TOKYO, June 12 (Kyodo) - Prosecutors said Tuesday they have appealed to the Tokyo High Court the life sentence given to Noboru Nakamura, a former member of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, demanding he be punished with the death penalty for his role in a series of crimes.
On May 30, the Tokyo District Court sentenced Nakamura, 34, to life imprisonment for his involvement in four incidents, including the 1994 sarin gas attack that killed seven people in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture.
The prosecutors have demanded the death penalty, saying it is impossible for Nakamura to be rehabilitated.
According to the district court ruling, Nakamura conspired with Shoko Asahara, 46, the AUM founder whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, and served as a lookout in the gas attack June 27, 1994, while other AUM members released the gas.
Nakamura was also involved in abducting and killing an AUM follower's 68-year-old relative in 1995 and conspired to kill a 27-year-old AUM member in 1994. He took part in the construction of a sarin production plant as well, the ruling said.
AP-NY-06-12-01 0512EDT
Copyright 2001 The Kyodo News Service.