Japanese Doomsday Cult Aum Shinrikyo

The Japanese Doomsday Cult
POLICY PAPER
Aum Shinrikyo: The Japanese Doomsday Cult
Lisa Bertsch – lmb5956@psu.edu
HLS 805: Political Violence, Threats, and Insurgency
Summer 2015 – Dr. Paul Gill
Table of Contents
Abstract Pg. 3
Chizuo Matsumoto, aka Asahara Shoko Pg. 4
Syncretism Pg. 4
The early years: 1984–1989 Pg. 4
Organizational Goals and the Means of Achieving Them Pg. 5
Recruitment Pg. 6
Examples of Violent Attacks Pg. 7
The Split Pg. 9
Conclusion Pg. 10
References Pg. 12
Abstract The insurgency group of interest for this research paper is that of Chizuo Matsumoto, aka
Asahara Shoko, and the Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo. The reason behind the choosing of
this particular group is to provide commentary to that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(Simons, 2006)
Syncretism
Aum Shinrikyo is a syncretism of Tibetan Buddhism and early Indian Buddhism, and Hinduism,
with Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism, as the main image of worship. It also draws
teachings from Yoga, Christianity's Book of Revelation, and even some of the wisdom of
Nostradamus. Since its establishment, Asahara claimed to be that of a Christ like figure sent to take
on the sins of the world for man's salvation. He predicted a 1997 doomsday prophecy in the form of
an Armageddon like scenario where the United States would instigate World War III with nuclear
war being the culprit of the end of humanity. (Juergensmayer, 2007)
The early years: 1984–1989 Between 1984 and 1989 Aum Shinrikyo conducted many recruitment
endeavors and eventually was recognized as a religious organization in 1989. Due to this status of
being recognized as a religious group he was able to act without the Japanese authorities having
oversight. This was due to the Religious Corporations Law that provided coverage for tax benefits,
property ownership, and protection from state. In the law it states that the organization is protected

against investigations of the religious activities and doctrine of the group. However, that same year
is when several incidences of bad press had come out about the group. One case specifically was
regarding the murder of an anti–cult lawyer and his family. The lawyer has tried to take Asahara
Shoko to court on the claims that their
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Overview of Terrorist Organizations: Al-Qaeda and Aum...
Codex: Two Terrorist Organizations Al–Qaeda and Aum Shinrikyo Al Qaeda: Origins People too
commonly forget that the story of Al–Qaeda is very much the story of Osama Bin Laden: so much
of the development and evolution of Al–Qaeda truly is dependent on this one man. Thus, this means
that their narratives are forever intertwined. "The primary founder of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden,
was born in July 1957, the seventeenth of twenty sons of a Saudi construction magnate of Yemeni
origin. Many Saudis are conservative Sunni Muslims, and bin Laden appears to have adopted
militant Islamist views while studying at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia"
(Katzman, 2005). The beginnings of Al–Qaeda were small, but decisive. Bin Laden arrived in
Afghanistan not long after the Soviets started to invade Afghanistan in 1979, using some of his own
money to make a name for himself as the primary fiscal supporter of the Afghan mujahedin and the
main recruiter of Arab and other willing participants/ soldiers for the war at the time (Katzman,
2005). Bin Laden aligned with Azzam in 1984 and structured a level of assistance by creating an
intensive organization network of offices in the Arab region, parts of Europe and in America; this
network was referred to as the Maktab al Khidamat (Services Office) (Katzman, 2005). Scholars
and professionals largely view the Maktab as the organization lead of Al Qaeda; this time also
marked a period when Bin Laden fought in the war, sustaining

Aum Shinrikyo
Chemical attacks conducted by Aum Shinrikyo in 1995 and the Iraqi government against the
Kurdish people in the late 1980s have not had a significant impact on counterterrorism preparedness
against chemical weapons in the United States. Even though Aum Shinrikyo had a level of expertise
with chemical agents and the ability to produce them, it was proven that attacks of this nature are
easy to carry out but difficult to gain the desired effect from. Initially, Aum thought their attack
would kill thousands if not more however the generally poor quality of the sarin gas coupled with
the inadequate dispersal devices degraded the attack's effectiveness significantly (A case study on
the Aum Shinrikyo, 1995, Sect 5, Para 3). Since this was the most effective chemical attack
conducted by a non–state actor, one can readily see the difficulties involved in effectively dispersing
gas, even in a relatively enclosed area. It is exactly these difficulties experienced by the Japanese
terrorists that have led America into a relative calm over a threat of chemical terrorism as it would
likely prove relatively ineffective in the absence of direct assistance from another nation. ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even as a nation–state, Iraq needed assistance to fully realize its arsenal of chemical weaponry with
chemical precursors coming from the U.S., Singapore, the Netherlands, West Germany, Egypt,
India, and likely others (Halabja poison gas massacre, 2011, Sect 5, Para 1–2). This event also likely
did little to nothing to affect our counterterrorism preparedness against chemicals since this issue
was considered as between nations, specifically Iran and Iraq die to the ongoing Iran–Iraq war.
During the late 1980's, the major concern here was not terrorism at all, but instead the USSR and the
cold war, even though the soviet union would fall shortly

Cults Of The People 's Temple
Since from the beginning and as far as the eye can see, cults have been and will continue to be part
of human life. These small religious groups can happen anywhere and have been the cause of much
debate and interest. For humans have an innate need to know why things are the way they are. Cults
for one have done some rather unmoral things that lead the people to ask, "Why did they do it?" The
People 's Temple, Aum Shinrikyo, and Ku Klux Klan are extraordinary examples of wicked cults
that begged the question "Why?" When people think of crazed cults The People 's Temple quickly
comes to mind because it truly fits the definition of a cult "a small group of very devoted supporters
or fans" (Merriam–Webster). The members of The People 's ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Everything about their existence was controlled they couldn 't even talk to one another without
worrying if someone was on the other end spying. Also, any phone calls made or letters sent would
have to be censored. Late–night meetings and mock suicide drills were a common facet of living in
that prison. (History) Those mock suicide drills were in preparation for a "revolutionary suicide"
that would play out (American Experience). What got the ball rolling toward that suicide was Leo
Ryan a congressman who had heard numerous complaints from concerned relatives about The
People 's Temple and had decided to find out if those complaints were true. A few days after their
arrival in Guyana Ryan, kin of The People 's Temple, and a media team were finally permitted inside
the compound. After some time Leo Ryan made an announcement that he didn 't live to regret. He
said if anybody wanted to leave Jonestown than they can come with him. Understandably, no one
visibly said, "Yes, I want to leave. " Instead, the defectors a note to one of the reporters. Finding out
about that note made Jones livid even so Leo continued to try to convince the crowd and when one
person stepped forward many others followed. As a result, of so many people wanting to get away
another plane had to be employed. That gave Jim enough time to organize a group to murder the
turncoats. Five people were slaughtered and eleven barely survived. That event rattled Jim Jones
enough that he ordered everyone

