DATE=10/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240624
TITLE=JAPAN CULT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEVE HERMAN
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ONE OF THE FORMER TOP MEMBERS OF THE AUM SUPREME TRUTH
CULT, BLAMED FOR THE DEADLY 1995 SARIN NERVE GAS ATTACK ON THE
TOKYO SUBWAY SYSTEM, HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH. AS STEVE
HERMAN REPORTS FROM TOKYO, 38-YEAR-OLD KAZUAKI OKAZAKI WAS
CONVICTED OF OTHER MURDERS BLAMED ON THE CULT -- NOT THE GAS
ATTACK.
TEXT: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE TOKYO DISTRICT COURT HAS
HANDED DOWN A CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SENTENCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE
AUM CULT'S ACTIVITIES.
JUDGES REJECTED A PLEA FROM OKAZAKI'S LAWYERS FOR LENIENCY,
SAYING THAT HIS ACTIONS WERE ESPECIALLY BRUTAL.
OKAZAKI AND FOUR OTHER CULT MEMBERS, ACCORDING TO POLICE,
FOLLOWED ORDERS OF AUM FOUNDER SHOKO ASAHARA AND STRANGLED A
LAWYER, HIS WIFE AND INFANT SON IN 1989.
THE ATTORNEY HAD BEEN HELPING FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN AND OTHER
RELATIVES HAD JOINED THE CULT. THE BODIES OF THE FAMILY OF
LAWYER TSUTSUMI SAKAMOTO WERE FOUND BURIED IN THE REMOTE
MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL JAPAN SIX YEARS LATER, WHEN A FULL
INVESTIGATION OF THE CULT WAS LAUNCHED AFTER THE TOKYO SUBWAY
NERVE GAS ATTACKS.
MR. OKAZAKI WAS ALSO CONDEMNED TO DEATH FOR HIS ROLE IN THE
KILLING OF A CULT MEMBER WHO TRIED TO LEAVE THE GROUP, ALSO IN
1989. THAT VICTIM, SHUJI TAGUCHI, WAS STRANGLED WITH A ROPE.
OKAZAKI, WHO LEFT AUM SUPREME TRUTH THE YEAR AFTER THE MURDERS,
AT FIRST DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE KILLINGS, BUT LATER
CONFESSED.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING THE GAS ATTACKS AND OTHER ALLEGED
CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES BY THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS STILL IN
OPERATION, ARE EXPECTED TO DRAG ON FOR YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/SH/GC/FC/PLM
23-Oct-98 4:13 AM EDT (0813 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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