Waco Tribune-Herald from Waco, Texas • 11

y. iri rrsir ha mu My primary for trying to help is-the children. They -have bo one else to help them, if people say we were stupid; well, that may be true. But the children aren't. Marc Breault, former member 1: i- yf 1 4Ohf It cot my cttcntlcn.

I could see this sort of thing happening. To teltyou the truth, the thing that went through my mind is you've got a cult like Jonestown I do not remember ever coming to a determination this is Just a bunch of nonsense, and its not worth my time. Ralph Strother," -former assistant! district attorney AuctrcJica fircap lobbies for action From Page 1 A Jewell and David Jewell, who never belonged to the Branch Da-ividians. 1 But after bearing three days of testimony. Judge Ronald Taylor en Feb.

28,: 1992, ordered Kiri Jewell kept away from HowelL It was the first taste of success for the Australian group, which -broke away from the Texas cult 3n; 1989-90. and has since spent thousands of dollars and traveled thousands of miles lobbying to take action HowelL 7 c. -v The Australians, who still have relatives and friends in the cult, say they are concerned about the mental and physical well-being of -members especially the xz Their wprat fear, they said, is that someone will dm in connec tion with the cult "Must we, wait also torVer- non followers to take asked former cult member James Y.or TT, Local authorities enter Mount have to go onto the property. children without a fight than the rest of the compound. Law enforcement officials lieve part of its purpose is serve as a lookout tower.

A cult member told relatives that Howell has vowed that thorities wont take the Wa photo Carmel in 1S87 after a shootout Authorities fear they may yet again A cult member told relatives that authorities won't ever take the cuffs and the attempted resurrection gan alerting authorities ln the of a dead woman. United States-to-what-ttey be monitortnfthiTT jtoved was the danger cult, but only as a protective by Howells leadership of the cult measure. FOr one thing, authorities know 1 cult members have weapons and Pooling their money, the for-: plenty of them at the Mount Cak roer cult members hired Austra- mel compound, iv' sion was to warn local, state and The Branch Davidians make no' federal authorities in this secret of having guns. After About Howells activities in Texas neighbors complained about In the summer of 1990, they be- authorities In fact, the whole attitude found there as an investigator was it would be after the fact, that if a killing or shooting or 'something came light, that's when they'd do something, which Ts generally what I 'guess departments there are all Hossack v. Local authorities are well aware of the Branch Davidians, whose history includes a shootout weapons being cult members visited the McLennan County Sheriffs Department They-voluntarily told deputies that they had put hell-firo switches on their semi-automatic weapons keeping theid legal bundeadly.

Law enforcement officials said it comes close to making them automatic weapons, which must be registered to be tegaL Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Johnston said that people can own as many, weapons as they-want as long as they are legaL' Its not against the law to; have assault-type weapons, he said. "It is against the law to have, assault-type weapons without having them properly -regis- tend. and California, where the Branch Davidians have satellite operations. Hossack met with federal, state and local law enforcement; in Waco on Sept 18, 1990.

He brought along nine signed affidavits notarized by a consul In Australia for authorities to read. The -affidavits, laid out the charges later made public in -v the Michigan courtxtxmL 'i Officials at the meeting, held in Wacos Federal Building, were jAssistant UA Attorney Ml John-; ston; then-McLennan County District Attorney Paul Gartner; his lop aide, Ralph Strother, SgL Ter- ry Lee, an investigator with the artment of Texas Department Safety; and LL Gene Barber of the McLennan County Sheriffs department: V-j-v 4 Their lack of resjxmse nude Hossacks Journqr to a frustrating one. -V To my nothing further was done about he 'Gartner said' Authorities werent given enough hard evidence. I' "The consensus was there was not enough information at that time to pursue a full-scale inves-: tigation, he A spokesman with the federal hf could not discuss the specifics Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and any case, Firearms in Washington, D.C., Sources said the agency report-said gangster-type weapons finding no evidence of child such as machine guns, silencers buse and took no actum. be-' to 4 an-; cults; children without a fight.

