In 1995, Japan was rocked by a nerve gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult that killed 13 people and sickened thousands. On Friday, Japan ended its 17-year hunt for suspects by arresting the final suspect from the Subway attack. The arrest closed one of the worst chapters in Japan’s history for domestic terrorism.
The doomsday cult released nerve gas in the Subway system at rush hour in 1995. The founder of the group and 12 of his followers have received death sentences for their roles in the gas attack. Over 200 other members of the cult have been found guilty of other charges related to the same attack.
Police on Friday arrested Katsuya Takahashi, the last fugitive at a Tokyo café after one of the café’s employees tipped them off. The case has not completely been solved due to never locating everyone until now, said a lawyer involved in the case.
Takahashi is alleged to have delivered another member of the cult to the subway station in 1995. That member of the cult then boarded the subway and released the nerve gas. Takahashi’s arrest may now add additional insight about the attack, when he testifies.
Takahashi has allegedly confessed to his involvement telling authorities he received his instructions from cult members that were higher ranked than he was. He has been using aliases for 17 years and working on constructions sites in areas located south of Tokyo.
