S2 Underground

//The Wire//1700Z April 4, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: GAS PRICES RISE IN RESPONSE TO U.S. CANCELING SPR ORDER.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Germany: Yesterday afternoon a Syrian migrant (of newly-granted Dutch citizenship) stabbed a 4-year-old girl in a supermarket in Wangen.

Middle East: Rumors circulate that the United States may remove the Specially Designated Terror Group (SDTG) label applied to the Houthi-controlled Yemeni government in exchange for a cessation of attacks in the Red Sea. AC: Even though these claims are still rumor at this point, this is yet another confirmation that the US-led Operation PROSPERITY GUARDIAN is a complete failure, and has been so since it’s very inception. Consequently, now that Houthi forces know they have bargaining power, attacks will likely increase to force a better diplomatic position. Over the past few weeks, Houthi attacks have waned, largely due to the complete lack of western-based traffic through the region.

-HomeFront-

USA: Gas prices increased immediately following the revelation that the Biden regime has cancelled two planned purchase orders of around 3 million barrels of oil to replenish the dangerously low Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Oklahoma: Yesterday an 82-year-old man self-immolated while being served an eviction notice in Oklahoma City. Anthony Goulding and his wife were being served with an eviction notice when Goulding set himself and his residence on fire. He died at the scene, and his wife (who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease) has been removed to another location.

Texas: Cal-Maine Foods, the largest producer of eggs in the United States announced the culling of 1.6 million hens following an avian flu outbreak at a facility in Parmer County.

Texas: A Texas National Guard soldier was arrested for smuggling after being discovered trafficking an illegal for profit while using a government vehicle. Local media states that the soldier was offered around $5000 to smuggle one person into the United States.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: The use of SPR resources was largely a crutch used by the federal government to keep gas prices down for consumers. However, this is not an infinite resource, and after depleting American wartime POL reserves to their lowest levels in history over the past few years, at some point the United States is going to have to adapt to the tightening international oil market instead of manipulating fuel prices here at home.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1830Z April 3, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: EARTHQUAKE STRIKES TAIWAN. DPRK TESTS NEW MISSILE.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Taiwan: Several earthquakes struck the island yesterday, causing widespread damage. The most substantial earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.2, the largest recorded earthquake to strike the nation since 1999. Many of the nation’s roads have been destroyed due to mudslides, and many people have been reported missing. So far, the death toll has reached 9 fatalities, with around 1000 people injured. Up to 70 coal miners also reportedly became trapped in their mines as the earthquake hit. Almost immediately after the earthquake, Chinese PLA forces launched significant military operations in the Taiwan Strait, with 30 aircraft and 9 vessels being detected by ROC forces. AC: This was almost certainly to test the reaction time and capabilities of ROC forces during a crisis. Though China likely does not intend to invade Taiwan at this time, this disaster provided a valuable intelligence collection opportunity for China.

DPRK: Last night, North Korea successfully tested their new IRBM, the Hwasongpo-16B. The missile allegedly has a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) and the missile successfully splashed down in the Sea of Japan.

Middle East: Israeli forces struck a convoy of the World Central Kitchen, allegedly targeting a Hamas fighter that was allegedly part of the convoy. 7 aid workers were killed in three separate strikes on the convoy. The World Central Kitchen was operating in an alleged ceasefire area, was traveling in marked vehicles identifiable from the air, and had deconflicted their movement with the IDF. Israel has stated that the attack was a mistake. AC: Following the strikes, the WCK has suspended all operations in Gaza. The World Central Kitchen was the second largest supplier of food aid to Gaza (after the UN). Almost 200 aid workers have been killed in airstrikes since this conflict began.

