Japan’s Public Security Examination Commission wants to extend its official watch over the cult Aum for another two years, reports the Japan Times.
Aum’s founder and one-time guru Chizuo Matsumoto is still on trial for the 1995 gassing of Tokyo’s subway system, which resulted in twelve deaths and thousands of victims hospitalized.
Matsumoto once called himself “Shoko Asahara” and ruled over thousands of disciples, who were so enthralled with him, they even bought his bath water. Now the guru is in jail and likely to receive a death sentence, as have some of his key subordinates.
Matsumoto created an odd eclectic composite religion based upon his own idiosyncrasies. Aum included apocalyptic predictions and pieces of Christianity, Buddhism and neo-Eastern mysticism.
Aum still has more than 1,000 adherents in Japan.
The Japanese group is a frightening historical example of what dire consequences are possible when a cult obtains weapons of mass destruction.
It seems reasonable given Aum’s horrific history that officials want to watch the group closely for years to come. Of course some apologists might call this “persecution,” but it really is simply common sense.
no comment untill now