Attempted arrest of Mikael Bjelland

In the early morning of 23 March 2014, the Special Intervention Force attempted to arrest 13 Army of the Irreverent militants who were attempting to form a Furbish affiliate of the group, including founder Mikael Bjelland, in an apartment in the University of Almanza–Muchas Arboles. The raid resulted in 10 deaths, including Bjelland, and the arrest of 2 Furbishmen. A third escaped but was caught one and a half weeks later.

Background

The Army of the Irreverent first appeared on the Furbish government's radar two years after it was founded in 2009, after several high-profile attacks in the León Monarchy. Founder Mikael Bjelland became the FSA's most wanted person after another attack in 2012.

Operation Pablo

Operation Pablo was the codename for the FSA's and Gendarmerie's mission to capture Bjelland, named after Paul the Apostle. Furbish and León intelligence believed he crossed the border between Pätschlàn and the León Monarchy numerous times, though they were unable to apprehend him.

Founding of a Furbish AI affiliate

Discussions of founding a Furbish affiliate of the AI began in late 2013. Online discussions were infiltrated by the FSA in early 2014. From this, the FSA was able to gather information about Bjelland, several Furbishmen who wanted to join, and about AI's recruiting methods.

Bjelland and two militants agreed to meet with eleven Furbishmen, including an FSA agent, in the University of Almanza's main campus in Muchas Arboles in early March, in an apartment rented by Matias Villalobos, a student at the university.

Bjelland's arrival to The Furbish Islands

Bjelland arrived in The Furbish Islands on March 5th. A customs official noticed something wrong with Bjelland's passport but was ordered to let Bjelland in so more intelligence can be gathered.

Plainclothes FSA officers followed Bjelland as he travelled to Muchas Arboles.

During the meetings, the FSA agent planted microphones throughout the apartment. The FSA spent 2 weeks gathering intelligence on AI's ideology, recruitment, and weapons smuggling.

Raid

Raid on University of Almanza–Muchas Arboles
Date 23 March 2014 Location Muchas Arboles, Almanza, The Furbish Islands Result SIF victory
Belligerents
The Furbish Islands	Army of the Irreverent
Commanders and leaders
Ignacio Orellana	Mikael Bjelland † Matias Villalobos †
Units involved
Special Intervention Force Ignacio Gómez Navarro Platoon	.
Strength
30 gendarmes	13 militants
Casualties and losses
11 wounded	10 killed 2 arrested 1 escaped and later arrested

The SIF Ignacio Gómez Navarro Platoon, which was currently stationed in Loaísa, spent two weeks practicing storming a replica of the apartment. The raid was planned in the early morning on Sunday when less students were on campus. An arrest warrant was secretly given by a federal judge around a week before.

Aftermath

The campus was closed for one week after the raid so it can be searched for more weapons and explosives.

A provincewide manhunt was called for Ella Roan, who escaped during the raid. She was apprehended a week and a half later.

The raid prevented an AI affiliate in The Furbish Islands from being formed.