I couldn't have had a better or more satisfying birthday than the one I had today. Surrounded by friends, I waited anxiously for the jury to return their verdict. Six people weighing the evidence, with little or no prior knowledge of Scientology, found that the Office of Special Affairs set-up Bob Minton in Clearwater as they had previously in Boston.

This verdict doesn't just clear Bob's name, it signals that the tide has turned and no longer will OSA be able to destroy people's lives. We are onto them. We know what they are and what they do. The immoral, unethical and criminal activites of OSA will stop.

People who criticize Scientology are not criminals. They are informed. Everyday more and more people will become informed and like the six jurors who heard a day and a half worth of material on Fair Game, those informed people will not like finding out that a "church" has a division whose activities include investigating "enemies" and silencing opponents.

Folks have been saying that next we have to clear my name in my Chicago trial. Well, my name is already clear. We will have no problem showing that but that trial is still months away.

In that time, we will finish off this Nigerian nonsense. OSA will fall flat on that one as well.

The tide has turned.

My congratulations to Bob whose strength of character shone through on the stand today as it does every day. The jury saw a man of integrity who is human, who has buttons which can be pushed, but who does what he believes to be moral and just.

I am proud to know Bob, Stacy, Jesse, Jeff, Grady and all of the rest of the LMT and the critics at large.

And my hat is off to Bob's defense team who did such a superlative job. Especially Denis deVlaming whose closing argument I wish could be brought to you on XENU TV. That we did not have a camera in the courtroom is a crime in itself. Denis was simply amazing.

I'll bring you the news coverage tomorrow. Till then....

Mark Bunker