-HomeFront-

USA: Preparations for the April 8th solar eclipse continue as more regions declare states of emergency prior to the event. AC: The preparations for this event have caused many to wonder why this event is assessed to cause so many issues. Celestially, there are zero reasons as to why cellular outages, food and fuel shortages, or other catastrophic events should occur. Of course, many small towns throughout the United States will be overwhelmed with tourists and event participants, and local resources will likely be strained or oversaturated. However the lengths local authorities have gone to in order to prepare for this event have raised concerns. Severe weather conditions, which have the potential to harm life and limb have not resulted in as much preparation as this event has caused throughout the United States.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Last week, Russia vetoed the renewal of a UN continuing resolution to monitor DPRK’s adherence to sanctions with regards to their missile program. As the DPRK and Russia have become closer diplomatically following the war in Ukraine, it is likely that this relationship will grow stronger. Consequently, much more substantial development of North Korea’s missile program is likely over the next few years.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2000Z April 2, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: ISRAELI STRIKE IN DAMASCUS KILLS THREE IRANIAN GENERALS. COLORADO BILL TO GRANT ILLEGALS IDENTITY DOCUMENTS ADVANCES.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Syria: Last night Israeli forces struck a building immediately adjacent to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. The main structure of the Iranian Embassy was partially damaged in the strike, while the building adjacent was demolished, killing three Iranian generals and several other military leaders/advisors. AC: Iran claims the building was a diplomatic wing of their Embassy compound, whereas Israel claims it was a commercial building. Though this detail is extremely important, independent verification is challenging due to the highly dense urban terrain. Of note, the former Canadian Embassy is also next door to the struck compound (Canada having ceased its diplomatic mission in Syria during the war). In any case, this is undoubtedly a strong escalation in an already very tense conflict.

-HomeFront-

USA: Emerging court documents that are part of an anti-trust lawsuit allege that Meta/Facebook not only has access to allegedly encrypted private messages, but also sold users’ private messages to Netflix as part of a data sharing agreement. AC: Though the exact details of these latest allegations are not possibly verifiable without a forensic audit of Facebook’s systems, Facebook was designed from the ground up to be an intelligence collection platform, as overwhelmingly indicated by hundreds of leaks, whistleblower testimonies, and governmental spying scandals over the years.

Colorado: The Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (SB24-182) has passed the Senate judiciary committee and has been forwarded to appropriations. AC: The only function of this three-page bill, despite it’s name, is to allow illegal immigrants to obtain a Colorado driver’s license. The bill as it currently stands also does not require illegals to be residents of Colorado to obtain a driver’s license. Though this seems very common among many states at this point, it is important to remember that Colorado also recently implemented their Automatic Voter Registration system, which automatically registers all persons who obtain a driver’s license to vote.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: It is unclear as to what potential fine-print is contained in Colorado’s SB24-182 as it pertains to other existing laws. The text of the bill is clear enough, but as almost all laws contradict other laws and the Constitution itself, it’s almost certain that this bill will contradict existing legal precedent on the matter. Common sense would dictate that surely a driver’s license law cannot overrule Constitutional rights. However, in all 50 states citizens are finding out that when the rubber meets the road, the text of a law doesn’t really matter in practice. From an information warfare perspective, the intent is clear. First create the automatic voter registration system, then change the definitions of who the law applies to. Changing definitions and requirements is a classing hallmark of mission-creep, and if passed, it would be prudent to assume that this would at minimum move the goalposts when it comes to voting rights in Colorado.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1900Z April 1, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: CANADA'S EUTHANASIA PROGRAM QUIETLY EXPANDS.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Canada: A judge has ruled that Canada’s state-sponsored euthanasia program can be applied to individuals without a debilitating illness. Last Thursday, a judge ruled that a healthy 27-year-old woman can participate in Canada’s euthanasia program. AC: The individual’s father has so far unsuccessfully attempted to convince the court that his daughter is not of sound mind, and is therefore unable to make decisions for herself. Even the judge himself noted that the woman “has not provided ANY evidence…(to justify her actions)…nor has she identified her medical condition or provided information concerning her symptoms and how they cause her to suffer”. However, despite the judge’s own words, the regulations already set in law, and legal precedent on the case, the judge approved the woman’s request to take part in Canada’s state-sponsored euthanasia program.

-HomeFront-

Tennessee: An arson incident occurred at the Global Vision Bible Church in Wilson County at around 6:00 am Easter Sunday. A metal trailer filled with Holy Bibles was set on fire outside the front entrance of the church. Local authorities confirm the incident was intentional, and an investigation is underway.

