A Chronology of Aum Supreme Truth Events
Day 1: March 22 -- The First Searches and Seizures
After obtaining an arrest warrant for Takeshi Matsumoto on
suspicion of kidnapping Kiyoshi Kariya, the head of the Meguro
Notary Public Office, 2500 police officers raided 25 Aum facilities
throughout Japan. They met with little resistance.
Investigating officers confiscated 1000's of gallons of chemicals
and about $4 million in cash and gold. None of this property
belonged to Matsumoto nor had any apparent links to the
kidnapping. The police steadfastly maintained that they were
investigating a kidnapping and not the subway gas attack. However,
as Chief Takashi Kakimi put it "We will conduct investigations
bearing possible links [to the subway gassing] in mind." Most
foreign news wires questioned the legality of the raids, but the
domestic press remained silent on the matter. Aum's lawyer
formally protested the raids.
Day 2: March 23 -- Police Expand Their Actions
A man police did not identify was arrested for a traffic violation
while driving a car registered to Aum Shinri Kyo. The car was
impounded and the driver held for questioning. The police
announced that they have received 110 criminal complains about
the Aum group, and that 10 of them can "established as criminal
cases." Some of these complaints date back several years.
Day 3: March 24 -- "Aum Shinri Kyo Should be Dissolved"
Education Minister Kaoru Yosano today said that Aum Shinri Kyo
should be forcibly disbanded if it is determined that the sect
"departed from usual religious activities." Although the Japanese
constitution guarantees the freedom of religion, the Religious
Corporation Law gives the government the authority to order a
religion disbanded.
Police announced that they have found in Kamikuishiki all the
ingredients needed to produce sarin. Newspapers claimed it was
enough to kill 4.2 million to 10 million people. All of the
chemicals confiscated appear to have been procured legally, and no
sarin has yet been found.
Aum filed a Y30 million lawsuit against the police for the damage
caused by the raids.
Day 4: March 25 -- The Gulf War Connection?
Police continued to remove chemicals from the Kamikuishiki
facility in their ongoing kidnapping investigation. Investigators
pointed out that sarin was largely unknown to the public until the
1991 Gulf War, and thus it is highly suspicious that Aum began
buying large amounts of land right after the gulf war.
Police intensified their hunt for a man they believe may have
planted the sarin gas. Witnesses saw this man place a "suspicious
object" on the floor. Another man shouted "that man is a criminal"
and began chasing him. Both men succumbed to the gas and passed
out. Police feel confident that they will locate this individual as he
was undoubtedly hospitalized. [ As of July 22nd, the police have
not mentioned this person again. -- TR]
Day 5: March 26 - Aum Compounds Raided on New Charges
Police have now obtained warrants to search Aum facilities on
charges of preparation for murder. Oddly, the warrants specified
neither those who were suspected of the crime nor those who were
the alleged targets. Up until this point, most of the raids have been
carried out on the pretext of a kidnapping investigation, or on
minor charges.
Day 6: March 27 - Member Reports Burial at Compound
An unnamed member of Aum has told police that he saw another
sect member bury a body in the group's compound in Yamanashi. A
police search turned up no trace of the alleged grave. Police sources
said that this member was one of the 50 people found unconscious
or too weak to support themselves in one of the buildings in the
Kamikuishiki compound. Police said the man was too weak to
provide details of the burial.
Day 7: March 28 - Violation of Stimulant Control Law
Police announced an investigation into Aum's possible violations of
the Stimulant Control Law. Police believe that illegal stimulants
were used in the sect's initiation rites. The Yomiuri quoted one
member who had left the facility as saying "I was given an
intravenous injection and fell asleep a few minutes later. I had
multi-colored dreams and woke up seven or eight hours later." [
There were a dozen or so similar quotes. None of the Japanese
media pointed out that most people do not pass out after being
given a stimulant. --TR ]
Day 8: March 29 - Nationwide Search Begins
Police announced that they now have the names of all Aum
executives involved in the Aum "Science and Technology
Department" and will begin a nationwide search for them. No
warrants have yet been issued.
The police announced that the car confiscated in the Mach 23rd
arrest contained a diagram for a chemical plant and several optical
and floppy disks. The police have still not released the man's
identity.
Day 9: March 30 - NPA Chief Shot
Takaji Kunimatsu, the head of the National Police Agency, was
shot at around 8:30 AM in front of his apartment building. He was
rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is in critical condition. A
gunman, who appeared to be in his thirties and around 180cm tall,
shot five or six times and struck Kunimatsu four times. He then
escaped on a bicycle. No group has claimed responsibility. Aum
Shinri Kyo was quickly accused by the press and issued a statement
denying any involvement.
Day 10: March 31 - Military Production Method Suspected
The Yomiuri Shinbun quoted an unnamed chemical weapons
experts as saying chemical byproducts found at the compound
indicate that Aum was producing large amounts of sarin at a time.
"The method (discovered by the police) is probably the most
common form of producing sarin in mass for military purposes."
Police announced that a total of 11 plastic pouches containing
traces of sarin were found on the subway after last week's attack.
Police believe that the 200cc pouches are the kind used by
hospitals for blood transfusions and IV drips. Police believe that a
medical worker is among those responsible for the attack.
Day 11: April 1 - Police Claim Evidence of Bio-weapons
Police found around 300 books on bio-chemistry, incubators, and
an electron-microscope in two buildings in the Aum compound.
Some of these books explained the cultivation of botulin and other
virulent bacteria. No botulin or similar bacteria were found, but
police stated that based on the evidence they found, they believe
that Aum was engaged in research to make biological weapons.
The NPA decided to send a delegation to Russia to gather
information on sect activities there.
Day 12: April 2 - Police Begin New Raids
Police today began raids on a 4,000 square meter building that they
suspect is Aum's largest science laboratory in Tomizawa. Twenty
Five kilometers to the southwest, police continued dismantling
walls in the Kamikuishiki compound.
Day 13: April 3 -- Aum Children Ordered to School
The Education Ministry today ordered Aum parents to start sending
their children to school or be charged under the School Education
Law. At least 26 of the children at the Yamanashi compound have
been truant for between 12 and 66 months. Aum representatives
claimed that children regularly attend schools in the compound.
Prime Minister Murayama urged a review of Japan's Religious
Corporation Law.
Day 14: April 4 -- Police to Finally Investigate Abductions
The police said they will begin an investigation of the kidnapping
of a 22-year-old woman that occurred in 1991. After escaping from
the Aum compound, this woman boarded a train to leave the area.
However, she was attacked and dragged from the station by five
men who were punching and kicking her. The men pushed her into
a car and then drove toward the Aum compound. Police gave no
explanation of why they are only now beginning an investigation.
There have been several similar incidents. In the fall of 1994 an
escapee was abducted in front of witnesses who said that three men
wearing Aum's headgear had forced her into a car which was then
seen driving into the Aum compound. Police took no action at that
time.
Day 15: April 5 -- Police Raid Aum's Naha branch
Okinawa prefectural police raided Aum Supreme Truth's Naha
branch. Officers say they were searching for evidence related to the
arrest of an Aum member on charges of "obstructing the execution
of official duties." The woman was arrested when she failed to give
a satisfactory explanation of why she placed a cardboard box
containing two passports, publicity flyers and correspondence into
a coin locker.
Investigators think that sarin was placed at two separate spots in
Matsumoto, pointing out that leaves on a tree near the judges'
dormitory were withered in much the same manner as the leaves in
the garden where the police originally thought the sarin was
released.
Day 16: April 6 -- "Trespassing" in Their Own Office
Three Aum members were arrested for trespassing shortly after 1:00
AM this morning when they parked their car in the parking garage
of a building in which Aum rented an office. Police found ten 30 -
40 cm long steel pipes in and around the car. Police suspect that
these tubes may be gun barrels. Items that appear to be triggers
were also found in the car. The police then used the trespassing
charge to impound the car and search their office. Police
confiscated several address books and computer disks.
One of the computer disks found in an car confiscated last month
when the driver was arrested for "interfering with police duties"
contained several chemical equations. Among others, the equations
for sodium fluoride, phosphorus trichloride and isopropyl alcohol
were on the disk. Police pointed out that these three chemicals are
used in the manufacture of sarin. They did state however, that no
equations or information directly related to sarin production were
found.
Day 17: April 7 -- Police Find Proof of Sarin
Investigators discovered traces of methylphosphon acid
monoisopropyl in the ventilation ducts of the Satian No. 7 building
in Aum's Kamikuishiki compound. Police claim that since this
chemical can only be created by decomposing sarin, it proves that
sarin was present inside the building at one time. No arrests were
made on this since possession and production of sarin are not
illegal under Japanese law.
Police searched an Aum-run hospital in Nakano, but reported
finding nothing unusual. However, officials still believe that this
hospital played a role in the alleged confinement of an ex-Aum
member.
Day 18: April 8 -- Raids and Arrests Continue in Earnest
In raids police still maintain are part of an ongoing kidnapping
investigation, police seized over 25 tons of chemicals from a
chemical company owned by a follower of Aum Shinri Kyo. In
other raids, police seized machine tools that they said could be
used to produce gun parts. They also confiscated "metal pipes that
could have be used to manufacture rifle barrels and a yellowish
metal that could have been used to cover the tips of bullets." Based
on these findings, police have now obtained a warrant to make
arrests for violations of the arms manufacturing law. No guns have
been found.
Shinichiro Koshikawa was arrested for refusing to answer police
questions when he was stopped by police near a Japanese military
installation. He is being charged with "interference with police
duties." Police said that they are eager to find out why Koshikawa
was near the GSDF facility.
Aum doctor Ikuo Hayashi was arrested in Ishikawa prefecture on
suspicion of riding a stolen bicycle when police determined that the
bicycle he was riding was not properly registered. [ On two
occasions I have been detained for the same thing. -- TR] A few
hours later the charge was changed to illegal confinement for which
police have had a warrant outstanding.
The police have made over 70 arrests to date. So far, none of them
have been related to the subway gas attack or the kidnapping of the
notary public police claim to be investigating.
Day 19: April 9 -- Police Seek Heat-Sealing Equipment
Police said that the 11 plastic bags used in the subway raid were
not intravenous drip bags after all, but plastic sheets folded in half
and then heat sealed on three sides. They announced that a raid
would be conducted to determine if Aum has equipment capable of
heat sealing plastic. Police also raided 10 Aum properties on
various charges. Methylphospon acid monoisopropyl was detected
in the in the Saitan No. 7 building. Investigators claimed this as
proof that sarin once existed in the building since this chemical can
only be created when sarin breaks down.
Day 20: April 10 -- Police Find Heat-Sealing Equipment
Investigators found a machine capable of heat-sealing plastic. The
police said that it was possible to make plastic pouches similar to
the ones used in the attack , and that they would confiscate the
equipment to see if they could make identical pouches with it.
