Aum Shinrikyo

©Joseph McIsaac, 2011.

IntroductionAum Shinrikyo (Aleph) is a millenarian, religious cult of personality that perpetrated a series of terrorist attacks in Japan during the 1990s. At its peak, it was reported to have between 10000 and 40000 members, world wide. Presently, it has roughly 4000 members. Since 2000 it has been called Aleph and has renounced its violent practices.

OriginsAum Shinrikyo was started by Chizuo Matsumoto (Shoko Asahara) with 15 followers in 1984. It was originally named Aum Shinsen no Kai, which translates to “Group of Gods.” (START1) They originally focused on esoteric yoga and the attainment of progressive degrees of spiritual enlightenment. Asahara's travel and charismatic lecturing led to a rapid increase in membership, especially among university students and the well educated. (START1) Recruits tended to be people who were dissatisfied with the materialism of modern society and were searching for New Age spirituality. Many were onetime members of fringe groups. (Crenshaw) Asahara originally preached meditation, and nonviolence. After a pilgrimage to the Himalayas in 1987, he changed his name to Shoko Asahara and the name of the group to Aum Shinrikyo, which means “Supreme Truth.” (START1)

Aims and ObjectivesThe ultimate objective if Aum, evident in the 1990s when chemical and biological (CB) attacks were occurring, was to take over Japan and ultimately the world. By creating terror and panic in Japan through mass murder, using weapons of mass destruction (WMD) (which they hoped would be attributed to the US), they intended to trigger a nuclear war. Aum planned to survive the event and takeover Japan and the entire world in the aftermath.

Ideology and MotivationShoko Asahara claimed to be the reincarnation of Shiva, the second coming of Jesus Christ, and to haveachieved ultimate enlightenment. “Millennial visions and apocalyptic scenarios dominate[d] the group's doctrine.” (Olson , p 515) Their beliefs were an eclectic mixture of Buddhism, Hinduism, yoga, and mysticism, blended with elements of Christianity (especially Revelations), the writings of Nostradamus, and the science fiction of Isaac Asimov-- the Foundation series). Their doctrine is based on Buddhist scriptures called Pali Cannon with elements of Tibetan Vajrayana. Additional beliefs, such as the “yogic practice of shaktipat, which is the direct transmission of spiritual energy... between guru and student.” (JREF, p2) The Aum believed they were chosen by God and that the rest of the world was evil. They believed that the end of the world was near and that they would be the only survivors. This belief seems to have been drawn from Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels “...depicting as it does an elite group of spiritually evolved scientists forced to go underground during an age of barbarism so as to prepare themselves for the moment...when they will emerge to rebuild civilization.” (Lifton, p.258) Hence, their interest in and development of chemical, biological, and nuclear warfare capabilities which fit well with the apocalyptic scenarios of their belief system. Shoko Asahara was obsessed with nuclear war and the need to obtain weapons to protect the group from the United States as well as to trigger the apocalypse. Aum was therefore committed to building nuclear weapons de novo if they were unable to purchase a finished device. (Church)

LeadershipShoko Asahara was born Chizuo Matsumoto in Yatsushiro, Japan in 1955. He suffered from congenitalglaucoma and was partially blind. In 1977, he failed to secure a place at the prestigious Tokyo University, and rather than applying elsewhere, opened a Chinese medicine shop. Asahara was arrested for selling fake medicines in 1982. This resulted in bankruptcy and loss of his business. “He was reportedly crushed by the event.” (START2, p1) This set the stage for increasing resentment and distrust in authority and government. He became increasingly interested in mysticism and went on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas in 1987. Upon his return, he changed his name and the name of the group to Aum Shinrikyo. He announced that he had achieved ultimate enlightenment and claimed that he could teach levitation and telepathy. (BBC) Asahara became increasingly paranoid with delusions of grandeur. (Jackson)

Fumihiro Joyu, was an artificial intelligence engineer who headed operations in Russia. He currently leads a branch of Aum (Aleph).

Tatsuko Muraoka, leads a new faction, called Hikarinowa, that formally split from Aleph in 2006-2007.(START2, MOJ)

Hayakawa Kiyohide, Minister of Construction (Nuclear Weapons) unsuccessfully led Aum efforts to recruit Russian nuclear scientists and to purchase a nuclear weapon for $15M. (Church)

Seiichi Endo was Minister of Health and Welfare and led biological weapons development. (Koschade)

Tomomitsu Niimi was Minister of Home Affairs. (Koschade)

Hideo Muari was Minister of Science and Technology. (Koschade)

Tomomasa Nakagawa was the Household Agency Director. (Koschade)

Yoshihiro Inoue headed Aum's Intelligence Agency. (Koschade)

Masami Tsuchiya was chief of the Chemical Arms Unit. (Cameron)

