16 Jun 2012

Japanese cult figure arrested

5:40 am on 16 June 2012

Police in Japan have arrested the last fugitive of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, ending a 17-year manhunt.

Katsuya Takahashi is suspected of involvement in the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system that killed 13 people.

Police have verified his identity after detaining him near a cafe in Tokyo, the BBC reports.

A manhunt involving thousands of officers began last week after the suspect fled his home.

Mr Takahashi, 54, has been on the run since the attacks, which also injured 6000.

On Friday, police took him into custody near a comic book cafe in Tokyo, local media reported.

He is suspected of driving a fellow cult-member to a station to release the gas during the morning rush hour.

Another suspect, Naoko Kikuchi, was reportedly arrested two weeks ago.