One of the floppy disks confiscated contained records of chemical
experiments police say coincide with known methods of producing
sarin.
Day 21: April 11 -- Aum Kids Not Allowed in Public Schools
Yamanashi Prefecture's board of education made it clear today that
Aum children will not be allowed to attend public primary or
middle schools. The board claimed that this was not religious
discrimination because allowing these children into the schools
would "influence the educational environment of local children."
The village of Kamikuishikimura has long been at odds with the
religious group, refusing to let them register as residents or use
public toilets.
The Osaka Bar association is considering possible disciplinary
action against Aum's lawyer Yoshinobu Aoyama. The basis for this
action is his filing of lawsuits on behalf of Aum Supreme Truth
that are viewed as having no merit.
The police arrested another Aum member on suspicion of abducting
and confining her father. Arrest warrants are issued for four other
members.
Day 22: April 12 -- More Arrests Made
Police arrested Tomomitsu Niimi, Aum's Home Affairs Minister on
charges of confining a sect member who had tried to leave the cult.
The police announced that they have about 90 Aum members under
arrest and are grilling them. Most of these people have been
arrested for trespassing or interfering with police duties, but other
charges include traffic and parking violations, failing to have
vehicle inspection papers, violations of building codes, violation of
the Firearms and Swords Law, and confinement. The police have
made no arrests on charges relating to either the March 20th
gassings or the kidnapping of Takeshi Matsumoto, which was the
pretense given for the first of the massive police raids.
Day 23: April 13 -- Any Law Necessary
Police say that they will apply any law necessary to investigate the
Aum group. This was born out as police continued to arrest Aum
members for traffic and parking violations. The police use these
arrests to confiscate the vehicles and search the residences of those
arrested. Another member was arrested for not having filed the
necessary paperwork for a greenhouse he built several years ago.
Police arrested Kiyohide Nakada, an ex-yakuza boss and current
Aum executive on suspicion of blackmail after he appeared an a TV
Asahi program. Nakada allegedly demanded several hundred
thousand yen in compensation from an unidentified Nagoya man
after a business deal between them went bad.
Police say they may bring wiretapping charges against Aum Shinri
Kyo. The complaints were originally filed in September 1994, but
no action has been taken at this point.
Day 24: April 14 -- Police Take the Children
The police launched their largest series of raids to date. Over 5,000
officers raided 120 locations throughout Japan. However, police
have yet to find any sarin or evidence directly linking Aum to the
March 20th subway attack.
The police took 53 of the 101 children living in the
Kamikuishikimura compound into protective custody. Authorities
provided no explanation of why only 53 were taken or how they
were selected. An Aum source stated "They seemed to just grab
whichever children were close by, and when the bus was full, they
took them away."
[ Most of the sundry justifications they gave made some sense, but
never quite added up. The police claimed that the children were
malnourished but, no doctors were present, the children were not
examined, and the police made no attempt to determine which
children, if any, were actually suffering for malnutrition. Any why
were half the children left behind?
Another justification given was that some of the children in the
facility were actually children of those who had left the cult.
However, the police seem to have made no attempt to identify any
of the children, and many of them were screaming for their mothers
who the police were holding back as they took the children away.
The police cited no legal reason for taking the children-- TR ]
The police stated that they will return the children after they can
confirm that the parents are living in the compound. They have
given no time frame for this nor have they explained the procedure.
Day 25: April 15 -- Police Will Keep the Children
The police have determined that eight of the 53 children they took
from the Kamikuishikimura Aum facility were suffering from
malnutrition or other ailments. These eight were hospitalized. The
police today changed their position of the return of the children
saying that even if their parents are identified, the authorities will
not return any of the children until they can be "absolutely certain
they will be well cared for." Since most of the children are in good
health, it is unclear exactly what the police mean by this. [ It seems
that Aum believers have little hope of seeing their children anytime
soon, as police are not even permitting them to visit the children. --
TR ]
The Foreign and Justice Ministries are debating revoking the
passports of all top Aum officials. Japanese law states that the
passports of those convicted of a crime punishable by two or more
years in jail or those against whom the police have arrest warrant
can have their passports revoked. Most Aum leaders do not fall into
either category, but a special exception may be made for them.
Day 26: April 16 -- Police Say Aum to Buy Tanks and Nukes
Police said that they have confiscated documents showing that Aum
Shinri Kyo planned on purchasing Soviet T-72 tanks and Mig-29
fighter planes. The police also stated that the memos indicated an
"interest" in nuclear weapons. Police sources did concede, however,
that it is unlikely Aum would have succeeded in actually importing
these items into Japan.
Today's raid also uncovered 600 small explosives used in
demolition work. Police plan on finding out which cult members
have licenses to handle explosives and questioning them on Aum's
suspected manufacture of guns.
A memo strongly critical of an ex-cult member who was allegedly
kidnapped and confined by the cult was found to have Asahara's
name printed at the end of it. According to the daily Yomiuri this
discovery "intensifies police suspicion that Asahara was deeply
involved in the confinement of the former member."
Day 27: April 17 -- Police Find Ammo Clips
Two ammo clips for automatic rifles were found in the
Kamikuishiki compound. Police said they were surprised the clips
were not ones that could be used in an AK-47, the Russian assault
rifle Aum is suspected of building. Police said that the clips prove
that Aum made or possessed altered AK-47's. No ammunition was
found.
The Daily Yomiuri quoted unnamed specialists as saying that the
equipment found in the Satian No. 7 building could be used to
produce 10 liters of liquid sarin at a time.
Day 28: April 18 -- Top Aum Leaders Sought
Police obtained an arrest warrant for Yoshihiro Inoue, head of
Aum's "Intelligence Agency," on charges of making false statements
on an attested document. Inoue is suspected of using a false name
to set up an Aum affiliated company some years ago. Police say
they wish to question about his possible involvement in several
wiretapping cases.
Kumamoto public prosecutors asked that bail be suspended for
Kiyohide Hayakawa an Aum leader who has been indicted for
violation of the National Land Utilization Law, but whose
whereabouts are unknown. Police claim that Aum Shinri Kyo did
not complete the proper paperwork when the sect built a training
center in 1990. The sect's lawyer Yoshinobu Aoyama has been
indicted on the same charge.
As yet, no arrests have been made in connection to the March 20th
sarin poisoning.
Day 29: April 19 -- Aum's No. 2 Man Captured
Police apprehended Kiyohide Hayakawa, Aum's second highest
official, after he appeared on a TBS news program. Police have had
an outstanding warrant on changes of trespassing. On April 6th
Hayakawa was found at 1:00AM in the parking garage of an
Asakusa building in which Aum Shinri Kyo rents an office.
Investigators revealed that in the spring of 1993, Aum began to
procure machinery that could be used to manufacture automatic
weapons. Thirty metal working machines were confiscated, but no
firearms have been discovered, and police have not revealed what
the machines have been used for over the past two years.
[ Related News ]
Day 30: April 20 -- Guilt by Association Official Policy
Japan's education minister Kaoru Yosano said that Aum should be
disbanded if any one of its members are indicted in the March 20th
gas attack. Yosano also said that Aum's suspected production of
sarin is cause to have the sect disbanded. [The new law doesn't even
go into effect until May 1,1995, and it's already being applied
retroactively to Aum. -- TR] Yosano, however, does not have the
authority to ask a court to disband Aum because they are under the
jurisdiction of the governor of Tokyo.
Prime Minister Murayama publicly stated today that he believed
that the arrests and detention of Aum leaders on minor parking and
traffic violations are proper.
Police have not been able to identify the gas used in yesterday's
attack in Yokohama station, nor find traces of it. From the
symptoms of the victims, they suspect it was a chloric gas.
Day 31: April 21 - No Protection Under the Law
In a news conference today, Tokyo governor elect Yukio Aoshima
stated his support for disbanding Aum Shinri Kyo. "We need to
take decisive measures, such as what was suggested by Mr. Yosano
suggested, when it is made clear that the group is involved in
antisocial activities." Aoshima said, "An antisocial organization
does not deserve protection under the law."
[ Although "disbanded" is the term being used, it does not mean
that Aum members will not be allowed to gather on their own. It
refers to revoking the state's recognition of Aum as an official
religion. This involves a great deal more than just loosing their tax-
free status, however. It could also force the group to forfeit much of
their property. I'll post more information on this as it becomes
available. -- TR ]
Police added Shigeyuki Hasegawa's name to the nationwide most
wanted list on suspicion of speeding on May 13 of last year.
Police said today that from the documents seized from nationwide
Aum facilities and the chemical and mechanical equipment found
there, that Aum has probably been producing firearms since the
spring of 1994 and began experimental production of sarin around
the same time. However, almost one month of raids on close to 200
Aum- related sites and over 200 arrests have not revealed sarin, a
firearm, or a single round of ammunition.
[Related News]
Day 32: April 22 - Link to Subway Poisoning and Sarin at Disneyland
Police found a diethyl aniline residue inside the heat sealing device
in Aum's Kamikuishiki compound. This organic solvent can be
used to dissolve sarin, and is the same type that was discovered at
some of the stations that were hit by the March 20th attack.
The device in question device if fully automatic and capable of
measuring a liquid, inserting into a plastic bag, and then sealing it.
The machine is commonly used in food packaging. Several bags
similar to those used in the subway attacks were found at the
compound several weeks ago.
The Baltimore Sun reported that a gas attack on Disneyland had
been foiled. According to the paper, two Japanese men affiliated
with Aum Shinri Kyo were arrested in Los Angeles International
Airport with instructions on how to make sarin and a videotape
detailing the attack. The FBI has refused comment on the case.
Day 33: April 23 - Police Retract Earlier Subway Link
Police today retracted an earlier announcement that they had
detected acetanitril in the sarin residue in the subways. However,
they did point out that yesterday's discovery of a diethyl aniline
residue in a machine capable of making plastic bags like those
found after the subway gassing provides a strong link between Aum
Shinri Kyo and the attack.
[Related News]
Day 34: April 24 - Rifle Blueprints Found in Aum Car
Police announced that found blueprints for a Soviet AK rifle along
with breachblocks, sights, hammers and levers in a car confiscated
from a high-ranking Aum member suspected of trespassing in a
parking garage on April6. The parts and plans were found hidden
inside the left-rear door. [ The legitimacy of the trespassing charge
remains highly questionable since one of the passengers of the car
is the president of an Aum-affiliated company that has an office in
the building. -- TR ]
After 33 days of continuous raids, the MPD today allowed local
administrative authorities to begin searching the Aum compound in
Kamikuishiki. Local authorities stated that they suspect Aum of
being in violation of several local fire safety and building codes.
Day 35: April 25 - Move to Disband Aum Speeded Up
Education Minister Kaoru Yosono told reporters today that he will
formally request that Aum be disbanded as soon as a key Aum
member is indicted. If the court grants the petition, it will be the
first time an active organization has been disbanded under the
Religious Corporations Law.
