Japanese Authorities Raid Doomsday Cult Facilities Ahead of Guru's Verdict

AP ^ | Feb.15, 2004

[nuconvert]

Feb 15, 2004

Japanese Authorities Raid Doomsday Cult Facilities Ahead of Guru's Verdict

By Mari Yamaguchi/ Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) - Japanese agents raided key facilities of a doomsday cult Monday, searching for evidence of a terror plot before a verdict in the trial of the group's guru for a 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subways. About 200 investigators poured into the Tokyo headquarters and 10 other centers of the Aum Shinrikyo cult in the latest raid on the group, which now calls itself Aleph. Investigators did not immediately detain any suspects Monday.

The raids come ahead of the Feb. 27 verdict in the murder trial of Shoko Asahara, who is accused of masterminding the Tokyo attack that killed 12 people and sickened thousands, and a series of other murders. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

The group has shown signs of greater devotion to Asahara in recent months, raising concerns it could mount a terror attack around the time of his ruling, a Public Security Intelligence Agency official said on condition of anonymity.

Agents also want to pin down the whereabouts of group leaders, the official said.

Despite a police crackdown after the March 1995 gas attack, the cult has regrouped in recent years and now has 1,650 members in Japan and 300 in Russia. The group remains under surveillance by the intelligence agency.

At its height, Aum Shinrikyo had 10,000 members in Japan and 30,000 in Russia.

The cult had a chemical and biological weapons program and produced the sarin gas used in the Tokyo attack. Asahara is also accused of killing wayward disciples and ordering the deaths of an anti-cult lawyer and his family.

So far, 11 of Asahara's followers have been sentenced to death in connection with several cult attacks. None has yet been executed.

[raloxk]

so when someone tells you that the USA is the only developed country that has the death penelty, you'll know they are ignorant or lying

[Democratshavenobrains]

To the Global Left, Asian countries don't really count as civilized. Only white European socialist countries do.

[nuconvert]

Ya beat me to it.

[AmericanInTokyo]

The only thing, Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.

They may have "shikei hanketsu" punishment on the books in Japan, but look deeper.

You heard it right here that FINALLY despite guilty verdicts w/ death ordered, for a terrorist WMD crime in Tokyo ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO, none of these men or women will see the end of a Japanese rope, for at least another 20-25 years and many more appeals and counter appeals and delays. By that time, no shortage of the victims of the sarin attack will be long gone.

[Imal]