Shinzo Abe assassination: As investigations into the murder of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe intensify, local media on Monday revealed the suspect behind the killing checked YouTube while he prepared the firearm used in the attack. Tetsuya Yamagami, the gunman who is now in custody, said he tested a homemade gun at a facility connected to a religious group he harboured a grudge against, the local media reported.
Yamagami further said his mother made a "huge donation" to the organisation, which he believes Abe was associated.
During searches at Yamagami's home following Abe's assassination, the police found items that are believed to be explosives and multiple homemade guns. These are similar to the one used to kill Abe.
Nara prefectural police said it appears that the suspect checked YouTube ahead of the attack in repeated attempts to make firearms.
The gun Yamagami made to shoot Abe was "designed to fire six projectiles at a time," sources said. The weapon was composed of two metal pipes held together with tape and employing projectiles placed in small plastic shells fired from both barrels.
It was similar to a shotgun, they said.
Suspect Tetsuya Yamagami holds a weapon, as he is detained near the site of gunshots in Nara, western Japan
The sources also said that multiple wooden boards, measuring around 1 square meter each, with holes apparently made during weapon testing were found in Yamagami's car.
The suspect has said an aluminum-covered tray found in the vehicle was used to dry gunpowder, according to the sources.
Yamagami was also quoted as saying he had attempted to make a bomb and he appears to have gone through a process of trial and error to produce such a device, the local media reported.
How Shinzo Abe was shot dead during a campaign speech
Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City, in western Japan shot Abe while he was delivering a campaign speech on Friday.
The man denied that he committed the crime because he was opposed to Abe's political beliefs, according to the police.
The police said that Abe died from blood loss. The police also said that the autopsy determined that there were two gunshot wounds, on his upper left arm and neck.
Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons.
He was prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida.
(With inputs from ANI)
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