Aum chemist sentenced to hang
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Masami Tsuchiya
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The Tokyo District Court on Jan. 30 sentenced a senior Aum Shinrikyo disciple to death for his role in the production of sarin that was used in two deadly nerve gas attacks.
Masami Tsuchiya, 39, became the 11th Aum member to receive the death penalty.
He was the last remaining follower of Aum founder Shoko Asahara being tried before the district court. The court will hand down its ruling on Asahara on Feb. 27.
The court ruled that Tsuchiya conspired with Asahara and other senior cultists to carry out two sarin attacks and three VX gas attacks, and was involved in the illegal production of the hallucinogen PCP.
The judge said Tsuchiya deserves to die due to the cruelty of the two sarin attacks, which killed a combined 19 people in an indiscriminate manner.
The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 7, 2004 (C) All rights reserved
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