3 Terrorist Attacks
Top 3 Terrorist Attacks
There have been several terrorist attacks that the United States had experience for decades. I find
that there are three terrorist attacks that I believe to be major that made history. Those particular
events were the Oklahoma City bombing, East African Embassy, and Tokyo Japan Bombing. The
reason why I believe the separate attacks were considered to be largest threat is due to the amount of
lives that were taking away from the amount of killings and injuries that have been calculated
compared to the other terrorist attacks that we experience here in the United States of America. The
three terrorist attacks all took place in public places in business areas where peoples had worked. As
when the damages took place from ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The suspect that goes by the name Timothy McVeigh being the age of 27 who once was an anti–
government militant was found guilty for the crimes Jim Naurekas, (1995). The bombings that took
place in Oklahoma City you would have thought it was the work of Muslim extremist. There was no
evidence found until things were being investigated. The mystery it knew to be Middle East
terrorist's hours later once the bombings had ended. During the investigations of the federal bureau
was able to tracked McVeigh Ryder rental truck that exploded. The way how Terry Nichols has been
spotted out was from a receipt of fertilizer and getaway map that was linked to the blast. Their goal
that they were trying to accomplish is to promote fear and a measure of anarchy, thereby interfering
with the Society of Americans. And McVeigh had wanted to create of what he called a bloody 19 of
April 1993 federal raid along the Branch Davidian in Waco, Tex. On April 21, 1995 the Geyer and
Rosenthal columns filed as soon as the victims were recognized once the FBI had released the
sketches of the two suspects (Richard Serrano, (1998). They were being identified as

The Pros And Cons Of Chemical And Biological Weapons
"Terrorists imitate governments, and nuclear weapons are in the arsenals of the world's major
powers. That makes them 'legitimate.' Chemical and biological weapons also may be found in the
arsenals of many nations, but their use has been widely condemned by public opinion and
proscribed by treaty, although in recent years the constraints against use seem to be eroding." 1
–Brian Michael Jenkins, former leading terrorism analyst, written in 1975. More than forty years
later, it is more relevant than ever before.
March 20, 1995 marked the first time a non–state actor waged a chemical attack against a civilian
population (chemical attacks had been used in the past but never by a non–state actor). Aum
Shinrikyo, a Japanese terrorist group, released ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While the sarin attack used by Aum Shinrikyo was difficult to implement, the use of a highly
contagious disease, such a smallpox, could create mass casualties and chaos. Due to its highly
contagious nature, it would only need to be spread to a few people in a major transportation hub,
and it could be wildly spread clandestinely due to its 12–14 day incubation period. There are only
two known existing cultures of Smallpox today, which are held by the US and Russia. Moreover,
there is a concern that Russian security surrounding the existing culture is questionable. The concern
of a breach is taken so seriously, that the US has 300 million

Terrorism in the World
On February 26, 1993, Islamic extremists bombed the World Trade Center killing six people and
injuring over 1,000 people. The terrorists set off the bomb in the tower's underground public
parking. The suspected mastermind of the bombing was Ramzi Yousef. The suspected intent of the
"1,500–pound urea–nitrate bomb" was to generate hydrogen cyanide gas that would kill everyone
within the tower. "The terrorists apparently selected the World Trade Center as a target not because
it was a symbol of Western values or the financial power of the United States, but simply because
toppling the twin towers would enable them to inflict a large number of casualties (Tucker, pg200)."
The motive bombing the World Trade Center was to ignite terror among the population and kill as
many people as possible. Ramzi Yousef was motivated by hatred for the United States and to
weaken US aid and support for Israel. This attack had operational, theological and psychological
motives behind it.
On June 27, 1994 a terrorist attack happened on the quiet Japanese neighborhood of Matsumoto
when the chemical nerve agent sarin was released. The suspected method of distribution
disbursement of the sarin was from a van equipped with a heating pot and fan. This sarin terrorist
attack killed seven people and injured over 200 people. The motive for the Matsumoto sarin attack
was for a trial run for the future deadly sarin attack on Tokyo subways which aimed to kill as many
people as possible. In

Transportation Has A Part Of Human History
Transportation has been a part of human history since the beginning be it walking on foot on a trail
through the forests, ships across the oceans, roads created by the horse or horse and carriage, to the
rail roads that transected the United States to modern roadways. Many advancements on roadways
throughout the years were made as each new form of transportation was improved. Then one day
man could fly and hence another form of transportation made it possible for man to go from place to
place in a fraction of the time compared to car or rail road. Along with these improved modes of
transportation came new and inherent risks like head on collisions in vehicles, planes falling from
the sky, and tunnel collapses in subways. With risk and threat comes the need for security and safety
practices. Cars were made safer and roadways were improved to include guard rails, painted lines,
traffic lights and stop signs. As the population grew so did the need to expand the ability to move
about. Interstates were built, airports were built and subways were now a means of travel in the
urban setting. As technology and the transportations system grew so did the threat and risk of
damage from either natural or manmade disasters. We take for granted every day the roads we travel
believing or thinking that nothing can or will happen to them where we live. So how what would
happen if the transportation system suffered a major attack or damage? Roadways deliver goods by
way of tractor trailers

Aum Shinrikyo Religious Group Case Study
The 1995 Sarin Attacks on the Japanese Subway System by Aum Shinrikyo exposed the need of
improving the Japanese Intelligence database, emergency management and training for emergency
services.
On March 20, 1995 at approximately 0600 hours, members of the Aum Shinrikyo religious group
launched one of the most deadly attacks Japanese citizens had seen since WWII. The attacks were
conducted by members of the Aum Shinrikyo religious group lead by Shoko Asahara, who was the
founder of the religious group. The members of Aum Shinrikyo were targeting mass casualties to
show their dissatisfaction with the Japanese Government. Five members of the Aum Shinrikyo
religious group managed to conduct the attack by depositing Sarin, which is a nerve agent, classified
as a weapon of mass destruction. (Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria's
stockpile), into plastic bags and covering them with newspapers to avoid unwanted attention, then
they transported them into different trains, attempting to kill as many people possible. After the
members of Aum Shinrikyo religious group entered into the trains, they dropped the plastics bags to
the ground and managed to make holes in the plastic bags with the tip of umbrellas they were
carrying, then they exited the car. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Members of Aum Shinrikyo released a cloud of sarin near the residence of Judges who were
working on a civil law suit against the Aum Shinrikyo religious group(Chemical weapons 101: Six
facts about sarin and Syria's stockpile); however, the attacks on the Tokyo subway were the most
successful by Aum Shinrikyo. The lack of knowledge and training about weapons of mass
destruction (WOMD) and chemical, biological, explosives, radioactive and nuclear