The Daily Yomiuri today blasted television news coverage of the
Aum investigation. The article stated that the news blitz was
making the police investigation more difficult and causing
confusion in Japanese society. It blasted the television media for
giving Aum spokesmen air time, and "reporting Aum positions
without sufficiently questioning them."
Day 36: April 26 - Aum Disbandment Hits Snag
Education Minister Yosano will have to rely on the police
department to provide the information required to order Aum
disbanded, and that is proving difficult. As the Yomiuri explained
"Justice and police authorities have not encountered a case in
which they were asked to supply investigation materials to outside
agencies, and it's doubtful that they would want to." If Aum is
disbanded all of its assets are forfeit to the government.
In their daily raids of Aum facilities across Japan, police arrested
seven more Aum members. To date, police have arrested 10 of
Aum's leaders and over 200 regular followers. No one has been
arrested in connection with last month's sarin attack.
Day 37: April 27 - APB on All Aum leaders
In a completely unprecedented move, the NPA has directed every
police station in the county to apprehend Aum leader Asahara
Shyoko and 21 other sect leaders. No specific charges have been
mentioned. Police said they will increase the frequency of random
car checks and the questioning of "suspicious persons" in their
effort to make progress in the case.
Three Aum members will be formally indicted on charges of
trespassing for the incident that occurred on April 6th. Formal
indictments on this charge are extremely rare, in fact this seems to
be the first time. Investigators explained that they are in a very
difficult position. Although they found rifle parts in the confiscated
car, there is no law banning the possession of rifle parts, hence the
formal indictment on the trespassing charge.
Day 38: April 28 - Two SDF Members Arrested
A sergeant in the Ground Self Defense Forces who is also a
member of Aum was arrested today after he admitted to throwing a
gasoline bomb into the sect's headquarters at the request of Aum's
intelligence minister. Another sergeant and Aum follower was
suspended and then immediately resigned for leaking information
about SDF's preparations for the March 22 raid on the Aum
compund.
Prime Minister Murayama today said that the investigation of the
March 22 subway gassing is nearing its final stage. He did not
elaborate, but this seems to contradict the position of the police
and Home Affairs Minister Hiromu Nonaka, who today stated that
as yet there is insufficient evidence to conclusively say that sarin
was produced at Aum's Kamikuishiki facility.
Day 39: April 29 - Two Ex-SDF Aum Members Arrested
Police said that several high-ranking Aum members had received
weapons training in Russia. Most of these people are already in
police custody, but today police arrested a former SDF member
who participated on these training sessions on charges of installing
a radio transmitter in an Aum-owned car without a license to do so.
In a separate incident authorities arrested a Shinya Asano, the SDF
member who provided Aum with information on SDF preparations,
for trespassing after he scaled a fence at a driver's license
examination office. The Yomiuri stated that police "suspect Aum
members plotted to forge drivers licenses and use them to rent cars
with the aim of abducting people."
Day 40: April 30 - NHK Employee's Home Searched
The police today searched the home of an NHK employee who has
been friends with a high-ranking Aum member since high school.
The employee denied being Aum follower, but police said they
believed he was holding books and documents for his friend who is
a member of Aum. They added that this employee had been seen at
Aum-related facilities. An NHK spokesman said that the employee
did not know if police had a warrant to search his home. [ That's
how the report appeared in the papers. Japanese police, however,
are required to show a warrant before entering the property. -- TR]
Authorities announced that the name of the man suspected of
killing Murai is Hiroyuki Jo. No explanation for the confusion was
given.
Police continued their nationwide raids, seizures and arrests. In one
of the stranger incidents, police arrested the president of computer
store for violating the Antique Dealings Law. [ I really wish I had
the details for this one! I'll post them if I can find them --TR ]
Day 41: May 1 - New Sarin Law Goes Into Effect
Japan's new sarin control law went into effect today. The law bans
the production, import, receipt, transfer and possession of sarin. It
also prohibits the purchase or sale of raw materials used to
manufacture sarin. [There are dozens of ways to make sarin, and the
ingredients used are common industrial chemicals. There is no
allowance for this in the new law. --TR]
Police announced that a kidnapping manual and the "penal code"
used by Aum were among the documents they have confiscated.
Day 42: May 2 - Police Detect Stimulant Drugs
Police announced that they found traces of stimulant drugs in the
hair and urine of Aum followers. There is considerable evidence
that drugs were used in Aum's initiation rites, and police are
convinced that stimulants were among them and that Asahara was
directly involved
Day 43: May 3 - Aum's Lawyer Arrested
Yoshinobu Aoyama, Aum Shinri Kyo's lawyer, was arrested on
libel charges as he was consulting with a another Aum follower in
police custody. The libel suit stems from a lawsuit Aum filed
against a fertilizer company Aum claimed had attacked the Aum
compound with sarin.
Although a lawyer cannot be charged for filing a suit, police
pointed out that Aoyama distributed copies of the letter of
complaint at a press conference in January. Police explained that
the letter of complaint contained the name of the president of the
company, and thus he was libeled.
According to a tentative police report, the same type material was
used to make plastic bags found in Satian 7 and some of the
plastic-laminate bags used in the subway attack. The same report
said that one of the lamination machines seized by police produced
items with edge patterns the same as those used in the attack.
Day 44: May 4 - Government Closes Aum Chapel
Yamanashi prefecture authorities today declared Satian 10, which
serves as Aum's chapel, as an "unauthorized building" and banned
its use. Although no structural defects were found, the building had
been put into use before a construction completion notice had been
filed with the prefecture office. Any use of the building could result
in a one year jail sentence and a Y300,000 fine. Authorities said
they will continue to inspect buildings and stated that they believe
that completion notices have not been filed on many of them.
Day 45: May 5 - Shinjuku Escapes Gas Attack
Railway station employees found and doused a burning bag of
sodium cyanide in a men's room in Shinjuku Station. The burning
bag had been placed next to another plastic bag containing diluted
sulfuric acid. Had the flames consumed both bags, the chemicals
would have combined to make highly toxic hydrogen cyanide gas.
Estimates of potential casualties ranged up to 20,000. Police
announced no leads. Prime Minister Murayama said that he will
demand a full investigation.
Day 46: May 6 - Member Arrested for Diary Entry
Hideki Takanishi has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a
handgun. Police stated that in the March 19th entry in his diary,
Takanishi had written that he wanted to "shoot the gun toward the
sea." Police searched two apartments registered in Takanishi's
name, but have yet to find a gun. Takanishi is still being held.
Police released Kozo Fujinaga today, but immediately re-arrested
him on charges of improper storage of detonators. He was
originally taken into custody two weeks ago for possessing a "30cm
sharp object." [ Although this object was not a knife, the media has
been maddeningly vague on exactly what it was. Reports have
described everything from a pointy stick to a cooking fork. -- TR]
Day 47: May 7 - Police Confiscate an Entire Building
After 46 days of continuous raids, the police announced that they
will confiscate the entire Satian 7 building and all of its contents.
Police suspect that this was Aum's sarin factory. Although no sarin
has been found, byproducts of sarin production have been detected
in this building. Police said this measure is necessary to keep Aum
members from destroying evidence. No Aum members will be
allowed to enter the building.
Day 48: May 8 - Police Confiscate Another Building
Police seized an Aum building in Tomizawacho on suspicion of
being a firearms factory. No firearms or parts have been found at
the site, but the building contained several metal-working machines
that could have been used to produce weapons parts. Police said
that this measure is necessary to keep Aum members from
destroying evidence. No Aum members will be allowed to enter the
building.
Day 49: May 9 - Police Comment on Aum Notebooks
Although the complete contents were not made public, the police
revealed a few quotes from Hayakawa's and Tsuchiya's personal
notebooks. Tsuchiya's notebook quoted Asahara as saying "the
production of sarin is good for Aum."
Hayakawa, who was arrested in the parking garage of his office
building for entering into a parking space assigned to another, has
been formally indicted for trespassing. According to police, his
notebook continued descriptions of several stages of sarin
production, prices of various military equipment, and comments
about marksmanship training he and other Aum members received
in Russia.
Day 50: May 10 - Police: Matsumoto disguised as woman
Police believe that Takeshi Matsumoto had his jaws surgically
restructured and is now dressing as a woman to evade arrest.
Authorities also suspect that he has removed his fingerprints
through plastic surgery.
Day 51: May 11 - Sarin Residue Found on Sheep Ranch
Australian police detected methylphosphon acid, one of the
compounds produced by sarin as it breaks down, on a sheep ranch
at Banjawarn Station in Western Australia. The residue was found
on 24 sheep carcasses which were buried at the site. The ranch was
owned by Aum between July 1993 and August 1994.
Police say that Aum member Tsuchiya has confessed to making
sarin since the spring of 1994, but denied that Asahara as involved.
Investigators also stated that an Aum member has confessed to
removing AK-47 rifles from the compound just before the police
raid.
Day 52: May 12 - Police: Inoue Led Sarin Attack
Investigators believe that Aum Intelligence Minister Yoshihiri
Inoue led the March 20 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway
system. Inoue was arrested last November in connection with a
break-in at a drivers license examination office in Fuchu.
Investigators say that soil samples in Kamikuishiki show that Aum
was never attacked by mustard gas, as they have claimed. They did,
however, detect a chemical used in weed-killers, and suspect that
Aum members merely used weed-killer to defoliate a small area to
make it appear as if they had been the victim of a gas attack.
Day 53: May 13- Matsumoto Sarin Was Released in Parking Lot
Police said that the sarin which killed seven people in Matsumoto
on June 28 of last year was released from a parking lot, not dumped
in a fishpond as they originally suspected. They said that nerve gas
was detected in the gravel recently. [Sarin decomposes in a matter
of hours. -- TR ] Police said that a witness saw a suspicious station
wagon leave the scene shortly after 11:00 PM, seconds before the
gas attack.
Day 54: May 14 - Follower Confesses to Sarin Attack
Police said that an Aum member, who they did not identify, has
confessed his involvement in the subway attack. Police quoted him
as saying he had "taken a vinyl bag to the subway car that I was
riding." Police announced that they have implicated Shoko Asahara
in the attack, but did not elaborate, merely stating that he and the
34 top cult members were all prime suspects.
Nobuki Ami Aum's "Home Affairs Minister" was arrested for
installing a radio transmitter in a car without a license. His duties at
the cult included translating Asahara's writings into various foreign
languages.
Day 55: May 15 - Murder Warrants for Asahara and Others Issued
Police obtained arrest warrants for Shoko Asahara and 40 other
cult members in connection with the March 20 sarin gas attack on
the Tokyo subway system. Police will serve the warrants as soon as
they are located, and re-arrest those already in custody on the new
charges. Police said that the murder charge against Asahara is
justified because he ordered to the construction of Satian No. 7 and
the chemical experiments that went on there.
