Founder of Group “Similar” to Aum Shinrikyo Arrested in Russia

Novosibirsk, 24 September: Konstantin Rudnev, the founder of the Ashram Shamballa organization of a religious orientation [untraced, although both elements of the name are encountered in relation to Asian religions], has been detained in Novosibirsk Region, the press service of the Russian Interior Ministry’s main administration for the Siberian Federal District told RIA Novosti on Friday [24 September].

Ashram Shamballa’s activities are clearly aimed against society, the press service said, which was why it had been outlawed. Criminal proceedings against its leaders date back to 1999.

Ashram Shamballa, the press service went on to say, is spiritually similar to the Japanese extremist sect Aum Shinrikyo, which in 1995 perpetrated a terrorist outrage in the Tokyo underground.

According to some information, which is now being checked, Ashram Shamballa was founded at the end of the 1980s or the beginning of the 1990s. The law-enforcement agencies have as yet been unable to determine the precise number of its members.

Ashram Shamballa, which has also had other names, used various locations to hold gatherings at which psychological pressure was exerted with the result that, without realizing it, many would give away all their possessions.

Read Another Article

Yellow shirts come in peace, but they’ll kick your butt
Police Conduct Search Over Former AUM Member’s Mysterious Death

Related News Articles Topic(s): Ashram Shambala Related Tags / Keywords: Konstantin Rudnev Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Ashram Shambala Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Russian cult leader to stay in custody until after New Year’s Jail-dodging “sex guru” arrested Konstantin Rudnev, leader of major Russian sect detained in Siberia Russian City Bans Esoteric Sect Post-Soviet Sects Attract Minds and Rubles

Search Religion News Blog