StructureAum Shinrikyo was organized into a vertical structure. Shoko Asahara was the supreme leader, considered

a deity by his disciples, and had absolute power. Once a member was in the group, absolute obedience was enforced. (Crenshaw) The group was divided into two major classes, lay practitioners and sanga (monks and nuns). Ascending the rank levels in each class was dependent upon theological study, meditation, and the endurance of “austere treatments,” essentially episodes of deprivation and torture, with the intended effect of spiritual cleansing and an increase in enlightenment. (JREF) Samana (novices) were expected to renounce their families and former lives, move into an Aum compound, andsign over their wealth to the group. Lay members were able to continue in their chosen life style. This “complex, stratified hierarchical structure” mimicked the elitist structure of Japanese society. (Eate, p159) The group was further organized into departments that mimicked the Japanese government in order to be prepared to take over society after the apocalypse. (Church) An extreme competitiveness combined with constant pressure to perform...tend[ed] to foster a culture of extreme elitism[,]” isolation from society, and a distorted perception of reality. (Eate, p. 175) The intense devotion of the sanga to Asahara resulted in their willingness to do anything asked of them, regardless of the moral or

ethical implications. (Jackson)

StrategiesIn 1990, 20 Aum candidates ran for public office--the Japanese Diet. Shoko Asahara had predicted that

they would all win. Instead, they were uniformly defeated. He was enraged and accused the government of rigging the election. (Olson) “It was around this time that [Asahara] started justifying murder on spiritual grounds[,]...a…doctrine called 'poa'.” (START1, p1) Between 1990 and 1995, Aumcommitted seventeen acts of terror involving WMDs, seven using biological weapons, ten using chemicals. (Church) The group initially focused on biological weapons. (Olson) Research and development of weapons based on botulinum, anthrax, cholera, and Q fever was performed. In 1993, they unsuccessfully attempted to obtain Ebola virus in Zaire. (Olson) The group attempted to relase botulinum toxin around government buildings in Tokyo 1990, at the wedding of the Crown Prince in 1993 and anthrax from the roof of its building in 1993, and in 1995, in the subway as a diversion from the sarin attack. (Olson) Aum developed a biocapability comparable to a major pharmaceutical firm atits headquarters in Kamakuishki, a rural area near Mt. Fuji, and at several other locations. (Cameron) These biological attacks were all unsuccessful. The anthrax used was a nonlethal strain developed for vaccine production. The botulinum strain did not make toxin.

The group was developing conventional, chemical and radiological capabilities in parallel to its biological program. Members trained with Russian Spetznaz forces and purchase blueprints for AK-74rifles. Chemicals used for explosives production were also found at Aum properties. The group purchased military helicopters from Russia and members obtained flight training in Florida. (Jackson) In 1994, there was an unsuccessful attempt to obtain nuclear materials and weapons experts from Russia. They were able to purchase a precision interferometer and other equipment for measurement and development of nuclear weapons from the Zygo Corporation in Connecticut. The group attempted to hack into a computer at Brookhaven National Laboratory to obtain weapons data. They were also able to steal additional technology from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. (Cameron) Despite these efforts,nuclear weapons research did not result in any success.

Aum subsequently increased their focus on chemical weapons and were successful in obtaining a Russian formula for industrial production of sarin (GB). Small quantities of VX were also produced and used to assassinate dissident members. The first public use of sarin was an attempt to assassinate three judges' ruling on a land case that involved the Aum. A shift in the wind steered the plume away from the judges' homes and, though exposed and lightly injured, the judges survived. The attack killed seven people, caused 500 casualties, with 200 people admitted to the hospital. (Olson) In 1995, the Tokyo subway attack represented the most successful strike by the group. It was staged in order to preempt police raids on March 17 on Satyan 7 (a chemical weapons production facility disguised as a shrine to the Hindu god Shiva) and kill as many police and government workers as possible. (Olson, 514) In coordinated, simultaneous attacks on 5 separate, converging trains, sarin was released from bags punctured by sharpened umbrellas. 3800 casualties, 1000 hospital admissions, and 12 dead resulted. (Olson)

Aum Shinrikyo financed and logistically supported its terror operations through multiple legitimate businesses, focusing on computer hardware and software, chemicals, and mining (START1, Jackson). Offices were established in the US, Taiwan, and Germany. (START1) At its peak, its net worth was as much as US$1 billion. It had accumulated at least sixteen properties in Japan, a chain of restaurants, a fitness club, a tea plantation in Sri Lanka, and an import/export company in Taiwan. (Cameron) Aum also conducted manufacture of illegal drugs which were marketed by the Yakuza and was able to extortmoney from individuals and towns. (Olson) They established Moscow-Japan University and made

payoffs to high level Russia officials. The group was also able to develop ties to Boris Yeltsin through Oleg Lobov, chair of the Russian National Security Council. (Olson, Jackson)

Aum conducted intelligence operations but the impact is not clear. There are allegations that they had penetrated police organizations but open source material regarding pending police raids was available. Their counter intelligence operations appeared to be mostly based in the paranoia that spies were present in the organization and their focus was on elimination of these individuals and members planning to leave the group. (Jackson)

