NationStates Jolt Archive

NEWS BULLETIN *** LATE BREAKING NEWS *** NEWS BULLETIN

Hello and welcome to CMNC Latenight.

The population of Mattikistan was shocked tonight to realise that not even they are invulnerable when it comes to crime and possibly terrorism.

MattSoft is one of the most prominent software development companies in the Confederacy, responsible for widely-used software applications such as 'MattSoft Bindows 5 -- Flip Lid Edition', 'Internet Exploder 2004', and the popular office-orientated software package 'MattSoft Crappice XP'. Given the location of their previous headquarters (on the outskirts of the city), MattSoft recently completed and opened its brand-new headquarters. Built on the site of an older building near the centre of Mattikistan City, it was 35 storeys high and was fully automated, demonstrating some of the most advanced technology currently on the market. Despite a few teething problems, described as 'Gremlins' by some engineers, the building has been a resounding success amongst MattSoft employees, tourists and engineering specialists alike.

In a totally unexpected turn of events, the security control office of the MattSoft Building received an alarming telephone call from a man claiming to belong to an organisation which called itself the 'Resurrection of the Five'. He informed the elderly security guard that a powerful home-made explosive had been planted at the base of a key support structure of the building, and that it was to be set off as a demonstration to all. He then hung up, and the stunned guard immediately called the Confederacy Police Department for advice.

Twenty minutes later, a motley bomb disposal team had been assembled and dispatched to the area, and the entire block was sealed off to the public. A bomb was found, though it was crudely made and failed to go off. The police report states, "had the bomb detonated, only minor damage would have been inflicted on the building. It was a concoction of basic household goods that would have produced a minimal explosion at best. However, as a key support structure, substantial maintenance would have been necessary to bring it back up to specs, and the entire building and surrounding buildings shut down for at least a month in compliance with safety regulations. Although the MattSoft Building would have remained, substantial financial damage would have been inflicted on the main business district of Mattikistan City".

"No I wasn't scared," the security guard told CMNC reporter Sally Jones. "I'm getting on a bit, you see. Death is something I've had to... oh, the bomb. Well, as soon as that good-for-nothing kid hung up, I immediately called the cops, and evacuated the building. I hope they catch that lousy, no-good pimply..."

A detailed police investigation is underway regarding this incident, who the 'Resurrection of the Five' could be, and methods to prevent this from happening in the future. It had always been believed that progressive social policies, excellent educational facilities, and limited poverty had secured Mattikistan's position as a crime-free state. Whether this is an individual or a terrorist organisation is still unclear and part of the investigation, but it has already prompted analysis of various aspects of society in general.

From the desk of War Minister Henri West,
The Holy Empire of Elafo Sanchez would like to volunteer any and all of our resources to help you find such criminals.

The Confederacy appreciates your offer, but for the moment we believe that bringing in foreign aid would worsen the situation by creating panic. This could be the actions of a 15 year old child out for a laugh, or it could be the prelude to a serious threat. But until we are certain, we should not cause undue stress to the people. Think about it from their perspective for a moment; you hear of a single bomb threat, and then you see that the government feels it necessary to enlist the aid of other nations, as though the threat is so large they cannot deal with it alone. The last recored murder in Mattikistan was over three years ago; the people do not know how to cope very well with crime at the best of times. For the moment, we would like to keep this small, at least in appearence. Thank you for your offer, we shall bear it in mind.

Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Confederacy of Mattikistan

Hello and welcome to CMNC Latenight.

Earlier today a police-organised press conference unveiled some startling findings in regards to last week's bomb threat. After conducting extensive investigations with numerous undercover operations in what was essentially the largest police operation in a century, the Chief of Police in Denoria had this to say:

[Cut to middle-aged, moustached man with chin stubble, standing in front of a microphone with a blue background, camera flashes lighting him up frequently]

"After some extensive searches, infiltration operations and investigations, we have found the perpetrators of last week's act of barbarism. An underground movement known as the 'Resurrection of the Five' was responsible for constructing and planting the bomb, and issuing the telephone threat.

According to our sources, this organisation comprises anywhere between 50 - 200 members spread across Denoria and parts of neighbouring Melkorius. Their main aims are political; they hope to destabilise the Confederacy and re-establish the state of perpetual war which used to exist between our five regions.

As yet though, we do not think they pose a serious threat. So far, they have been unable to circumvent our universal ban on weapons, and their bomb-making efforts are crude at best -- as demonstrated last week. In any case, there's no such thing as being too cautious and so we have stepped up police coverage at all likely targets, especially those historical monuments that commemorate the signing of the Articles of Confederacy, and the Halls of Confederacy where said Articles are stored in their original form. Major corporate headquarters have also been covered but to lesser degrees, though they have all hired additional security guards of their own to compensate. We urge all citizens to go about their normal business, and assure you that we will have this situation dealt with promptly."

[Cut back to newsroom]

The Minister for Domestic Safety backed up the Chief's statements, and added, "nothing shall be allowed to disturb the peace we have enjoyed for centuries". A major police operation is thought to be planned to tackle the terrorists, though for obvious reasons there have been no confirmations. We shall have more news on this as it develops.

And now the weather...