Aum Shinrikyo Cult Case Study
Amid in the 1990s, A religious cult, in Japan, proved both the ease and the difficulties of using
biological weapons. In 1995, the Aum Shinrikyo cult used Sarin gas in the Tokyo subway, killing 12
train passengers and injuring more than 5,000 (Cole, 1996). Before these attacks, the sect had also
tried, on several occasions, to distribute (non–infectious) anthrax within the city with no success. It
was obviously easy for the sect members to produce the spores but much harder to disseminate them
(Atlas, 2001; Leitenberg, 2001). In April of 2017, one of the worst chemical bombings in Syria
turned a northern rebel–held area into a toxic kill zone on Tuesday, inciting international outrage
over the ever–increasing government impunity shown in the

Sculpture Head's Elecronic Structure
The top of the sculpture head lies a cylindrical structure. On the cylindrical structure there are
various symbols. In the center of the cylindrical structure there is a triangular symbol with intricate
and abstract lines running through it. At the very top of the cylindrical there are two dark lines that
run parallel to each other and the circle on top of the cylindrical structure. At the bottom of the
cylindrical there are crown like ridges. At the bottom of the cylindrical shape there is line separating
the face, giving the view of the sculpture. As it continues, it has two lines on the face on each side
and an oval shape including the triangle in the middle. On both sides of the sculpture's face there are
big earrings hanging ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although the sculpture of Lord Vishnu does not have any color or background, he is symbolized by
a human body with four arms. The blue sky in the background of Lord Vishnu suggests that he
pervades the entire universe. In his hand he has conch (shanka), a mace (gada), and discus (chakra).
He also wears many items on his body that represent that something very eventful that occurred in
the universe. Most of his pictures have a crown on his head, two earrings, a garland of flowers
around his neck, and a special gem around his neck. He has a blue body and wears yellow cloth; the
blue color signifies that he has infinite attributes and the yellow color is associate with earthly
existence, and it also tells us that he incarnates himself on this earth to uphold righteousness and
destroy evil and unrighteousness. In the background there is a thousand–headed snake named
Shesha–nag; the snake stands with its hood open overhead of the Lord Vishnu. The snake is black
colored, the black color represent as mysterious color of fear, evil, and death.
The four arm that Lord Vishnu has indicates omnipresence and omnipotence. The two hands that are
in the back represent the activity in the spiritual world, similarly two hands on the front represent
the activity in the physical world. The left side of his body symbolizes the activity of heart: that is,
love, kindness, and compassion; however, the right side of his body resembles the activity of mind
and the

Suryanamaskar
SURYA NAMASKAR 12 POSTURES OF SURYA NAMASKAR
Introduction: Known variously as Surya Namskar or Prostrations to Sun or Sun Salutation, the
Surya Namaskar is one of the best exercises that people can perform. The benefits accruing from
these exercises are unique and excellent. This is a yoga based exercise and it is customary to
perform Surya Namaskar after performing loosening yoga exercises. The human being can be
thought of consisting of 'pancha kosas' (or five sheaths) consisting of the Annamaya (or Body),
Pranamaya (or Breath), Manomaya (or Mind), Vijnanamaya (or Intellect) and Anandamaya (or
Bliss) sheaths. These same five kosas can be further grouped into Gross (or Sthula), the Annamaya
or body sheath, Subtle (or Sukshma) consisting ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There are six bija mantras. Each mantra consists of 'h', 'r', vowel and ends in 'm'. The bija mantras
are: 'hraam', 'hreem', 'hruum', 'hraim', 'hroum' and 'hraha' (where the vowels are 'aa', 'ee', 'uu', 'ai', 'ou'
and 'visarga or hah'. The twelve names of Sun are: Mitra, Ravi, Surya, Bhanu, Khaga, Pushan,
Hiranyagarbha, Marichi, Aditya, Savitha, Arka & Bhaskara. These six Bija Mantras are repeated in
sequence to cover the twelve names of the Sun God. The three Rig Vedic hymns are used in the 12
mantras (one–quarter of the hymn used with each of these 12 names). The chanting of AUM mantra
activates stomach, heart, brain and the overall body/mind, thus creating vibrations in the associated
chakras. Digestion, respiratory and sensory activities go thru the powerful lens of AUM turning
intellect and memory into sharp and powerful tools. The root alphabets of the Bija Mantra or Bija
akshara are: 'h' –Heart is the source of its pronunciation. It empowers the heart to perform all its
functions in a better manner. 'r' – The center of the forehead is the source of its pronunciation. The
palate and the brain are gently buffeted by the vibration. The result is good taste and better intellect.
'swar (vowel) – 'a', 'i or e', 'u', 'ai', 'ou', 'ha' – various organs are impacted by the sound vibrations,
making these organs strong and sensitive.  Long aa as in 'hraam': vibrations stimulate brain, heart
& respiratory organs   Long ee as in 'hreem': vibrations work on palate,

Analysis Of Chasing Cpt And Leading The Sioc Testing At Cha1
Project Summary
I worked on many small projects this summer. However they can be summarized as follows:
building tools to improve quality and efficiency in the pack department; analyzing our process of
chasing CPT's and leading the SIOC testing at CHA1. I was able to build 3 tools, a Pack Head
Count Macro (Appendix A & B), a Pack Rate Puller Macro (Appendix C & D), and a Planning
Board for Outbound Macro (Appendix E & F) all of these tools were created to be used on Day and
Night Shift. I was able to analyze the process of chasing CPT's using two methods, a profitability
analysis and analyzing the rates of packers. Finally, I helped start up and run SIOC testing at our
site. To show the effectiveness of the three tools I have created, I will explain how the process
worked before the tool I created, describe how my tool works, and then detail how it changed the
process, for each tool. The analysis of chasing CPT's I will first talk about our current CPT chasing
program, then walk through my two analyses. Then I will discuss how I set up SIOC testing, how I
ensured it would continue running successfully and the plan I have put in place to ensure it
continues effectively once I leave. Then I will talk about the benefits of each project. Finally, I will
wrap up with a conclusion and acknowledgements.
Pack Head Count Macro
Prior to my macro being used, process assistants (PA) would regularly call out for head counts. They
will call out to each process guide (PG) for a head

Sarin Gas Tokyo
The 1995 gas attack in the Tokyo subway system stands as one of the most prominent terrorist
chemical attacks against civilians to date. Though the Japanese government was warned of the
impending violence nine months prior, they were caught ill prepared when it unfolded (Wright &
Martin, 2008). The group known as Aum Shinrikyo was responsible for the subway attack and this
was not the first time they used sarin gas. The city of Matsumoto was the test bed that served as the
proving ground for the events that took place in Tokyo (Wright & Martin, 2008).
Sarin gas, though not considered a persistent agent, does have the capability to kill large numbers of
people in relatively short fashion. As a method to attack critical infrastructure such as a subway
system or other confined locale, sarin is ideal as it is a colorless liquid at normal temperatures with a
vapor pressure of 2.9 millimeters of mercury at 25 degrees Celsius and generally ingested via the
respiratory system (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, n.d.). The specific
volatility of sarin is 17,000 mg/m3 at 25 degrees Celsius (Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons, n.d.). This quality is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There will always be groups who hate another for varying reasons and seek to destroy vice engage
in productive activities. Sarin gas is an insidious way to cause death and panic amongst relatively
unprotected civilian populations and will continue to prove attractive as long as there is a perceived
benefit to using it. Chemicals provide the terrorists with a tool that can cause the death toll of a
nuclear weapon if properly employed, but without the need for difficult to obtain fissile material. A
chemical attack of any form against a developed nation is going to degrade many aspects of that
society as such an attack is not personal in nature, but against an entire

