sources on the investigation team tell nhk hirata denied any involvement in the attack, which seriously injured the national police agency chief. hirata was quoted as saying the allegation made him too scared to surrender. police arrested the 46-year-old after he turned himself in on saturday. he's suspected of abducting and fatally drugging a notary in 1995. police sent him to prosecutors on monday. nhk sources say hirata admitted he drove the vehicle used to kidnap the 68-year-old notary, but he insisted he only learned of the man's death later. they also say the ex-cult member denied his surrender was intended to delay the execution of the aum founder shoko asahara. asahara, whose real name is chizuo matsumoto, is awaiting the death penalty for his involvement in a series of the cult's crimes, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the tokyo subway system. a lawyer who spoke with hirata after his arrest says it appears the man is no longer under the cult's spell. >> translator: hirata believes matsumoto deserves to die. he no longer believes in aum's teachings. >> before hirata's cap

sources on the investigation team tell nhk hirata denied any involvement in the attack, which seriously injured the national police agency chief. hirata was quoted as saying the allegation made him too scared to surrender. police arrested the 46-year-old after he turned himself in on saturday. he's suspected of abducting and fatally drugging a notary in 1995. police sent him to prosecutors on monday. nhk sources say hirata admitted he drove the vehicle used to kidnap the 68-year-old notary, but he insisted he only learned of the man's death later. they also say the ex-cult member denied his surrender was intended to delay the execution of the aum founder shoko asahara. asahara, whose real name is chizuo matsumoto, is awaiting the death penalty for his involvement in a series of the cult's crimes, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the tokyo subway system. a lawyer who spoke with hirata after his arrest says it appears the man is no longer under the cult's spell. >> translator: hirata believes matsumoto deserves to die. he no longer believes in aum's teachings. >> before hirata's cap

sources on the investigation team tell nhk hirata denied any involvement in the attack. which seriously injured the national police agency chief. hirata was quoted as saying the allegation made him too scared to surrender. police arrested the 46-year-old after he turned himself in on saturday. he suspected of abducting and fatally drugging a notary in 1995. police sent him to prosecutors on monday. nhk sources say hirata admitted he drove the vehicle used to kidnap the 68-year-old notary, but he insisted he only learned of the man's death later. they also say the ex-cult member denied his surrender was intend dodd delay the execution of the om founder, asahara whose real name is matsumoto is awaiting the death penalty for a gas attack on the tokyo subway system. a lawyer said it appears the man is no longer under the cult's spell. >> translator: hirata believes that matsumoto deserves to die and no longer beliefs in om's teaching. >> before hirata's surrender, 189 cult members faced prosecution over a 16-year period, along with matsumoto, 12 people are facing the death pe