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Description
A cult established in 1987 by Shoko Asahara,
Aum aims to take over Japan and then the world. Approved as a religious
entity in 1989 under Japanese law, the group ran candidates in a
Japanese parliamentary election in 1990. Over time, the cult began to
emphasize the imminence of the end of the world and stated that the
United States would initiate "Armageddon" by starting World War III with
Japan. The Japanese Government revoked its recognition of Aum as a
religious organization in October 1995, but in 1997 a government panel
decided not to invoke the Anti-Subversive Law against the group, which
would have outlawed the cult.
Activities
On 20 March 1995, Aum members simultaneously
released the chemical nerve agent sarin on several Tokyo subway trains,
killing 12 persons and injuring up to 6,000. The group was responsible
for other mysterious chemical incidents in Japan in 1994. Its efforts to
conduct attacks using biological agents have been unsuccessful. Japanese
police arrested Asahara in May 1995, and he remained on trial facing 17
counts of murder at the end of 1999. From 1997 to late 1999 the cult
recruited new members, built up a profitable commercial business, and
bought several properties. In September the cult declared it would cease
most of its activities and in December apologized for the sarin attack.
The cult maintains an Internet home page, but shut down almost all of
its links following these announcements.
Strength
The Aum's current membership is estimated at 1,500
to 2,000 persons. At the time of the Tokyo subway attack, the group
claimed to have 9,000 members in Japan and up to 40,000 worldwide.
Location/Area of Operation
The Aum is known to operated
only in Japan, but it may have an unknown number of residual followers
in Russia.
External Aid
None.
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