Aum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo
Introduction
Aum Shinrikyo is a Japanese doomsday cult founded in 1984 by Shoko Asahara, it is also known by
the names Aum and Aleph. This group is listed as a terrorist group even though they have been
involved in only a small amount of terrorist actions, what makes them such an interesting case study
is their doctrines and motivating factors as well as their history of planned assassinations and status
as a cult.
A very powerful form of terrorism is those routed with religion, the draw of a higher person can
influence a person very easily, this can be seen within several successful terrorist groups.
The reason they are classified as a terrorist group isn't based on their actions but rather their
potential and their potential ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Aum Shinrikyo is very much focused around doomsday, their beliefs stem from their own spin on
Buddhism and their objective is to bring forth this Armageddon.
In the opinion of Daniel A. Metraux, Aum Shinrikyo justifies its violence via its own unique version
of Buddhist ideas and doctrines, such as the Buddhist concepts of Mappō and Shōhō – Aum
believed that by bringing forth the end of the world, they would restore Shōhō (Furthermore, Lifton
believes, Asahara "interpreted the Tibetan Buddhist concept of poa in order to claim that by killing
someone contrary to the group's aims, they were preventing them from accumulating bad karma and
thus saving them"
Japanese government officials state that in 1989 Asahara published a major religious treatise on
Armageddon entitled The Destruction of the World. In this treatise Asahara allegedly describes a
world–wide calamity based upon a suspected war between Japan and the United States which would
start around 1997. Asahara claims to have based his predictions on "The Prophecies of
Nostradamus', the "Revelations of St. John" from the New Testament, Buddhist scriptures, and other
personal

Aum Shinrikyo: A Successful Chemical Weapon
There are thousands of injured and unknown dead at this time in Tokyo, Japan. This is a likely
headline from the day Aum Shinrikyo launched a successful chemical weapon attack on the subway
system in Tokyo. In this paper, it going to show the full extent of the threat they pose to the world. It
will also talk about how CBRN agent used by them is still a threat to US by current terrorist groups
in the world. The threat of CBRN weapons are never going way and in future will become worse
with the advancement in technologies. Aum Shinrikyo was a large threat, and the danger of their
actions was shown when the Tokyo attack was launched. The group was a threat to people. In this
essay, it going to show, ultimately, how large that

Aum Shinrikyo Research Paper
The group that I will be focusing on is Aum Shinrikyo, a doomsday cult founded in Japan in 1984
that is most known for their terrorist attack involving sarin gas on a Tokyo Subway. The cult group
gone terrorist organization was originally led by Shoko Asahara and "emerged from the apocalyptic
underbelly of Japanese society acting upon a vision of cosmic purification that included the murder
of just about everyone on earth" (Lifton 2008) The group had a strong belief that their founder was
the first enlightened one since Buddha and that the end of the world would occur in 1996 or in
between 1999 and 2003 and that the United States would quicken the end of the world by starting
world war three with Japan.(Fletcher 2012) Aum Shinrikyo is unique in the sense that they do not
have so much of a political goal but rather a religious end. In nineteen ninety–five Aum Shinrikyo
dispersed the nerve ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
First there were a doomsday cult that quickly turned into a terrorist organization followed by a Aum
Shinrikyo is still on the United States Foreign Terrorist list even though it suffered a split in two
thousand and now calls themselves Aleph. The group has also repented for the attacks of Aum
Shinrikyo and has been able to organize compensation for those that were effected. Whether or not
the group was successful at its goal is arguable because the end of the world has not happened yet,
however they were successful in weaponing a biochemical agent. Scholars argue that "terrorist
attack suing a specific weapon will be most likely when the industry corresponding to that weapon
within the country of attack is relatively large" which brings into question the origins of the beliefs
of Aum Shinrikyo. Their belief in war coupled with the availability of Sarin gas may be "evidence"
to those that beielve that the end is nigh. Overall, the group has devolved out a terrorist organization
but still acts a a threat to national

Aum Shinrikyo: A Case Study
In 1994, the Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese cult delivered a chemical attack on civilians in suburb of
Matsumoto, Japan. This attack killed seven people and injured 150. This attack, as estimated by
U.S. chemical warfare experts, was a practice run for a more serious attack. They were
unfortunately right. A year later, the group set another attack that was much more serious. (Wright
1999) This attack used liquid Sarin that was housed in innocuous looking packages (Wright 1999)
They were then to board the Tokyo train systems and then once the trained stopped at a predesigned
stations they were to puncture the packages with umbrellas. This attack left 13 dead and at least
6,000 sick and injured. (Osaki 2015) Sarin is a man made chemical agent that

David Matsumoto
Dr. David Matsumoto is an emotional researcher. He is publicly acknowledged and respected
psychologist, researcher, author and even judoka, which is a form of the mixed martial arts of Judo.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He obtained a Bachelors of Arts from the University of
Michigan and obtained his Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Psychology from the University of
California. Currently a director of a company called Humintell. Dr. Matsumoto trains individuals
and teams on his field of study for Humintell. He also is a Professor of Psychology at San Francisco
State University since 1989 as well as the owner and head instructor of the East Bay Judo Institute.
Matsumoto is also a past Olympic coach for Judo. Dr. Matsumoto is an acclaimed psychologist in
the study of facial expressions and emotions. One of the most significant contributions is with a
micro expression training tool. It was developed to assist one's ability to read micro expressions.
This tool is owned and sold by Humintell, which Dr. Matsumoto is a director for. The benefits of the
training tool are to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These officials included national security officials and local police officers. Matsumoto illustrated
how subtle cues may reveal how a subject being interviewed is feeling. As an example he illustrated
is how a subtle facial expression conveys what the individual is saying by using a high staked
situation where the individual personally doesn't want to be caught. He uses an interview of a high
paid baseball player answering an interview question on if he used enhanced performance drugs.
His answer was "no" but his subtle facial expression illustrated contempt. He was basically saying
yes with his facial cues but verbally saying no, which is inconsistent. Later in the example the
individual gets caught in lie and is found guilty for his use of performance enhancing

