<P> A church spokesman, Heber Jentzsch, told the Riverside Press - Enterprise that he had "no information" of any Scientology involvement with the former resort . Other spokesmen for the trust that bought the property claimed that it had been purchased by "wealthy Eastern investors" or wealthy investors from the Palm Springs area . The Riverside County Sheriff's Office took an interest after it was rumoured that pornographic films were being made there or that an organized crime group had taken over the resort, but the property was hurriedly vacated before an official investigation could begin . </P> <P> The signs posted at the entrance to the property did not mention the Church . One, erected in the fall of 1979, attributed ownership to the "Western States Scientific Communications Association" while another, replacing the first in April 1980, proclaimed: "Massacre Canyon Development Co .--Future sites condominiums and homes ." A man calling himself "Dan Pook" met with local civic groups to explain the condominium project, telling residents in March 1980 that the site was to be used for the construction of "condominiums, mobile homes and single - family residences". He was later identified as Ronald Pook, a Church public relations official responsible for disseminating "shore stories" (or cover stories) about the Church's plans for the property . </P> <P> The intense secrecy was due to the Church of Scientology's acute legal difficulties at the time . The Church was embroiled in a huge scandal that posed major dangers for Hubbard personally . His wife Mary Sue and a number of other Scientologists had been arrested by the FBI the previous year and charged with running an enormous espionage network, Operation Snow White, against the United States Government . Hubbard himself was named as an "unindicted co-conspirator". He went into hiding in a desert ranch in La Quinta, which was codenamed "W" (for "winter headquarters"). Gilman Hot Springs was similarly codenamed "S", for "summer headquarters". </P> <P> The La Quinta property was closed down in March 1978 and Hubbard moved to an apartment complex in Hemet, codenamed "X". Hubbard's personal staff, known as the Commodore's Messengers, shuttled between "X" and "S" using various counter-surveillance methods to shake off anyone tracking them: switching between locations, using secret meeting points, relaying information covertly, using aliases and so on . </P>

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