Police have arrested Yoshihiro Inoue, the 25-year-old chief of Aum
Supreme Truth's "Intelligence Ministry." After spotting a car
registered to an Aum member, police pulled it over and asked those
inside for identification. Inoue and the three other passengers were
then arrested on charges of interfering with police duties.
Police have intensified the checkpoints around Satian No 6. Those
entering or leaving the compound are often detained for over an
hour for questioning.
Day 56: May 16 - ASAHARA ARRESTED!
At 9:45 AM, police arrested Shoko Asahara at Aum's Kamikuishiki
compound. Asahara did not resist. The arrest was part of today's
nationwide raids on 130 Aum-related locations that began at 5:24
AM and involved 2,500 riot police. Thirteen other Aum members
were also arrested.
Police removed 40 children from various Aum facilities in the
Kanto area. Although the children were with their parents, showed
no sign of abuse, and appeared to be in no immediate danger, they
were taken, because as Health and Welfare Minister Shoichi Ide
explained, "Under the present circumstances, given that we cannot
predict what will happen next, we decided it is better to separate
the children from their parents. We took this action in coordination
with police."
Day 57: May 17 - Lawyer Refuses to Defend Asahara
Shoko Asahara met with noted civil rights lawyer Makoto Endo for
20 minutes and asked Endo to defend him, claiming that he had
received a revelation from Buddha. Endo is currently defending
Aum lawyer Aoyama, who has been charged with libel. Endo said
he declined Asahara's request because he is not convinced that
Asahara is innocent.
Day 58: May 18 - Takeshi Matsumoto Arrested
Takeshi Matsumoto, target of the nationwide manhunt which was
the pretext for the original police raids on Aum, was apprehended
in Tokyo. He was wanted in connection with the abduction of the
head of a Tokyo notary public office. As police had suspected, his
fingerprints had been surgurically removed. He was identified by
his palm prints.
[ This is a bit of a mystery. The justification for the original warrant
was that police had found Matsumoto's fingerprints on a car-rental
document. In Japan, however, only criminals and foreigners are
fingerprinted. Matsumoto has no known criminal record, so how
did the police obtain the original set of prints with which to
compare to those found on the document. The police have refused
comment on the matter. -- TR]
Day 59: May 19 - Antisubvesrsives Law May be Applied Against Aum
The Public Security Investigation Agency has designated Aum
Shinri Kyo as an organization subject to investigation for possible
application of the Antisubversive Activities Law. The 1952 law has
never been applied, but allows the government to forbid all
activities and assemblies of on organization. According to Section
2, Paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the law, acts of subversion and
violence are defined as murder and other crimes supporting or
opposing political causes and policies.
Seven of the Aum Supreme Truth followers on the wanted list have
surrendered to police since Asahara was arrested.
Day 60: May 20- MPD Says Cult Made Own Chemical Equipment
Reversing their previous claims, the MPD announced that Aum
manufactured most of its chemical equipment itself. Police had
originally announced that the Aum lab contained state-of-the-art
equipment, but now say it was crude and that sarin could not be
mass produced because poisonous gas leaked through welding
joints although they had been coated with fluorine, which
supposedly stops such leaks.
Day 61: May 21 - Ex-Member Says Aum Kidnapped Sakamoto
A man who left Aum Shinri Kyo in February on 1990 has told
police that Aum was responsible for the abduction of Tsutsumi
Sakamoto and his family. Police are not releasing the man's name.
Day 62: May 22 - Police Seize "Proof" of Rifle Making
Police announced that a confiscated computer disk contained
detailed information on purchasing metal working machines and
raw materials which could be used to produce rifles. Although
investigators suggested this was further proof of Aum's weapons
production, they were unclear about whether the disk contained any
information on actually producing weapons.
Day 63: May 23 - Asahara Originally to be Arrested for Leaving the Country
The Yomiuri Shinbun revealed that police had originally planned to
use the charge of attempting to leave the country illegally to arrest
Asahara. Although Asahara seems to have made no attempt to leave
the country, police said that the charge would have been legitimate
since they received an anonymous tip stating that he was planning
on fleeing Japan. Until early May, police had not collected enough
evidence to arrest Asahara in connection to the subway attack.
Under police questioning, Ikuo Hayashi stated "I presume [the
subway attack] was carried out to found 'the Aum kingdom' by
annihilating Kasumigaseki." Despite phases like "I suppose" and "I
guess," which pepper Hayashi's statements, police sources said his
testimony explains the motive for the Aum attack.
Day 64: May 24 - Member Released After Renouncing Aum
After a month in detention, police released Koichi Ishikawa after he
signed a formal statement renouncing his belief in Aum Shinri
Kyo's teachings and promising never again to participate in its
activities.
Police announced that many of Aum's top leaders are confessing to
involvement in making sarin. Those closest to Asahara, however,
continue to deny any involvement. Police explained the discrepancy
saying that they "were probably brainwashed before they were
experienced enough to make rational judgments as members of
society."
Day 65: May 25 - Aum Member Arrested for Mitsubishi Break-In
An Aum follower and member of the Ground Self-Defense forces
was arrested today for breaking into a Mitsubishi plant in
Hiroshima last December. Police say that he has confessed to the
crime and told them that he had stolen information on weapons
production. A Mitsubishi spokesman ruled this out, however,
saying that the Hiroshima plant is not engaged in weapons research.
It develops wrapping machines, engines, and chemical equipment.
Investigators stated that an unnamed senior member of Aum's
Science and Technology Ministry has confessed to making 11
battery powered vaporizers like those found on the subway on
Mach 15.
Day 66: May 26 - Police Say Compound is Botulin Lab
Investigators have confiscated protective clothing and materials
used in culturing bacteria from Aum's Naminoson compound.
Police believe that the lab has been involved in botin research and
production since 1990. None of the bacteria has been found.
Authorities stated that five horses kept on the compound were used
in the research. These horses disappeared shortly after the police
raids began in March.
Namimon has always opposed the Aum presence and have now
reached an out of court settlement with the cult. All Aum members
will be required to move out of the area by the end of August, and
Aum will receive 920 million yen (US$10.6 million) for its local
assets and compensation.
Day 67: May 27 - Police Confiscate More Chemicals
Police announced that a vehicle they seized from an Aum member
contained 180 different chemicals that could be used in the
production of stimulant drugs. Among the chemicals identified
were sodium, chlorous acid sodium, and chlorate potassium.
Although there were not enough chemicals to actually make the
drugs, and no drugs were found, authorities states that this cache
was further proof of Aum's manufacture and use of stimulant and
psychotropic drugs. Many ex-members have reported that drugs are
used in Aum's initiation rites.
Day 68: May 28 - Interrogations Continue
Police continued to release bits and pieces of statements Aum
members have made under interrogation. Several members have
stated that they had seen Asahara with an AK-47, which, police
say, is evidence that the cult was manufacturing weapons. Police
described in detail Aum's "militarization program," explaining who
was in charge of firearms production and where the weapons were
made, who was in charge of the chemical and biological warfare
division and were the chemicals were manufactured. Police also
detailed how stimulant drugs were produced at the Aum compound.
Two months of daily raids, however, has failed to uncover a single
firearms, chemical or biological weapons, or any drugs.
Tokyo District Court decided to begin proceedings against 10 Aum
members. The defendants have been divided into three groups
according to the charges against them: trespassing, harboring
suspects, and confinement. [ The trespassing charge is absurd.
These people were arrested in their own office parking garage for
either parking or standing in a parking space not assigned to them.
Furthermore, as far as I know, no one has ever been indicted for
trespassing in Japan. -- TR]
Day 69: May 29 - Another Confession from Aum
Tomomasa Nakagawa, a doctor and close aid to Asahara has
confessed that he helped plan the March 20th subway attack, and
that Asahara was the one who made the final decision. Police
explained that Nakagawa had not actually attended any of the
planning sessions for the sarin attack, but since he was close to
Asahara, his confession regarding Asahara's involvement is reliable.
Day 70: May 30 - LSD Found at Aum Compound?
Police found several dozen grams of a white-crystal powder hidden
inside a pillar at Aum's Kamikuishiki compound during a raid to
investigate Aum's alleged production of weapons. An Aum member
on hand said that the substance was used in initiation rites. Police
believe the substance to be LSD. If lab tests bear this out, it will be
the first drugs to be discovered at an Aum facility.
Day 71: May 31 - Police Find Weapons Cache
Acting on information obtained from questioning an unidentified
"top Aum member," investigators found two AK-47 type rifles
hidden inside a pillar at Aum's Kamikuishiki compound. Police
said the weapons appear to be assembled by hand and made of
tinplate. They are uncertain if they can be fired.
Police also announced that they found two bazookas, two grenades,
cartridge cases and other ammunition inside two other pillars in the
same building. They gave no details on these items, but this is the
first time any firearms have been found at an Aum complex.
Day 72: June 1 - Aum Confessions Continue
Police sources stated that Tomomasa Nakagawa has confessed to
injecting Kiyoshi Kariya with both "a truth serum called thiopental"
and with potassium chloride. Police also said an unnamed Aum
member has confessed that Aum is also responsible for last year's
gas attack on Matsumoto, saying that three judges were the target,
and that the attack was carried out by five or six members including
two women.
In a rare public briefing, Police Chief Yukihiko Inoue stated that
since March 23, police have conduced 503 raids on 280 locations
and confiscated 66,000 items in their investigation of Aum. The
number of arrests was not announced. [ This seems to be police
policy. The number stood at 210 in late April, but no numbers have
been made public since that time. --TR ]
Day 73: June 2 - Substance not LSD, Rifles Can't be Fired
The rifles found in a pillar on May 30th were incomplete and
cannot be fired. Police also announced that the white crystalline
powder is not LSD, but police now suspect it is phenylacetic acid,
a raw material for producing stimulants. Police said that an Aum
member yesterday confessed to producing the LSD and many other
drugs along with sarin.
Police stated a memo written by Tetsuya Kibe shows that Aum
planned to intermediate in the sale of 300 Russian T-72 tanks to
China. Police did not comment on the logistics or feasibility of the
alleged plan.
Day 74: June 3 - Sarin Indictments to Begin Soon
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced that they
will begin indicting 34 Aum members on charges of both murder
and attempted murder. The 34 have been classified into five groups:
1.Those who planned the subway sarin attack. 2.Those who
participated in it. 3.Those who produced the sarin. 4.Those who
purchased the raw materials for sarin production. 5.Those who
constructed the facilities in which the gas was produced.
Of the five activities, only the first two were illegal at the time they
occurred. The last three become illegal with the promulgation of
Japan's new anti-sarin law on May 1.
The Yomiuri Shinbun today announced that Aum had plans to take
over Japan's Self-Defense Forces. The newspapers gave no details,
but mentioned that the sect had given several of its members martial
arts training.