Terrorism Centred On Religious Motives And Aims Adopt...
Terrorism centred on religious motives and aims adopt features that engender them to be more
susceptible to committing severe acts of violence when compared with secular terrorist actors.
Unlike secular groups, religious terrorist' quests to attain the divine is often not bound by a region or
state, they often seek global dominance and wish for their violent acts to coerce political goings
transnationally and achieve mass violence on an international scale(?). Justification through
contorted interpretations of scripture enable them to dismiss laws and universal norms that restrict
them from committing gross violations of human rights that sometime bound secular actors. Often,
they can attain the divine through acts such as suicide, glorifying despicable acts and labelling it as
divine or holy. Reducing their perceived injustice to a war where it is good vs. evil enables them to
dehumanise their broad interpretation of legitimate targets, often employing derogatory language to
reduce the innocence of their victims mentally. Religious terrorists are also guilty of placing the
consequences of their actions in gods hands. To demonstrate these different structures, this essay
will contrast the secular group, AFLKJ, and Aum Shinrikyo – a terrorist group dominated by
religious dogma(?) in an effort to portray that religious terrorist groups are inherently more violent.
groups with the intention to employ violence or the the threat of violence in order to coerce another
group into

The Power Of The Mantra
mantra that one repeats. By practicing constantly, the inherent power of the mantra may be
awakened, which may fill one's own existence with the divinity of the mantra. What is Mantra? A
Mantra is that which liberates or protects the mind.
"Mananaat trayate iti mantrah" Mananaat–bondage of the mind, trayate–freed or liberated, iti–
through or thus mantraha– the force of vibration.
.
A mantra may help to drive out the thoughts and worries. A mantra has strength and energy. When
these are present, the mind becomes the power of mantra. The power of the mind and the power of a
mantra are the same. In other words, the mind becomes one with the mantra.
"Chittam Mantrah" – Mind should become the mantra. The power of every mantra can be felt in the
form of vibrations. When an atom bomb explodes, its impact is felt not only for many kilometers,
but the effects remain for many numbers of years (for example like in Hiroshima Nagasaki). Mantra
is the cure for the mind. The mantra can be either a bheej mantra or doubles up as a prayer. The
effect of the mantra depends on how it is pronounced and invoked, and the dedication with which it
is chanted. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many sadhakas will tell you that they have received many sparks of understanding while meditating
mostly during early mornings known as the auspicious brahma muhurta. Our scriptures also mention
the effectiveness of doing meditation during this Brahma muhurta. This is the time when the
phenomenal world is most silent. The sun wouldn't have arisen to activate the world into its
motions. Our physical body wouldn't have streamed at that time to go into the daily chores of the
day. The pervading calmness and silence sensitizes our physical faculties– free from distractions and
vikshepas. It is easier to remain focused at that time. That situation is most conducive to grasp the
intricacies of knowledge. Silence is the characteristic of this

Media Coverage Of Terrorist Attacks
The study concluded how media reports are instigated prior to potential future attacks serving as a
warning tool. The research investigated 60,000 terrorist attacks between 1970 and 2012, in attempt
to identify the causes for the exponential increases in terrorist attack across the world. According to
the Global Terrorism Database there have been 8,441 listed terrorist attacks in 2012 a staggering
increase of 7,046 from the figure recorded in 1998 (Doward, 2015).As terrorist groups seek to
expand their agendas through media , causalities approximately in the past 15 years have soared
from 3,387 to 15,396. The aim of terrorist organisation is to attract mass media attention, and with
graphic videos persistently released by such groups, it has ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Though some groups still persist that are by and large are politically motivated for instance, ETA,
Hamas and Hezbollah. It is difficult to singularly define terrorism, as the concept itself is much
disputed in society. It can be interpreted as a method of repeated violence by groups, individuals or
state actors, for idiosyncratic or political reasons by creating feelings of apprehension and
uncertainty (Jongman, A. J, 1988). Albert Jongman selecting the stated United Nations definition
1992, in spite of identifying 109 other definitions. The United Nations definition was preferred to
others due to its authority as a political intergovernmental organisation. The definition states both
reasons for terrorist activity which is crucial in relation to whether religion is an effective source of
crime prevention. The apparent shift in the nature of terrorism clearly demonstrates that religion
generates further acts of criminality. The role of religion as decribed in academic literature is more
from a critical perspective as opposed to media sources that tend to be much one sided. Manas K.
Mandal a director general for life sciences and a prominent academic in India, stated all major
religions have a role towards terror and that religion is used for

Aum Shinrikyo
Background
In 1984, Chizuo Matsumoto founded Oumu Shinsen No Kai in Tokyo, Japan. Following
Matsumoto's trip to the Himalayas in 1986, the group evolved into Aum Shinrikyo. Matsumoto also
changed his name to Shoko Asahara. Asahara claimed he was the leader of a combination of
Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. On 20 March 1995, Aum Shinrikyo conducted their most
publicized attack in Tokyo, Japan. Five members of the cult released sarin gas on various subways
that converged in central Tokyo. The attack killed 13 commuters, injured 54 other, and affected as
many as 6,000. Japanese Police raided many of Aum Shinrikyo's compounds following the attack.
Following the second sarin gas attack, Japanese police forces arrested and tried nearly ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
He declared himself the savior of the world. Asahara prophesized the end of the world was near and
only his followers would be spared (Alfred, 2015). His philosophy attracted students of elite
Japanese universities seeking spiritual fulfillment
Goals and Objectives Aum Shinrikyo's goal was to incite hostilities between the US and Japan in
order to invoke a new world war. Aum Shinrikyo planned to conduct a chemical, biological,
radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack as a catalyst for this event. The group is interested in
purchasing or manufacturing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
State–Sponsored Support No government has sponsored Aum Shinrikyo, but Japan previously
recognized it as a religion. The United States, Japan and other countries recognized Aum Shinrikyo
as a terrorist organization in 2007. Followers of Aum Shinrikyo exist around the globe, particularly
in the United States, Russia, and Montenegro. As of 2016, Russia aggressively tracks Aum
Shinrikyo members now, but previously allowed the cult to broadcast on state–owned television and
radio stations. Montenegro deported over 8000, members (Chan,

Cults And Its Effect On Society
Cults have played major roles in how society has developed. They surround us everywhere. We
have been in contact with them and we don't even realize it. According to
Merriam Webster, a cult is a religious group that is not part of an accepted religion because their
beliefs are seen as extreme and/or dangerous. Cults have carried out many attacks and have caused
many deaths due to their beliefs.
Cult leaders are the controllers that have the reins to their followers' minds. They can brainwash
them into believing and doing whatever they desire in order to feel power. Many people have gone
to great extents to harm others and even themselves. Many have killed for their devotion to their
leader. How can leaders achieve such control over others? Everything that cult leaders use to
manipulate all comes down to psychology. Some use fear and guilt to persuade while others
brainwash them into believing that what they are doing is for the greater good and that it is all part
of God's plan. Shoko Asahara gained power over his followers in the
Aum Shinrikyo cult, which led various chemical attacks against the citizens of Japan, by exalting
himself as the Messiah whose mission was to save humanity, a mission that many cult leaders have
in common. Shoko Asahara was born Chizuo Matsumoto on March 2, 1955 in Yashushiro, Japan to
a poor working class family. At a young age he developed glaucoma which led to his blindness in
his left eye and partial in the other. After

