| Abstract: | In March 1995 the Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo conducted a well-timed and coordinated nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. This represented the first use of such a weapon by a nonstate group and sent shock waves around the world. The shock came not least because the attack had been completely unexpected despite years of theorizing and literature discussing just such a possibility. The purpose of this article is to address the broad issue of terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction as it applies to Aum Shinrikyo, and within this context to critically analyze the three books listed above. Each offers a different look at Aum in terms of the group itself and of what lessons might be drawn from this new and frightening development in "terrorist" violence. |
