosis, psychoses, schizophrenia and all psychosomatic illnesses."