Chemical Weapons: Aum Shinrikyo And Iraq
I believe that the use of Chemical weapons by groups such as Aum Shinrikyo and the Iraqi
government in the late 1980's has had a huge impact on the United States' counter terrorism
preparedness. The United States has continued to make improvements to our WMD defense
programs ever since the first use of chemical weapons, specifically Chlorine and Phosgene gasses,
during WWI. The U.S. continued to improve its defense at that point by designing masks that were
able to counter such weapons. As times have changed and evolved, so has the defense programs and
equipment of our country. Since the use of chemical weapons by groups like Aum Shinrikyo and the
Iraqi Government you can see even the smallest the changes in our defense, such as with the

The Spiritual Beliefs Of The Aum
Introduction
On March 20, 1995, five male members of an apocalyptic Japanese cult released a lethal dose of
sarin gas into the Tokyo subways, killing 12 and wounding thousands more (Olson, 1999:314). The
men responsible were astrophysicists, doctors, and electronics engineers who graduated at the top of
their classes (Hudson, 1999:140, 142). All belonged to Aum Shinrikyo, a cult fuelled by the beliefs
of an inevitable apocalypse and that salvation could be provided through membership in the cult.
Under the control of a partially blind guru, Shoko Asahara, cult members willingly cut all ties with
their families and friends, leaving a normal life for one of little sleep, intense spiritual training, and
meager meals. This paper details the spiritual beliefs of the Aum and the daily routines of its
followers, including the lives of children in Aum communes and the distribution of punishments for
minor acts of disobedience. The ways in which Aum Shinrikyo and its members counter Japanese
capitalism, anomie in Japanese society, and stereotypical notions of cult members will be discussed.
The creation of members' sense of self through their achieved identities as cult members and the
construction of a spiritual lifestyle that superficially opposes a lifestyle of consumption will also be
examined.
Aum Shinrikyo: Spiritual Beliefs The spiritual beliefs of the Aum are derived from a combination of
Buddhist and Hindu yoga philosophies and the apocalyptic prophecies of

What Makes A Good Cult
Running Head: THE REALITY BEHIND CULTS 1
THE REALITY BEHIND CULTS
SGT Travon Biggers
CBRN ALC 005–17
THE REALITY BEHIND CULTS 2
THE REALITY BEHIND CULTS
What is a cult? The purpose of a cult is so an individual and/or group claiming to be sent by God, to
rule the one true religion. To become a cult member you must believe the exact same things in the
exact same ways with no room for differences. Entering a cult is a lifetime commitment. Systems of
intimidation are used to veer the people from ever thinking about getting out. More specifically, a
cult by the name of Aum Shinrikyo, was a Japanese doomsday cult founded by Shoko Asahara in
1984. The attack launched by this cult was seen to be terroristic ... Show more content on
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Aum Shinrikyo was an act of plain evil nothing more nothing less. Could cults be truly a religious
thing? Of course, but in good intentions, otherwise it is simply a terroristic act and luckily the laws
have started to merge to accommodate them as such. They will no longer just be a religious group,
but they will be looked more into as terroristic attacks, and acts of evil. The people in power can no
longer overlook these torturous activities and allow the people to get away with them. We must treat
ever intimidation act as more than just that, starting with the cults. Now the question remains, what
truly is a

Aum Shinrikyo Case Study
When looking at the situations of the Japanese terrorist group Aum Shinrikyo or the Iraqi
government in the 1980s, I believe the impact they had on the United States preparedness can be
interpreted in either direction. In terms of the Sarin attack on the subway systems in Japan, I believe
it did not offer much concern for the United States. The Aum Shinrikyo cult did not fear any
retaliation and was already expecting the authorities to raid their facilities (Robertson 2011). To me,
this did not warrant a reaction by the United States counter terrorism planning due to its unique and
otherwise rare scenario. However, I do believe that the Iraqi government's use of chemical warfare
in the 1980's did grab that attention. The CIA states that "During

Rebellion And There Pretty Much Was A War
rebellion and there pretty much was a war. One of the most interesting events that the Sikh
extremists did was the attack on the Romanian ambassador. The Sikhs are extremely violent in all
their means and a lot of it is also retaliation. But the founder of the religion was a gentle soul. This
shows just how easy it is for religion to turn violent. The younger activists had taken over pretty
much and now the older Sikh leaders were just there. That is how the religion got so messed up.
That 's why they were all about violence and none of the original Sikh views. They did not even
achieve any political views. The Sikh terrorist are mainly in India. So even if the government is not
the best doesn 't mean people can do whatever that want. In ... Show more content on
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Twelve people died and 5,500 people were affected many with permanent injuries.Aum Shinrikyo
was unlike any other religion that he had studied this far. Muslims wanted to convert or kill all of
those who did not live according to Muslim law. In Christianity people saw the extremists saw it fit
to commit a small act of violence, like a murder, to prevent larger acts of violence which were
usually the mass killings of innocent children. Like Michael Bray and the abortion clinics. The
Israelis they were fighting to reclaim territory that was theirs and the Sikhs they were just rebelling
against the government. Aum Shinrikyo is different in that it does not commit large acts of violence
against unbelievers or against the government. Juergensmeyer explains the reason that they
poisoned thousands of people was to hurry up Armageddon. Which they believed would be a time of
extreme violence and death on this earth. But the leader Asahara was power hungry and some say he
just pulled the train incident to gain power and media. Buddha was not made up to be a violent god.
So why would Shoko Asahara resort to violence to get his point across? In the next chapter Theater
of Terror Juergensmeyer explores the methods which terrorists use when selecting their next target.
The targets chosen were largely selected because of their symbolism. The symbolism and size of
these targets would show the message which the terrorists were seeking to send. The targets were
often chosen by

The Nuclear Terrorism Threat and the Aum Shinrikyo Cult...
The Nuclear Terrorism Threat and the Aum Shinrikyo Cult
Until the mid seventies, the term nuclear terror was used predominately to describe the threat of a
nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. Since then, however, it has taken on a whole new meaning
which many security experts feel poses a more serious threat to national security. In the past few
decades, formal terrorist organizations have exploded planes out of the sky, bombed US military and
diplomatic facilities abroad, and with the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombing
incidents, they have even launched attacks on American soil.
Yet until 20 March 1995 when five members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin nerve gas in
the Tokyo subway system, the world had not seen ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The guru, Asahara, is an essential guide throughout this spiritual evolution. Members of the group
believe that salvation will only be achieved after Armageddon, even for those who are killed in the
process. In spite of its religious nature, Aum's leadership structure was organized in the form of a
ministerial cabinet patterned after the Japanese government.
Since its establishment in 1987, the Aum organization expanded physically, geographically, and
financially. It is believed that at its height, the group had over 65,000 members, yet only 10,000 of
these were located in Japan. Aum had a large representation in Russia, approximately three times the
number of followers in Japan and half of its total membership worldwide. By the end of 1994, there
were six Aum Shinrikyo branches in Moscow alone and another eleven offices outside the capital
city. On a smaller scale, Aum established branches in Germany and the US and claimed small
groups of followers in Australia, Belarus, and the Ukraine. The organization's financial assets were
accumulated through fund raising, donations, and a variety of legitimate business efforts, from
computer businesses in Taiwan to