Day 75: June 4 - Confessions Implicate Aum in Matsumoto
Police announced that the confessions of various Aum members
have implicated six members in last years sarin attack in
Matsumoto. Police sources stated that they are set to launch an
intensive probe into Aum's involvement in that case as soon as they
complete their investigation into the Tokyo subway poisoning.
Day 76: June 5 - Aum Made Spraying Device
According to police sources, two Aum members have confessed to
making devices like the ones found on the subway five days before
the sarin attack. The two stated that they made the devices about a
year ago under orders from Murai. These electronic sprayers were
capable of dispersing a liquid, and it is suspected that Aum planned
to use them in the subway attack.
Day 77: June 6 - Asahara Indicted for Murder
Tokyo District Prosecutors indicted Aum Shinri Kyo leader Shoko
Asahara and 15 other cult members on charges of murder and
attempted murder. Although Asahara continues to deny the charges
against him, police say that they have enough evidence from the
confessions of other Aum members to indict Asahara for murder
and attempted murder.
Under Japanese law, the maximum time a person can be held
without being formally indicted is 23 days. That term expired today
for Asahara and 19 others. Those who were not indicted today were
re-arrested on other charges. [ The Japanese police can and do
detain people indefinitely by changing the charge against them
every 23 days. --TR]
Day 78: June 7 - Aoyama Petitions to Have Himself Disbarred
Yoshinobu Aoyama, Aum's chief lawyer and Justice Minister
submitted his registration to the Osaka Bar Association. If the bar
association accepts the resignation, and all indications are that they
will, Aoyama will no longer be allowed to practice law. Police gave
no reason for Aoyama's desire to resign, and Aoyama could not
comment since police are not allowing contact with him.
Police said that they found more chemicals that could be used to
make LSD, and stated that they have confiscated a massive amount
of stimulant drugs from the compound. Police have not specifically
stated what kinds of drugs they have found.
Day 79: June 8 - Asahara's Lawyer May be Arrested
A lawyer who visited Shoko Asahara last month and relayed a
taped message to Asahara's followers may soon find himself in hot
water. The tape was played at Aum's Tokyo training center, and
recently turned over to the police.
On the tape Asahara reportedly said "Please work hard for your
spiritual enlightenment. I would like you to become able to do so
wherever you are.
"I am still refusing to talk to investigators. I want everyone to
continue religious training no matter what happens."
Although it is common for lawyers to convey messages from
detained suspects, prosecutors are asking the bar association to
discipline the lawyer, whose name is being withheld. Although
there is no law against what the lawyer did, prosecutors said that
they consider the action an attempt to destroy evidence. They did
not explain what evidence the attorney was suspected of destroying.
Day 80: June 9 - Aum to be Disbanded
The Cabinet formally decided to petition the court for Aum1s
disbandment. The prosecutor1s office and the Tokyo Metropolitan
government have already decided to seek disbandment. The request
for disbandment will be made at the end of June or early July. This
will be the first time since the end of W.W.II that the Japanese
Government will order a religion forcibly disbanded. All assets and
property will be forfeit to the government.
[ It is important to note that the trial of the Aum members will not
begin until mid-July. It seems the disbandment order will come
down before anything is proven in a court of law. -- TR ]
Day 81: June 10 - Aum Member Confesses to Mail Bomb
Police announced that an unnamed high-ranking Aum member has
confessed to sending the mail bomb that tore the fingers of the left
hand of the secretary of Tokyo Governor Yukio Aoshima. Police
said that their investigation into the bombing had not uncovered
any connections to known right wing or left wing groups. They also
stated that they plan to question the unnamed Aum member further
to determine motive and the involvement of other members.
Day 82: June 11 - Police Still Hold Aum Children
Authorities stated that they have only been able to place 10 of the
104 children taken from various Aum compounds over the last two
months. The daily Yomiuri quoted an official at one of the centers
as saying "that although the children appeared to be settling down,
they need more time to psychologically adjust." [ Since the day the
children were removed from the compound, the police have
maintained that the children were happy, playful and expressed no
desire to return. From what are they settling down? --TR]
The official explained the difficulty in returning the children as
"Some children cannot be returned to their parents because both
parents are Aum members. In some cases parents of children, who
have left the sect, [sic] are unable to claim them because they do
not have jobs or because they are divorced and ... custody is still
pending."
Day 83: June 12 - Asahara Faces Re-Arrest
The Yomiuri quoted an unnamed police source as saying that an
unnamed Aum member has confessed that Asahara ordered and
witnessed the murder of a 29-year-old member who wished to leave
the cult. The body was said to be burned and the ashes scattered
leaving no physical evidence.
Day 84: June 13 - Aum Member Confesses to Shinjuku Gassing
Police sources said that Aum member Toru Toyoda has confessed
their involvement in the failed gas attack on Shinjuku station.
Toyoda said that he made the device and fingered two other Aum
members for the planning and implementation. Authorities stated
that Toyoda claims the same individuals are responsible for the
letter bomb apparently meant for Governor Aoshima.
Day 85: June 14 - Asahara Re-Arrested on New Charges
Police re-arrested Shoko Asahara, who has already been indicted
for murder and attempted murder, for the murder of a cult follower
who was allegedly strangled in his presence. [ Some commentary is
required here. Before a suspect is indicted, he has few
constitutional protections, and is completely at the mercy of police
investigators. The investigators control the food he gets, the hours
he is permitted to sleep, and with who he may speak. They can even
forbid contact with his lawyer. No one but the police and the
suspect are present during interrogations.
After indictment, certain constitutional rights are respected. The
police no longer have complete or exclusive control over the
suspect and can not prevent him from speaking to his lawyer or
deprive him of food and sleep. Asahara has not confessed to
anything yet, and the police want to get that confession. The
solution, indict Asahara to satisfy the public and then re-arrest him
on other charges so his constitutional rights still don't apply.
The Japan Times Weekly did an excellent article detailing Japanese
police interrogation techniques. -- TR ]
Day 86: June 15 - Police: Asahara Called the Shots
The Daily Yomiuri quoted police sources saying that they are
convinced that Asahara gave the orders for most of the cult's alleged
murders abductions and confinements. Police mentioned only one
piece of evidence that lead them to this conclusion. In December of
last year a cult member was abducted after he fled an Aum
compound. Some time later, Asahara had sent a fax to the Osaka
office declaring that individual had been permanently expelled from
the cult. Police claim that shows Asahara was responsible.
Day 87: June 16 - Court Extends Asahara's Detention
The Tokyo District Court ruled that although he has already been
indicted, Asahara will remain in special police detention, where
most constitutional protections do not apply.
An unnamed Aum member said that Aum had intended to release
botulinus bacillus using the sprayers that were found in
Kasumigaseki station on March 15. He claims that the attack was
not successful because he switched the bacteria with water shortly
before the attack. According to this member , Inoue watched the
device for several minutes believing the toxin was being released
and then left the scene. No mention was made of what became of
the botulinus bacillus, a gram of which can kill millions of people.
Tokyo District Court publicly criticized the Tokyo Broadcasting
System for showing a news clip which included footage of Asahara
telling his followers to continue their religious training and try to
"achieve a higher mental state." It said that such a message could
confuse former cult members and questioned whether it was
actually a covert message to instruct his followers to destroy
evidence.
Day 88: June 17 - Aum Tried Enriching Uranium
Police announced that Seiichi Endo confessed that Aum had mined
and extracted uranium at their sheep ranch in Australia. They also
said that they tried to enrich the uranium, but were unable to.
Police said that this confirms Aum Shinri Kyo's suspected attempts
to develop nuclear weapons. No mention was made of what
happened to the uranium or the enriching equipment.
Day 89: June 18 - More Matsumoto Confessions
Police sources stated that through confessions they have
determined that 20 Aum members were responsible for the
Matsumoto sarin attack last year. Police said that the sarin was
sprayed from a vaporizer from a moving truck.
Day 90: June 19 - Three More Aum Members Charged
Police arrested three more Aum members on charges of murder in
relation to the death of an Aum follower in January. Asahara is
suspected or ordering the killing.
Day 91: June 20 - TBS Censured for Aum Coverage
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has censured TBS
for its coverage of the Aum Shinri Kyo investigation. The fact that
TBS played the taped message made by Asahara was described as
"inexcusable." In the message Asahara urged his followers to
"continue their spiritual development." The Yomiuri quoted an
unnamed psychiatrist as saying that broadcasting such messages is
very dangerous because it could influence former Aum members
who are still under "Aum's mind control techniques." TBS has been
criticized several times in the past for allowing Aum members to
speak without editing their comments and for not being fully
supportive of the police investigation. Ministry officials say they
have begun discussions with the network.
Police said that many more raids will be needed before they have
all the documents needed to prove Aum's guilt in the March 20, gas
attack. Although over 66,000 items have been seized, investigators
have confiscated only about a third of the documents they need.
An unnamed Aum member has confessed that sect members used
VX, a nerve gas many times more deadly than sarin, in an attempt
to murder Hiroyuki Nagaoka, who heads an Anti-Aum group. The
chemical was allegedly sprayed out of a syringe.
Day 92: June 21 - More Aum Confessions
Akira Yamagata, an Aum member, has reportedly confessed that
Aum had plotted to murder opponents of the cult using sarin. Aum
allegedly plotted to kill cartoonist Yoshinori Kobayasi, Soka
Gakkai president Daisaku Ikeda, and Institute for Research into
Human Happiness head, Ryuho Okawa.
Police sources said that Asahara has admitted to ordering the
murder of an Aum follower last year.
Day 93: June 22 - More Aum Confessions (Shinjuku)
An Aum member under arrest for the Tokyo subway gassings told
police that Aum was responsible for the attempted gas attack on
May 5th in Shinjuku station. Police stated that an eyewitness had
seen a man resembling Aum member Keiji Terashima, near the
restroom in Shinjuku station the day of the attack.
Day 94: June 23 - More Aum Confessions (Sakamotos)
Police stated that Kiyohide Hayakawa "has begun to admit his
involvement" in the kidnapping of the Sakamoto family, and that he
"hinted Asahara ordered it." The statute of limitations on the 1989
kidnapping ran out in November of last year, but police say they
will continue their investigation using other charges. They did not
specify what charges would be used.
Day 95: June 24 - Matsumoto Gassing Re-examined.
Investigators have decided that last June's Matsumoto gas attack,
which killed six people, took place between 9:00 and 10:00 PM.
Until now the attack was believed to have occurred at around
10:45, since the first emergency call came in at 11:09PM and was
quickly followed by many others. They said the time of the attack
had been re-assessed because eight of the 586 victims reported
having eye and throat pains between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM.
Police stated that several senior Aum members have confessed to
burying the bodies of the Sakamoto family.
Day 96: June 25 - Aum Confessions About VX
Aum member Tomomitsu Nimi told police that Aum had used VX,
a nerve gas more deadly than sarin, but more stable, to kill several
Aum defectors. Police sources said that Aum made the gas at the
same time and in the same laboratory in which they made sarin.
