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S2Underground 3 weeks ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 16, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: DESTABILIZATION OPERATIONS CONTINUE IN MINNEAPOLIS AS ACTIVISTS EXPAND EFFORTS TO HARASS CITIZENS. VANDALISM EFFORTS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE TWIN CITIES.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -HomeFront- Minnesota: The situation continues to steadily escalate in Minneapolis. Most of the overnight unrest was centered around the Whipple Federal Building, with individuals conducting more brazen attacks. At a few points during the night, the mob attempted to break down the perimeter fence surrounding the complex, while other crowds damaged vehicles entering and exiting the facility. To the south, a total of 11x vehicles were vandalized at the Residence Inn in Eagan overnight, after far-left intelligence networks identified this facility as hosting ICE agents. Analyst Comment: It's not clear as to if this was actually a positive ID on the behalf of the vandals; this could have just been a collection of random vehicles, but that did not seem to matter at the time of the vandalism. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, a new tactic is making an emergence among activist groups that are tailing ICE convoys. The general tactic of conducting reconnaissance to figure out where ICE vehicles are going continues, but because most of the activists are not the brightest bunch, they have sometimes been following around random vehicles, such as general contractors and random citizens going about their day. This has escalated to now include multiple reports of insurgents harassing citizens and forcing them to prove that they aren't ICE agents, and even after doing so, citizens continue to be harassed by militant activists simply for driving a vehicle that looks like it might potentially be used by ICE. On the political front, local reports indicate that the school systems have become directly involved in stoking unrest, and encouraging schoolchildren to commit felonies. Parents in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area have reported teachers giving their children whistles, and literature encouraging them to stalk, harass, and interfere with ICE operations. Several school districts within the Twin Cities area have also transitioned to online classes, deliberately for the purpose of shielding illegal families from ICE operations. Even though ICE has not conducted a single raid at any school in the United States, this rhetoric is actively being pushed by city officials. With the weekend arriving (which is also a holiday weekend), and with the knowledge that many "youths" will not be in school during the day, next week will probably result in an increase in activity throughout the city. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 3 weeks ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 16, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: DESTABILIZATION OPERATIONS CONTINUE IN MINNEAPOLIS AS ACTIVISTS EXPAND EFFORTS TO HARASS CITIZENS. VANDALISM EFFORTS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE TWIN CITIES.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -HomeFront- Minnesota: The situation continues to steadily escalate in Minneapolis. Most of the overnight unrest was centered around the Whipple Federal Building, with individuals conducting more brazen attacks. At a few points during the night, the mob attempted to break down the perimeter fence surrounding the complex, while other crowds damaged vehicles entering and exiting the facility. To the south, a total of 11x vehicles were vandalized at the Residence Inn in Eagan overnight, after far-left intelligence networks identified this facility as hosting ICE agents. Analyst Comment: It's not clear as to if this was actually a positive ID on the behalf of the vandals; this could have just been a collection of random vehicles, but that did not seem to matter at the time of the vandalism. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, a new tactic is making an emergence among activist groups that are tailing ICE convoys. The general tactic of conducting reconnaissance to figure out where ICE vehicles are going continues, but because most of the activists are not the brightest bunch, they have sometimes been following around random vehicles, such as general contractors and random citizens going about their day. This has escalated to now include multiple reports of insurgents harassing citizens and forcing them to prove that they aren't ICE agents, and even after doing so, citizens continue to be harassed by militant activists simply for driving a vehicle that looks like it might potentially be used by ICE. On the political front, local reports indicate that the school systems have become directly involved in stoking unrest, and encouraging schoolchildren to commit felonies. Parents in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area have reported teachers giving their children whistles, and literature encouraging them to stalk, harass, and interfere with ICE operations. Several school districts within the Twin Cities area have also transitioned to online classes, deliberately for the purpose of shielding illegal families from ICE operations. Even though ICE has not conducted a single raid at any school in the United States, this rhetoric is actively being pushed by city officials. With the weekend arriving (which is also a holiday weekend), and with the knowledge that many "youths" will not be in school during the day, next week will probably result in an increase in activity throughout the city. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 3 weeks ago
