Terrorist Cult In New Britain Found

Press, Volume C, Issue 29459, 10 March 1961, Page 20

Terrorist Cult In New Britain Found

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

RABAUL, March 8. A Mau Mau-like terrorist cult led by mysterious native “priests” and sworn to kill all Australians, Chinese, and Europeans' in New Guinea had been found in New Britain, an A.A.P.-Reuter correspondent said today, quoting missionary natives. The cult, known as the Iliat, was causing grave concern to Roman Catholic missionaries in New Britain, the Rev. Father Joseph Reischl, of Tavui mission station, six miles from Rabaul, said last night. The cultists, or Iliats. believed that their “priests,” said to come mainly from the Duke of York Islands. 25 miles from Rabaul. could bestow adherents with supernatural powers. One of the Iliats’ weird ambitions was to kill Queen Elizabeth, the correspondent reported. Aims of Cult

Two terrified natives at Tavui mission, in an interview last night at which Father Reischl interpreted, told of the growing strength of the Iliat in New Britain. The natives, identified only by the nseudonymns “Takede” and “Tominio” because of fear of reprisals, said Iliat priests from the Duke of York Islands had: (1) Circulated among natives packets of “magic” powder said to contain scraped bone from an American soldier’s skeleton. (2) Assured natives that both Americans and Japanese would soon combine to help them drive out Australians from New Guinea. (3) Told the islanders that an American submarine would arrive to take Iliats overseas to seek out and kill Queen Elizabeth. Father Reischl said that

the Iliat appeared to be at the root of recent disturbances in which more than 100 natives were arrested when fighting broke out amongst a group who had been told by their leaders to wait at a spot for an American submarine to take them overseas. Takede said he had first heard of the cult's activities a year ago when a party of men from the Duke of York Islands visited his village. Vulavolo, and said they had heard that natives in the area were planning a big rebellion against white men. Takede said that the Iliats frequently mentioned a mysterious white man said to be living in the Bainings Mountains and whom the Iliats visited periodically for consultation.