A book criticial of the religion of Scientology has been pulled from British bookshops and the UK branch of online retail site Amazon due to "legal reasons".

Irish author John Duignan said he was "dismayed and furious" at Scientologist attempts to have the book banned but "not at all surprised given the Church's record on freedom of expression".

Mr Duignan's book is still on sale in Ireland, however. Titled 'The Complex: An Insider Exposes the Covert World of the Church of Scientology', it explores Mr Duigan's experiences while a member of the church.

In it, he claims Scientologist conditioning made him prepared to kill on behalf of the cult and subjected him to harsh indoctrination techniques.

The church is famously litigious. Earlier this year it threatened to sue online magazine Gawkers for posting a clip of church member and Hollywood actor Tom Cruise preaching the virtues of the religion. The clip made Mr Cruise appear deluded and incoherent.