Bare-Faced Messiah (PDF) - Apologetics Index

had been instructed to check out the ship, but were assured by the harbourmaster that the
Scientologists were harmless people who abided by the law and gave no trouble. 'I have seen
people being tossed into the sea,' he admitted, 'but they have told me this is part of their training
course.' Major Forte complained that he was besieged by people objecting to Scientologists being
'harboured' on the island and Corfu's leading daily newspaper, Telegrafos, published a highly
critical feature about Scientology which really raised Corfiot suspicions with a passing mention of
'black magic'.
By January 1969, Corfu traders were so alarmed by the prospect of action being taken against the
Scientologists that a delegation sent a telegram to Prime Minister Papadopoulos submitting its
'warmest plea' for 'Professor Hubbard's Philosophy School' to be allowed to remain in Corfu. The
Secretary General of the Ministry of Merchant Marine replied that there was 'never any objection' to
the Apollo remaining in Corfu.
Hubbard, meanwhile, was promising to lavish further largesse on the island. In a typically
magniloquent manifesto headed 'Corfu Social and Economic Survey' he envisaged building hotels,
roads, factories, schools, a new harbour, three golf courses, seven yacht marinas and various
resort facilities, as well as establishing a Greek University of Philosophy funded by Operation and
Transport Corporation. The headline on the front of Ephimeris ton Idisseon next day was 'CORFU
WILL KNOW BETTER DAYS OF AFFLUENCE'.
Deputy Prime Minister Patakos hastily issued a statement emphasizing that 'no permission had yet
been granted to the Scientologists to become established on Greek soil'. Hubbard responded by
announcing that his Scientology School in Corfu would open 'within two or three weeks'.
By this time Major Forte was convinced that Hubbard's intention was to take over partial control of
the island and establish the world headquarters of Scientology and he was lobbying assiduously
against allowing him a foothold. Hubbard, on the other hand, was convinced as usual that there
was a conspiracy and that Forte was an agent of British intelligence working a 'black propaganda'
section. He would later allege that the major had spread vicious rumours about black magic rites
being held on board the Apollo and Scientologists poisoning wells and casting spells on local
cattle.[12] In reality, decisions were being made at a level far above that of an insignificant honorary
vice-consul; the Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs had lodged an official request with the UK and
Australian Governments for information regarding the status of Scientology in their countries.
On 6 March, Hubbard's opponents received unexpected support from the US Sixth Fleet when a
task force arrived off Corfu and a detachment of Marines set up sentry posts around the berths
occupied by the Sea Org ships apparently in order to prevent US Navy personnel from coming into
contact with Scientologists. 'Somehow it seemed', said Major Forte 'that this was a carefully
planned operation designed to bring forcibly home to the authorities the grave danger of
contamination by this undesirable cult.'
Unlikely as this theory was, less than two weeks later the Nomarch of Corfu ordered Hubbard and
his ships to leave Greece within twenty-four hours. 'The old man almost had a heart attack when he
got the news,' said Kathy Cariotaki, a Sea Org member who was on the bridge with Hubbard at the
time. 'He went absolutely grey with shock.'[13]
At five o'clock on the afternoon of 19 March 1969, with the harbour sealed by police, the Apollo
slipped her lines and sailed out into the Aegean Sea.
Major John Forte watched her leave front the waterfront and realized he was standing next to one of