Residents demand dissolution of Aum cult facility

Residents in Tokyo's Adachi Ward took to the streets on Saturday to demand the dissolution of the religious group Aleph, renamed from Aum Shinrikyo.

About 50 members of the cult are living in one building, which is believed to be its largest facility.

About 200 people living nearby marched about 2 kilometers around the facility.

They then read out a letter of protest in front of the building.

The letter read that the cult should sell the building, use the proceeds to compensate victims of the series of crimes that it committed, and dissolve.

Aleph has been under surveillance because Aum Shinrikyo carried out indiscriminate murder.

Residents visited the Justice Ministry last month to submit about 250 thousand signatures they collected to demand the extension of the period of surveillance, which is due to expire in January.

The head of the residents' group, Yoichi Saito, says the concerns will continue as long as the cult's facility exists.

He said they will continue to demand its dissolution.

Saturday, November 05, 2011 22:23 +0900 (JST)