Aum Shinrikyo
(ahm shin rick ee oh) Religious cult founded by Shoko Asahara in 1986. Aum is a sacred Hindu symbol and Shinrikyo means “supreme truth." This cult, with a financial backing estimated to be US $1 billion at one time, had a long history of experimenting with and manufacturing WMD agents. In 2000, Asahara claimed to disband Aum Shinrikyo and formed a new cult called Adelph. At that time, he denounced the former cult’s activities.