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Scientology ‘set up cameras to spy on former leader’

Scientology members allegedly set up high-tech surveillance cameras to spy on the family of a disillusioned former leader, a bombshell harassment lawsuit against the church claims.

Monique Rathbun, wife of former church bigwig turned critic Marty Rathbun, filed a suit in Comal County, Texas, saying she has been “harassed, insulted, surveilled, photographed, videotaped, defamed and humiliated” by church members, including a group called the “squirrel busters” who allegedly rented a home near the couple to spy on them.

Marty was inspector general of Scientology’s Religious Technology Center but left the church in 2004, while Monique was never a member. Marty says his wife is suing because she has become “collateral damage” in Scientology’s alleged pursuit of him. He told Page Six, “The intent was to make our life a living hell and drive us out of our hometown, which succeeded. We moved to hill country, property surrounded by woods. They tracked down the owner of a 5-acre undeveloped property behind us and leased it and put what appeared to be camouflaged game cameras. But upon inspection they turned out to be high-tech human surveillance cameras — the same cameras used by the DEA and patrol on the Mexican border and now by drug dealers to counteract the DEA. They were camouflaged in cameras that appeared to be to alert hunters to the movement of deer.”

The couple have photos of the “squirrel busters” wearing T-shirts bearing Rathbun’s face, allegedly filming the couple. The Rathbuns now hope to depose Scientology leader David Miscavige. According to Tony Ortega’s blog about Scientology, Underground Bunker, Texas Judge Dib Waldrip “has ordered the deposition of Miscavige with no restrictions.”

But Scientology lawyers have asked to have time to petition the state appeals court and have until 5 p.m. Friday. A rep for the church tells us, “The ecclesiastical leader has not been deposed. It is our understanding that the judge granted a stay to seek appellate review.”

Adds the rep about the suit, “It is nothing more than a transparent get-rich-quick scheme. The discredited allegations are nothing more than the same tired propaganda spread for nearly five years by the same tiny clique of anti-Scientologists who remain obsessively bitter at having been expelled nearly a decade ago for malfeasance and incompetence from their positions in the Church. The Church is currently experiencing its greatest period of expansion.”