During a patrol of New Berlin space I encountered the LPI IFF'd transport Laki.Topalovic. I hailed and requested the captain cut engines. She did so and I conducted a cargo scan. The Laki.Topalovic was ID'd as Freelancer. I inquired to the captain if he was aware that his IFF was squaking a Liberty transponder in Rheinland space. He seemed unaware of the problem, nor that he was making himself a target. Instead of firing I judged it be better to avoid an inter-house incident.
I escorted The Laki.Topalovic to Fulda Border Station in the Frankfurt System where he jumped to Sigma-13. On trade lane from Holstein to Fulda we encountered three Hessian recruits who were destroyed.
Upon his departure from Rheinland space I provided the captain with points of contact in order to have his IFF repaired in neighboring systems and advised he should not return to Rheinland until the IFF was repaired. I additionally informed the captain that this incident would be reported and my warning to him logged.