Holy Terror: Armageddon in Tokyo | D. W. Brackett

Holy Terror: Armageddon in Tokyo | D. W. Brackett | The "supreme truth" about Aum's ambitions

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	Holy Terror: Armageddon in Tokyo D. W. Brackett Weatherhill, 1996 - 206 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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On March 20, 1995, a sarin gas attack in the subways of rush-hour Tokyo killed 12 people and seriously injured 5000 others. The Japanese police identified the perpetrator as a small religious group called Aum Shinri Kyo, or the Aum Divine Truth Sect. Searches of Aum compounds around Japan, arrests and confessions of members, and a rising pile of evidence of the manufacture of chemical weapons by the group led to the arrest of Asanhana, the sect's guru leader, who was put on trial for murder. This study provides an account of the first terrorist attack in Japan directed at civilians and also offers analysis and interpretation based on the author's knowledge of Japan and new Japanese religions.

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Stands Out in a Crowded Field

I bought this book in 1997 as research material for a report I did for a federal agency on terrorist threat groups. One of the things that stood out for me when I reviewed it recently for a different project was the authors focus on the critical details of Aum's operations. Author Brackett places less emphasis on the splashy and sensational (though there is plenty of that) than on a practical review of the groups structure, facilities and leadership. Brackett's background in intelligence and journalism are readily apparent by his use of graphics to assist his narrative. These graphics include: Maps and diagrams of the cult's Mt. Fuji compound, detailed "crime scene" photos of the locations of cult attacks, descriptive graphics of the cult's spiritual beliefs and internal hierarchy, as well as large collection of pictures of the participants and victims of this cult's wave of terror.

Outstanding

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The "supreme truth" about Aum's ambitions

This is a thorough, readable, and not overly-sensational analysis of Aum, and an excellent starting point to learning about the sect. The author uses a combination of narrative recreations of individuals' experiences and scholarly descriptions of information. It covers the life of Shoko Asahara, the growth and structure of Aum Shinri Kyo, their brainwashing techniques, their legal battles, their theology, astonishing detail on Aums' various attacks, and the ultimate goals of Asahara's arms program. It goes beyond the sarin attack everyone knows about and details Aum's attempts to acquire nuclear weapons, mass produce assault firearms, topple the Japanese government and initiate an apocalyptic world war. As horrible as Aum's attacks were, if events had played out differently, giving them more time, things could have been far worse.

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