//The Wire//2100Z January 15, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: UNREST ESCALATES IN MINNEAPOLIS AS ICE AGENTS AMBUSHED DURING ARREST. USA SEIZES ANOTHER TANKER IN CARIBBEAN.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events- Caribbean: This morning the United States seized another oil tanker, bringing the total to 6x oil tankers captured so far. The M/T *VERONICA* was boarded and seized this morning, continuing the interdiction of sanctioned vessels throughout the region. -HomeFront- Minneapolis: Last night unrest escalated following a more kinetic arrest in North Minneapolis. Yesterday afternoon, federal agents conducted a traffic stop in Hawthorne, in the vicinity of N 26th Avenue and N Lyndale Avenue. This traffic stop was targeting a known Venezuelan criminal, and during the incident the suspect attempted to flee the scene before crashing his vehicle and bailing on foot. The suspect fled between two local residences, and was pursued by officers. During this pursuit, two unknown assailants ambushed the agents, attacking them with shovels. At some point during the fray, one agent engaged the group of attackers, and ended up shooting the initial fugitive the leg. This small arms engagement awakened locals, and a riot immediately broke out at the shooting site. After the situation became more active, federal agents were not able to maintain control of their vehicles, which were parked on N Lyndale Avenue, two blocks south of the shooting location. As authorities withdrew to a more safe and defendable area, these vehicles were broken into by insurgents, who broke into the arms locker inside at least two vehicles, stealing at least one rifle. This morning, President Trump stated that he intends to invoke the Insurrection Act, if local politicians do not order local law enforcement to bring order to the city. Last night, Gov. Tim Walz gave a televised address (which has since been deleted due to audio dubbing issues), in which he directly ordered agitators to film ICE agents, and ordered citizens to keep their phones on them to record ICE in their neighborhoods anytime they are observed. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, various "independent journalists" (which are in fact activists themselves) also participated in the felonies, taking videos of sensitive documents and doxing ICE agents live on air. Andrew Mercado of Mercado Media and Jordan Chariton of Status Coup News both livestreamed themselves committing multiple felonies, such as stealing sensitive documents, challenge coins, and access badges to ICE facilities. Considering the unrest observed last night, it is likely that the federal presence in Minneapolis will increase sharply in response. The vandalism of Homeland Security vehicles...when local police have been completely absent from all policing efforts regarding this unrest...is likely to prod federal agencies to increase the surge into Minneapolis even more. As Gov. Walz has continued to double-down on increasing the tensions in the city, it's absolutely certain that unrest will escalate over the next few days. Everything is primed and ready for more conflict, and the situation has transitioned out of the realm of law enforcement and into the realm of a more military-centric situation. The use of a tow rope to extract a weapons locker from a Homeland Security vehicle very likely got the attention of heavy-hitters in the White House, and the boldness of this one act has shown just how serious the situation is regarding the organization of the resistance to immigration enforcement operations. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 3 weeks ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 13, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: LOS ANGELES TERRORIST RELEASED ON BAIL AFTER BEING CHARGED ONLY WITH A MISDEMEANOR. SOMALI FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE IN MAINE. RIOTS CONTINUE IN MINNEAPOLIS.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -HomeFront- Minneapolis: The nightly riots continued yesterday evening, with unrest largely centering around the Whipple Federal Building. Tear gas has been deployed at this location daily, as rioters routinely try to block vehicles from entering/exiting the facility's Entry Control Point (ECP). Overnight, the perimeter at the Federal Building was expanded and fortified with more fencing. Throughout the city, most of the kinetic activity has been confined to E 34th Street, with tear gas and flashbangs being used regularly in a defensive role, to prevent rioters from physically assaulting ICE agents during arrests. Maine: Investigations into Somali fraud have continued to expand. In the town of Lewiston, a Somalian man at the center of recent scandal has resigned a few days after being sworn in. Iman Osman was reportedly elected to office last month, even though he had been indicted by a federal grand jury for stealing firearms. Analyst Comment: The Osman case has been developing for a while. Scandal first arose after citizens realized that he committed fraud on his campaign paperwork regarding his official residence. His official residence as per campaign paperwork is actually a vacant building that had been condemned because it had been used as a meth lab, so no one can verify that he actually lives in the district. Yesterday, the other members of the City Council voted to investigate his residency status, and Osman's only act as a City Councilor was to be the only vote against the investigation into himself. After the votes came out 6-1 against him, he resigned. California: The man who carried out the vehicle ramming attack at the Iranian protest in Los Angeles has been identified as Calor Madanescht. As the attack only wounded two people (both of whom refused medical care at the scene), the assailant has only been charged with reckless driving. Madanescht's bond has been set at zero dollars (the standard for misdemeanors in California), and he was released from jail Monday afternoon. