Welcome to Cold War II

By Mary Kennedy
Shoko Asahara's Trial

September 1999. Explosions of apartment houses in Moscow killed almost 300 hundred people. This case will never be solved so the real people, who stay behind the September 11th 2001 terrorist attack in the US will never be revealed. Both of those terrorist acts have the same nature not only because in both cases were exploded buildings with civilians, but most of all because in both cases wars with the Chechnya or Iraq, places of proposed terrorists, became unavoidable. Undoubtedly there are many people who understand that such devastating cases created the perfect platform for some political actions which are usually based on the economical interests. The official investigations in both cases lose their credibility with time, when contradictory facts, speculation and evidences of alternative versions are refused to be examined by authorities. But what is obvious, that in both of those cases of terrorism there is a lack of ideological content.

The Gas attack in Tokyo underground in 1995 had no ideological content either, which leaves it open for any interpretation. As one analytic said: “In Japan there never were any precedents of anonymous unmotivated massacre. The Gas attack in Tokyo was an attempt of anonymous mass senseless murder of civilian people (passengers of the underground) with the using of a genocidal weapon (fighting gas Sarin). For the Japanese this way of action is unthinkable! Definitely the gas attacks in Tokyo were planned by people whose brains are in an absolutely different political “culture”. In which is the question?”

My attitude to this story from the beginning was that it must be clear for any bit of a logical person that such an attempt of Aum Shinrikyo to demonstrate power is useless and pointless. I would sooner think of expansion of the areas of political influences. I think we had enough lessons by now to be able to learn a few rules:

Terrorist attacks, which do not have a clear ideological content, a responsible organizer and are surrounded by mystery and gossips, are appearing when politicians become limited in their influence in some area or on some people.

To understand a purpose of terrorist attack, find the real political target. Who will be affected most of all by that attack?

Keep up with the Mass Media. Often repeated information in news is what was meant to be achieved.
Creation of public opinion by Mass Media and politician’s speeches is the necessary step in realisation of initial ideas.

However a few voices behind the chorus of shocking headlines can’t change the fully formed public attitude to this crime. Osamu Watanabe is the man of noble personality, who organized the defense of Shoko Asahara and was also the leader of the movement against the death penalty. In his book “Will You Lead a Better Life If You Put Asahara to Death?” he promulgated the sad facts for a civilized society:
“The outcome of the court has been predetermined prior to the beginning of court.”

Spanish philosopher-moralist Balthazar Garcia in the 17th century said: “Do not yield to the first impression. Do not fill your sense with the first impression, or your mind – with the first communication; this is the sign of the shallow depth. There are people with the quality of that kind of crockery which absorbs the smell of the first time filled in liquid – whichever it was fragrant or stinking. The bad thing is if others will learn about it, – that is what the treachery needs: ill-intentioned people will hurry to colour your trusting nature in their own colours. Let there always be a space for review of the opinion. Being at the mercy of the first impression is one step to a blind passion.”

Another problem about us, ordinary people, is that we have a short memory. Not that many people today remember about the announced goal of the American invasion in Iraq. No nuclear weapon was found, but thousands (not 12) of civilians were killed. We have short memories, we are able to forgive and forget the mistakes and sins of the past. But forgiveness and forgetting is probably the biggest mistake of our society today. This encourages the repetition of similar scenarios. The way of ruling the world using terrorism has become popular!

Asahara and his followers, along with the innocent civilians, who were killed or injured by Sarin gas, are victims in this story. The reputations of some Russian politicians were also affected.

In Ireland, as in most of European countries, Capital Punishment is revoked. Our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, giving his opinion on the Iraqi Court decision, described Saddam Hussein as a tyrant and murderer but said only God can take life. The spiritual leader of the East, the Dalai Lama, said about that: ‘I am against hanging. You cannot achieve anything by violent means. Everyone needs peace.’ In 2004 the Top Court in Japan sentenced to death Aum Shinrikyo’s founder, Shoko Asahara. March of this year is the time when Asahara must be executed.

2000 years ago Pilate asked the crowds, “What do you want me to do with Him?” and they replied, “Crucify Him!” I believe in the 21st century humanity must be able to overcame the ignorance of crowds, which combined with the lack of morals today can bring us to very frustrating results. My letter is the appeal to Japanese people: “Virtue is wisdom” – Socrates said. I appeal to everybody in your country and in the whole world – be virtuous, be wise.

M.Kennedy