considered largely defunct since the executions of its top echelons, including leader Shoko Asahara

BERLIN— The United States is poised to remove five extremist groups, all believed to be defunct, from its list of foreign terrorist organizations, including several that once posed significant threats, killing hundreds if not thousands of people across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.... Those include asset freezes and travel bans as well as a prohibition on any Americans providing the groups or their members with any material support.... U.S. officials familiar with the matter said the decis