Cult Ship Ordered Out

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31942, 20 March 1969, Page 15

Cult Ship Ordered Out

CORFU, March 19.

The founder of the Scientology cult (Mr Lafayette Ron Hubbard) and a group of young Scientologists aboard a ship berthed off Corfu have been declared persona non grata, and asked to leave.

An official announcement by the prefect of the island says the Scientologists have been given until 8 p.m. to leave in their ship, the Apollo which has been berthed off the island for the last seven months.

The group of about 200

Scientologists, comprising mostly United States citizens but also said to include some Britons, Australians and New Zealanders, lives aboard the ship and has been spending the equivalent of about £lOOO a day ashore. There have been unconfirmed reports that Mr Hubbard wanted to buy a property on the island for use as a headquarters for the organisation. The controversial movement he leads has been banned in some countries, and the Greek Foreign Minister (Mr Panayotis Pipinelis) said recently that the Government was investigating the organisation’s activities.

Alongside the Apollo are two auxiliary vessels used by

the Scientologists, and these have also been asked to leave.

Police and security officials are today stationed near the three ships to ensure that they sau by the deadline. Representatives of the cult are reported to have gone to see the prefect in an attempt to persuade him either to delay or cancel the order. The Apollo, a former Scottish cattle-boat, Royal Scotsman, was given its present name when it arrived off Corfu and hoisted the Panamanian flag for its stay at the island, one of Greece’s major summer tourist spots. The presence of the Scientologists has aroused controversy among the islanders. Many Corfu people have been in favour of the ship’s stay because it has meant a constant flow of money to shopkeepers. Others, however, have been dubious. Bishop Polycarpos, the Metropolitan of Corfu, for instance, said recently that he was worried about the spiritual influence the Scientologists might exert on the islanders.

“They will come ashore, they will expand, and one day it will be difficult to get rid of them," he said. The harbourmaster (Commander Marios Kaloyeras) said: “They are harmless people who abide by the laws of Greece and give us no trouble.”