World News Prosecutors seek death for Aum leader

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Seven years to the day after the trial of Aum Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara began on cases including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, prosecutors demanded the death penalty for him on April 24.

Asahara, 48, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, was indicted on charges of masterminding 13 criminal cases, including murder in the March 1995 subway gassing that killed 12 people and injured more than 5,000.

For most of the trial, which began April 24, 1996, Asahara has kept silent over his role in the alleged crimes. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges on April 24, 1997, except for a VX nerve gas attack on a man. He also has claimed that his followers committed the crimes against his will.

He refused to respond to his lawyers and presiding Judge Shoji Ogawa during all three questioning sessions held this year. The last time he spoke in court was in 1999.

Asahara was first indicted in 17 criminal cases, in which 27 people died. In December 1997, however, prosecutors reduced the number of people who suffered from sarin gas exposure mentioned in the indictment from about 4,000 to 14 to expedite the trial. In October 2000, they also dropped charges against him in four criminal cases relating to Aum's alleged secret production of drugs.

オウム・松本被告に死刑求刑

オウム真理教の松本智津夫（麻原彰晃）被告に対し、東京地検は24日、東京地裁で開かれた公判で、死刑を求刑した。

Shukan ST: May 2, 2003

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