Leader of Ananda Marga in N.Z.

Press, 11 January 1977, Page 4

Leader of Ananda Marga in N.Z.

PA Wellington A leader of a religious sect once described by a Crown Prosecutor as “ideologically-inspired terrorists” has entered New Zealand. The Ananda Marga leader, Acarya Arun Brahmacarii, arrived in Wellington three days ago to replace two sect monks who were ordered to leax e .New Zealand in November, 1975.

A Norwegian, he arrived in Wellington from Australia last Friday after entering that country with a six-| month visitor’s permit. He used his family name on the immigration card but declined tonight to give his name. He said he had come to New Zealand after training at a sect centre in Sweden to work as a yoga: teacher and spiritual adviser.! He was the sect’s only! qualified teacher in New! Zealand for its 75 members. • The Minister of Immigration (Mr Gill) said from Auckland last night that he would be inquiring into the reasons for Arun’s arrival in New Zealana. "I don't know anything about him at all,” Mr Gill said. “I will be inquiring into! why he is here and into his bona tides. "If he has come in on a!

visitor’s permit to work asp a teacher and spiritual ad-'I viser. then he has made a mistake,” Mr Gill said. Mr Gill said people enter-, ing the country on visitors’ll permits were not allowed to* work. “I don’t think we would j' have known about him bein'-,! i tied up with this sect if he entered under his usual,; name.” Mr Gill said he was aware i of the sect’s history in New : iZealand and was concerned! that a leader had arrived i from overseas. John Hoffman and Martin: Robias were ordered to leave j the country for unspecified reasons in November, 1975, | while four other sect mem j bers were jailed on charges; ranging from conspiring to* ■ blow up the Indian Highii

Commission in Wellington to kidnapping and burglary. During the trial of the four sect members in the Wellington Supreme Court, the Crown Prosecutor (Mr J. H C. Larsen) said the Ananda Marga sect were '■ideologically-inspired terrorists.” Heavy police guards were also provided for the then Prime Minister, Mr Rowling, ; and the Leader of the Oppp- , sition. Mr Muldoon, during ; the election campaign after ! threats against the two men had allegedly been received from the sect. An American sect member ; flew to New Zealand after the four had been jailed hoping to apologise to Mr , Rowling for the trouble the Ananda Marga sect had I caused to the New Zealand authorities, but she was unable to arrange an appointiment with him.