Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 49
unpredictable‖ and terrorist acts might occur as a result of internal group dynamics.iii The
group‘s ultimate decision to strike a Tokyo subway system was as much an attack on
Japan‘s political culture as it was an act by a desperate group. In contrast, al Qaeda‘s
methodical planning and extensive preparation reflect an instrumental approach where the
act of terrorism is that of strategic choice advancing collective values. According to
Crenshaw, such an organization ultimately fails when the group is unable to reach its
political objectives or when the cost of conducting such terrorist acts exceeds any
foreseeable benefits.
Aum Shinrikyo
One of today‘s abiding fears is that 9/11 was only the first act of ―megaterrorism‖ and that
those that follow might use weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Authors such as Graham
Allison, Bruce Hoffman, Walter Laqueur, and others have written about the prospects of
such actions. In fact, Thomas Schelling in 1979 said:
Sometime in the 1980s an organization that is not a national government
may acquire a few nuclear weapons…. By ―organization‖ I mean a political
movement, a government in exile, a separatist or secessionist party, a
military rebellion, adventurers from the underground or the underworld, or
even some group of people merely bent on showing that it can be done.iv
Schelling‘s statement implies that distinctions exist among terrorist groups. If terrorist
groups are distinctive in their motives, it would stand to reason that in order to deter or
influence such organizations, one must also be able to isolate and differentiate the group‘s
goals and objectives from their rhetoric. For example, in comparing the Japanese terrorist
cult Aum Shinrikyo to al Qaeda, we find distinctions in orientation and ideology, yet both
have used religious extremism to serve ideological objectives.
Before the events of 9/11, Aum Shinrikyo unleashed fears of extreme terror with the release
of sarin gas in a Japanese subway in 1995. Led by a religious mystic, Shoko Asahara,
followers of the movement had come to believe that ―Armageddon will come at the end of
this century and…only a merciful, godly race will survive. The leader of this race will
emerge in Japan.‖v Asahara, characterized as a charismatic, highly ambitious individual,
methodically built a cult that, at its peak, reached 40,000 members worldwide with an
estimated 30,000 followers in Russia and other areas, including Australia, Sri Lanka, and
the United States.vi The group capitalized on millennial visions and apocalyptic predictions
to frame their group‘s doctrine, which was deeply influenced by the works of Nostradamus,
whose work serves as a cornerstone of the group‘s teachings.vii Aum‘s followers actively
recruited students and professionals in the fields of medicine, science, computers,
engineering, and other technical areas. Asahara‘s charisma and message seemed to have a
great appeal to many who felt alienated by the industrialized, secular, and conformist
aspects of Japanese society.viii
At its peak, it is estimated that Aum Shinrikyo‘s worth was as much as $1.5 billion.ix With
such great financial resources, Aum Shinrikyo invested capital to support high-tech, state-
of-the-art laboratories and funded its own research, circumventing restrictions normally
associated with larger corporate research laboratories.x In addition to collecting monies
through donations, tithing, and sales of religious materials, Aum conducted seminars and
courses in the cult‘s teachings, charging hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars to
participate in these sessions. In fact, Aum Shinrikyo diversified its enterprises by running a
chain of restaurants in Tokyo as well as a computer-manufacturing firm that assembled and
sold computers in Japan with parts imported from Taiwan.xi Other more surreptitious
practices included the manufacturing of illegal drugs, which was supported by the Japanese
mafia (the Yakuza) with a marketing agreement. Further, Aum engaged in a practice
referred to as ―green mail‖ where Aum would extort community leaders by threatening to
unpredictable‖ and terrorist acts might occur as a result of internal group dynamics.iii The
group‘s ultimate decision to strike a Tokyo subway system was as much an attack on
Japan‘s political culture as it was an act by a desperate group. In contrast, al Qaeda‘s
methodical planning and extensive preparation reflect an instrumental approach where the
act of terrorism is that of strategic choice advancing collective values. According to
Crenshaw, such an organization ultimately fails when the group is unable to reach its
political objectives or when the cost of conducting such terrorist acts exceeds any
foreseeable benefits.
Aum Shinrikyo
One of today‘s abiding fears is that 9/11 was only the first act of ―megaterrorism‖ and that
those that follow might use weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Authors such as Graham
Allison, Bruce Hoffman, Walter Laqueur, and others have written about the prospects of
such actions. In fact, Thomas Schelling in 1979 said:
Sometime in the 1980s an organization that is not a national government
may acquire a few nuclear weapons…. By ―organization‖ I mean a political
movement, a government in exile, a separatist or secessionist party, a
military rebellion, adventurers from the underground or the underworld, or
even some group of people merely bent on showing that it can be done.iv
Schelling‘s statement implies that distinctions exist among terrorist groups. If terrorist
groups are distinctive in their motives, it would stand to reason that in order to deter or
influence such organizations, one must also be able to isolate and differentiate the group‘s
goals and objectives from their rhetoric. For example, in comparing the Japanese terrorist
cult Aum Shinrikyo to al Qaeda, we find distinctions in orientation and ideology, yet both
have used religious extremism to serve ideological objectives.
Before the events of 9/11, Aum Shinrikyo unleashed fears of extreme terror with the release
of sarin gas in a Japanese subway in 1995. Led by a religious mystic, Shoko Asahara,
followers of the movement had come to believe that ―Armageddon will come at the end of
this century and…only a merciful, godly race will survive. The leader of this race will
emerge in Japan.‖v Asahara, characterized as a charismatic, highly ambitious individual,
methodically built a cult that, at its peak, reached 40,000 members worldwide with an
estimated 30,000 followers in Russia and other areas, including Australia, Sri Lanka, and
the United States.vi The group capitalized on millennial visions and apocalyptic predictions
to frame their group‘s doctrine, which was deeply influenced by the works of Nostradamus,
whose work serves as a cornerstone of the group‘s teachings.vii Aum‘s followers actively
recruited students and professionals in the fields of medicine, science, computers,
engineering, and other technical areas. Asahara‘s charisma and message seemed to have a
great appeal to many who felt alienated by the industrialized, secular, and conformist
aspects of Japanese society.viii
At its peak, it is estimated that Aum Shinrikyo‘s worth was as much as $1.5 billion.ix With
such great financial resources, Aum Shinrikyo invested capital to support high-tech, state-
of-the-art laboratories and funded its own research, circumventing restrictions normally
associated with larger corporate research laboratories.x In addition to collecting monies
through donations, tithing, and sales of religious materials, Aum conducted seminars and
courses in the cult‘s teachings, charging hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars to
participate in these sessions. In fact, Aum Shinrikyo diversified its enterprises by running a
chain of restaurants in Tokyo as well as a computer-manufacturing firm that assembled and
sold computers in Japan with parts imported from Taiwan.xi Other more surreptitious
practices included the manufacturing of illegal drugs, which was supported by the Japanese
mafia (the Yakuza) with a marketing agreement. Further, Aum engaged in a practice
referred to as ―green mail‖ where Aum would extort community leaders by threatening to
