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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS, Episode 10: Bryan Seymour wraps up his series axed by Seven News

 
‘The Reckoning,’ the tenth and final episode of ‘Scientology Black Ops,’ a special 7NEWS Australia investigation that was cancelled by the network in July, has been leaked to the Internet.

All ten episodes were scheduled to be published to the 7NEWS website on July 14 when the network changed its mind, cancelled the program, and also pulled down a trailer it had made for the series. On August 31, we found that the first episode in the series had been leaked, and we embedded it along with a transcript we prepared. We also did the same for the second episode, ‘Witness X,’ on Sept 4, the third episode, ‘Taken,’ on Sept 11, the fourth episode, ‘The Star,’ on Sept 14, the fifth episode, ‘Always Attack,’ on Sep 17, the sixth episode, ‘Dirty Tricks’ on Sept 21, the seventh episode, ‘Celebrity,’ on Sept 27, the eighth episode, ‘Betrayal’, on Sept 30, and the ninth episode, “Accused”, on Oct 5.

We’ve done the same for the tenth episode, in which 7NEWS reporter Bryan Seymour wraps up what has been a stunning achievement in reporting and presentation.

Here’s the video, and then the transcript. (For those confused by the length of these short “episodes,” please keep in mind that this was a nightly news investigation and these segments were created to run during a news broadcast, not as longer shows on their own.)

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[UPDATE: After a request from attorneys representing Seven News, we have removed the embed links to the leaked ‘Scientology Black Ops’ episodes. See our reasons why in this story.]

 
Episode title: The Reckoning

Bryan Seymour: What about the people watching this thinking oh well he’s had two years, he hasn’t done an interview. Of course he’s coming out now, he’s had time to prepare this performance to defend himself, to say he’s not defending himself, to reject any of the allegations, and to suggest that it’s all some master plot by Scientology. What would you say to the people watching this who are deeply cynical?

Paul Haggis: I don’t want them to believe me. I don’t want them to believe me. Honestly, I don’t care. I want to prove my innocence in a court of law. I’m really uncomfortable doing this with you, really uncomfortable. I don’t want to be here doing this.

Seymour: Why are you doing it?

Haggis: Because you’ve told me and others have told me that there is compelling evidence that something is happening here that’s bigger. And I don’t want that happening to me and I don’t want it happening to others, because I don’t want to be a cautionary tale.

Seymour: Paul Haggis will get his day in court. His accuser Haleigh Breest’s civil action in New York is due to go to trial, though it may not be until next year. A potential day of reckoning for one of them.

 

 
Tony Hitchman: In Scientology, what is good and bad? Does it conform to the normal moral standards of society?

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L. Ron Hubbard: Oh yes, very much so. Very much so. Same.

Leah Remini: You train in Scientology, day in, day out, two and a half hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for all of your life to “confront” the planet and to solve all man’s ills. And yet you cannot even be in the same room with somebody who is telling the truth about your cult.

Seymour: Yep. Yep.

Remini: Does that say something? They’re supposed to be able to confront and shatter evil, but they cannot sit in a room with their own fathers, their own mothers, and that just goes to show you that Scientology does not work.

Seymour: Where do you hope to be five years from now?

Haggis: Well I’d like to say here, but I’m selling this place. So, I want to be back being able to write, being able to tell stories, to be able to, I love doing that, something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. And I miss that terribly right now. But I truly, I want my family to be able to be proud of me. Now I know they are, I know they’re very proud of me for standing up. They always have been. They continue. But I can’t help feeling very guilty for all this, and for them. I mean, they’re, what they have to live with right now, that shouldn’t be the case.

 

 
Seymour: Thank you for talking to me, Paul.

Haggis: Thank you for coming and doing this.

Seymour: All right.

Haggis: I only half regret it.

Seymour: No worries. Good on you, man.

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Haggis: Thank you.

Seymour: If Scientology’s behind this, does Haleigh Breest or the accusers, do they know they’re being exploited? Is Scientology not involved in this at all, are they legitimately telling the truth? Again, these are all matters that all of these people, I’m interviewing have strong feelings on. But it’s not my job to resolve them or prosecute that case. Certainly a lot has already been reported in the media by Ms. Breest’s lawyers. They have not shied away from dropping to the press, from commenting and putting their argument forward. What I’m doing is reporting the story I can confirm. The events that we do know about, that we have confirmed, what do the people involved in Scientology say about it? Why did you do that? Did the celebrities know? Now that they do, what do they think about it? I’ve done so many stories and there have been so many exposes on Scientology, I’d like to think this one will call the crazy game to order. When are we going to step in and say no more?