New York: A Five-Alarm fire broke out at the Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii Church in Brooklyn. The fire broke out during Easter Mass, and mostly consumed the Rectory.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Prior to the judgement in Canada, Canada’s national euthanasia program applied to those with terminal illnesses, diseases, or disabilities. The program began in 2016, and has steadily been applied to increasing demographics of people. In February the planned expansion of the program to include persons suffering only from a mental illness was paused, due to the healthcare system not being able to handle the increased administrative burden to process the expected volume of euthanasia victims at the current time. It is not immediately clear as to how this recent judgement will apply to the program; at face value this is a de factor expansion of the program, quietly implemented as legal precedent so as to give the appearance that the program’s expansion has been halted. In 2022, over 13,000 Canadians were euthanized under this program, a 31.2% increase from the previous year.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire Weekly Rollup//March 24-30, 2024//

-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

France: Authorities have increased the terror alert to its maximum level following the continual assessment of an increased likelihood of terrorism. Though authorities have not revealed any specific threat (beyond the violent attacks France experiences on a daily basis), the opening ceremonies for the Olympic games have been closed to tourists. Event officials are also considering closing the opening ceremonies altogether due to the security threats.

Russia: Details continue to emerge following the Crocus City Hall music venue shooting last week. All four shooters have been arrested, along with a handful of other individuals accused of complicity in the attack. 

-HomeFront-

Maryland: The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after the M/V DALI collided with a support pylon after an unknown mechanical issue caused the vessel to deviate from her course. Details regarding the specifics of the incident have largely not been made public due to the ongoing investigation. The M/V DALI remains impaled on the bridge debris, which has caused Baltimore Harbor to be cut off from the outside world, stranding four major Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships in the harbor for the foreseeable future. Initial estimates have indicated that the bridge will take approximately 10 years to rebuild, despite only taking 5 years to build originally in 1972.

Texas: Outrage continues following the revelation of clauses within the latest trillion dollar omnibus spending bill, which have mandated the federal tracking of all beef cattle in the United States.

New York: City officials have announced the implementation of metal detectors in the subway system. These detectors will augment the existing military checkpoints currently in place throughout the subway system, and will be installed over the next few weeks.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: To the unknowing citizen, the excuse of ISIS-K being responsible for the Moscow attack may seem as plausible as any other theory. However, those who have field experience combatting ISIS-K may assess that the chance that ISIS-K was responsible for this attack is nearly zero. The following are a few indicators that suggest the official story, spread throughout western Europe, the United States, and even Russia, is a lie.

At this point, most media outlets claim that ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also blamed “radical Islamists” for the attack, though not going so far as to name a specific group. The Khorasan-derived ISIS offshoot has largely declined over the past few years for many reasons. Whereas the traditional Islamic State organization has roots in Iraq and Syria, the Khorasan splinter group known as ISIS-K is a completely different organization in practice. Largely being confined to the far-reaches of eastern Afghanistan as well as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, as recently as 2019 ISIS-K was on its way out as an organization. Numbering only a few hundred members, and taking refuge in the Tora Bora mountains (of Bin Laden fame), ISIS-K had lost so much influence that even attacks in Jalalabad were very rare. Taliban forces were at war with ISIS-K deep in the mountains, and on many occasions the United States undertook operations to target ISIS-K with the assumption that the Taliban would then move in and occupy the terrain. This was quietly the de facto policy for many years. In fact, diplomatic relations soured at the 2019 peace negotiations in Doha in response to a few high-profile instances where conventional American forces killed a few relatives of senior Taliban leadership, rather than ISIS-K. As such, the ability for ISIS-K to conduct operations outside of Afghanistan is extremely remote, especially considering that the

//The Wire//1530Z March 30, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: ESCALATIONS CONTINUE ON KINMEN ISLAND. KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Taiwan: Escalations continue on Kinmen Island following the increased military deployments to the area. China conducted many drone flights yesterday in the vicinity of the island as Taiwanese and American forces increase their presence on the island.

-HomeFront-

Baltimore: The investigation of the Key Bridge collision continues. NTSB officials reveal that though the black box was recovered intact from the M/V DALI, data from the two minutes prior to the incident was not recorded.

