crime

Trial begins for former Aum member Kikuchi over parcel bomb sent to Tokyo governor

3 Comments

The trial of former Aum Shinrikyo cult member Naoko Kikuchi, 42, got under way at the Tokyo District Court on Thursday. Kikuchi, who was arrested in 2012 after 17 years on the run, is charged with attempted murder over her involvement in a parcel bomb sent to the Tokyo governor's office in 1995.

Kikuchi entered a plea of not guilty during the opening session, NTV reported.

Kikuchi was initially arrested for her alleged involvement in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack. She confessed to being involved in production of the sarin gas, but professed not to know what it was at the time. Prosecutors did not indict her on that charge.

She was questioned further about her involvement in a parcel bomb that was sent to the office of then Tokyo Gov Yukio Aoshima. It exploded, seriously injuring one employee in the governor's office.

Kikuchi is accused of helping to acquire the raw materials for the bomb and then bringing the bomb to an Aum hideout in Tokyo before it was then mailed to the governor's office.

However, she told the court on Thursday that she did not know the materials could be used to make a bomb, NTV reported.

A panel of three professional and six lay judges will hand down their verdict on June 20.

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3 Comments
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Reading this really makes me cringe. Somehow she is determined and smart enough to stay on the run for 17 years, not even leaving the country. Yet, she doesn't have clue about making the sarin or the bomb. Kikuchi is obviously a Sith lord (Darth Naoko) using the dark side to control the prosecutors' minds. She'll get off and be heading to the nearest Aleph temple ASAP.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

When I read it how could she have kept hidden for so long without someone noticing her so either she has mind control or turn invisible or she had someone hide her and do all the things she needed and how did she get caught now if she could stay under the radar for 17 years. It kind of makes you think.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Noose meet neck, now both of you have a great time and swinging.

The day that Japan all Aum members are no more will be a great day.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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