The Minmatar Republic Parliament late last week tasked the Republic Security Services, the Republic's intelligence arm, with hunting down an organization known as the "Bloody Hands of Matar." The order was issued as a direct result of the Bloody Hands' bombing of an Egbonbet space station on the 23rd of May, an act which took the lives of 42 people, among them Faulk Stian, an Ammatar consulate ambassador attending peace talks being held between the Ammatar Mandate and the Minmatar Republic.
Adrand Allsvert, Head of the RSS, at a press conference last week claimed that Republic forces would "hunt down and remove this illness that has pervaded our nation. There will be no refuge for these terrorists, no place they can run and hide. The have murdered their own and plunged talks of peace into despair. We will come down upon them heavily."
It had been previously believed that this organization, despite having publicly displayed anti-government sentiments on a number of occasions, did not pose a distinct security threat. They were viewed simply as angry youths following an ideological example set by certain capsuleer organizations, most notably the Ushra'Khan. The explosion on the Republic Parliament station in Egbonbet has catapulted them into the spotlight, with many experts expressing disbelief at their ability to organize such an act.
The RSS's crackdown is already under way. Two days ago, the members of an organization known as the "Voices of Matar" were arrested in a large-scale operation and brought in for questioning. They are still being held under charges of suspected ties to the Bloody Hand terrorists. A number of other raids have been reported across the Republic, but the RSS has yet to release a statement pertaining to the results of its continuing investigation, stating only that "inquiries are continuing apace."
The Ammatar Mandate, for its part, released a statement yesterday proclaiming that "the Mandate remains shocked, saddened and angry over the death of our esteemed consulate member, Faulk Stian. A proud and accomplished diplomat, ever faithful to God, he did not deserve such an end. While it seems that the Republic was not directly responsible for the attack, their inability to provide adequate security to deter such an atrocity leaves us with a bitter taste. We would see these Bloody Hands brought to justice and made to pay for their crimes. When this is done, perhaps the Mandate can forgive and resume talks with the tribes."