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Day 1: March 22 -- The First Searches and Seizures
- After obtaining an arrest warrant for Takeshi Matsumoto on
suspicion of kidnapping Kiyoshi Kariya, the head of the Meguro Notary
Public Office, 2500 police officers raided 25 Aum facilities throughout
Japan. They met with little resistance.
Investigating officers confiscated 1000's of gallons of chemicals
and about $4 million in cash and gold. None of this property belonged to
Matsumoto nor had any apparent links to the kidnapping. The police
steadfastly maintained that they were investigating a kidnapping and not
the subway gas attack. However, as Chief Takashi Kakimi put it "We will
conduct investigations bearing possible links [to the subway gassing] in
mind." Most foreign news wires questioned the legality of the raids, but
the domestic press remained silent on the matter. Aum's lawyer formally
protested the raids.
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Day 2: March 23 -- Police Expand Their Actions
- A man police did not identify was arrested for a traffic violation
while driving a car registered to Aum Shinri Kyo. The car was impounded
and the driver held for questioning. The police announced that they have
received 110 criminal complains about the Aum group, and that 10 of them
can "established as criminal cases." Some of these complaints date back
several years.
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Day 3: March 24 -- "Aum Shinri Kyo Should be Dissolved"
- Education Minister Kaoru Yosano today said that Aum Shinri Kyo should
be forcibly disbanded if it is determined that the sect "departed from
usual religious activities." Although the Japanese constitution guarantees
the freedom of religion, the Religious Corporation Law gives the government
the authority to order a religion disbanded.
Police announced that they have found in Kamikuishiki all the
ingredients needed to produce sarin. Newspapers claimed it was enough to
kill 4.2 million to 10 million people. All of the chemicals confiscated
appear to have been procured legally, and no sarin has yet been found.
Aum filed a Y30 million lawsuit against the police for the damage
caused by the raids.
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Day 4: March 25 -- The Gulf War Connection?
- Police continued to remove chemicals from the Kamikuishiki facility in
their ongoing kidnapping investigation. Investigators pointed out that
sarin was largely unknown to the public until the 1991 Gulf War, and thus
it is highly suspicious that Aum began buying large amounts of land right
after the gulf war.
Police intensified their hunt for a man they believe may have planted
the sarin gas. Witnesses saw this man place a "suspicious object" on the
floor. Another man shouted "that man is a criminal" and began chasing him.
Both men succumbed to the gas and passed out. Police feel confident that
they will locate this individual as he was undoubtedly hospitalized.
(As of April 22nd, the police have not mentioned this person again.)