New York: The $53 million program to provide illegal immigrants with prepaid cards has been implemented.

Washington D.C. – The White House has declared Easter Sunday to be Transgender Day of Visibility. The White House has also banned all displays of religion at the White House Easter Egg Roll event.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: As a general reminder, increased situational awareness is strongly recommended at religious services during the Easter holiday, for obvious reasons. No specific threats have been disclosed by authorities, however the potential for attacks around key religious holidays is always increased, especially considering the typical threat profiles of those who seek to cause harm to religious institutions.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1930Z March 29, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: BALTIMORE BRIDGE EFFECTS MOUNT. FRANCE CONTINUES ASSESSING TERROR THREATS.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

France: Authorities continue to claim an elevated risk of terror attacks throughout the country. The opening ceremonies for the Olympic games have already been closed to tourists, after a man stole a bag from an event worker which contained security plans and details. Currently, France is considering closing the opening ceremonies altogether, due to security concerns.

-HomeFront-

New York: City officials have announced the implementation of metal detectors in the subway system. These detectors will augment the existing military checkpoints currently in place throughout the subway system, and will be installed over the next few weeks. These measures are in addition to the hundreds of soldiers that are currently deployed throughout the transportation network.

Baltimore: The follow-on effects of the Key Bridge collapse continue to be felt as many vessels remain trapped in Baltimore Harbor. Aside from a few commercial tankers/cargo vessels, the largest ships currently trapped in the harbor are Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessels, to include the SS ANTARES and the SS DENEBOLA. Both vessels are Fast Sealift Ships, some of the fastest military cargo vessels in existence. Also trapped within the harbor are the M/V GARY I. GORDON (formerly the USNS GORDON) and the M/V CAPE WASHINGTON, both very large multirole RO/RO cargo vessels.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Admin Note: Though the Ready Reserve Force has been neglected in recent years, with many vessels being mothballed or otherwise deactivated, four of the largest MSC ships being out of action is a substantial impact to the United States’ wartime logistical sealift capability. Though RRF ships are strategically positioned for just this situation, the loss of forces or the reduction of capabilities is worthy of note nonetheless.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1600Z March 28, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: STABBING ATTACK IN ILLINOIS KILLS FOUR. CENTRAL PLANNING OF FOOD SUPPLY CONTINUES.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Russia: Following the Moscow terror attack, Russia has begun the mass deportation of migrants.

-HomeFront-

Illinois: A stabbing attack in Rockford leaves 4 dead and 7 wounded. The attack occurred during what is described as a home invasion attempt. The suspect has been identified as Christian Soto, who was arrested shortly after the attack.

Kentucky: A large fire broke out at a fueling depot in Bowling Green yesterday. The Comfuel site on Raven Avenue adjacent to Route 68 caught fire, prompting local evacuations. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Texas: Following the passing of the thousand-page, trillion-dollar spending bill, citizens are becoming aware of what was contained in the bill. One such measure recently identified is the provision for the tracking of all beef cattle in the United States. A $15 million provision was made for implementing the electronic tracking infrastructure.

Texas: Yesterday Gov. Abbott signed Executive Order GA-44, mandating the restriction of certain speech on college campuses. AC: As with all executive actions resulting in the restriction of any form of speech whatsoever, reading the EO in its entirety (especially the statutes and legal definitions cited therein) is strongly recommended.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: For many years, beef cattle in the United States have already been tracked in many different ways. From the old techniques of branding, to the implementation of modern RFID ear tags, the cattle industry in the United States is already highly documented. This is to ensure everything from disease control to ownership rights are all recorded and tracked. The implementation of a federal system is almost certainly intended to centralize control of the beef industry, and has already immediately resulted in governments ordering farmers to reduce cattle stock in Europe. As many are aware via the overwhelming farmer protests in Europe, the crackdown on food production under the guise of the climate agenda is but a flimsy excuse to reduce alternative access to food supply. Throughout the history of man, the centralization of a society’s food supply has led to only one outcome. However, due to the overwhelming pushback from the entire cattle industry, combined with the unique diplomatic atmospherics in Texas (where the majority of cattle is raised) it is unclear as to if the federal government will be able to enforce such a law for now.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2200Z March 27, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: TENSIONS RISE IN SERBIA. NO NEW DETAILS ON BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLISION.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Serbia: Indications and warnings of potential domestic issues have arisen over the past 24 hours. Details are sketchy at best, but yesterday Serbian President Vucic posted a cryptic message on social media, indicating an undisclosed issue regarding the national interests of Serbia. Specifically making references to an armed conflict, many Serbs have questions regarding what was meant by the message.

