Remember Tokyo's Subway Terror Attacks

Today is the 12th anniversary of the terrorist sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo subway system by members of the doomsday cult known as Aum Shinrikyo, or the Aum Supreme Truth Sect.

Condolences to all the victims of the murderous Aum Shimrikyo. Notably, the cult changed its name to Aleph in an effort to distance itself from the deadly terror acts. Aum Shinrikyo, however, remains as its most recognizable name.

From Mainichi:

Tokyo Metro workers and bereaved family members gathered at six stations on Tuesday, the 12th anniversary of the AUM Shinrikyo cult's deadly gas attacks on the Tokyo subway, to remember the 12 people who died and more than 5,500 who were injured in the attacks.

At Kasumigaseki Station in Tokyo's Chiyoda-ku, 17 station workers held a moment of silence at 8 a.m. and laid down white lilies and chrysanthemums for the victims.

Unfortunately, the Aum Shinrikyo cult is still in existence although the leader and founder, guru Shoko Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, was sentenced to death for masterminding the attack on the subway. He is currently on death row.

A source last year quoted the head of the Public Security Investigation Agency as stating that Aum Shinrikyo operated with about 650 full-time members and 1,000 lay members in Japan. Russia had about 300 members.

Ominously, a spinoff group was announced earlier this year by the former second-in-command of Aum Shinrikyo, 44-year-old Fumihiro Joyu. It's believed that about one-fourth of the Aum Shinrikyo membership will follow Joyu into the new and as yet unnamed cult. Sadly, the handsome Joyu has appeared on television regularly attempting to deny Aum involvement in terror and, as a result, has won admirers, particularly among young women and girls.

Authorities contend that the doomsday Aum cult and its spinoff continue to pose a grave threat to society.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.