Church of Scientology defied coroner on suicide

The Church of Scientology refused to provide records demanded by a coroner investigating the death of a soldier who committed suicide two days after finishing one of the church's intensive courses.

It emerged yesterday that the American headquarters of the church instructed its Australian branch to send the soldier's "audit file" to the US -- which is outside the coroner's jurisdiction -- before warrants were issued.

Edward Alexander McBride was found electrocuted and hanged at an Energex substation at Everton Park, in Brisbane, on February 7, 2007. The soldier, who was based at Brisbane's Enoggera Barracks, was on leave from the army at the time and had been doing Scientology courses almost full-time for about a month.

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