"Monnok" Implicated in Corulag Massacre

Adjesk, Corulag — 'The Mighty Monnok,' a seditious broadcast known to be critical of the Empire, appears to have been implicated in the massacre of 291 men, women, and children in the town of Adjesk, on Corulag, as the balaclava-clad individuals who are reported to have perpetrated the massacre were seen with the symbol of a monnok on their sleeves—a symbol widely associated with 'The Mighty Monnok' broadcast.

"I think it's apparent what happened here," Senator Zafiel Snopps (Corulag) told The Coruscant Journal, "This 'Monnok' group wasn't convincing the people with their propaganda, so they sent a different sort of message; a message that says 'good people of the Empire, fear us.'" The Senator added that "this won't convince the people either, because they know that the Empire will bring down on these terrorists a fate far worse than the one they visited upon [Adjesk]."

'The Mighty Monnok,' which is broadcast from an unknown location and has criticized the Empire for alleged "massacres" at Ghorman, Renatasia, and other worlds, responded to the Corulag incident in a broadcast last week. "We do not denounce these [alleged] atrocities because it's the Empire that did them," the anonymous 'Monnok' said, "We denounce them because the murder of innocent men, women, and children is wrong no matter who does it." The broadcast went on to suggest that the Empire was "unable or unwilling" to prevent the Corulag incident, and denied responsibility for it.

"We do not and would not kill innocent people, and anyone who has listened to a word of this broadcast before would never and should never believe it," the broadcast said. This didn't convince Senator Snopps, who accused 'The Mighty Monnok' of telling its listeners to "'do as we say, not as we do.'"

"They say it's wrong for the Empire to commit these made up 'massacres,' but when they commit a massacre themselves or inspire someone else to do so, somehow it's not their fault—it's the Empire's fault," Snopps said. Jamson Caglio, the Moff of the Bormea Sector in which Corulag is situated, agreed with Senator Snopps in an official statement. "The implication is that individuals associated with 'The Mighty Monnok' perpetrated the destruction of Adjesk," the statement read, "We are working with Imperial Intelligence to discover who these individuals are, and to bring them to justice."

The Coruscant Journal contacted Imperial Intelligence for an update on the investigation, but was told that "the progress of the investigation is classified to the public at this time."

What is known about the Corulag incident is that a number of individuals wearing the symbol of a monnok attacked the town of Adjesk in a coordinated fashion, setting fire to buildings and shooting civilians without apparent regard for age, gender, or disability. Portions of the Imperial 13th Legion—which, according to officials, had been participating in training exercises with the Imperial Academy on Corulag—were unaware of the massacre until it was too late, and were unable to stop it. The Coruscant Journal attempted to contact Fajra Merav, the Commander of the 13th Legion, but were told by a superior that she was unavailable for comment.

Commander Merav has publicly sparred with 'The Mighty Monnok' in the past, the broadcast having once referred to her specifically as "a spoiled and psychotic little girl... playing war," and "a daughter of privilege who is in denial and proud of it." Coincidentally, Merav is believed to have gotten the best look at the perpetrators of the Corulag incident, as she was reported to have been captured by them and either released or escaped, in circumstances that remain unclear. The Coruscant Journal cannot verify this, however, and notes to its readers that many early reports of the Corulag incident have proven incorrect; a report that a "space battle" occurred above the planet, for instance, was later proven to be mistaken. "This wasn't a 'battle,'" Senator Snopps said, "this was an isolated incident. A horrible, horrible incident, but an isolated one."

291 individuals are thus far believed to have been killed in Adjesk, a small town of mostly Human population on a world known for its uncommon dedication to the Empire. The Coruscant Journal will continue to follow the story as it develops.