Book claims Space Alien Cathedral in NM

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (KRQE) - A secret vault built in the New Mexico desert is getting global attention after a man publishes a book about the controversial religion of Scientology.

Two days ago, John Sweeney’s book titled ” The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology ” was released online.

A few days before that Sweeney posted a trailer as a promotional video for the book on Youtube . The video posted shows Sweeney in New Mexico heading to a sprawling secret bunker connected to a house built into a mountain near Las Vegas, NM.

“This is Trementina Base,” Sweeney says on the video. “There is vault with the secret writings of L. Ron Hubbard in gold discs.”

The secret vault is highlighted in his book that has received global attention. Even Inside Edition has interviewed Sweeney.

KRQE News 13 learned of the secret area and the vault in 2005 when we interviewed one of the very few non-Scientologists allowed inside then Las Vegas Police Chief Tim Gallegos. Gallegos toured the vault 19 years ago.

“They have CD's, they are using special paper actual printing, has special ink and is suppose to last forever,” Gallegos said.

Sweeney shares similar stories in his book claiming his information comes straight from former members.

One online report said an excerpt from the book says the gold discs contain works from scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard that are locked in titanium caskets. Sweeney calls the vault a Space Alien Cathedral that is H-bomb proof.

The online report adds that Sweeney said experts told him the group believes these symbols will guide high-ranking Scientologists returning from space back to the bunker and Hubbard’s works -- after a nuclear Armageddon wipes out humanity.

We left a message for a director of community affairs, within the Church of Scientology, but had not heard back from him at the time of publishing.

However, Scientology officials told Inside Edition Sweeney's allegations are silly and that the site is used for archival storage only. The symbols are nothing more than a corporate logo to help pilots find the facility.

In 2005 we were initially denied permission to visit the vault as we were putting our story together.

Then, church representatives offered us a chance to go inside if we agreed to cancel that story. KRQE News 13 declined.