Tomomitsu Niimi, the main henchman in Aum Shinrikyo's...

Tomomitsu Niimi, the main henchman in Aum Shinrikyo's killing spree during the mid-1990s, was sentenced to death for the murders of 26 individuals.
The Tokyo District Court convicted Niimi on 26 counts of murder in 11 separate cases. His indictment count was second only to that of cult founder Chizuo Matsumoto in Aum-related cases. Presiding Judge Yujiro Nakatani said the death sentence was the only suitable punishment since Niimi, 38, had been actively involved in all the cases brought against him
"The series of incidents was an unprecedented crime in which rampant terrorist acts were repeated," Nakatani said in his ruling.
"The defendant was involved in the most heinous part of that crime. The despicable nature and the important role he played completely outweighs all extenuating circumstances."
Niimi is the eighth Aum member sentenced to die. His defence lawyers filed an appeal after the verdict. Niimi was involved in all seven known Aum incidents that led to deaths, including the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system on March 20, 1995, that killed 12, and a sarin assault in 1994 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, that left seven dead.
He was also convicted of murdering anti-Aum lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto and his family, as well as "disobedient" cult members. The court also criticized Niimi for showing no signs of remorse.
"He deeply scarred the emotions of the bereaved family members by rejecting all stances of remorse and ridiculing the victims by speaking obstinately with self-righteous excuses," the ruling said. Defence lawyers had argued that the cult was planning an armed revolution to create a "utopia" under the leadership of Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara.
They argued that Niimi's life should be spared because his acts were part of an insurrection concocted solely by the cult leader. However, the court rejected that argument and said each charge constituted an independent crime with separate motives.