[Baranxtu]

March 19th, 2010

Fourth Letter Bomb Defused

Ān-Baranxiź (ĀB) ? A letter bomb was intercepted at the Feder Mail Provincial Center Ān-Baranxiź yesterday afternoon. According to a spokesperson of the Baranxtu Federal Mail, a suspicious envelope was detected at the beginning of the afternoon shift and police were alerted, who subsequently defused the bomb and took it in for further investigation.

It is widely suspected that this bomb is fourth in a letter bomb series which started earlier this month in Anier (?) when Nihauka Deonsale, 52, sustained minor injuries on March 5th after opening an envelope containing an explosive device mailed to her from an anonymous source. Deonsale is a professor of Anier University, prominent for her studies of and contributions to constitutional law. She was integral to the drafting of the new constitution.
Four days later, member of parliament Ravran Seradi, 31, was seriously injured by a device of similar construction. He represents the district of Northern Itokśe (IZ).
A third explosive was intercepted just this week at the Federal Mail Regional Center Eastern Halaora, targeting Sũni Mahtan, mayor of Xanai.

The Federal Mail had subsequently raised its alertness status in cooperation with the federal police and announced that mail services may experience a slight to medium delay. Investigations into the crimes, believed to be connected, are ongoing.

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March 26th, 2010

Letter Bomb Investigation Obstructed

Phip (AB) ? Regarding the recent series of letter bombings, the federal police have been able to trace all six letter bombs mailed this month to the province of Abasina. Further investigation, however, has apparently been hindered by bureaucratic obstacles.

Governor of Abasina Ansil Phantimni has voiced his displeasure with Kīra Sḗhatita and ?ḍḍari Aoḍḍeti, deputies of Akērmēyē and Lamaŋra. According to Phantimni, both have shown little cooperation in letting federal police access data and information believed important to the investigation of the crimes which have so far injured 3.

Aoḍḍeti was not available for comment, but a spokesperson of the government of the autonomous community of Abasina-Akērmēyē stated that Phantimni's allegations were unfounded and that Sḗhatita and all members of the executive were willing to cooperate, but that they "want to ensure the protection of the civil rights of the Baranxitśan community."

Although no official details were given, it has been reported that authorities in both autonomous communities of Abasina refused to give police access to post office surveillance tapes and other data. In order to demand access to them from an autonomous community, the federal police would need a warrant issued by one of the Supreme Courts of the Federation. No one involved in the investigation has stated whether this option is currently being considered.

Meanwhile, the condition of Heaketni Sapaoke, 27, a policeman from Akare (KI), remains critical, but stable. He is the latest victim of the letter bomb series. He received serious injuries to his hands, chest and face on March 17th. In response, the Federal Mail has announced that all mail will experience a significant delay due to the extensive screening imposed.

[Baranxtu]

April 5th, 2010

Federal Court Dismisses Akērmēyē and Lamaŋra

Ān-Baranxiź (ĀB) ? The Federal Court of Baranxtu has dismissed the joint expedited petition to halt the execution of a federal warrant by the autonomous communities of Abasina-Akērmēyē and Abasina-Lamaŋra.

The community deputies, Kīra Sḗhatita and ?ḍḍari Aoḍḍeti, appealed the warrant on the grounds that it was an unwarranted invasion of the privacy and identity of the Abasinan-Baranxtiman people. The Federal Police now has access to security tapes and other information kept by locally run post offices, needed for the investigation into the recent series of letter bombs.

Both the police and the governor of Abasina, Ansil Phantimni, have criticized the behavior of the governments of the autonomous communities as being uncooperative and potentially endangering the Baranxtuan public.

In response to the dismissals, approximately twenty thousand people gathered in front of federal buildings throughout the two Abasinan autonomous communities to protest the Federal Court's decision. Police reported minor disruptive behavior, but no vandalism or violence. Reactions in the rest of Baranxtu have so far been mostly midly supportive or indifferent.

Both Sḗhatita and Aoḍḍeti announced plans to demand a revision of the case by the Federal Constitutional Court.

Meanwhile, the letter bomb series appears to have subsided for now. Since March 5th, five people have beeninjured by three bombs, a further twelve bombs have been intercepted and safely disarmed.

[Baranxtu]

April 8th, 2010

Police Make Arrests in Letter Bomb Case

Ān-Baranxiź (ĀB) ? The Federal Police have announced that three men and two women have been arrested in connection with the letter bomb series that has shocked the nation over the past five weeks. According to a police spokesperson, the arrests were made possible after security tapes were obtained from local offices of the Abasina Post.

All five 'persons of interest' are residents of Abasina. Police have further stated that they are suspected of having links to an unnamed subversive organisation of Abasinan-Baranxtiman right-wingers.

As a response, protests in the capitals of the Abasinan autonomous communities were organized. At a rally in Lamaŋra attended by about 2400 protesters, organizer Māṭa Vēṣṣ?ta called the arrests 'ethnically motivated' and urged people not to accept the alleged abuse of power by the government. According to witnesses of the protest, some members of the crowd shouted anti-state slogans and called for a renewal of resistance against the federation.

Meanwhile, the Federal Mail has announced that normal operations will soon be resumed, but until the middle of next week, further delays in mail delivery have to be expected. Furthermore, CEO ?nniki Mattalan is seeking to have the mail services of Akērmēyē and Lamaŋra put under direct control of the Federal Mail.