Clonaid Subpoenaed on 'Cloned Girl'

AP

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Jan. 11) - An executive with the company that claims to have produced a human clone was subpoenaed Saturday to appear in court, and the company was ordered to disclose the whereabouts of the baby girl and her mother.

The witness subpoena and summons were approved by a court at the request of attorney Bernard Siegel, who has filed a lawsuit asking the state to appoint a guardian for the child, the attorney said.

The papers were delivered to Thomas Kaenzig, a Clonaid vice president, before he spoke at the Money World 2003 conference in Fort Lauderdale, Siegel said.

If Kaenzig fails to appear at the hearing Jan. 22, he could be held in contempt of court.

Kaenzig would not speak about the papers and Clonaid spokeswoman Nadine Gary also declined comment.

Kaenzig said the girl's parents feared losing her through government or court action. ``They have been waiting many, many years for this baby to be here and they are very happy that the baby is here,'' he said.

Clonaid announced Dec. 27 in Hollywood, Fla., that a baby girl born the previous day was cloned from her mother. The company said the mother was a 31-year-old American whose husband was infertile, but has refused to further identify the family or say where the cloning process or birth occurred.

The company had originally committed to allow DNA tests to prove the cloning claim, but said last week the baby's parents will not submit to any testing unless they receive guarantees the child will not be taken away.

Clonaid has ties to the Raelian religious sect, which believes space aliens created life on Earth. Their revelation was met with intense skepticism and experts have demanded the DNA tests as proof of the birth.

Siegel's lawsuit claims that Clonaid is trying to commercially exploit the child and that she needs specialized medical treatment. Siegel said that if the judge determines the baby is in danger, she should be turned over to state care.

01/11/03 19:22 EST

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