Scientology's Secret Service 1. The Hubbard Communications Office

Intelligence activities on behalf of Scientology were first carried out by the Hubbard Communications Office, the Scientology agency responsible for co-ordinating executive policy. It ran a small but ambitious intelligence system to monitor friends and enemies alike, and to harass perceived opponents. Its methods were outlined in the 10-page Manual Of Justice (marked "Confidential - for HCO personnel only" and still in use), written by Hubbard in 1959. The copyright on this publication expired in the 1980s, so it can freely be downloaded and reproduced.

In 1960-61, the HCO's intelligence section was supplemented by three new innovations: Special Zone Departments, to implement Hubbard's "Special Zone Plan" of infiltration, the Department of Government Affairs, into which the Special Zone Departments were merged after only two months, and which was in turn superceded in March 1961 by the Department of Official Affairs. The purpose of this rapidly-evolving Department was made absolutely plain: "we have here in actuality the equivalent of a Ministry of Propaganda and Security", as Hubbard put it in an HCO Policy Letter of 13 March 1961. Its goal was

to bring the government and hostile philosophies or societies into a state of complete compliance with the goals of Scientology. This is done by high level ability to control and in its absence by low level ability to overwhelm. Introvert such agencies. Control such agencies. Scientology is the only game on Earth where everybody wins. There is no overt [sin] in bringing good order.

[Hubbard, HCO Policy Letter of 15 August 1960, Department of Government Affairs]

But the need for something better became all too visible when, in 1965-66, L. Ron Hubbard was faced by threats from within (defectors setting up their own brands of Scientology) and from without (antagonistic governments and press). The publication in October 1965 of the report by the Australian state of Victoria's official board of inquiry into Scientology was a disaster for Scientology, but one which could hopefully be contained. It was not. On 7 February 1966, Lord Balniel asked the British Minister of Health, "whether he will initiate an inquiry into the scope and practice in this country of so-called Scientology, and the practice of psychology for fee or reward by persons who have no medical or psychological qualifications ... in view of the scathing criticism by an official board of inquiry in Australia into the so-called practice of Scientology, surely the right hon. Gentleman considers that it is in the public interest to hold a similar type of inquiry in this country?"

Hubbard was outraged and clearly very worried that the fire started in Melbourne would spread further (as it did, to Canada, New Zealand and South Africa as well as to Britain and two other Australian states). Ten days after Lord Balneil asked his question, Hubbard established a Public Investigation Section - that is, a section to investigate the public, not to publicly conduct investigations. Its stated purpose was "TO HELP LRH [Hubbard] INVESTIGATE PUBLIC MATTERS AND INDIVIDUALS WHICH SEEM TO IMPEDE HUMAN LIBERTY SO THAT SUCH MATTERS MAY BE EXPOSED AND TO FURNISH INTELLIGENCE REQUIRED IN GUIDING THE PROGRESS OF SCIENTOLOGY" [emphasis in original]. Hubbard outlined how this was to be achieved:

The determination of what a project is is simple - what agency or group is attacking Scientology? As Scientology stands for freedom, those who don't want freedom tend to attack it. The Section investigates the attacking group's individual members and sees that the results of the investigation get adequate legal action and publicity.

The mechanism employed is very straightforward. We never use the data to threaten to expose. We simply collect it and expose.

Experience with the section will show that very sordid motives lie behind such attacks and that individuals of the attacking groups have a very great deal to hide. Thus the section always has a huge quantity of matters to be discovered and is not likely to run out of cases to investigate, providing only that it does not depart from this formula:

1. Note what public or private group is attacking Scientology.

2. Get a project warrant from the Advisory Council Area or WW to investigate it.

3. Collect as many case histories as possible on the individuals of that group, specializing on those that can be led to criminal prosecution by state or world agencies.

4. See that enough of the data is made available to the state or world agencies to obtain convictions.

5. See that excellent press coverage is given the disclosures over as long a period of time as possible.

6. See that HCO and Scientology are given full credit for protecting human rights and liberty.

[Hubbard, HCO Policy Letter of 17 February 1966, Public Investigation Section]