Welfare workers visit Welfare workers from Childrens Protective Services visited Mount Carmel at least twice last year to talk to the children there, according to a former cult mem- her and aidhorities. n-Howell also confirmed the-child welfare workers visits. Sources said the children inter-, viewed by. the child welfare workers talked about a bus being buried next to the compound to serve as an underground shelter and gave workers some informa-; tion on the cults apocalyptic vi-1; sion of the future. Director.

Bob Boyd of Chil-j drenk Protective Services said; The however, may, have undermined its own atin- Prior LL Gene Bhrbef, of the sheriffs department, and a former -cult member who fears harm if identified, said child welfare workers called Mount Carmel to announce their visits. Boyd denied the The policy is we try to contact the child before seeing Boyd said. "But we do not call a family and let them know have received a report and that we arc coming ouLV '5; also denies that he was- tipped off to the visit. Barber, said child welfare workers told deputies accompanying them to Mount Car-, mel that, they called the Branch Davidians before both Visits. The fonner cult member said that after the call from child wek FAITH Former members warn of culttacfflc From Page 10A 1 woman living at Mount CarmeL The midwife said Howell ordered her not to register the babies with local officials, a violation of state law.

F9rmLculLraembersr-in- some cases, relatives of the women involved say Howell restricted the filing of birth certificates out of fear that authorities would chart the number of bakes born at Mount Carmel without a known father and focus unwanted attention on the Branch Da-. vldians. Wfay would anyone join such a Many of Howell's followers arc former Seventh-day Adventists. Their faith allows for end-time prophets. Breault said this means most feel obliged to hear out anyone who claims to be anointed.

Even Howells critics say he has a spellbinding ability to roam through the Bible, stringing verses together to support his. Former cult members also said Howell ukes traditional mind-control techniques to entrap listeners: putting Branch Davidians through rigorous daily Biblp studies, some lasting, more than i5.hours. Followers end up awash in Scripture, feeling only Howell has a true understanding of the Bible. Howell eventually became their faith, former cult members 4 1 Some broke away, summoning enough courage to overcome their doubts and fears. Many went into hiding.

Former Branch Were doing what were doing and nobodys going to StOp US. x'l Cult leader Vernon Howell Davidians such as Marc Breault and Robyn Bunds, though, speak out against HowelL x. Breault, an almost-blind com- puter programmer in Melbourne, Australia, has acted as a Moses figure since 1990, criss-crossing tte world to lead Branch Davk 4 dians away from the man be fok a towed for three yearn He calls Howell a phony. Howell deptots Breault as a rk val propbeL bent on ousting him S' pharge.Jthat BrcaulUormec. cult members and mainline Aus; -tralian Seventh-day Adventists -deny; IV My primary reason for to help to the children, Breault said.

"They have no one -help them. If people say we were stupid, well, that may be. true. But tte children arcnV! J. Howell dismisses tbe chargexV.

from Breault, saying his former followers in Australia need 1 good butt-whipping." Were doing what we're doing and nobodys going to stop us, Howell said. -v THE SINFUL MESSIAH A 7-pari series afllONDAV SATURDAY The Branch DavkSans avto1, Vernon Howell SUNDAY Marc Breault; the faithful tbk w.d. Ju, The grim daily life of Branch Day Vldians Preying on the children WEDNESDAY fr; Vernon Howell's New Ught and the fallout THURSDAY il and explosives must be regis- toed with the bureau to be legal --The bureau conducts. a background investigation on the per-; son attempting to register Such a weapon, and the chief law en-forcement officer in the area must approve ownership (rf the; weapon before it can be registered, he said. Records are not open to the Vln fact; the Whole attitude I found there as an Investigator was it would be after the fact, that if a killing or shooting or something came to light, thats when theyd do something, which is generally what I guei "departments thereareall aboiii c.

isss wmTiaeii MmM wpuoid Fonner McLennan County Assistant District Attorney Denise WB-kerson examines the ammunition seized during the Branch Davidians 1987 shootout with George RQden. Private detective Geoffrey Hossack ASlfc Howell. He had sent her son, Shaun, who was less than 2 years old and whom Bunds says was fa- thered by Howell, to Mount CarmeL La Verne police gave. Howell I 48 hours to return Shaun Bunds, which he did, but they didnt question girl Ingels said. 3 difficult to make the charges fare workers, HoweU md soim of yey were of tte feeling charge that be regularly had sex the children at Mount Cannel as tbe children would end up with a 14-year-old Australian girt well as some Of the underage taatlfylng far Mm rather tluH at t1 housed1 Australian againMlibn.T'$rtATlQ,,tyCIl Ron Ingels said the safe had sexwith.