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In their own press release, the LAPD admits that he intended to ram the crowd and police officers, forcing several of them to jump out of the way (thus confirming deadly intent). It must be noted that the details of this case are pretty sketchy overall, considering how the attacker did not cause nearly as much damage as he could have. The odd statements found on the assailant's social media page, and the fact that he claims to be an Iranian refugee who happens to have an incredibly non-Iranian name, all add to the strangeness of this incident. However, just because this guy is the most ineffective terrorist in recent memory doesn't mean that he isn't still a terrorist. And now, he's back on the street at a time when Iranian protests are continuing throughout Los Angeles, and tensions remain palpably high in the Middle East. Any time that tensions escalate overseas regarding a hot-button issue, these tensions nearly always are mirrored within the American homeland, which often manifest in attacks or at minimum clashes between protest groups. In this case, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating the attack, which is a moot point if the terrorist has been released by the local authorities. As anti-regime protests (of varying size) are fairly regular throughout Los Angeles, it's quite likely that the original assailant himself, but more likely others who will see that he got away with this, will conduct copycat vehicle ramming attacks over the next few days. Whether or not any terrorist is willing to capitalize on this is anyone's guess, but the situation is primed and ready for more deadly attacks. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 0 months ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 12, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: IRANIAN PROTESTS CONTINUE AS PRESIDENT TRUMP REAFFIRMS AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK REPORTED AT PROTEST IN LOS ANGELES. PROTESTS CONTINUE IN MINNEAPOLIS.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events- Middle East: The situation in Tehran remains tense as demonstrations continue. Over the weekend, pro-regime, pro-Ayatollah demonstrations were carried out, in opposition to the anti-regime protests which have been regular over the past two weeks. Analyst Comment: As one might expect, the pro-regime demonstrations have been covered extensively by Iranian state TV, so the true scale of these demonstrations is not known. The internet outage continues nationwide, so the wider context of how serious the overall situation is developing is hard to discern. In Washington, President Trump has made increasingly more substantial statements regarding American involvement, indicating that the United States may become more actively involved in overthrowing the government of Iran in the very near future. These statements have been understandably vague, however in the context of the current demonstrations this is probably the early indication and warning of another round of American strikes (or more direct involvement) at some point. -HomeFront- USA: Around the nation, various protests and states of civil unrest continued over the weekend, with some being more kinetic than others. Protests remained constant in the usual cities; Portland, Minneapolis, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington D.C. all were host to anti-ICE demonstrations. California: Anti-ICE protests continue state-wide, however other types of protests and demonstrations are underway, which have increased in severity over the past few days. In Los Angeles, a vehicle ramming attack was reported at an Iranian protest Sunday afternoon, which resulted in the wounding of several demonstrators. The demonstration itself was an anti-regime/pro-Shah protest, in support of overthrowing the Ayatollah. As demonstrators were marching up Veteran Avenue to the east of the Federal Building, one assailant drove a Uhaul truck north up Veteran Avenue, conducting a slow-speed ramming into the crowd, before coming to a halt at the corner of Rochester and Veteran Ave. After the vehicle came to a halt, the driver was detained by police, and has not yet been identified. Analyst Comment: This incident was a deliberate attack, as evidenced by the signage that had been affixed to the Uhaul truck by the attacker. Despite these signs, however, the motive remains unclear as the messages are contradictory. The attacker's signs referenced, anti-Shah, anti-regime, and anti-Ayatollah sentiments, so it's not really clear what ideology the attacker was trying to support. Nevertheless, the attack was conducted for ideological reasons, even if they aren't immediately clear at the moment. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, a general state of unrest continued over the weekend, with various insurgent groups increasing the intensity of their efforts. Several independent journalists have been assaulted by the mobs at varying locations, as parts of the city descend into a state of lawlessness. Most of the violence has been contained to a few hotspots around the city. In the downtown area, the Renaissance and Hilton Hotels have remained under a state of unrest following the destruction caused by rioters over the weekend. Smaller, but more long-term protest sites have been established at these locations, in addition to the persistent protest that is ongoing at the Whipple Federal Building to the south of the city. This afternoon a riot broke out to the east of the Renee Good shooting site, at the corner of E 34th Street and Park Avenue. Rioters attacked ICE agents, which resulted in the deployment of tear gas to disperse the crowds. Kinetic events like this have been reported all over the city throughout the weekend, as rioters settle in for the long haul. For those seeking to conduct their own risk assessment, the most important factor to consider is the potential...the organizations, funding sources, logistics, transportation, leadership, intelligence, and operational planning efforts are already in place, and these groups causing problems have been coordinating resources for more prolonged operations. All that remains, is to let the funding flow more substantially, if powerful elites want to see the city burn. As this desire is an uncertainty, only time will tell how the unrest will develop. