| Cult still
seen as dangerous (01/22/2000)
TOKYO: More than 100 Japanese police yesterday raided the Aleph
cult, formerly Aum Supreme Truth, as the justice minister warned
it was still a danger five years after gassing Tokyo's subway.
"A total of 160 police raided the cult," said an official
in the security division of the Saitama prefectural police, north
of Tokyo, which controlled the operation.
Officers swooped on 12 sect properties in areas including Tokyo,
on suspicion of infractions involving applications for a parking
lot permit and a residency registration.
Other disciples were suspected of submitting a false document with
the local government in 1996 to register a male follower's fictitious
change of address.
Police have launched a string of such raids on suspicion of relatively
minor crimes in past months as protests have mounted about the cult's
growing presence in local communities.
The cult is fighting the move. It claims it has reformed and is
no longer a danger.
Just two days before the hearing by the legal panel Thursday, the
cult issued a statement deposing its jailed guru Shoko Asahara as
leader, changing the sect name to Aleph and vowing reforms, including
a pledge to obey the law.
But Justice Minister Hideo Usui said yesterday that after reading
reports of the reform, "I found the group is still dangerous
and it continues to be closed-minded and deceptive."
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