Impact of IdeologyCharismatic leadership tends to be more characteristic in closed groups. (Crenshaw) The result was evident in Asahara's success in recruiting of people frustrated with the pressures of a materialistic society, ultimately growing to ~40000 members. (Eate) The Aum also demonstrated success in recruiting biological scientists and other well educated members. (Olson) Asymmetric attacks were a logical conclusion when the group failed to obtain political power through conventional means. The escalating violence against society was also a result of a personal vengeance in response to frustration and possible feelings of humiliation caused by Shoko Asahara's failures. (Cameron) The group showeda perseverance despite setbacks, and a careful, methodical planning approach to research and development, as well as operations. Aum Shinrikyo showed a willingness to raise the bar for complexity and impact. (Church)

Jackson divides the group's evolution into five periods. Pre-1988--birth and spirituality. 1988-1990 when a death of one member and the murder of another, who wished to leave the group, raised legitimacy issues. At this same time, an Aum Shinrikyo Victim's Society was formed and unfavorable media coverage began. Shoko Asahara became increasingly paranoid that there was a conspiracy against him that would prevent his goals from being obtained. In response, Tsutsumi Sakamoto, the attorney for the Society, and his family, were killed by Aum members. The third phase began after the failure to win election. Asahara's world view became more pessimistic and paranoid. He accused the US military of attacking Aum with chemical weapons and justified killing of society in order to save it. There was also a competitive struggle against competing religious groups. Assassinations of members of rival groups were ordered. Shoko Asahara developed a “sense of inferiority and victimhood.” (Jackson, p16) The organization learned that it was only successful when it confronted challenges aggressively. Violence paid off. (Jackson) The fourth phase ran from 1992 to the chemical attacks in 1995. This coincided with the development and deployment of chemical and biological weapons. Asahara used the 1995 Kobe earthquake to prove to his followers that the end was near and blamed the United States for the event. (Cameron) The fifth phase begins at the trial and continues to the present. (Jackson)

Koschade analyzed the social network of a 21 member Aum cell that traveled to Australia in 1993 to purchase a remote ranch for development of a WMD weapons laboratory. He concluded that the cell's members operated in a “vastly different [manner than] traditional terrorist cells.”(Koschade, p16) There was a “total lack of structural covertness” with individual members interacting with all other members of the group with all channels of communication open. He concludes that the best way to destabilize such a network is to target leaders to reduce the cell's decision making capacity. Alternatively, the structure allows the identification of any single member to disclose the entire cell, permitting apprehension or surveillance of all members. (Koschade, p16) This openness was a direct result of the fact that the Japanese government did not outlaw the group. Instead, it was granted legal status as a religion. The government and citizenship were sensitive to the WWII suppression of religions in order to support the official Shinto state religion. Aum was able to openly function without

interference or surveillance. There were, therefor, strong pressures to leave the group unmolested, despite obvious data suggesting illegal activities. (START1)

Wilkinson states:“The violence of Aum Shinrikyo has had four observable consequences for new religious movements in Japan: a change in posture by the Japanese government toward new religious movements, stricter laws and regulations regarding new religious movements and tighter enforcement of those laws, a growing skepticism by the media and scholars towards new religious movements, and increasing skepticism about newreligious movements among community groups and the public at large. This... show[s]that the crimes of Aum Shinrikyo have created a shift in Japan’s society resulting in a contraction of operational space available to Japan’s new religious movements.” (Wilkinson, p1)

Aum Shinrikyo has led to heightened anxiety about the attractiveness and feasibility of future mass casualty terrorist use of CBW (Report to Congress) but there were many gaps in their abilities. Their capabilities did not match their plans. Despite impressive development of biological and chemical weapons, Aum's ability to deploy them was crude and largely ineffective. This suggests an ignorance and naivete of the use of CBW. An alternate explanation is that there was interference with operations by intelligence agencies, allowing acquisition of low pathogenicity organisms and misinformation regarding agent dispersal. The Japanese government now looks on emerging religions with a different view and is actively looking for the “next Aum.” (Wilkinson, p177)

Future of the GroupThe trial concluded in 2004 with Shoko Asahara and eleven followers sentenced to death. The cult is still active but its legal status was revoked. (Olson). The group continues to hold seminars and collect contributions. (START1) The current head of the group is Fumihiro Joyu, a senior leader under Shoko Asahara. (JREF) Aleph has apologized to the sarin victims, claims to have changed its doctrine, and has established a victim's compensation fund. (JREF) A surveillance law was passed in 2000 that requires monitoring of the group. It was extended in 2006 and is still in effect. (START1) Factions have developed with some of Shoko Asahara's biological children supporting Tatsuko Muraoka while others support the revised belief system under Joyu. The offspring of SA and other senior leaders havehad difficult time securing university admissions due to their ties to the group. (Wilkinson)

In light of the recent earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident in Japan, combined with the world economic crisis, it is not a stretch to consider this tragedy to be a new sign to Aleph of an impending Apocalypse and a trigger for renewed terrorist activities. It is incumbent upon governments to monitor such groups for signs of impending terrorist activities and to take appropriate preemptive action.

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