TOM Cruise’s wife Katie
Holmes is divorcing the star to save daughter Suri from Scientology, it
was revealed last night.
Katie, 33, is fighting for sole custody of Suri, six, so SHE — and not
Cruise, a follower of the cult faith — controls the child’s religion and
education.
A pal said she was “terrified” Suri would soon have to begin Scientology
schooling.
Katie reached breaking point with hubby Cruise because she felt “suffocated”
living with his mum and sister.
The constant presence of the Hollywood superstar’s family triggered rows
between the celebrity couple.
And it is one of the main reasons behind Katie’s decision to divorce Top Gun
idol Cruise.
The actress, who will look to friend Victoria Beckham for support, is also
desperate to save Suri from the Scientology religion followed by her three
times-wed husband.
Katie, raised as a Catholic, is said to have been secretly plotting the split
for weeks.
While Cruise was away filming, she whisked Suri to New York from their Beverly
Hills home and rented an apartment in the Big Apple for her and the little
girl to move into.
Citing “irreconcilable differences,” she hired a hot-shot lawyer to end the
five-year marriage — and is seeking sole custody of her daughter.
She is thought to have a better chance in New York as Scientologists are rife
in powerful positions in Los Angeles and Californian courts are more
inclined to favour joint custody deals.
But last night reports claimed Cruise, who turns 50 on Tuesday, is set to
fight back by launching rival divorce proceedings and demanding they be
heard in LA.
His lawyers will insist Katie does not meet residency requirements to file in
New York because although the couple have a plush property in the city,
their “full-time” home is in California.
A source told a US celebrity website: “At the same time, Tom will file for
divorce in California and will request joint custody of Suri.
“There is absolutely no way he is going to let Katie have sole custody.
“The lines are being drawn and this is going to shape up as a very contentious
custody battle.”
The three issues of the in-law war, Suri’s future and Scientology are
intertwined.
Cruise’s mum Mary Lee, sister Cass and adopted children Isabella, 19, and
Connor, 17, all live in the couple’s Beverly Hills mansion.
They are Scientologists and Cass helped to home-school Isabella and Connor.
A source close to Cruise and Katie said: “Katie has found the set-up extremely
suffocating at times. One of the main things she and Tom fought over was his
family.
“His mum was always around everywhere they went and so were his sister and
kids. They all lived in the same mansion. But even though the house is huge
it just became too much for Katie.”
Another source said Katie was “terrified” at how Suri would turn out if she
was inducted into Scientology.
Cruise — said to have been “completely shocked” by Katie’s announcement of her
divorce action on Friday — went to ground in Iceland’s capital Reykjavik
yesterday.
The Mission: Impossible hero is in the country filming scenes for his new
movie Oblivion. He is flying between Reykjavik and the set by helicopter —
and looked haunted when spotted.
Isabella and Connor are with him. And the lad has been happily tweeting about
his adventures there, which have included whitewater rafting, cliff jumping
and grilling hot dog sausages in a volcanic crater.
But his tweets stopped as soon as Katie, who played tomboy Joey Potter in TV series Dawson’s Creek, went public on her divorce plans.
Friends believe this proved Cruise, along with Connor, was taken totally by
surprise. The source said: “It will take time for Tom to get his head around
it all.”
A former pal of Cruise told last night how Katie made her move because Suri
was about to begin learning and practising Scientology — a movement founded
in 1952 by sci-fi writer L Ron Hubbard and also followed by Grease star John
Travolta.
Marc Headley, 39, was a confidant of the star at the controversial religion’s
Gold Base HQ in Gilman Hot Springs, California, before he quit the cult.
He described the religion’s “security checks” in which ethics officers probe
followers using a device called an e-meter, which claims to use electrical
energy to measure emotional shifts. Marc said: “Suri has just turned six and
that is when Scientology children first endure child security checks. They
are rigorous interrogations that are terrifying, especially to children. She
would also be tested by the e-meter.
“I wouldn’t want my children or anyone’s children to go through this ordeal.
They would bark at Suri, ‘Did you steal?’ or “Did you lie?’ She is only six.
This is why Katie is choosing to escape now.
“The fact that Katie has gone aggressively for sole custody is to save Suri
from Scientology. She knows if Tom has his way, the girl will be
home-schooled by the cult.
“Katie can see how badly it turned out for Isabella and Connor.
“She has seen they have no relationship with their mother, Nicole Kidman, and
she’s terrified of that happening to her.” Married dad-of-two Marc, claimed
Katie was HAND-PICKED to be Cruise’s wife by the Church of
Scientology. He said the relationship was orchestrated by Scientology leader
David Miscavige, 52, who was Cruise’s best man at their wedding near Rome.
He added: “The Church recruited Katie to be Tom’s wife.”
Katie is said to have rented the New York pad despite having a home there. It
is thought she wanted her own place.
Spooky 33 has haunted
Tom Cruise’s marriages
THE number 33 has weirdly dogged all THREE of Tom Cruise’s failed
marriages.
Each of the Mission: Impossible star’s wives was that age when he broke up
with them.
And the three Mrs Cruises — Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes — were
born 11 years apart in 1956, 1967 and 1978 respectively, totalling a spooky
33.
The “hex” number also separates each divorce: 1990, 2001 and now 2012.
Tom’s religion of Scientology has been linked to the 33rd parallel north — a
circle of latitude.
And top author Dan Brown highlighted the number in his 2009 novel The Lost
Symbol in which it led to the meaning of life.
It is also significant in Christianity. Jesus performed 33 miracles and was 33
when crucified.
Job done says logo crusader
ANTI-Scientology campaigners who flogged “Free Katie” T-shirts were last night
boasting it was “mission accomplished”.
Artist Shelia Cameron launched a huge crusade against the religion shortly
after the celeb couple got married in 2006.
And to boost her cause she came up with a range of “Free Katie” clothing for
sale online, including shirts, baseball caps, kitchen aprons and even mugs
and baby romper suits.
But following the announcement that the pair were breaking up, Sheila and her
team quickly changed their slogan to “mission accomplished”.
Sheila declared: “Katie is finally free. It will be interesting to watch what
happens next. I’m still rooting for her.
“She seemed like a lovely, vibrant person who got love-bombed by the Hollywood
machine.”
MyView
BY SAMANTHA DOMINGO, Ex Scientologist
DIVORCE isn’t controversial in Scientology if both parties remain in the
religion.
But it gets very messy if one leaves — as I did.
My husband and I were given Scientology-style counselling before our divorce.
As you’re questioned you hold electrodes hooked to an “e-meter” with a dial
while an auditor interprets its movements. After two weeks we were
exhausted.
When I left Scientology I spoke about my awful experiences, including being
coerced into an abortion.
My ex-husband was then told to disconnect from me and to only contact our kids
through a lawyer.
If Katie leaves Scientology and Tom remains in it, things could get difficult.
I’ve no doubt the church will do all it can to keep them both under control.
