In the marathon trial of Aum Shinrikyo cult leader Chizuo Matsumoto (also known as Shoko Asahara) at the Tokyo District Court, prosecutors on Thursday demanded the death penalty. "The accused promoted teachings that even approved of murder," they said in a closing argument. "He planned and ordered indiscriminate mass killings."

The request for capital punishment comes as no surprise. Matsumoto, the 48-year-old founder of Aum Shinrikyo, stands accused of murder and other felonies in 13 cases, including the sarin nerve gas attacks in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, in 1994 and in a Tokyo subway in 1995. In all, 27 people were killed and more than 4,000 injured. Many of the survivors continue to suffer various aftereffects.

This is one of the most extraordinary criminal trials ever, not only because the crimes were "systematic, premeditated and inhuman" but also because of the anomalous proceedings. Since the trial began seven years ago, 254 court sessions have been held, but the whole truth about the doomsday cult and its inscrutable leader has yet to be unraveled. Matsumoto remained silent during most of his appearances, refusing to answer questions from the prosecutors.