Police sources also stated that Aum had planned on using advanced
laser weapons to attack the police, and had completed a "laser
vehicle." Police explained that the plan was canceled when "the
cult's top leaders ordered other methods of terrorism instead."
Neither the vehicle, nor any laser weapons have been found.
Day 97: June 26 - Asahara's Wife Arrested
Police arrested Tomoko Matsumoto for her part in the alleged
murder of Hideaki Yasuda, a cult member allegedly strangled at
Asahara's order. Her arrest brings the number of arrests for this
murder to nine. Matsumoto was allegedly at the scene of the crime,
and though the police claim she did not take part in it, they decided
to arrest her because, as the Yomiuri explained, "She, as Asahara's
wife, was in a position to stop him."
Nimi now says that VX was used to kill more than 10 Aum
defectors.
Day 99: June 28 - Mescaline Found at Aum Compound
Police today identified the drugs confiscated last month from
Aum's Kamikuishiki compound as several kilograms of mescaline
and an unnamed stimulant drug. Police said that they believe Aum
synthesized it rather then extracting it from cactus plants.
Day 101: June 30 - Court Petitioned to Dissolve Aum
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo District Public
Prosecutors Office filed petitions today to have Aum disbanded on
charges of possession of sarin ingredients and the production of
sarin. [ Both of these activities were legal at the time they occurred
-- TR] Prosecutors originally planned to seek disbandment on the
grounds of member participation in the March 20th sarin attack,
but changed their minds as not to interfere with the ongoing police
investigation. The hearings will be held behind closed doors, and a
decision is expected by early fall.
Day 102: July 1 - Land Transfers Foiled
With Aum Shinri Kyo almost certain to be disbanded, they are
apparently laying the groundwork for land transfers. If the group is
dissolved, all of their assets will be confiscated by the government.
Cult members with power of attorney for Shoko Asahara have run
into a snags. Many local governments are simply refusing to
provide the legally required documents. Most local governments
gave no reason for the refusals, but an official of the Kamikuishiki
government said that since Asahara was under arrest , there was no
way to confirm his true intentions.
Police said that Aum members have confessed to manufacturing
thiopental and using as a truth serum. Investigators believe that the
sect has been producing the drug since late 1994. Police were
unclear as to whether any thiopental has actually been found.
Day 103: July 2 - Another Death Linked to Aum
Police say an Osaka man who died December 22 last year after
falling mysteriously ill on December 12 was the victim of a Aum
VX attack. An autopsy had failed to determine the cause of death,
but the man's pupils had been contracted-- a symptom of VX
poisoning. The man's link to Aum is not clear, but it seems that he
had visited Aum's Osaka branch four or five times.
Nimi told police that Aum had attempted to kill Sokka Gakkai
leader by spraying sarin. Authorities claim that the device caught
fire and failed to emit the gas, but filled the vehicle with sarin
instead. All those allegedly involved in the attack are still alive, but
police pointed out that Nimi received "medical attention" after the
failed attack.
Day 104: July 3 - Court Refuses to Return Aum Child
An ex-Aum member who has renounced the cult and moved out of
the Kamikuishiki compound lost his lawsuit against a Tokyo child
consultation center. Although no charges have been filed against
the man, and no legal justification has been given for the holding
his child, the court ruled that the child should not be returned
because the Aum compound is not an appropriate place for children
to grow up. [ This man no longer lives in the compound. --TR]
Police identified a Aum-registered van that crashed on June 27 last
year as the vehicle used in the Matsumoto sarin attack. Police have
not found the van, and say that it has probably been disassembled
and destroyed.
Day 105: July 4 - Asahara's Trials Slated for October 26th
Although it was originally thought that trails would begin in July,
Tokyo district court announced that Asahara's first trial is now
slated for October 26th, but could be further delayed.
Hideaki Yasuda was indicted on charges of murder of Aum
pharmacist Kotaro Ochida. Experts on criminal law agree that a
man cannot be charged with a crime he was forced to do under
threat of death. Prosecutors have said that decision should be left to
the courts.
Day 106: July 5 - Asahara Indicted and Re-Arrested: Again
Shoko Asahara was indicted on charges of ordering the murder of
Aum member Kotaro Ochida. He was immediately re-arrested on
charges of manufacturing thiopental. [ Aside from the fact that
thiopental is not illegal in Japan, this is simply a ploy to keep him
in special police detention where his constitutional rights do not
apply. I have given a more detailed explanation of this procedure
before.-- TR ]
Tokyo commuters narrowly escaped another gas attack. A device
designed to generate and release cyanide gas was found in the
ladies room at Kayabacho station and another in a men's room in
Shinjuku station. The devices failed to work and no one was
injured.
Day 107: July 6 - Yokohama Gas Attack Solved- It's not Aum
Police arrested 29-year-old Koji Hara, and he has confessed to the
April 19 gas attack at Yokohama station which injured more that
500 people. Hara has no affiliation with Aum Shinri Kyo and said
that he did it "just for fun."
Day 108: July 7 - Police Find Hidden Chemicals
Acting on a confession from Aum member Tomomasa Nakagawa,
police found 55 kilograms of chemicals buried on the outskirts of
Nikko. The labels on the bottles indicate toxic chemicals, and they
have been sent to the lab for further analysis.
Day 109: July 8 - Police: Rifle Parts Dumped into Reservoirs
Police say that Aum "Intelligence Minister" Inoue said that he
ordered his subordinates to dump 8,000 rifle parts into reservoirs
around the Kanto area. Police say that they plan to question Inoue
further to determine the locations of the reservoirs. Police said that
the parts were dumped after the police raids began.
Authorities said that Masami Tsuchiya has told them that the sarin
used in the Matsumoto attack was manufactured in the chemical lab
in Satian 7. The lab, however, had not been completed at that time.
The Yomiuri quoted police sources as saying that "the sarin used
was extremely pure, containing little solvent." [ Many chemical
weapons experts doubt that the lab was ever capable of producing
high-grade sarin, let alone before it was completed. -- TR ]
Day 110: July 9 - More Rifle Parts Found
Police found what appeared to be over 1,000 rifle parts in the
waters behind Kusaki Dam in Gunma prefecture. Investigators gave
no further descriptions of the items. Police suspect the parts were
smuggled out of the Aum compound after the police raids began.
Day 111: July 10 - More Aum Arrests
Acting on a citizen tip, police arrested three Aum members. The
three who were wanted in connection with the sarin attack, were
found in an apartment in Saitama. Three other Aum followers were
also arrested on charges of helping the fugitives evade arrest.
Day 112: July 11- Asahara's Wife Insists Innocence
Tomoko Matsumoto claimed that she had no part in the murder of
an Aum member who was allegedly strangled on her husband's
orders. According to Matsumoto, she was not present when the
decision was made and could do nothing to stop it. She asked to be
released on bail to take care of her children. The judge in the case
denied the request saying that she might try to destroy evidence. [
This is a boilerplate response. There is no evidence which she
could destroy in this case. -- TR ]
Day 113: July 12 - Warrants for Matsumoto Attacks Issued
Warrants for murder and attempted murder in relation to the
Matsumoto sarin attack were issued for Asahara and 20 other Aum
members. The warrants are based on confessions of arrested Aum
members.
Day 114: July 13 - Aum Weapons Factory
Police announced that Aum had a "massive, computerized weapons
factory" at its Kamikuishiki compound, and that an unnamed Aum
member has confessed that Aum planned on producing 1,000 AK-
47 rifles and a million ball cartridges. To date, however, no
working firearm or a single round of ammuniton has been found.
Authorities said that rifle production was an important part of
Aum's militarization project.
Day 115: July 14 - Warrants for Rifle Production Issued
The Metropolitan Police Department obtained arrest warrants for
25 Aum members for violations of the weapons production law.
Most of these people are already in police custody, and will be re-
arrested shortly.
Day 116: July 15 - Over 100 Involved in Weapons Production
Police announced today that a team of 40 Aum members were
involved in the mass-production of rifles and 60 more played
supporting roles. Authorities believe that Aum began production in
early 1994. Police exhibited a photo of one of the rifles confiscated
from Aum supreme truth. Strangely, this is the first confiscated
weapon or weapon-part that police have displayed publicly. In a
reversal of earlier statements that the confiscated rifles contained
tin-plate parts, police sources said that one of the rifles could be
fired.
Day 117: July 16 - Murai to be Charged Posthumously
In a rather unprecedented move, police have sent documents to the
Public Prosecutor's Office charging Hideo Murai with murder and
attempted murder in connection with the Tokyo subway gassing
and are now deciding whether to charge him in connection with the
Matsumoto attack. Murai was stabbed to death by a rightist on
April 23.
Yoshiyuki Kono, the man originally suspected of the Matsumoto
gassing, decried the police reliance on confessions, pointing out
that the police had coerced a confession from him, although he was
innocent.
Day 118: July 17 - Asahara's Wife Indicted for Murder
Prosecutors decided to indict Tomoko Matsumoto on murder
charges in relation to the death of a pharmacist who had left the
sect. Although she did not participate in the killing, prosecutors
assert that she did not try hard enough to stop it.
The first Aum trial began today. Takayuki Oikawa is being tried on
trespassing charges because he allegedly "entered into a parking
space reserved for others" in the underground parking garage of his
office building. Prosecutors are demanding the maximum one -year
sentence.
Day 119: July 18 - Sixth Subway Train was Targeted
On March 20, poisonous gas was released on two Hibiya Line
Trains, two Maranochi Line trains, and one Chiyoda Line train.
Investigators said that Aum members planned to release sarin on a
second Chiyoda Line train, but not enough of the chemical had
been produced.
Day 120: July 19 - Aum Linked to Senior Diet Members!
In his new book Hamako's Emergency Statement, former diet
member Koichi Hamada detailed ties between Aum Shinri Kyo and
senior diet members. According to Hamada, although neither one
was actually a member of Aum, both Toshio Yamaguchi of the
Shinshinto and Shintaro Ishihara of the LDP funneled money into
Aum. Ishihara resigned his post shortly after the investigation of
Aum began, but sited other reasons. Hamada says that a third diet
member, who he does not name, provided Aum with introductions
to high-ranking Russian officials.
Day 121: July 20 - Police Say Injections Killed Five
Police announced that various confessions form Aum members
have led them to the conclusion that at least five followers died
after receiving thiopental injections at the Kamikuishiki compound.
Police suspect the bodies were cremated.
Keiji Terashima turned himself in to the authorities today. Four
Aum leaders are still at large.
Day 122: July 21 - Police Say Aum Destroyed Evidence
Police sources asserted that Aum systematically destroyed evidence
of their rifle production. According to authorities shortly after the
police raids began Aum members melted down bullets and rifles
and changed the computer programs of the equipment to produce
other items. They further claim that many of the items found in the
factory are actually rifle parts that have been reworked into other
items.
