German flock expelled Pastor Jones 'for his extremist views'

TERRY Jones was once based in Germany where members of his church expelled him because of his extremism, it was claimed yesterday.

• Signs are seen outside the Dove World Outreach Center run by Pastor Terry Jones Image: AFP

A parishoner at The Christian Community of Cologne told German news magazine Der Spiegel Mr Jones presided over "a climate of fear and control" and demanded "blind obedience". "The pastor and his wife apparently regarded themselves as having been appointed by God, meaning opposition was a crime against the Lord," it reported. Andrew Schaefer, who heads a unit monitoring sects around Cologne for the protestant church, said the 1,000-strong flockturned against Mr Jones and his wife Sylvia, expelling them in 2007. "The community imploded," he said. "It only has some 80 active members today."