Aussie senator calls for Scientology probe

Australian senator Nick Xenophon has accused the Church of Scientology of being a criminal organisation, calling for it to be investigated by police and the country's parliament.

Senator Xenophon used parliamentary privilege to attack the church, after being contacted by a number of former Scientologists who accused the organisation of ''shocking'' crimes.

''Scientology is not a religious organisation; it is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs,'' he told the Senate.

''The letters received by me which were written by former followers in Australia contain extensive allegations of crimes and abuses that are truly shocking - crimes against them and crimes they say they were coerced into committing.

''These victims of Scientology claim it is an abusive, manipulative, violent and criminal organisation, and that criminality is condoned at the highest levels.''

The South Australian parliamentarian said he had been contacted by a number of former Scientologists after questioning the organisation's tax exempt status in a recent television interview.

Senator Xenophon said their correspondence implicated the organisation in a range of crimes, including forced imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, intimidation and blackmail.

''I am deeply concerned about this organisation and the devastating impact it can have on its followers,'' he told the Senate.

He tabled in Parliament a number of letters from former members of the organisation, which he said he had passed on to the police.

In one, Paul David Schofield said his first daughter, Lauren, had died after she was allowed to wander around one of the Church of Scientology's Sydney buildings and fell down some stairs.

Mr Schofield's second daughter, Kirsty, also died, in this case after ingesting potassium chloride at the family home - a substance he said was used widely in the organisation's ''purification'' programs.

In another letter, Aaron Saxton said as a member of the organisation he participated in the ''forced confinement and torture'' of others.

The Church of Scientology said the comments were ''an outrageous abuse of parliamentary privilege''.

''Senator Xenophon is obviously being pressured by disgruntled former members who use hate speech and distorted accounts of their experiences in the church,'' the organisation said in a statement.

''They are about as reliable as former spouses are when talking about their ex-partner. This is a propaganda campaign that would suit a totalitarian regime, not Australia.''

- AAP