Shoko Asahara Cult
At first, the religion of Shoko Asahara, Aum Shinrikyo, now the cult Aleph was not the dangerous
and threatening organization its image is associated to be now. In fact, there was a time where
Asahara and Aum Shinrikyo members had taken up an attitude similar to that of a humble
missionary. However, the Aum Shinrikyo faith, as well as Asahara, had been obsessed with some of
the philosophies of the Bible, the Book of Revelation in particular, and had an unfortunate
turnaround, which resulted in the religion's currently bad reputation. This cult is a perfect example
to show what Paul meant when he said that false christs pretend to be holy servants of God.
Originally named Chizuo Matsumoto, Shoko Asahara was one of seven children and ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The religion also holds the claim that Asahara is the only person to have attained the highest level of
consciousness and that he is in the state of Nirvana; Asahara even claimed to be Christ. Tibetan
beliefs of extrasensory experiences are also included in the Aum Shinrikyo faith, with clairvoyance,
levitation, and the ability to see through walls being some of these extrasensory abilities that
Asahara promoted and claimed to have (news.bbc.co.uk; fas.org). According to John Pike, the Aum
Shinrikyo faith strongly promoted Shiva, the god of destruction, and thus put a particular emphasis
on Armageddon, or the end of the world. Asahara claimed salvation from this destruction for those
who reached higher levels of consciousness by going through him, the "Supreme Master"; their
reincarnated states would hold a special status amongst others. Apparently, this Armageddon was
going to involve a third world war in 1997 that would be initiated between Japan and the United
States; one supposed goal of Aum Shinrikyo was their involved their salvation activities during this
time and the revival of the Japanese nation after the collapse of their country. Members of Aum
Shinrikyo were also very anti–Semitic, and put part of the blame for this onto the Jews (fas.org).
Putting the skeptical claims of extrasensory experiences aside for now, the beliefs of Aum Shinrikyo
concerning the Bible,

Sarin Cult Research Paper
The threats the Japanese Sarin Cult posed were chemical, biological and psychological. In regard to
a chemical attack, Sarin gas was released in the subway station in the early morning where trains
targeting a large number of commuters. This was not their only attack in their attempt to overthrow
the Japanese government. The cults front had intentions of spiritual guidance and leadership based
upon the Hindu doctrine, which spoke to a lot of people. But really once recruited it became more of
a political motive. The severity of the situation in terms of how powerful and serious cult was,
became apparent when armed law enforcement rained down on their headquarters. Not only did
they discover they were making large batches of Saran gas, but LSD ... Show more content on
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Biologically, the discovery of Cholera, Anthrax and Ebola were also discovered in the compound,
but were never dispersed onto the Japanese population (Wright, 2008). But what if it was? The cult
already was testing the Sarin gas, what would stop them from researching a biological attack as
well? These questionable tactics are exactly what the cult was after. They wanted to instill fear in
the Japanese population and get the attention of the government. The actions of the cult were
mythical and had value for their cause. They exercised their false sense of power by claiming
innocent casualties and really brainwashing the members by giving them direction/purpose. This
form of psychological conditioning or rewiring person's ideologies to conform is intentional, "They
use, "thought reform" programs to integrate, socialize, persuade and therefore control members"
(Furnham, 2014). Such methods were used to bring in members, promising them a higher level of
spiritual enlightenment, divine purpose, while intense mind control eventually convinced them to
carry out these well planned attacks against the Japanese Government, "Cults insist on reprograming
the way people see the world" (Furnham,

Aum Shinrikyo And The Events
AUM SHINRIKYO AND THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE 1995 TOKYO SUBWAY SARIN
ATTACKS
SSG JENNIFER A. BALLARD
CBRN SLC CLASS 03–13
SGL: SFC MACRI Abstract
This paper will explore research results done through the internet and through published books on
the background of the cult group Aum Shinrikyo, now known as the group Aleph, and several other
Sarin gas attacks, to include the terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway on 20 March 1995. There is a
lot of speculation and questions surrounding this cult group, which will be discussed later, who
started out as a peaceful yoga group by the founder and his wife, turn into a radical doomsday cult
religion capable of not one but several chemical terrorists acts towards their own countrymen.
According ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The articles focus on the beginnings of the group as a peaceful yoga group and lead up to the most
recent events with the chemical attacks of the Tokyo subway systems. Shoko Asahara, who was
born Chizuo Matsumoto, during his stay in India in 1986, while he was on various religious retreats
in the Himalayan Mountains, claimed to have found enlightenment and upon his return to Japan
founded the group Aum Shinrikyo in 1987. The group started out with a small following from the
yoga studio, Aum Shinsen–no kai, he and his wife, Kazuko, owned and operated. Eventually word
starting spreading about his so–called "teachings of the supreme truth" (World Religions and
Spirituality Project VCU, Jackie Fowler, 2001). Asahara claimed that he had the power to read
minds and because of his enlightenment, claimed to have visions or prophesies, as he would call
them, about future events.
Asahara started preaching sermons about how his "visions" showed him that the world would end
by the turn of the 21st century and that the only survivors would be Aum Shinrikyo members
themselves. The group was so obsessed with Armageddon that it went so far as to try to make it
happen themselves.
In March 1993, Asahara gave orders to start production of Sarin gas

Arum Shinrikyo, also Known as Aleph
Roughly nineteen years ago, on March 20th 1995, five Tokyo subway lines underwent a chemical
attack which involved the deadly poison known as sarin. This was considered to be the biggest
catastrophe Japan had seen since World War II. When the gas was released thousands of daily
subway goer's mornings took an awful turn. This violent terrorist act killed thirteen people, left 50
severely injured, and thousands with temporary vision problems. The perpetrators had fled the scene
with no trace. Although the Japanese Government did believe it was committed by members of Aum
Shinrikyo. Aum Shinrikyo also known as Aleph is a controversial cult. They have had a history of
previous terrorist attacks. Founder, Shoko Asahara, has declared himself "Christ", outlined a
doomsday prophecy, which included a Third World War, and described a final conflict culminating
in a nuclear "Armageddon". This attack was another one of his crazy ideas which was labeled as
domestic terrorism. Ten members of the cult carried out the plan. Between 6:00 am and 6:30 am on
the day of the attack these ten members left Aum headquarters as they targeted the Tokyo Subway
Network. In Tokyo, the subways are the number one choice of commute. It is said that when waiting
for the train your feet might not even reach the ground as you are stuck standing on other people's
feet. Thousands of people lined the trains and the subways this morning as it was rush hour making
things worse.
The attack involved five

