March 28, 1985 The oregonian

A Nevada man who claimed that he was a secret intelligence agent for the "Church" of Scientology for eight years until 1979 read to a Portland jury Wednesday a policy from the "church's" founder urging attacks against "church" critics of the "church."

"When under attack, attack," said Edward Walters, reading from what he said was a policy statement issued in 1968 by L. Ron Hubbard, the "church's" founder. "The point is, even if you don't have enough data to win the case, still attack loudly."

Walters appeared as a witness on behalf of Julie Christofferson Titchbourne, a Portland woman who Is suing Hubbard and two Scientology organizations for fraud arising from representations made to her during a nine-month Involvement with the church ending In 1976.

Walters said in the view of Scientologists, anyone who attacks the "church" is a criminal and will back off from attacking the "church" if they know they will be attacked in return.

Walters said he left the "church" in March' 1979. On cross-examination he read from a "church" expulsion document that accused him of "malicious rumormongerlng" and of not returning "church" documents when he left.

Although he described engaging in four secret intelligence operations on behalf of the "church" during an eight-year period, Walters testified he never received any written or oral orders from Hubbard to engage In those activities. It also appeared from cross-examination testimony that the secret agent post he said he held did not appear on the organizational chart of the church drawn by a defense attorney.

Walters said he was told when be became an agent that Scientology would disavow him if its activities became known.

Walters testified that the Intelligence branch of the "church" used confidential "church" files to obtain Information that could be used against Sclentologists or their relatives who showed signs of attacking or criticizing the "church."

He said be was not personally involved in gathering information about Titchbourne, but he said he was aware at the time that she had caused a "flap" within the "church."

Walters said he left the "church" in 1979 after learning that the Intelligence arm of the church was gathering Information on an elderly church mem ber who claimed to have been in Hubbard's presence in California and who doubted Hubbard's sanity.

Walters said In late 1977 as part of his church training he listened to audio tapes from Hubbard that led him to believe Hubbard had become "an angry, boisterous old man." He said he was shocked at the time because he had spent years reading Hubbard's works and believing in them.

The trial is in its third week and is expected to last at least two more months.

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