Prosecutors Demand Death Penalty for AUM's Asahara

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, April 24, 2003

Prosecutors Demand Death Penalty for AUM's Asahara

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Public prosecutors on Thursday demanded the death penalty for AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara who is accused of masterminding the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attacks and other crimes, Kyodo News reported.

The court is expected to hand down a ruling next year after thedefense counsel makes final arguments on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31, Kyodo said.

The 48-year-old Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, was indicted on murder and other charges in 13 criminal cases, including the subway gas attack in March 1995 that killed 12 people and injured more than 5,000.

The crimes also include a 1994 sarin gas attack in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, the killing of AUM cultists, and the murder of a lawyer, who was helping people with complaints against AUM and his family.

Asahara has been keeping silent on most of the trials, which began on April 24, 1996. He denied all but one charge related to aVX nerve gas attack on a man on a trial a year later. He also claimed his followers committed the crimes against his wishes.

Asahara launched the cult in 1984. The membership in Japan peaked at 15,400 in March 1995, the month the Tokyo subway was gassed.

Asahara told followers he is the incarnation of Siva, the Hindugod of destruction and regeneration, and urged them to entrust themselves and their assets to Siva and himself for their lifetime.He also punished disobedient believers, according to the prosecutors.

Some of his former believers have said Asahara's motivation forthe crimes was to topple the government.

In the 1990s, he started believing that all people are filled with sin and need to be killed to save their souls, according to the prosecutors.

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