Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"The scope of Ohm's operation required dozens. Their enemies list was staggeringly long. Put Nixon's to shame." — Marcus Parks
"We have the independent thought, they had the mind to put all of this shit together." — Ben Kissel
"By the end of 1994, Omshin Rikyo had a membership of over 30,000 in Russia. Three times their membership in Japan and recruiting scientists with nuclear know-how very easy to do." — Henry Zebrowski
This installment of "Last Podcast on the Left" continues its examination of the Om Shinrikyo cult, focusing on its aggressive expansion of global operations and its relentless pursuit of advanced weaponry between 1990 and 1994. The episode details how Shoko Asahara's paranoia and megalomania fueled a desire for world domination, leading the cult to sympathize with historical figures like Hitler and aspire to Nazi-like influence. Om Shinrikyo's enemies list grew to an immense size, encompassing the press, the Japanese government, and rival cults, with the United States also identified as a primary adversary. The cult actively propagated the narrative that the U.S. was spraying their compounds with biochemical weapons, a claim contradicted by their own unsanitary living conditions.
The cult's armament efforts extended far beyond biochemicals. They acquired a failing manufacturer, Okamura Arm Ironworks, and established a clandestine factory to produce AK-47s. This move demonstrated their ambition to arm their followers with conventional weapons, with a goal of producing 1,000 rifles and 1 million bullets by 1995. Furthermore, Om Shinrikyo developed chemical weapons, built a functioning rail gun, and manufactured TNT, showcasing a broad spectrum of weaponization. A significant focus was placed on acquiring nuclear capabilities, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which presented an opportunity to recruit former Soviet nuclear scientists and potentially access nuclear materials. Asahara's ventures into Russia were characterized by large-scale public spectacles, including presentations that evoked religious imagery and mass meditation, which were described as creating a state of mass hypnosis.
The episode highlights the cult's multifaceted approach to acquiring destructive capabilities, including efforts to obtain blueprints for laser weapons through interactions with Nobel laureate Nikolai Basov in Russia. They also tested their self-developed sarin gas on a flock of 29 sheep in Australia, resulting in their deaths. The cult's first deadly sarin gas attack occurred in Matsumoto, Japan, targeting judges involved in a land dispute case. This attack, though partially successful in injuring the judges, resulted in civilian casualties and demonstrated the cult's willingness to use chemical weapons against unsuspecting populations. The narrative further explores Om Shinrikyo's recruitment of former military personnel to form a paramilitary force known as the "Soldiers of White Love," training them for an anticipated "X-Day" and coup. Their connections extended to the Yakuza, facilitating the procurement of small arms and involvement in insurance fraud. The sheer scale of their operations, combined with their pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, positions Om Shinrikyo as a precursor to modern terrorist organizations like ISIS.