Although police maintain that Aum had been operating a
sophisticated, computer-controlled weapons factory for over a year,
they have yet to find a single round of ammunition or a complete
firearm. Two AK-47 rifles without clips were found. Those were
originally determined to be made of tinplate, but authorities now
claim that one can be fired. Contrary to normal procedure, and the
fact that thousands of alleged weapons parts have been confiscated,
the MPD has not publicly displayed any of the haul. They have,
however, released a photograph of the rifle they claim can be fired.
Day 123: July 22 - Murai Allegedly Ordered Shinjuku Attack
Investigators claim that Hideo Murai, who was killed by a rightist
on April 23, ordered and planned the failed May 5 gas attack on
Shinjuku Station, and the parcel bombing of Tokyo Governor
Aoshima's Office on May 16. Police are still investigating whether
Murai orchestrated the failed July 4 attacks on Shinjuku and
Kayabacho as well.
[ According to police, Murai planned and/or ordered just about
every crime of which Aum is accused. It is, I suppose, convenient to
heave a dead person on which to blame things, but suggesting that
he was still making plans and giving orders after his death truly
stretches credibility. -- TR]
Day 125: July 24 - Police Say Aum Planned to Make More Sarin
Authorities say that Nakagawa has confessed to ordering Aum
members to bury the chemicals found in the outskirts of Nikko
early this month. Police said that since many of these chemicals can
be used in sarin production, Aum "obviously" buried them with the
intention of making more sarin, although it seems that sarin cannot
be made using only the chemicals found at the scene.
Day 129: July 28 - Nimi Confesses to Another VX Attack
Nimi has confessed to ordering a 83-year-old Tokyo man with VX
nerve gas. The man apparently was sprayed at close range and was
hospitalized for about six weeks. The matter was never reported to
the police. [ The fatal dose of VX is only a few milligrams. -- TR ]
Day 131: July 30 - Police Confiscate Rocket Parts
Police confiscated 70 metal tubes and other metal parts they say are
rocket parts from under a buried mound of scrap metal. Some of
these tubes had "Air Force" or "Air Self-Defense Force" painted on
them. Authorities have also reported finding what they described as
"bazooka tubes" at the Aum complex. Several of the parts found
can be purchased at military supply stores.
August 3 - Police Test "Aum" Sprayer
By testing a model of the device the police suspect Aum used in the
Matsumoto gassings, authorities determined that it would be
possible for Aum to have released the sarin as Authorities suspect
they did. In the police model, liquid sarin was stored in a container
and vaporized after being dropped onto a heater. The sarin was then
blow into the air by fan. Authorities suspect that such a device was
mounted on a modified truck.
Although no such device has been found at the Aum compounds,
police claim that their tests confirm Aum's guilt in the incident.
August 4 - Confession Gives Details of Matusmoto Attack
According to police, Satoru Hashimoto confessed to driving a
customized spray car to a parking lot in Matsumoto. Over the next
20 minutes, 12 liters of sarin were released from three heated tanks.
Authorities said that according to another confession, the sarin
used in Matsumoto had too much isopropal alchohol added to the
mix, which created hydrogen floride. Police belive this explains the
white mist seen neer the scene.
August 5 - Asahara's Lawyer Faces Discipline
The Tokyo District Prosecutors Office demanded that the
Yokohama Bar Association reprimand Hiroshi Yamamoto.
Yamamoto delivered a taped message from Asahara to cult
members. In the brief taped message, Asahara said that he was
remaining silent and urged followers to continue their religious
training no matter what happened to him.
While authorities admitted that Yamamoto has not broken any
regulations, and that it is quite common for lawyers to relay
messages for their clients, they maintain that his actions were
unacceptable and potentially dangerous. Police assert that the
message may actually have been a code instructing cult followers to
destroy evidence.
August 10 - Prosecutors Decide not to Try Murai
The Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office announced that they have
decided not to try Hideo Murai on any of the numerous charges
including murder, attempted, murder, submitted by police.
Police maintain that Murai was deeply involved in the planning and
execution of most of Aum's attacks, including several that occurred
after his death.
Fri - August 11 - Aum Must Pay Sarin Claims
Sources inside the Labor Ministry have reported that the ministry
has decided that Aum Shinri Kyo must bear the finical burden of
the workers compensation payments the ministry paid out to the
victims of the sarin attack. The ministry will determine the
procedure for billing Aum and distributing payments as soon as the
amount to be paid is determined.
[While I have no problem with Aum paying the victims, guilt has
not been determined in a court of law. This decision does not hinge
on the outcome of the Aum trials. It was a extra-judicial
bureaucratic decision. --TR ]
Mon. August 14 - Police say Asahara is "Hinting" He Will Talk
Police sources stated that Asahara has "hinted" that he may be
willing to talk. Up until now, police explained, Asahara has
maintained his innocence and "refused to sign statements." Shoko
Asahara has been in special police detention since May 16,
although Japanese law states that no one can be detained in this
manner for more than 20 days.
Wed. August 16 - Aum Produced PCP
Metropolitan Police Spokesmen announced today that several Aum
members have confessed to producing PCP. Although no traces of
the drug have been found, police pointed out that Aum members
had books describing the production process.
Thr. August 17 - Asahara Confesses to Ordering Kidnapping
MPD sources stated that Shoko Asahara has confessed to ordering
the abduction of Kiyoshi Kariya. Police also announced that three
Aum members have confessed to abducting and killing the
Sakamoto family and have told police where they buried the bodies.
The police are planning to put a team together next month to
recover the bodies.
August 22 - More Confessions on Sakamoto Case
Police sources revealed that an unnamed former Aum member has
given police a detailed account of how the bodies of the Sakamotos
were buried. This story apparently confirms the confession made
earlier by Hayakawa.
August 24 - Aum Disbandment Hearings Scheduled
Tokyo District Court scheduled disbandment hearings of Aum
Shinri Kyo to begin at 1:30 PM on October 6. A new law banning
the production of sarin gas is being applied retroactively as the
basis for the hearings since the police have been unwilling to over
evidence of Aum's other crimes. Authorities stated that Aum
representatives will be allowed to present their case at these
hearings but were vague on whether any of the Aum leadership now
in detention will be allowed to speak. The hearings will be
conducted in secret.
August 25 - Asahara Denied Visit from Attorney
Hiroshi Yamamoto, the lawyer who received a formal reprimand
from the Osaka Bar Association for relaying a taped message from
Asahara to his followers had his request for a meeting with Asahara
denied by police. Although authorities conceded that relaying the
message broke no laws and that Asahara has a constitutional right
to meet with an attorney, the prosecutors office maintained that
Yamamoto's "real purpose" was to "act as a messenger, not as legal
council."
Tokyo District Court dismissed Yamamoto's complaint saying that
"It would be inappropriate for Yamamoto to meet with Asahara in
view of his close ties to the cult." The justoces cited neither law nor
precedent in their decision.
September 1 - Courts Order Aum's Bank Account Seized
Tokyo and Osaka District Courts ordered 90 million yen
(US$920,000) seized from Aum's accounts. The court made the
ruling at the insistence of those who have filed a lawsuit against the
cult. Aum representatives were not present at the hearings.
September 4 - Aum Trials Begin
The trials of eight Aum members are scheduled to begin this week.
In the first, Kumi Nebuka, a nurse who worked at an Aum hospital,
was charged with helping Matsumoto evade capture. Prosecutors
allege that she brought money and medical equipment to the cottage
where Matsumoto was hiding. Nebuka admitted the charges, but
said she was simply doing as instructed and did not originally
know what the money or for what the equipment was to be used.
September 5 - Trespassing Conviction
Takayuki Oikawa, Aum's construction minister was found guilty of
trespassing and given a one year suspended sentence and three
years probation. Despite the light sentence, this is highly unusual
for anyone to be formally tried for trespassing and his crime
involved parking his car in a space not reserved for him.
Police began preparations for their search for the bodies of the
Sakamotos. Over 900 officers were dispatched, the roads leading to
the sites were closed off and police have barred and removed
reporters and local residents from the area. It seems the search is to
be conducted in secret.
Wed. September 6 - Police Find Sakamotos' Remains
Police announced that they have found bones that they believe
belong to Satoko Sakamoto.
Thr. September 7 - Aum Members Arrested for Sakamotos' Murder
Although the statute of limitations on the kidnapping ran out nearly
a year ago, Asahara and four other Aum Shinri Kyo members have
been arrested for the murder of the Sakamoto family. In a complete
reversal of all previously announced confessions, police stated that
according to new confessions, Asahara meticulously planned and
then ordered the abduction and killing of the Sakamotos and the
disposal of their bodies.
September 11 - Antisubversives Law to be Applied
If applied, the Antisubversives Law would ban Aum members from
associating with one another and make the religion and membership
in it illegal. [Under the vague law, this web-site could also be
considered illegal -- TR ] Japanese Justice Minister Tomoharu
Tazawa said that "When conditions to apply the law are met, we
must apply it. " He did not elaborate.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Koken is planning to submit a bill that
would amend the religious corporations law, giving the government
more authority to regulate religious organizations.
September 12 - Sentences Reduced for Renouncing Aum
In the recent Aum trials, those who have publicly renounced their
belief in Aum Shinri Kyo have been receiving much lighter
sentences than those that do not. Satoshi Tamura received a five
moth suspended sentence for installing radios in three cars without
the proper license to do so. The official ruling read in part "The
accused came to have doubts about the cult after he was arrested
and has quit the cult. The court can allow for these circumstances."
The court rejected the defense request that he only be fined saying
"The accused became a cult member of his own will."
The Chiba board of Education has granted the parents and teachers
association's request that Asahara's daughters be barred from
attending public school. A school board spokesman said "Although
we basically cannot intervene in children's rights to receive
education, this is an extraordinary case since they are the daughters
of Asahara. We can't easily accept them into the schools."
September 14 - Second Trespassing Trial Begins
Tetsya Kibe, Aum's "Defense Minister" pleaded not guilty today to
the charge of illegally entering a parking lot with the intent to
conceal rifle parts. His attorney based the plea on the fact that Kibe
maintained an office in the building and had every right to be in the
parking lot, which was open at the time of his arrest. Furthermore,
unlike pistol parts, possession of rifle parts is not illegal under
Japanese law.
September 15 - Aum Libel Suit Dismissed
Aum's libel suit against political cartoonist Yoshinori Kobayashi
was dropped today on grounds that Aum has been absent from the
proceedings since their attorney was arrested on May 3, and they
have not filed the proper papers to request a rescheduling.
September 16 - Government Seizes Aum's Land Holdings
The village government of Kamikuishiki has seized the lad owed by
Aum in the Fujigamine district because Aum failed to make a
2,000,000 yen (US$19,800) tax payment. The village has said that
they will allow Aum members to remain on the property for the
time being, but have not announced long term plans.
