The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 292

SD FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1990 B3 LOS ANGELES TIMES U.S. Agents Say Cultists Aimed to Hide Out in National Forest Rust, USIU President 37 Years, Is Benched by Troubled School Crime: The leader and his followers were reportedly trained in survival techniques, and planned to leave the youngest children in safer hands. McLennan said USIU has had "severe" problems with the Western Assn. of Schools and Colleges WASC), which regulates academic accreditation. The school has 3,450 students, 1,700 in San Diego and the rest on campuses scattered from London to Mexico City to Nairobi.

But, McLennan said, the academic irregularities pale in comparison to the school's far more serious problem of money, or the lack of it, "because it threatens our survival." USIU, which owns 74 of KUSI-TV (Channel 51 hopes to sell its interest in the station, as well as "a substantial amount of real estate," McLennan said, adding that the school has debts topping $25 million, with an annual budget of $20 million and annual expenses of about $12 million. He said the university's assets, particularly in television and real estate, total $125 million, "but until we can sell some of those things, they won't do us much good." McLennan said negotiations are proceeding with the Arby which owns TV stations in Boston, Cincinnati and other cities, and which wants to buy KUSI. The problem, he said, is that minority stockholder Michael McKinnon, who owns 26 of the station, does not wish to sell his shares and, because of a stipulation in their agreement, USIU cannot sell the station without McKinnon's approval. "The arrangement with McKinnon is such that he can block the sale," McLennan said. "As it is, the considerable profit earned by the television station is reinvested in the station and provides no income to the university at all.

We have enormous income in terms of assets, but, at the moment, it's not helping in terms of cash flow. We're committed to selling the station and hope that, eventually, we can." In commenting on a recent newspaper article in which a disgruntled graduate student equated Rust's fall with the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, McLennan chuckled and said Rust "is a very Please see USIU, B4 By MICHAEL GRANBERRY TIMES STAFF WRITER William C. Rust, who guided United States International University as president for 37 years, was stripped of all governing power Thursday by the school's trustees. The move was described as an effort to restore financial and academic equilibrium to a troubled campus. At a Tuesday board meeting that Rust didn't attend because of a business trip to Japan, the charter president of the San Diego-based school was named chancellor emeritus, which, in effect, reduced him to a figurehead.

Acting president Kenneth McLennan confirmed at a Thursday press conference that Rust no longer has "operational or direct control over any function of the university." In mid-December, the university's board had announced that Rust would step down as president of the troubled school but would be named to a newly created post of chancellor. Reached at his home in Rancho Bernardo Thursday, Rust appeared stunned by the action, which eight members of the 12-member board approved. "I don't have any comment. I've been away," Rust said. "I'm not going to comment on something.

Let's just say I will comment later. Later, I will have something to say." "He's a man of enormous capacity and endurance," McLennan, 64, a former Marine Corps general, said of Rust. "He's the hardest worker I've ever met, and, as a military man, I met a lot of hard workers. He had a wonderful vision of education and the role of education in promoting world peace. He's an absolute visionary.

"But he readily admits he is not a good administrator, and it was weakness in this area that, unfortunately, led to the man's demise. He helped to many of the problems the university now has." and survivalist gear taken from members. Vita said a revolver owned by Lundgren and allegedly used in the killings was also recovered and was undergoing ballistic tests. "The potential for violence was extreme," Vita said, adding that agents were not prepared to deal with the firepower that was at the cult members' disposal. Also recovered was a purple vestment that Vita said was used by Lundgren in the group's religious ceremonies.

The garment has a white star resembling a Star of David, and an eagle in flight embroidered in red floss. New details were released Wednesday about Lundgren's arrest. Vita said that Lundgren was at a public telephone in National City calling Kraft, who was staying with Johnson at a Chula Vista motel, when he was arrested. Lundgren's wife and son were taken into custody a few minutes later at the nearby Santa Fe Motel. After Lundgren's arrest, Johnson and Kraft fled, leaving several weapons, personal items and documents in their room.

Investigators were called Tuesday by the motel manager, who said a maid had discovered the abandoned weapons. Vita said that Johnson and Kraft rode a bus to San Diego from Missouri to reunite with Lundgren, who arrived here with his family in December. Investigators said that they are not sure when Johnson and Kraft arrived in San Diego, but that once here the Lundgrens gave the couple a pickup truck, which they were driving when arrested. Vita said agents are still not sure why the cult members chose to come to San Diego. However, he said that Lundgren served here in the Navy 17 years ago.

Deputy Dist. Atty. John He wicker said Thursday that Johnson and Kraft have refused to waive extradition to Ohio and will be arraigned in Municipal Court today. The Lundgrens were arraigned Tuesday and are also contesting extradition to Ohio. sumably cult members, saw "one particular individual being shot" by Lundgren.

The victim and witnesses were not identified. Other cult members indicted in the killings admitted that they helped dispose of the bodies, the documents say. They also told agents that the graves had been dug in advance, and that Lundgren had told them of his participation in "those homicides," the papers say. The bodies of Dennis and Cheryl Avery and their three young daughters ages 13, 9 and 5 were discovered last week under a barn in Kirtland, where the cult lived communally on a farm. Agents said the Averys, who were also cult members, were killed in a religious sacrifice.

Agent George Rodriguez in Kansas City said agents were led to the bodies of the family by an informant, who was told of the killings by a Missouri cult member. Agents interviewed the cult member, who told them where the bodies were buried, Rodriguez said. Neither the informant, who does not belong to the cult, nor the cult member has been charged in the killings, he said. Johnson, 36, of Holden, and Kraft, 25, of Nauvoo, 111., were arrested Wednesday on California 79, north of Santa Ysabel in rural East County. The pair had been the object of an intensive manhunt since Sunday, and are believed to have been living at a campsite near the Cleveland National Forest.

They were the last two people out of 13 cult members, including the Lundgrens, who have been arrested in the killings. Jeffrey Lundgren, 39, is a defrocked minister of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Investigators said he declared himself a "prophet" of his own religion and founded a cult with 29 members. On Thursday, agents displayed an impressive arsenal of weapons By H.G. REZA TIMES STAFF WRITER Cult leader Jeffrey Lundgren and his wife had arranged for her mother to come to San Diego and pick up the couple's three minor children so he and a remaining small group of followers could hide out in the Cleveland National Forest, federal investigators said Thursday.

Andy Vita, special agent in charge of the Los Angeles office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said that Lundgren's wife, Alice, had asked her mother to come to San Diego from Missouri to retrieve the three younger children, ages 15, 10 and 9. Apparently Lundgren had planned to take his wife, their 19-year-old son, Damon, and followers Kathryn R. Johnson and Daniel Kraft Jr. into the wilderness after the children were picked up, investigators said. Survivalist training was part of the group's religious teachings.

The grandmother took custody of the children after Lundgren, his wife and older son were arrested Sunday in National City. Vita said that Alice Lundgren's parents, who were not identified, "cooperated with the investigation and gave us some insight of the group and their beliefs." He refused to say whether the grandparents were also cult members or whether they led investigators to the motel where the Lundgrens were arrested by agents from the bureau. He added that other group members "provided information about what was going on," but he refused to elaborate. Search warrant affidavits filed in El Cajon Municipal Court by Kansas City-based ATF agents allege that Lundgren is linked to at least one of the ritualistic slayings of a family of five in Kirtland, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. According to court documents, witnesses, pre I -1 ffqrf-ii "-'7 SANnn (rtarC, diego LriyJLtvJ -j JIbB; Don't miss this exciting It's full of entertainment, gt a I 1.

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