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 9, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: PROTESTS CONTINUE AS ANOTHER VEHICLE RAMMING AND SHOOTING INCIDENT INVOLVING FEDERAL AGENTS OCCURS OVERNIGHT. EVACUATIONS UNDERWAY IN KIEV AS RUSSIA STRIKES CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SERVING THE CITY.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events- Ukraine: Overnight, major strikes were reported throughout the country, as Russian forces conduct large-scale missile strikes on multiple fronts. Russia conducted an Oreshnik IRBM strike on the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske Natural Gas storage facility in western Ukraine. Large-scale drone strikes were also reported throughout Kiev, which damaged infrastructure including the city's water supply. Analyst Comment: These strikes were the largest to hit Ukraine during the war so far. At the moment, battle damage reports have not been made public, however the use of an Oreshnik (which has only been used once so far during this war) would have undoubtedly crippled the gas storage facility, which serves most of Ukraine, including Kiev. The mayor of Kiev has urged citizens to evacuate, due to the inability for utility services to provide heating for most of the city. Caribbean: This morning the United States seized another oil tanker attempting to flee Venezuela. The M/T *OLINA* was seized off the coast of Trinidad, as part of the widening operation to target Ghost Fleet vessels smuggling oil out of Venezuela. This brings the total number to 5x tankers seized so far. -HomeFront- Oregon: Yesterday evening, a state of civil unrest broke out after a shooting was reported involving Customs and Border Patrol. CBP agents conducted a traffic stop of a known TdA member and his wife on Southeast Main Street, in the vicinity of the Adventist Health campus. During the traffic stop, the TdA member attempted to ram officers with his vehicle, prompting the shooting. From there, the suspects egressed from the area to the east, where they were found by Portland PD officers on East Burnside St. with gunshot wounds. In the hours after the shooting, riots broke out throughout the city, and carried on throughout the night. Utah: Yesterday evening an ambush was reported in Ogden, which originated from a domestic dispute. Local authorities initially responded to reports of shots fired at a single-family residential home on E 5800 South, in a subdivision south of the intersection of Hwy 89 and Crestwood Dr. When authorities arrived, the suspect began firing at police by engaging them from within the home with small arms. A barricaded-shooter situation developed, and after a few hours the suspect was detained by SWAT and identified as James Joseph Rios. Concerning casualties, 2x neighbors were wounded by the shooter, during the initial engagement that prompted the police response. Analyst Comment: What initially prompted this incident is unclear; at the moment it looks like Rios simply decided to start shooting at his neighbors either randomly, or due to a mental health incident. However, the investigation is still underway, so more details may come to light over the next few days. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, the situation is deteriorating on multiple fronts. Following the ICE-involved shooting a few days ago, ANTIFA forces have moved into the area to establish an "Autonomous Grieving Zone" at the site of the shooting involving Renee Good. Portland Avenue from E 34th Street to 33rd Street was blocked, with barricade obstacles preventing people from freely migrating through the area. Early this morning, locals reported that police moved in to clear the obstructions from the street, however a significant agitator presence remains throughout the area. Around the city, atmospherics aren't great: rioters continue to cause civil unrest, and open and clear threats to federal agents have become routine. These threats aren't just screaming obscenities, or other generally nasty language...very elaborate and deliberate threats are being made. In one case a woman was heard shouting her plans to use Federal employment databases to hunt down and murder ICE agents when Trump leaves office, because their people will be in charge and have the historic payroll data of who was employed during this period of time. These very specific threats are not idle hyperbole, and convey the seriousness and deliberation that is already being undertaken by far-left groups to murder anyone enforcing US immigration law. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 5, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: USA TAKES CONTROL OF VENEZUELA, EFFORTS TO EMPLACE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUE. SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL SPREADS NATIONWIDE. ECOTERRORISTS SET FIRE TO BRIDGE IN BERLIN RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL BLACKOUTS.