RR The Wire 2230Z November 21, 2023

PRECEDENCE: ROUTINE RR

DTG: 223021Z NOV 23

ICOD: 213021Z NOV 23

CONTROLS: Public Release

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BLUF: DOMESTIC U.S. SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE REVEALED. TARGETING OF POLITICIANS CONTINUES IN EUROPE.

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-International Events-

Middle East Front: Yemen releases footage of their hijacking of M/V GALAXY LEADER, confirming the operation involved a heliborne boarding.

European Front: Several high-profile politicians have been targeted over the past few weeks, usually coinciding with elections or polling results. Last night, Dutch politician Thierry Baudet (of the nationalist FvD party) was attacked with a bottle. This attack came two days before the election and is his second attack within as many months. In Spain, Alejo Vidal-Quadras remains in hospital following his assassination attempt via GSW to the head two weeks ago. This attack came within hours of him tweeting opposition to the new Socialist coalition government. Last month, German AfD party member Tino Chrupalla was stabbed with an unknown object (possibly a syringe) at a campaign rally. This attack came three days before the election. AC: German police originally stated there was “no evidence” of this attack taking place. However, follow on reporting after the incident indicates he noted pain in his arm, collapsed soon afterward, and was hospitalized for nausea, cramps, and dizziness, with ER doctors noting an injection mark on his arm.

-HomeFront-

USA: MSM becomes aware of the Data Analytical Services (DAS) program via a Congressional letter sent to AG Garland. This is a secret surveillance program that allows LE at local, state, and federal levels to conduct intelligence collection on every phone number in the US without a warrant. AC: This program, first becoming known to the public in 2013 under a different name, is one of many that occasionally are re-mentioned by the MSM. Though largely “old news”, these do confirm the overwhelming persistent warrantless surveillance that all Americans are subjected to and that even after a period of public outrage, these surveillance programs continue on unaffected.

-Analyst Comments-

The description and capabilities of Yemen are complicated by international diplomacy. Yemen is currently ruled by what is effectively a military junta which controls the capitol region, the military, and virtually the entire country. This means that the international community, most of whom do not recognize this ruling authority, still refer to what is in effect the legitimate military as “Houthi rebels”. This confuses readers as many people have an insurgent force in mind when reading the word “rebels”. In reality, the military force in Yemen is capable of complicated maritime boarding operations, using extremely long-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, etc. This creates operational risks for any entity operating within Yemen’s sphere of influence; risks which are sometimes downplayed due to diplomatic wording obscuring Yemen’s true capabilities.

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Analyst: S2A

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