Whipping up enthusiasm

by Feòrag

Japan: Five members of the Panawave Laboratory sect have been arrested in connection with the death of a member who was allegedly beaten to death last August. According to the police, beating members is a regular practice of the group, which believes it helps to raise spirits and had compiled an instruction manual on how to do it.

The police also found that there was a hierarchy in the group, and Fujimori and the other suspects played various roles, with some ordering beatings and others carrying them out.

The police will investigate who compiled the manual and also probe the structure of the group and whether punishment beatings were routine.

5 held over Pana Wave HQ death - Daily Yomiuri, 5th December 2003; Police: Pana Wave wrote manual on how to beat members - Daily Yomiuri, 6th December 2003; Flagellation brought up to date. - The Pagan Prattle Online, 11th August 2003.