JihadSwarm Strikes Again
JATATE, THE FORGE - The future of New Eden Research [NER], one of New Eden’s largest, public research companies, is in serious doubt after JihadSwarm, a GoonSwarm [OHGOD] entity, declared war on the research alliance on the grounds of "providing research to infidel mining operations."
A JihadSwarm "mujahedeen" (warrior of faith) claims they have already stolen three control towers as they were unanchored in addition to starbase siege operations currently in progress.
NER representative Tamia Clant confirmed that war was indeed declared by GoonSwarm on Friday and a ransom note was delivered demanding one-hundred million ISK per starbase up to three hundred million ISK maximum or three billion ISK if starbase sieges were already underway. Clant estimates that NER holdings consisted of twenty to thirty starbases prior to the war.
The note was allegedly delivered via an alliance-wide message sent by a JihadSwarm agent representing "Grand Sheikh karttoon" who declared "jihad" against NER for providing research to "infidels" being used to "manufacture vessels used to defile our holy belts."
"…every [control tower] anchored in space will be promptly attacked and destroyed in order to serve the great one in his quest to protect our holy land," says karttoon.
The ransom note was refused based on GoonSwarm’s reputation.
"GoonSwarm isn't particularly known for being an honest entity, and we had no guarantees they wouldn't keep sieging towers even after the ransom was paid," says Clant. "The most financially wise choice was really to just remove all assets and refund customers."
In regards to refunds outside of Clant’s own corporation, New Dawn Corp [NDC], Clant stated that they would be handled according to each corporation's own discretion.
The alliance itself has already begun to feel the effects of the war with its membership plummeting by around twenty corps and two hundred members over the last couple days. "NER couldn't possibly have the military infrastructure to face… a dedicated combat corp," Clant says, "let alone an alliance on the level of GoonSwarm. With that in mind, it's only natural corps choose to leave."
This is not the first time JihadSwarm has engaged in terrorism within empire space. Many remember when the organization targeted empire miners early last year on a mix of socio-economic and spiritual grounds never fully explained until today. Penance was offered in the form of one hundred million ISK donations leading many to question the groups motives. Later in the year, the group desecrated the final resting place of over seven-hundred capsuleers on religious grounds.
In regards to the future of NER, Clant says, "that is yet to be decided."
Are you affected by the events in this article? Do you have information regarding another event in New Eden? If so, please contact us with any information that you may have.
Want to become a news correspondent with IC? We are recruiting.
