One of the most notorious religious terrorists is not a Muslim, but actually a sci-fi influenced Buddhist called Shoko Asahara, who founded his own doomsday cult which carried out sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway, killing 12 and causing suffering to many more. He is still on death row.
During my first stay in Japan back in the early 90s, I was in the Shibuya area of Tokyo when I saw him in person. He was standing on top of a truck, campaigning in some Tokyo election. As he harangued passers-by through a PA system, his supporters, dressed in white judo suits and wearing plastic elephant-shaped hats, handed out pamphlets extolling the benefits of voting for an apocalyptic Buddhist party with a surfeit of skilled chemists.
I was delighted by what looked like a colourful local variety of democracy, and, having my camera with me, decided that it might be worth a few shots. As I took my pictures, Aum Shinrikyo staff smiled and waved at me. I of course smiled and waved back.
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