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Nokanawa Four confirmed as spies
The police's investigation into last month's discovery of the Nokanawa based spy cell known as the 'Nokanawa Four' has come to an end, with the final report stating that there was clear and undeniable proof of the collaboration of the Nokanawa Four with hostile powers from abroad.
The cell was uncovered last month by Imperial Police after a longterm intelligence operation had finally led Imperial authorities onto the right track. The men were using a motel in the capital of Nokanawa's district of Shinmachi as their base of operation and where completely taken by surprise when law enforcement authorities gained access to the safe house on the night from the 2nd to the 3rd of September, arresting all suspects at the site and confiscating several hundred pages of incriminating documents as well as an unspecified amount of electronic devices used for communication with contact persons abroad and other items that could be utilized to assist in espionage activities. Furthermore, two 9mm handguns and corresponding ammunition in significant amount were confiscated as well.
The report that has now been finalized strongly suggests that the men were operating with the blessing of foreign entities, and were "directly funded and coordinated by organizations and/or powers from beyond the borders of the Empire with the declared goal to commit terrorism or at least significantly destabilize the political and civic life of the country." The report does not incriminate any specific foreign powers, but refers to "entities with long-standing animosities towards the values upon which our society is constructed." The Ministry of Justice is expected to formally charge the Nokanawa Four with espionage, sedition and conspiracy to commit terrorism within the week once all legal formalities have been sorted out. If convicted, the men could face the death penalty.
In a first statement, Ayabito Naohiro, a member of the Imperial Diet, spoke of a "serious national security threat".
"This was not the first time that a case of espionage has been uncovered in the Empire and, unfortunately, it is likely that it will not have been the last time either. What makes this attempt unique however is the fact that we have never managed to uncover a cell with such precisely mapped out ambitions to harm politicians and civilians alike with methods that are usually only employed by Islamist terror groups. It certainly gives this entire case an entirely new level of severity and should make us question whether the current security protocols are really adequate or whether we shouldn't rather look into tightening security even more."
Documents found with the Nokanawa Four suggest plans to assassinate leading figures of public life as well as intentions to commit an attack with explosive devices on the Imperial Diet while in session. While unlikely to succeed with their ambitions, the spies had apparently already probed their contacts within the country to organize for the required weaponry as well as explosives to carry out the plans. The two guns confiscated in the motel are said to have been provided by these contacts. As the pistols are models used by law enforcement authorities, internal investigations are currently going on as to the possibility of further missing weaponry. The Ministry of Justice guaranteed that it would work towards a "a full and uncompromising" disclosure of the entire case.
