That Scientology spying operation on Anonymous? Yeah, we have video too

 
We have even more for you from Scientology’s own files on its operation to surveil the Anonymous movement in Seattle in 2009.

Yesterday we explained that notorious Scientology “black bag department” private investigator Russ Andrews was flown in to sit outside a protester’s residence and take note of who was coming and going. Today, we have video from that operation.

But first, we wanted to show you even more about the lengths Scientology went to as it was being picketed by Anonymous at the time.

Public Scientologists were recruited by the local DSA — the Department of Special Affairs, the local branch of Scientology’s spy wing, the Office of Special Affairs — in order to infiltrate Anonymous and take part in the protests.

We can show you a page from a packet that Scientologists recruited for the operation were given, with a checklist of things to bring to a monthly picket.

 
Our source tells us that Ann is Seattle’s DSA, Steve is current “invest off” (investigations officer) and Chris was the former DSA, now deceased, and an Ideal Org fundraiser.

The Scientologists who were recruited by this crew hid their affiliation with the church so they could take part in the picket and photograph participants for later identification. These four photos are from Scientology’s own files of the infiltration effort.

 
We can also now reveal that one of the Scientologists recruited to do this work was someone you know. You saw him on an excellent episode of Leah Remini’s A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath.

It’s Bert Schippers, who told such a compelling story about being ripped off in Scientology’s “Ideal Org” grift.

 
He tells us that not only was he among those Seattle Scientologists recruited to infiltrate the Anonymous pickets, but that he even went on a day of surveillance with Russ Andrews.

“We were basically out almost all night long. We were following two or three of the Anons, and they were just out drinking. And then one of them at 3 or 4 am went out for a walk because he was puking. They left at 3 or 4 am and we followed them all the way home,” he says.

That sounds a lot like the day of surveillance that Andrews detailed in his notes for April 4, 2009. But looking them over, Bert tells us he was with Russ on a different day.

“It was a different night. There wasn’t a guy wearing a kilt. We spent most of the time south of Seattle and then followed one of them home to Seattle,” he says.

We asked him what Russ talked about during the surveillance.

“We chatted a little bit, but I don’t remember anything he said. I remember thinking that we’re just watching people do what young people do, drink and hang out with their friends, and there was nothing more to it than that. It was kind of a waste,” he says. “But the church was obsessed with these ‘evil’ people.”

We were given the name of someone else also involved in the infiltration of Anonymous in Seattle and are reaching out to that person.

We’ve also managed to obtain video shot by Russ Andrews on his day of surveilling “Kiltboy,” which was described in his notes that we posted yesterday. We’ve taken a sample of a couple of minutes from it.

We’d love to hear from anyone who appears in this video. It’s been nearly 12 years since you were stalked by the Church of Scientology. What are your thoughts on it?

 
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Leah Remini podcast: Ford Greene

Says Mike Rinder: “He has endured many Scientology Fair Game attacks including two criminal investigations, multiple state bar complaints, a civil lawsuit, ongoing surveillance, spying, noisy PI investigations, taking his garbage and more. If all that’s not enough, in addition to his criminal defense practice, since 2007 he has been elected four times as council member for the Town of San Anselmo, CA where he has been mayor three times.” And now he’s on Leah and Mike’s latest podcast episode. Listen to it here…

 
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‘Deep Sleep Therapy’ docs appeal lawsuit defeat, then one, John Herron, dies at 88

Last year we paid attention to the farcical defamation lawsuit filed against Australian journalist Steve Cannane by two figures in that country’s “Deep Sleep Therapy” scandal of the early 1990s.

We explained that such a lawsuit would never happen here in the US, but Australia’s press laws are different and a judge found that although Cannane had relied on an official royal report for his reporting on the scandal in his excellent 2016 book about Scientology in Australia, Fair Game, he would have to prove all over again the findings of that report: That doctors had knowingly used a risky therapy with dangerous drugs that had caused dozens of deaths.

And prove it all over again Cannane did, with the use of experts and to the satisfaction of a federal court in Sydney. The two plaintiffs, Dr. John Gill and former psychiatrist John Herron, only ended up tainting their reputations all over again. They not only lost the case, but were ordered to pay Cannane’s costs.

But even with that drubbing, they weren’t done. Just before Christmas they filed an appeal. And then, on February 7, John Herron died at 88.

Well, some people truly don’t know when to give up.

Source Code

“Get a picture of a cat and say it belongs in 1810. A picture of a cow and say it belongs in 1830. Picture of a pig, say it belongs in the year 1. A picture of a woman, say it belongs in the second century BC. Continue with that exercise, any picture, any date. Any picture, any date. OK. Now let’s find some places you are not. All right.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 16, 1954

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“AMONGST THE STARS: Bill Franks – Clear OT; Bill Franks – L10; Lucy Mielczarek – OT VII; Rob Sanderson – OT II, Anthony Azzarella – Grade V Power Plus Release; Richard Peterson – Grade V Power Release; Bill Franks – FEBC Internship; Elith Schaltz – FEBC; Mike Rubio – FEBC; Bill Tucker – Management Power Rundown; Bruce Stern – Org Officer/Prod Officer Mini Hat; Susan Prieur – 3rd Class Missionaire; Susan Rubio – 3rd Class Missionaire; Suzette Hubbard – Moped Operator.” — Love, George C & A, February 16, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

A: “I just wonder if anyone knows what to do after L. Ron Hubbard wrote, ‘let’s go for broke.’ Now I have no money and no job, so how can I get back to ‘abundance’ again?” B: “Just make up your mind, you got it all, and it comes back to you.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1996: Chris Owen, who previously posted the Anderson Report, which led to Scientology being banned in parts of Australia in 1965, this week posted materials documenting Hubbard’s response to the report. “In issue 31 of ‘The Auditor’, LRH made the following statement: ‘Principals of the Victorian government such as the “Prime Minister,” Anderson the “Q.C.” and hostile members of the “Victoria Parliament” are continued [sic] as suppressive persons and they and their families and connections may not be processed or trained and are fair game’.”

 
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Random Howdy

“It’s just like the mob, if you’re a money maker, you’re golden. You can molest the kids, murder your mistress etc but as long as you’re UPSTAT you’re a HERO. This statement by Hubbard is all the proof that the indies or anyone else should ever need to convince them that it was never about anything else except the money.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to March 2.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Status conf. on Feb 16.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.

Concluded litigation:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.

SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology and eyesight: The familiar totem of claiming clarity of vision to emulate Ron
[TWO years ago] In homophobic Scientology, you are required to write up your sins or else
[THREE years ago] Scientology scare tactics used against woman who reported its quack therapy for kids
[FOUR years ago] Louis Theroux enjoys UK award for ‘My Scientology Movie’ ahead of US release
[FIVE years ago] Science Fiction smackdown: L. Ron Hubbard, the pith helmet-wearing ‘pipsqueak Prometheus’
[SIX years ago] The paranoid, depressed L. Ron Hubbard: Jim Dincalci’s 1997 ‘Secret Lives’ TV interview
[SEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology is having a grand re-opening at Big Blue this Saturday!
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: And With Help From Harlan Ellison!
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s Secret Ranch: Where LRH Will Reincarnate?

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 16, 2021 at 07:00

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Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele