Citing suspicions of murder in a wayward disciple's death, police Monday arrested the wife of the guru whose doomsday cult is accused in the Tokyo subway nerve gas attack.
Tomoko Matsumoto, Shoko Asahara's wife, was taken into custody at the cult's compound at the base of Mount Fuji, police said.Authorities suspect Matsumoto, herself a leading figure in the Aum Shinri Kyo cult, consented to and was present at the January 1994 strangling of cult member Kotaru Ochida, who had tried to escape.
Asahara has been charged with murder in the attacks on Tokyo's subways and faces additional charges in Ochida's death. Earlier this month, he reportedly acknowledged being present when Ochida was killed, but did not admit to ordering his death.
He has denied any role in the March 20 subway attack.