Aum sources said that village officials have not been allowing them
to pay the tax and have refused to issue certificates of value for any
of Aum's holdings. Aum members have been calling on the village
government on a weekly basis, but have been refused audience.
Police sources revealed that an unnamed former Aum member has
given police a detailed account of how the bodies of the Sakamotos
were buried. This story apparently confirms the confession made
earlier by Hayakawa.
September 20 - Third Trespassing Trial Begins
Uichi Nakatani pleaded guilty to the charges of trespassing for
entering into a parking space reserved for others. He has not been
sentenced, but sentencing is expected to be light. Nakatani has
renounced Aum in both an affidavit signed while in police custody
and publicly in the courtroom
September 22 - "A Billion Yen for Two Rifles"
The MPD announced that Aum Shinri Kyo had spent over a billion
yen (US$10 million) on weapons manufacturing, but only managed
to produce two non-functional prototypes. The police claim to have
seized massive quantities of gun parts, but these have not been
displayed publicly, nor used as evidence at any of the trials so far.
Two Aum members Nobuki Ami and Masaru Jingu both received
suspended prison sentences for installing radios in Aum cars
without the proper license to do so. Yasushi Nagai pleased guilty
to breaking into a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plant.
Wed. September 27 - Aum Follower Arrested in Police Chief Shooting
Police arrested Mitsuo Sunaoshi on suspicion of making a
threatening phone call to Tokyo TV 90 minutes after the head of
the NPD was shot. Police said they traced the voice from
information given by Aum members under detention.
October 2 - Professor Suspended for "Pro-Aum" Remarks
Japan Women's University officially decided to suspend literature
professor Hiromi Shimada for six moths because of his criticism of
the police investigation of Aum and "pro-Aum" remarks. The board
said that his public comments had damaged the school's reputation
and affected student morale.
October 4 - Asahara Begins Confessions
According to NHK and Aum lawyers Asahara has "begun to
confess" to the myriad of charges against him. Sect lawyers and
members say the confessions are being coerced. The police claim
that Asahara has not begun confessing and that he is not being
coerced. Asahara has been in special police detention for over four
months. The law states that he can only be held for 20 days without
a formal charge.
October 5 - Lawyer: Asahara Forced to Confess
According to Shoji Yokoyama, Asahara's lawyer, Asahara has been
forced to confess to the charges against him. According to the
lawyer, Asahara said "I have done an awful thing. I was told by
investigators they could arrange things so that the Anti-subversives
Law would not be used on Aum. They also said that they could
arrange things so that the disbandment order under the Religious
Corporations Law would not be issued. They said they would do
these things if I admitted involvement in the series of crimes.
"It would pain me more than loosing my life if all the sect's
doctrines -- on which I have devoted my life -- were to die out. So I
signed the investigative report at the end of September."
Police say that Asahara has remained silent.
October 6 - Aum Disbandment Hearings Take 12 Minutes
The closed-doors hearings at Tokyo District Court on the
disbandment of Aum took only 12 minutes. Although the hearings
were closed to both the public and Aum members, the court did
allow three of the lawyers representing Aum to appear. The court is
expected to render a decision shortly.
October 7 - Fumihiro Joyu Arrested
Police arrested the last remaining senior Aum member today on
charges of "inciting others to make false statements during court
hearings." Authorities charge that Joyu instructed Aum members to
lie during a 1992 court case. Aum is expected to be thrown into
chaos as the last of it's leaders has been arrested.
October 11 - Foul Odor Actually Anthrax
According to MPD sources, a foul odor detected around an Aum
compound in Kameido, Tokyo was an Aum attempt to spray the
area with anthrax bacillus. The police allege that several attempts to
spay the area with anthrax were made, but that Aum never actually
succeeded in producing the bacteria. Police released no other
details. [ No anthrax bacillus has ever been found at Aum
compounds and according to biologists, spaying it in such a manner
would be suicidal. -- TR ]
Katsuhiko Nakano and Tesuya Kibe ware sentenced to a year in jail
and three years probation on trespassing charges resulting from
"entering into spot reserved for others" in their office's parking
garage. Takeshi Hayashi has pleaded guilty to forging and using a
counterfeit driver's license.
October 18 - Aoyama Admits Libel
Former Aum lawyer Toshinobu Aoyama admitted in court that he
had filed a lawsuit against a fertilizer company "carelessly and
without positive proof." Although Aoyama and police claim that he
was acting on the request of Asahara, and Japanese law stipulates
that a lawyer cannot not be charged with liable for filing a suit at
the request of a client, police maintain that Aoyama spoke of the
case at a press conference, therefor the libel charge is valid.
Aoyama also admitted to the charge of conspiring to harbor a
fugitive.
October 20 - Prosecutors Make Sarin Case
The trail of 22 Aum members charged with preparation to commit
murder for their role in constructing Aum's chemical plant began
today. According to prosecutors, Aum had been operating the
factory for nearly a year, and Asahara planned to produce 70 tons
of sarin at a rate of two tons daily. [ No sarin has ever been found
at the Aum compounds, no have storage facilities for this amount of
toxic chemical. -- TR ] Prosecutors also alleged that the cult made a
failed sarin attack on another religious group. According to the
prosecutors, the sprayer malfunctions filling the Aum van with
sarin fumes. Inhaling these fumes cause one of the Aum members to
become "seriously ill."
October 22 - Services Held for Sakamotos
Memorial services for the Sakamotos, who were allegedly killed by
Aum members, were held in the Yokohama Arena. The service
included a performance by the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and
attracted about 26,000 people including former prime minister
Kaifu and numerous television personalities. Newspapers made no
mention of who organized or paid for the affair.
October 23 - Asahara to Stand Trial With or Without Lawyer
Tokyo District Court issued a formal statement that Asahara's trial
will begin as scheduled on Thursday despite the hospitalization of
his only lawyer, Shoji Yokoyama. Yokoyama was only slightly
injured in a car accident Sunday, but his doctor ordered him to
remain in the hospital for two weeks due to a neck sprain.
According to Japanese law, anyone facing a charge with a possible
sentence of more than three years in jail must be represented by an
attorney.
October 24 - Nakagawa Admits Sarin Production
Aum doctor Tomomasa Nakagawa testified at his trail in Tokyo
district court "There is no doubt that sarin was synthesized, but I
didn't know where the gas would be released." Nakagawa also
admitted his involvement in the murder of fellow cultist Kotaro
Ochida.
October 25 - Asahara Fires Lawyer, Postpones Hearings
The day before his trial was scheduled to begin, Shoko Asahara
fired his attorney for unnamed "personal reasons." The trial will
most likely begin early next year. The court released a statement
saying that the action was regrettable as it had sought a speedy
conclusion to the trail.
October 26 - Asahara Not Allowed to Select Own Lawyer
In a completely unprecedented move, Tokyo District Court issued a
statement saying that it would appoint a team of five or six lawyers
for Asahara's defense, and that Asahara would not be permitted to
select his own defense team. The court said that since Asahara is
now in police detention and not permitted to meet anyone it would
be too difficult for him to find another lawyer.
Kenji Nozaki, the attorney representing Asahara's wife, Tomoko
Matsumoto said that Asahara had fired his lawyer on his advice,
and that it had not been a delaying tactic. Nozaki expressed doubt
over Yokoyama competence and noted that he was also removed
from Matsumoto's defense team.
October 27 - Asahara Reappoints Lawyer
Tokyo District Court appointed state attorneys to handle Asahara's
defense only a day after they announced that Asahara would not be
allowed to hire another lawyer. Several hours latter, Asahara
rehired Yokoyama. Court spokesmen and dozens of legal experts
claimed that Asahara's move was "designed to disrupt court
proceedings. "Lawyer Kazuo Kawakami said the reappointment was
"just part of Asahara's cheap strategy."
The court stated that even though Yokoyama has been reappointed
by Asahara, the court appointed attorneys will be handling the case
and that they cannot be dismissed by Asahara.
October 29 - Police: Aum Produced Several Mail Bombs
Police that not only was Aum responsible the mail bomb that
injured Mayor Aoisima's secretary, but produced several other
bombs. No traces of these bombs have been found.
Joyu was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit perjury and
than immediately re-arrested on charges of falsifying documents in
a 1990 land deal.
October 30 - Aum Ordered Disbanded
The Tokyo District Court, applying Japan's new anti-sarin law
retroactively, issued a disbandment order to Aum Supreme Truth.
The court decision was based on Aum's alleged preparations for
mass-producing sarin. At the hearing, Aum representatives appealed
to the court to allow chemical weapons experts to examine the
plant to determine if sarin could have been produced there. The
request was denied. [It seems Aum has been trying to get
permission for this for months. The police have confiscated the
entire building and refuse to admit outside experts. -- TR] The
court will now appoint liquidators to dispose of Aum assets.
Aum spokesmen had no comment on the decision, but it is
expected that they will appeal.
October 31 - Sentences Handed Down
Nagoya District Court sentenced Kazuko Miyakozawa to a year in
prison without probation for trespassing in an attempt to allegedly
abduct a cult member who had defected. Although the kidnapping
was not actually attempted, and the ex-member's house was not
entered, Miyakozawa and four accomplices monitored the ex-
members movements with walkie-talkies and binoculars for 11
days. In refusing probation, presiding Judge Hirosuke Aburadasaid
that since she had not renouced Aum, she was likely to commit
similar crimes although the cult has been ordered disbanded. Three
of her acomplices, who have renounced the cult, have all been given
suspended sentences.
Tokyo District Court sentenced Naoko Yamamoto, an unrepentant
Aum member to 2 1/2-years in prison for forging drivers licences.
November 1 - Asahara OKs Court-appointed Lawyers
Shoko Asahara met with one of his court-appointed lawyers and
agreed to be defended by him. According to the lawyer, Asahara
asked him "Please take my case." It is still not clear who will serve
as chief council.
The Tokyo District Court sentenced Tatsuya Toyama, an Aum
Supreme Truth follower and former sergeant in the Ground Self-
Defense Force, to one year in prison with three years probation for
breaking into a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plant.
November 2 - Aum Appeals Dissoultion Order
Aum appealed the dissolution order. While the court has agreed to
review the documents of the case, it is uncertain whether their will
be hearings.
According to police, Satoru Hirata has confessed to making the
cyanide-gas releasing devices found in restrooms at subway stations
in July. Police also said that video cameras showed a woman
resembling Sayuri Matsumoto, who was arrested with Hirata,
passing near the restroom.
November 10 - Tsuchiya Remains Silent in Opening Trial
Masami Tsuchiya has refused to either admit or deny charges of
hiding of suspects and illegal production of thiopental. The defense
maintains that Tsuchida is innocent until the state proves him guilty
and that he is not under obligation to assist the state in proving his
guilt.
|