Scientology -The Apollo series: Who Killed the Cat?

Good to see you Arnie! So busy with a million things, I missed this. Just been re reading the grudge match against you on ESMB. We all have one now, must be doing something right.

Arnie Lerma banned from ESMB

16- SPOTLIGHT February 8, 1998

Scientologists Accused of Animal Abuse

Would church members resort to killing pets to intimidate opponents?
EXCLUSIVE TO THE SPOTLIGHT BY THE SPOTLIGHT STAFF
Critics of the Church of Scientology are beginning to believe that the cult is now adopting animal abuse as one way of harassing its critics. Former Scientologist Arnie Lerma, now one of Scientology's most prominent critics, recently cited several instances which he and others believe can be traced to Scientology.
• One woman, Enid Vein, had her cat shot when she became embroiled in a legal battle involving Scientology. Miss Vein was forced to settle after she ran out of money, but Miss Vein has not spoken anything about the animal's death since the settlement of the case.
"I suppose not saying anything about her cat being shot was part of the settlement," Lerma speculates.
• Lerma found his own cat with its throat cut, but Lerma was able to nurse the little fellow back to health. This incident took place when Lerma himself was also being sued by Scientology for having exposed its doctrines on the Internet.
• The judge in a federal criminal case against Mary Sue Hubbard, the wife of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, found his miniature collie drowned in his pool.
• Robert S. Minton, a wealthy businessman who has become a critic of Scientology (even though he is not a former Scientologist himself) found what he called "a dead, but otherwise healthy looking cat" on his doorstep. Minton has been providing financing for lawsuits against Scientology by its critics, in particular in the case of Lisa McPherson who died mysteriously while in the "care" of Scientology.
FIGHT MONEY WITH MONEY
• Another former high-ranking Scientologist, Robert Vaughn Young -a former national spokesman for the cult, until he and his wife left in disgust- has suffered harassment by the church.
The Youngs established a popular "foster home" for abused and homeless cats and dogs in the Seattle, Washington area that saved animals from extermination by the city pound. They have adopted out nearly 500 kittens, cats and a few dogs. However, Scientology agents began harassing his animal sanctuary by trying to have it closed down. According to Young, David Lee, a private investigator working for Los Angeles-based investigator Eugene Ingram, who has long been associated with Kendrick Moxon, Scientology's lead in-house attorney, began instigating a letter-writing and telephone campaign to Seattle City offices urging that Young's animal shelter be shut shown. This resulted in an official investigation.
"Scientology knows how important our animal rescue work is to us. They were unable to silence us so now they are seeking to find or manufacture enough threat to the innocent animals hoping we will 'shudder into silence," Young says. "I want the world to know the extremes to which this cult of thugs will go.
"Scientology already has a reputation for harassing [Internet users] as well as the media and others," be added. "Now let Scientology add a new credit to their list of abuses: innocent animals."
For his part, Minton had a surprise in store for the Scientologists. He went to the Seattle area and purchased a new property for the Young's animal shelter.
According to Minton, the Scientologists attempted to interfere with the new location, but Minton said in a posting on the Internet "Let the 'church' of $cientology be put on notice that any time they cause the Youngs' cats to meow, the Internet and animal lovers everywhere will ROAR!"