FROM THE FILES OF THE FBI 199
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Norfolk, Virginia
March 14, 1968
In Reply, Please Refer to File No. NF 100-6641
RE: SCIENTOLOGY
[SEVERAL LINES BLACKED OUT]
On February 20, 1968, [BLACKED OUT] contacted the Newport News Resident
Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and advised that he
had received information from [BLACKED OUT] concerning captioned
organization. Arnold stated that [BLACKED OUT] reported contacts by
several members of this group, and the individual contacting him appeared
more interested in his duties at the [BLACKED OUT]
Arnold advised that he referred the information received by him from
[BLACKED OUT] in view of the fact that Musser felt the representatives of
the group known as Scientology who had approached him were interested more
in his employment than in himself personally, [REMAINDER OF THE PARAGRAPH
BLACKED OUT]
[BLACKED OUT] appeared at the Newport News Resident Agency of the FBI. He
advised that he resides [BLACKED OUT]
[page 2]
RE: SCIENTOLOGY;
[BLACKED OUT]
ET AL
[PARAGRAPH BLACKED OUT]
[BLACKED OUT] he and his roommate had been approached [BLACKED OUT] at the
[BLACKED OUT] who is resigning to travel to England for training with
captioned group [BLACKED OUT] explained that literature he has read
concerning the group indicates that its theory is that human beings are
occupied by intelligent beings sent here from another planet and that
Scientology can make them into superior beings.
[BLACKED OUT] stated that the group was founded by L. Ron Hubbard who
wrote a book on dynetics [sic] sometime ago and now resides in England.
After his contact with [BLACKED OUT] attended a banquet where two
representatives of the group from Washington, D.C. [BLACKED OUT] and
[BLACKED OUT] attempted to recruit him into the group. He has
subsequently been contacted by mail by Pem. Wall, Organizational Secretary
for Eastern United States. He has subsequently been contacted by another
man and woman and has been impressed by the fact that the group, which as
membership in all levels of society, pays special attention to Government
employees, employees of Government contractors, and military individuals.
He based this on personal observations of the composition of a group at a
banquet where only two out of approximately fifty in attendance, when
introducing themselves, gave occupations in other categories.
[BLACKED OUT] produced two letters under letterhead: "The Founding Church
of Scientology, The Hubbard Scientology Organization in Washington, D.C.,
1812 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. [illegible zip code] Telephone
ADams 262[?]." The letterhead indicated that _John Fudge_, Natalie
Fisher, and _Bonnie Turner_ were officers or trustees. [BLACKED OUT]
stated he could furnish nothing specific to make the organization a
possible threat to internal security except their apparent interest in
[BLACKED OUT] and in Government-related individuals. [BLACKED OUT]
2
[page 3]
RE: SCIENTOLOGY;
[BLACKED OUT]
ET AL
curious and plans to travel to Washington, D.C., for an interview with the
group February 24, 1968, after they have continuously contacted him
offering him a position with the group. He stated he does not intend to
accept the position but will go only out of curiosity. Musser described
most of the members of the group whom he has met to date as "crackpots."
Scientology, which has not been the subject of investigation by the FBI,
was founded by Lafayette Ron Hubbard, who created it for the purposes of
furthering his theory of "Scientology," an alleged science which instills
self-confidence and assists individuals in removing mental problems.
The April 24, 1951, issue of the "Washington Times Herald" carried an
article indicating that Hubbard's wife, in suing him for divorce, had
claimed that he was "hopelessly insane." According to this article,
"competent medical advisers recommended that Hubbard be committed to a
private sanitorium for psychiatric observation and treatment of a mental
ailment known as paranoid schizophrenia.'"
In January, 1963, the Food and Drug Administration directed a raid against
the Academy of Scientology, Washington, D.C., in which machines used by
the Academy in the practice of Scientology were seized. It was alleged
that these machines, known as "Hubbard Electrometers," were falsely
advertised as being effective in treating various types of illnesses.
[BLACKED OUT] advised that [BLACKED OUT] had apparently left [BLACKED OUT]
since he had terminated his employment at [BLACKED OUT] advised that
reports from the area where [BLACKED OUT] worked indicate that the
literature concerning Scientology which had been prevalent in the
apartment while [BLACKED OUT] was there was no longer being seen and it
was to be assumed that [BLACKED OUT] was the sole source of the
literature. [REMAINDER OF PARAGRAPH BLACKED OUT]
3
[page 4]
RE: SCIENTOLOGY
[BLACKED OUT]
ET AL
[PARAGRAPH BLACKED OUT]
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI.
It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its
contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
4*
