Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

A Paris court has fined the French branch of the Church of Scientology a total of €600,000 after finding it guilty of fraud but allowed the group to continue operating in France.

When the hearing opened, there were expectations that the court could order the group to be banned in France but legislation passed in parliament just before the start of the trial in May, ruled that option out.