On March 20, 1995, members of Aum Shinrikyo, a doomsday cult led by self-proclaimed messiah Shoko Asahara, released sarin nerve gas into five Tokyo subway cars during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring nearly 6,000 in Japan's worst domestic terrorist attack. The cult had spent years planning chemical weapons attacks on perceived enemies before executing this coordinated assault that left the nation traumatized and exposed a hidden network of extremism operating in plain sight. Aum Shinrikyo began as a seemingly benign spiritual movement blending Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian beliefs but evolved into a violent doomsday cult after leader Shoko Asahara declared himself Jesus Christ and the Buddha reincarnated, demanding followers surrender all possessions and autonomy.