One-time Aum Shinrikyo lawyer Yoshinobu Aoyama testified as a prosecution witness March 12 in the trial of Aum founder Shoko Asahara, claiming he never considered Tsutsumi Sakamoto, an anti-Aum lawyer believed murdered by cultists, an obstacle to Aum.

Aoyama said he had no idea why Sakamoto, his wife and 1-year-old son were killed on Nov. 4, 1989. Asahara stands accused of ordering six cultists to carry out the killings. The guru's defense lawyers questioned Aoyama's earlier testimony that he, along with senior cultists Fumihiro Joyu and Kiyohide Hayakawa, met with Sakamoto on Oct. 31, 1989, and discussed complaints from the parents of some Aum followers in an amicable atmosphere. The parents had sought Sakamoto's help in getting their offspring out of the cult.

The lawyers cited testimony by Hayakawa that the meeting failed and to continue speaking with Sakamoto seemed difficult. "I cannot understand it," said Aoyama, 37, referring to Aum's alleged role in the slaying. He reiterated that he had believed many Aum parents would come to understand the cult and its activities. Therefore, he believed Sakamoto would not pose a threat to Aum, he said.

In their opening statement, prosecutors said that after Aum failed in an attempt to persuade Sakamoto to stop his action against the cult and end his criticism of its rules and rituals, Asahara decided to have him murdered.

Asahara's lawyers asked Aoyama his opinion about the plot. "Judging from what I had experienced, I have no idea why Aum was involved in the slaying," Aoyama claimed. "I cannot understand (the reason). That's all."