in the battle of ideas." Fabricated rape and pedophilia allegations During the Cyprus Emergency, IRD agents used newspaper journalists to spread fabricated stories that guerrillas belonging to the National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA), had raped schoolgirls. These propaganda stories were manufactured as a part of 'Operation TEA-PARTY', a black propaganda operation in which IRD agents created pamphlets accusing EOKA guerrillas of forcing schoolgirls to have sex with them, and alleging that the youngest of these schoolgirls was 12 years old. Among other fabricated stories, IRD agents attempted to convince American journalists that EOKA had links to Communism in an attempt to gain American support, citing "secret documents" and "classified intelligence reports" which said journalists were never allowed to view. Discovery and closure The department was said to be closed down by then Foreign Secretary, David Owen, in 1977. Its existence was not made public until 1978. See also Office of Policy Coordination (OPC) References Citations Sources Facsimile of page (PDF) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Cold War propaganda Government agencies established in 1948 1977 disestablishments in the United Kingdom British propaganda organisations Soviet Union–United Kingdom relations 1948 establishments in the United Kingdom George Orwell Anti-communist propaganda News agencies based in the United Kingdom Anti-communist organizations