-HomeFront-

Maryland: Very few details emerge following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The search has been called off for the six missing construction workers that fell into the water during the collapse. A substantial bottleneck of maritime traffic has occurred via vessels that were bound for the Port of Baltimore as the disaster occurred. So far around a dozen vessels are currently at anchor in Chesapeake Bay, awaiting the rescheduling of port calls to other terminals.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Though the situation in Serbia is far from clear, this morning, multiple Bosnian social media users (all likely citing the same source) suggested that President Dodik (the separatist leader of the autonomous Republika Srpska region of Bosnia) was to be arrested for unknown reasons. Though single-source reporting isn’t verifiable, these highly unconfirmed details may be very early indicators of potential domestic issues both within Serbia, and diplomatically with Bosnia. Shenanigans are never far from the reality of the region, especially as relations have remained tepid (at best) throughout the region for decades. If conflict (either diplomatically, or more kinetically) is to occur between Serbia and Bosnia regarding the long-disputed region of Srpska, these minor details may be worth monitoring as minute disputes in the region have historically become inflamed for much less.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1530Z March 26, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSES FOLLOWING SHIP COLLISION.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-HomeFront-

Maryland: This morning at approximately 01:30 am, the M/V DALI struck a support pylon for the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a significant portion of the bridge to collapse. A mass casualty event was declared for the estimated 7 vehicles and 20 construction workers that fell into the water with the bridge, and SAR operations are ongoing as of this report.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: At this time, there is no clear cause for the collision. However, observers noted that the ship appeared to lose power or be experiencing some issue in the seconds before the impact. The DALI is a Maersk-operated cargo vessel flagged in Singapore.

As the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse occurred in one of the busiest ports on the east coast, the logistical impacts will almost certainly be significant and immediate. The bridge debris has almost completely cut off the Port of Baltimore to outside traffic for the foreseeable future. Baltimore was one of the top logistical hubs for Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) vehicle carrying cargo ships. As no cargo vessel can reach the RORO terminal now, these vessels will be required to offload cargo at other ports on the east coast.

The unspoken elephant in the room is the question of whether or not the collision of the M/V DALI was intentional, or an accident. The immediate follow-up question is: if this was an intentional act (via a cyberattack of navigation systems, which have been increasingly vulnerable to GPS spoofing and other exploitations), was this a shadow-war retaliation for the Crocus shooting in Moscow? Or was this incident somehow linked to Chinese cyber efforts, which have crippled varying sectors of American infrastructure over the years? These questions cannot be answered at this time, nor are any substantial details expected to be made public due to the very long and in-depth maritime investigation process. However operational prudence would indicate assuming nefarious intent. As such, though the average person cannot prevent any hostile act on critical infrastructure, workers in many career fields absolutely can. Heightened situational awareness is overwhelmingly recommended for personnel working in career fields by which large industrial incidents can disrupt civilization. In a 5th Generation global war, the people that keep society functioning are often the first, and last, line of defense against major incidents like this.

For the average citizen, this is a reminder that preparing for mass casualty events at this time of exceptionally heightened international tensions would be a wise move. Bridges, tunnels, railway crossings, road junctions and interchanges, high-rise buildings that are convenient geographic landmarks, submarine cable landing points, POL storage facilities, telecom hubs, electrical substations and power generation facilities, water treatment plants…all of these facets of our society are exceptionally vulnerable to both accidents, and nefarious intent. Planning for either event is a wise move in the event that any malign actors have a “nasty surprise” in mind for the homeland.

Analyst: S2A1

//END REPORT//