I've been in contact with the fellow using the Shigeo Kifuji alias.
His take on the situation is as follows:
>As for the source of files, to tell the truth, I am a former official
of PSIA and a trainee of CIA's Intelligence Analysis
Course. Therefore, related agencies must have already identified me.
>My intention is just simple. I want to emphasize that PSIA is
completely collapsed and should be abolished immediately. However, I
have nothing to do with AUM or any other anti-government groups.
-Declan
On Fri, Jul 21, 2000 at 06:44:34PM -0700, Kristen Tsolis wrote:
> (this is long, but IMNSHO, worth the read)
>
> What's missing from this thread is a discussion re:why someone sent the
> Japanese PSIA employee list to JYA.
>
> Please note that Shigeo Kifuji is the head of the Public Security
> Investigation Agency, or the PSIA. Obviously, he is not the person who has
> been in contact with JYA or the person who posted the document to
> alt.security.espionage.
>
> The PSIA has been called an agency without a cause. The Agency was formed in
> 1952 to keep track of communist activity in Japan, but it seemingly has had
> little utility and has been accused of keeping too close of a watch on
> Japanese citizens. In 1997, the Japanese government decided to trim the
> ranks of the PSIA.
>
> The Agency came under a lot of heat back in 1997 when they tried (but
> failed) to apply the Antisubversive Activities Law to the Aum Shinrikyo
> cult. Since there was no clear danger of further subversive activity by Aum
> (they we hemorrhaging members and losing much of their
> financial base at that point), a higher commission refused to apply the law.
>
> Had the law been exercised, the entire Aum cult would have been forced to
> disband.
>
> Aum Shinrikyo, now called 'Aleph', has since regrouped and has prospered
> from numerous commercial ventures including a nation-wide chain of
> Fry's-like electronics stores. The general consensus in Japan is that Aleph
> is becoming a renewed threat (though I'm honestly not exactly sure why this
> is).
>
> This past year, The PSIA was given new powers to track Aum Shinrikyo. A
> newly passed law:
>
> 1) allows the PSIA to conduct on-site investigations
> 2) compels Aum to report names of executives, followers, addresses of
> facilities, and assets to the PSIA.
> 3) requires Aum to report who maintains and updates their website.
>
> Amnesty International expressed concern regarding this legislation in its
> annual report published last month.
>
> Granted Aum carried out terrorist activity (and this was *not* activity
> protesting gov't actions against the cult--this was simply action to
> accelerate Armageddon), the community at large did not treat them very well.
> After the Tokyo gas scare, I was shocked to find that some districts were
> not letting Aum children attend public schools. Some mayors refused to let
> Aum believers register themselves in their towns, and some Aum followers
> were chased out of their own neighborhoods. Some banks refused to let them
> open bank accounts. It was all highly reminiscent of 'The Crucible'.
>
> What does this have to do with JYA and the PSIA employee list?
>
> In my analysis, quite a lot. The PSIA list poster clearly stated
> his/her/their displeasure with the nature of the Aum cult's treatment for
> one. In addition, the Aum trials have finally winded their way to verdicts.
> On July 17th, two Aum members were sentenced to death
> for their roles in the 1995 Tokyo subway gas attack, so I wouldn't be
> surprised if the verdict and the posting are linked. This is also a timely
> moment as the G-8 is presently meeting in Japan.
>
> I am not an apologist for Aum. They have kidnapped and murdered numerous
> people. They tried to get a sample of the Ebola virus, possibly to use in
> lieu of sarin gas. They broke into private commercial facilities to steal
> technical documents. They gassed
> a few subway cars of people to draw attention to what they hoped would be
> the coming Armageddon. They were largely left alone before the Tokyo
> incident. Their actions are not defendable.
>
> But that does not necessarily warrant the wide-scale surveillance of all Aum
> members or the activities of the PSIA.
>
> 'just thought I'd put this into context.
>
> -Kristen
>
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> Kristen Tsolis
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Fingerprint: F0E6 30D7 ED82 1BE4 8C31 8219 4636 9186 66E4 8623
>
>
>