Tokyo Sandwich System: A Case Study
The attacks on the Tokyo subway system in 1995 employed Sarin gas, which is a chemical nerve
agent developed by the Nazis in World War II (Japanese Sarin Cult, 2008). Sarin gas targets the
nervous system and exhibits a fatal enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). This enzyme
degrades the signaling molecule that is responsible for multiple functions in the human body to
including cognitive functioning and the triggering of muscle contractions. "When exposed to the
nerve agent Sarin, the victim's muscles will begin twitching uncontrollably as neurons in the brain
become hyperactive, which causes seizures" (Dolgin 2013, 1194). If untreated, the muscles that are
responsible for breathing fire nonstop, which leads to asphyxiation, eventually

The Use of Chemical Weapons in the Tokyo Subway Attack Essay
The Use of Chemical Weapons in the Tokyo Subway Attack
Japan has long enjoyed the enviable reputation of being one of the safest nations in the world. The
country has one of the world lowest rates for murder and other violent crime, and the Japanese
National Police Agency and local Police forces are often praised as a model of law enforcement
efficiency. Tokyo enjoys one of the cleanest, safest and most efficient subway networks in the
world. Trains run on precise schedules and accommodate 2.7 billion passengers a year. All that
changed on March 20, 1995. A nightmare unfolded as the city of Tokyo experienced one of the
worst terrorist attacks of the century. This is what many considered to be the first true case of use of
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Some commentators began to think that the attack was targeted on NPA officers. Some
commentators evidently anticipated that the Tokyo attack was a prelude to the issuing of demands
by the criminal. Commentators also expressed surprise that, given the toxicity of sarin and the
nature of the target, the casualty had not in fact been much higher. Others suggested that the agent
may simply have been impure, perhaps deliberately diluted either self–protection of the attackers or
to keep the number of fatalities low. This theory appeared confirmed by the discovery early on the
traces of another substance, acetonitrile (or methyl cyanide), which it could have been used to dilute
the gas.
Some Unexplained Incidents: In the days following the subway attack, as the casualty toll continued
to rise, the Amu Shinri Kyo (or "Supreme Truth"), whose leader– Shoko Asahara, had in the past
shown an interested in chemical and biological warfare. Two days after the attack, large numbers of
police officers began massive raids on the sects many facilities throughout Japan, on the pretext of
searching for kidnap victims (since there was no immediate evidence linking it to the subway
attack). At one location particular, a compound or commune at Kamikuishiki in the surroundings of
Mount Fuji 100 km west of Tokyo, they discovered extensive facilities for the

Japanese Sarin Cult Summary
The threat posed in the video "Japanese Sarin Cult" was the release of a nerve agent called Sarin.
The release of the World War 2 Nazi gas was made by Aum Shinrikya supporters on two separate
occasions of 1995 in Tokyo Subway systems and 1994 in the city of Matsumoto (Wright 2008,
01:15–01:40). These attacks posed a threat to not only the Japanese government, but around the
world at the ease that a group was capable of releasing a chemical agent in public not only once but
twice. The Casualty count mixed with the nature of the highly populated areas of release was an
indication of how poorly the response to a chemical threat was. Sarin is a Nerve agent originally
developed and by the Germans as an insecticide. Being developed as an insecticide

The Attack by Aum Shinrikyo
The Attack by Aum Shinrikyo Britt W. Gerdes Grand Canyon University Terrorism and Emergency
Management EMM 442 Prof. Jim Gallagher August 30, 2010 The Attack by Aum Shinrikyo It was
March 20, 1995 and the time was 0800 hours, when the City of Tokyo was subjected to a terrorist
act by a radical religious group. This group was Aum Shinrikyo, when translated mean "supreme
truth". The attack consisted of members of Aum Shinrikyo releasing poisonous gas into the crowded
subway system. This particular terrorist group did not coordinate the attack for political revenge; it
was an organized religious group attempting to devastate the Japanese government. By using John
Parachini's risk assessment perspectives the Japanese ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One of the key topics that come out of this is "intelligence". John Parachini explains that at the time
the Central Intelligence Agency had their focus on the Islamic terrorism, overlooking the Aum. They
were overlooked because they believed the unintelligible religious group in a country considered to
be an ally was no threat. My guess is, they misjudged and were wrong with their intelligence
gathering. But since this attack, the Central Intelligence Agency has fixed the intelligence blind
spots. However, I think the government needs to think about the newer intelligence issues that are
being developed. In closing, governments need to know that even though the possibility of a
biological or chemical attack is remote, they have a responsibility to do everything in their power to
curb the opportunities, guard, and take action. For the Japanese government their test is to establish
how much to organize for a low probability attack, all while safeguarding against on more likely
events with significant, but not inevitably disastrous penalties. But the Japanese also need to make
sure they understand that terrorist groups don't always use biological weapons for their attacks,
because they often have other alternatives that will better serve the function of the terrorist
organization. Through the risk management perspectives of John Parachini, if the Japanese
government can

Aum Shinrikyo Religion
Aum Shinrikyo was a New Religious Movement that was cast into the public spotlight after
members of the group took part in a religious terror attack in Tokyo in 1995; however, as violent
this act may have been, Aum Shinrikyo did not begin as a violent religion. Instead, it was shaped
into one over time as the religion slowly began on the path to introversion and eventual shunning of
the greater society as whole, generating a following that was skeptical of the dominant society, and
held the power of the guru above everything else. Aum Shinrikyo, as with any other new religion,
offered a different explanation to the outside world than the modern society. The modern society
attempts to promote science and traditional religion, even if they ... Show more content on
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The religion had its purpose shift from an inclusive religion that was attempting to save as many
souls as possible from the end times, to an exclusive religion that focused on surviving the
impending apocalyptic events that were to take place in the 21st century according to their new
apocalyptic prophecy. This shift could be attributed to any threat of nuclear, chemical or high–tech
warfare: the Gulf War being a good example, or the power vacuum that was created by the fall of
the Soviet Union in 1991. Whatever the cause was, the resulting focus shift increased the distrust
between the practicing Aum Shinrikyo members and the dominant society as a whole, contributing
to a mindset among the members of the religion that those of the dominant society were no longer
able to be saved and were, in fact, the enemy. Even if this mindset were not wholeheartedly true for
the members of the religion, a belief in the religion, specifically in relation to the Tantra Vajrayana
addition in the early 1990s, and the power that it gave to the guru, Asahara, could be interpreted as
allowing for the murder of those not saved. A member who had attained gedatsu could murder
someone with lesser spiritual power and therefore increases the karma of the one that was murdered,
making the murder a good deed (In the Wake... 406). This thought process would have then justified
the terror attack in Tokyo as a good karmic deed. Additionally, the teachings of the Four Infinite
Virtues, specifically detachment, accompanied with Tantra Vajrayana ideal, created a disconnection
from reality, that only viewed the world as a series of past karmic actions, with "no connection with
the present", thereby eliminating any personal accountability for one's actions, specifically if it was
done in the spirit of the guru, whose power was absolute, and therefore, beyond

Japanese Doomsday Cult Aum Shinrikyo

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