
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, September 4, 1993                   TAG: 9309040135
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA                                LENGTH: Short

FREED CULT MEMBERS ALLEGE PERSECUTION

Thirteen members of a religious cult were released from custody Friday and one accused authorities of persecuting them and planting pornographic video cassettes during raids on their homes.

But former members of the Family, an offshoot of a California-based sect called the Children of God, told stories of rape, sexual abuse and corruption of minors during their lives with the cult.

The 13 were among 30 adults and more than 200 children detained in a series of raids Wednesday on homes occupied by the cult in the Buenos Aires area.

Twelve of the adults were charged with conspiracy to kidnap and conceal children and the others were held for interrogation and identification.

- Associated Press

by CNB