Teletype: FBI Tampa to FBI Director re: Joe Burton Affidavit (SITOL) (October 13, 1978)

FOR INFORMATION OF BUREAU AND WASHINGTON FIELD, ON OCTOBER 12, 1978, THE CLEARWATER, FLORIDA HEADQUARTERS OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY (COS) HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE COVERED BY MOST LOCAL MEDIA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONFERENCE WAS TO ANNOUNCE PUBLICLY THAT AN ALLEGED FORMER FBI AGENT, JOE BURTON, HAD FURNISHED AFFIDAVIT TO COS ADMITTING HE PLOTED WITH THE FBI TO “KIDNAP AND MURDER UNNAMED INDIVIDUALS.” BURTON STATED THESE PLOTS WERE NEVER CARRIED OUT.

[…] THE COS INDICATED THEY WERE FORWARDING THIS AFFIDAVIT TO THE DIRECTOR OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR INVESTIGATION.

PORTIONS OF THE ABOVE STATEMENT APPEARED ON THE EVENING NEWS OF AT LEAST TWO OF THE MAJOR NETWORK STATIONS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA.

ANY PRESS INQUIRY RECEIVED BY TAMPA OFFICE WILL BE LIMITED TO VERBAGE SET FORTH IN PREVIOUS BUREAU INSTRUCTIONS.