Shoko Asahara

Despite a police crackdown, the cult has regrouped under a new name, Aleph. It has about 1,000 members and remains under surveillance by the Public Security Intelligence Agency.

Between March 1995 and January this year, police arrested 450 people over the attack. Of those, 120 rejoined Aleph, including 10 who were allegedly involved in serious crimes such as manufacturing illegal guns and helping build the plant to produce sarin, the Mainichi Shimbun said, citing a security agency investigation.

Upon re-entering the cult, some were promoted to higher ranks for "carrying out (the group's) beliefs and accumulating good deeds," the Mainichi said, quoting an unidentified agency official.

On Feb. 16, the agency raided 11 offices and exercise halls run by the cult across the nation ahead of the Feb. 27 judgment against cult founder Shoko Asahara.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 21, 2004
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