Ex-Aum member says he was too scared to turn up
A former senior member of Japan's Aum Shinrikyo cult has reportedly told police he stayed on the run because he was wanted for the 1995 shooting of the nation's top police official.
Sources from the investigation team tell NHK Makoto Hirata denied he was involved in the attack, which seriously injured the National Police Agency chief. Hirata was quoted as saying the allegation made him too scared to surrender.
Police arrested the 46-year-old after he turned himself in on Saturday. He is suspected of abducting and fatally drugging a notary in 1995. They sent him to prosecutors on Monday.
NHK's sources say Hirata admitted he drove the vehicle used to kidnap the 68-year-old notary, but he insisted he only learned of the man's death later.
They also say the ex-cult member denied his surrender was intended to delay the execution of the Aum founder, Shoko Asahara.
Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, is awaiting the death penalty for his involvement in a series of the cult's crimes, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.
A lawyer who spoke with Hirata after his arrest says the former cult member believes Matsumoto deserves to die. The lawyer says Hirata no longer believes in Aum's teachings.
Monday, January 02, 2012 22:40 +0900 (JST
Please read complete article at link below:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120102_16.html
KawamotoDragon.com
Monday, January 2, 2012
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