Remini: We’re just not in a time, now, where it’s OK not to do the right thing. You have to do something. You have to do something about it.

Seymour: It’s the hope of everyone who’s suffered abuse at the hands of these people, that very soon that sign will come down and this group will be out of action. Hopefully the day of reckoning is very near. It’s long overdue. Hopefully, this will be something we don’t see in five or ten years, Scientologists on Hollywood Boulevard trying to rope in new victims.

Hubbard: Well it’s very interesting. The more you try to help man physically, why they, apparently, the less progress you make.

 

 
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS

Episode 1: ‘Leaving’
Episode 2: ‘Witness X’
Episode 3: ‘Taken’
Episode 4: ‘The Star’
Episode 5: ‘Always Attack’

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Episode 6: ‘Dirty Tricks’
Episode 7: ‘Celebrity’
Episode 8: ‘Betrayal’
Episode 9: ‘Accused’
Episode 10: ‘The Reckoning’

 
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Source Code

“Anderson, Q.C., Melbourne inquiry. Complete gibbering psychotic idiot. Up to the gills with R-6. ‘Scientology must be wrong, because we cannot explain where all the new bodies come from. All the new spirits. Where would all the new spirits come from if everybody had a spirit, why, where would all the new spirits come from, huh?’ Actually, what he didn’t realize, this silly ass — he was disproving Catholicism. Catholicism claims there’s one spirit per body, so he was asking some silly little kid question that is asked of his own religion, Catholicism. And yet he was busy hanging Scientology because it couldn’t… You get the irrationality of it? The man occupies a perfectly valid position. He’s looked on. He’s a Queens’ consulate. Actually he’s just a gibbering idiot. You probably couldn’t even catch him to get a straight jacket on him.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 9, 1968

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I did some paranormal abilities training before knowing about Scientology. I remember one of the first paranormal detections I did many times about Scientology: I detected that it would degrade and degenerate; but I didn’t expect it would happen so soon. I’m glad that even though the Church of Scientology has been degraded, there are people outside the church doing sane and good Scientology.”

 

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Past is Prologue

1997: The battle to keep the Xenu Leaflet available on the Web continues, as attacks from Scientology are reported by Andreas Heldal-Lund. “The cult lawyers have attached a print-out from the front page of Operation Clambake. They have erased the name ‘XENU’ from the printout, now it says ‘The ____ Leaflet’. Then it’s the rest of the letter from my lawyer. And I don’t understand how a highly respected law firm like Haavind & Haga can take on a job for such a shabby organisation like this ‘church’. Has it gone totally unnoticed by the law firm what kind of tragedies this ‘church’ has given people? I will do my part to make it as hard as possible for this ‘church’. My goal is to close down this con man organisation in Norway once and for all.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“This place is nuts, but not half as nuts as YouTube. It’s just a little bit more serious and astute and friendly.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Demurrer filed by Masterson, arraignment delayed to October 19.
Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing is set for October 29 in White Plains, NY. Jeffrey’s is set for October 24.
Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Next pretrial conference set for Jan 12 in Los Angeles
Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.

Civil litigation:
Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for a writ of mandate filed with Cal 2nd Appellate District, Sept 10.
Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Oct 26 (motions to compel arbitration)
Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Update required in federal lawsuit on Oct 19.
Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, awaiting verdict.

 
——————–

Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

[Stacy Francis, Jason Dohring, and Anne Archer]

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] CLEARWATER APOCALYPSE! No, not really. But let’s help Scientology run its new board
[TWO years ago] What it was like last night at Scientology’s Los Angeles TV ‘season’ premiere party
[THREE years ago] BLOCKBUSTER EXCLUSIVE: It turns out the National Enquirer is blowing smoke again
[FOUR years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Recent deaths of Scientology rehab staffers points to ongoing problem
[FIVE years ago] The Scientology-Ireland connection that propelled Cathriona White to Hollywood
[SIX years ago] Ryan Hamilton files two more federal lawsuits against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[SEVEN years ago] Anonymous and Craigslist: Proof that Scientology Knows It’s Under Attack

 
——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,084 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,588 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,108 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,128 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,019 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,326 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,194 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,968 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,772 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,088 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,654 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,573 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,741 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,322 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,583 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,621 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,334 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,859 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,389 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,949 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,089 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,409 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,264 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,383 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,739 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,042 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,148 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,550 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,422 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,005 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,500 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,754 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,863 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on October 9, 2020 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2019 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2019), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 14 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

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