News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch has added a new dimension into the fallout of the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes divorce story by saying Cruise is at the top of the hierarchy in Scientology, a religion apparently followed by Cruise.

“Scientology back in news. Very weird cult, but big, big money involved with Tom Cruise either number two or three in hierarchy,” he tweeted Sunday morning.

Not content with that, he tweeted again, “Watch Katie Holmes and Scientology story develop. Something creepy, maybe even evil, about these people.”

Cruise and Holmes married in 2005 and have a daughter, Suri. This will be Cruise’s third divorce and Holmes’ first.

It’s rare for a powerful media and Hollywood production house CEO to publicly criticize a megastar. And his castigation did not go unnoticed on Twitterverse.

Reactions ranged from obvious to amusing:

From @C_Farr0w: you’re in NO position to comment on others people’s integrity. ?#phonehacking

From @ballsdeeptennis: scientology might be the one institution creepier than Newscorp so knock yourself out on this one.

Murdoch’s response:

“Since Scientology tweet hundreds of attacks. Expect they will increase and get worse and maybe threatening. Still stick to my story.”