In December 1953, Scientology was first incorporated as a religious body in Camden, New Jersey. Less than 18 months later, the new Church had its first intelligence agency - a remarkably swift evolution considering that the Catholic Church took 1500 years to create its own Inquisition. Since 1955, Scientology has had a highly organised mechanism to gather intelligence and administer "Justice and Punishment" to its perceived foes. This has been achieved through three agencies within the Church of Scientology:

• Until 1966, the Hubbard Communications Office (HCO);
• between 1966 and 1983, this was the Guardian's Office, headed by May Sue Hubbard ("the Controller" of the GO); and
• since then the Office of Special Affairs -- Scientology's Secret Service.