Boyd defended his agenicy-i A frttfrii Shaun Bunds was the David Jewell, Kiris father, If a child tells us a story about 4 police departments priority. Af-f! said he found workers At CUkho they were and its ter the boy was returned safely, drent Protective Services synvry believable and theyre consistent, police went back to tte La Verne we dont demand that ttereV got -house and asked to speak to the pathetic but unresponsive) when Howell about Robyn Bunds he; called from Michigan last summer, to discuss filing a statu- tory rape charge against HowelL GlddoL notitth molestation at Mount Jewell He gave them two names after talking to hisi daughter. was told at that point that it still seemed unlikely theyd be able to do much," Jewell said. Even if they went in, it would be to be otter evidence, he said. Immediate dlwdairS charge ofkidnapping against Strother said officials, though, gave Hossack a sympathetic hearing.

"Oh, it got my attention, Strother said. could see this sort of thing happening. Tortell you the truth, the thing that went through my mind is youve got a (ult like Jonestown v.t I do, not remember ever coming to a de-; termination this is Just a bunch of nonsense, and its not worth my. time. But law enforcement officials deeded evidence instead of allegations, Strother said, vr "We did not have anything we pould rely on to make an arrcst, he said.

"As I recall none of these people on these, affidavits ever 4 came in or would come in to actu- ally tell us these disputes claim. I also indicated that these people were willing to come over to tte United States and appear in any court and give any evidence that was necessary, he said. And ttey were. fSourtrapas Barber wondered why mem-' ters the breakaway group had hot gone to authorities before they left -it- "I considered jt sour grapes," he said. doesnt make any sense y.

Hossack found tte'attitude of '4 k' public. xy I But McLennan County Sheriff Jack Haryrell said to his knowk edge he has not approved an ATF registration form for Howell A former cult said he too afraid to.be identk fled, said the group has her weapons, AK-47S, AR-15s, Is-; raeli assault handguns and at least one star-. light filter for night patrol Other sources confirm tte group assault Sources say Howell and his fok -''towers could be manufacturing; f. grease guns, a type of machine gun, and that the Davidians arc building an underground firing range. Former members who left the cult as tong as two years ago report that members practiced firing weapons, including M-16 rifles.

were thought of as Gods 1 marines, a former cult member 4 said If you cant die for you cant live for Gpd." Culldlnda v. 1 7 i Authorities have watched warily as tte small houses that dotted Mount Cannel have been torn dtrira and replaced by.acen-, tfal compound, which one local; enforcement officer calls a "fort y-ry-x'-. The compound Is a rambling L-shaped building. Part of tte building la higher to Mount CarmeL His agency deals only in civil -n they had detained ter that matters, Boyd said. It cant re- 'iirlt night, this-would be all move children based on past over Robyn-Bunds said.

ports of abuse. Before Hossack. the Australian pri- wte detective, said, his clients that a chJds physical health or to cooperate with safety to to immedtoto danger, cult by 'toHnd people to corroborate Hegatioo. Alio. Ktri Ml W.

5 I was frustrated, Jewell said, i that thne people have done I came to tte opinion on a per th, -Despite Hossackt concern and1 sonal level that they, wanted to Lots of them oc- former cult members nightmar- help. But within tte framework in' th ish allegations, Howell continues whkih the law was ioterpreted at Mourt Carmel dole, what he j. and carried out, they didn't feel a yw-Tj Verne! Calif, considers the work of tbe Lord. (net deal coeld or woold be a Ba Mtoweti cpetlnee to cc de.Bi, do, eo teeth, bail- whlte Avt UnrU caiiy. 4: Verne police visited tte house in i Childrens Protective Services tte summer of 1990 after framer did ask fra tte names of girls who cultmember Robyn Bunds filed a Ex-followers' continue "to And authorities continue to Followers seek awayoukfy.c FRIDAY, -y, X-wrrrj Marc Breault tries to undo watch, A 1 i mightstill be in dngerof Mxual 1 w' J..