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events- Germany: Over the weekend insurgents conducted a sabotage operation in Berlin, which targeted electrical infrastructure. The far-left terrorist group Vulkangruppe claimed credit for the attack that took the form of arson attacks on electrical pylons carrying power to much of southwest Berlin. The main attack took the form of arsonists setting fire to a bridge carrying electrical cables across the canal to the west of the power plant in Lichterfelde. Analyst Comment: This attack was coordinated and timed to coincide with a cold snap that brought extremely cold weather throughout the region. The insurgents were trying to cause as much harm as possible, so they conducted the attack at a time when they knew that cold-weather casualties would be maximized. Local officials have stated that it might be as late as Thursday before repairs can be fully completed, due to the severity of the attack. -HomeFront- Minnesota: The Somali Fraud saga continues as dozens of independent investigations and lines of analytical effort result in even more fraud coming to light by the hour. This afternoon, Governor Tim Walz made the announcement that he is dropping out of the gubernatorial race due to the scandal. Analyst Comment: Minnesota is no longer the only state in which major investigative efforts are underway. After the initial story broke in Minneapolis, others started looking around in their areas, only to find exactly the same kind of fraud...wholesale theft of taxpayer money, laundered through nonexistent daycares and other welfare programs. There are currently reports of widespread Somali fraud in Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Ohio, and Maine. Additional fraud activities are also being investigated in most other states, not just within the Somali community. Ohio: Overnight a security incident was reported at the home of VP Vance. One assailant, who has been identified as William DeFoor, was able to get close enough to Vance's residence to break one of the exterior windows with a hammer, before being detained and arrested. Analyst Comment: Considering the extreme threats to key leaders within in the US at this time, this reaction was probably expected. However, this incident was too close for comfort. One lunatic with a hammer getting this close proves that a terrorist with an S-Vest could get just as close, and the outcome would be very different. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Venezuela, the situation right now is still very dynamic. Though the American operation to capture Maduro was a one-time mission, the situation has not over yet. Maduro is out of the fight, but right now the United States has, in effect, taken control of Venezuela. Maduro's allies, Generals, and decades of infrastructure (and criminal enterprise) does not simply evaporate overnight, and the removal of the head of the snake doesn't mean that the body doesn't also exist. In many ways it's business as usual in Venezuela, and in other ways significant changes are underway. President Trump has stated that the short term goal is to run Venezuela for a time, installing a puppet government until a transition to a more stable government can take place. Whether or not this will happen can be debated, but this is the plan for now. Regarding Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant (POL) facilities, President Trump stated that American oil companies will be running Venezuela's oil industry (and exporting that oil back to the United States). Concerning additional strikes, President Trump stated that a wider conflict may be necessary, but has alluded to the raid to snatch Maduro being a one-and-done operation for now. American presence in the region is still staggering, as it has been for many months, so if things pop off domestically in Venezuela (or if operations expand to other South American nations), the United States has enough resources in theater to handle any resistance groups that may pop up now that a very substantial destabilization operation has reached it's zenith in Venezuela. On that front, the story of Maduro's generals (and his government at large) is less clear. Obviously, his opposition is working to set up shop to control all domestic agencies and organziations throughout the nation. On the military front, the situation varies; most regular forces (such as the uniformed infantry, marines, etc.) have either fled or are carrying on as usual, so it's a mixed bag. Right now, it is only the irregular forces which have shown concern that their boss was given an all-expenses-paid red eye flight to New York. The Colectivos, the armed civilian militias which mostly served as Maduro's strongarm in the cities, have shown the most loyalty to their departed leader, and have activated themselves throughout Caracas to kidnap/kill anybody who they think were informants for the operation, but so far these efforts have been confined to roving bands of thugs rather than any sort of serious uprising. The more organized paramilitary organizations haven't been interested in any more serious uprising efforts either, however these will be the groups to keep an eye on if things get squirrely over the next few months. The Bolivarian National Militia is a step above the street thugs of the Colectivos because they have more training and slightly more organization than unorganized gangs, but their leadership appears to be engaging in the timeless third-world tradition of absconding with duffel bags full of cash the very moment their boss gets yanked. The Special Action Forces (FAES, also generally known as the secret police kill squads) also haven't been heard from in a while. Speculating a bit, it would make sense for many FAES members to quietly disappear into the night...these guys were responsible for many brutal killings and doing Maduro's dirty work, so it's very likely they would be hanged at some point now that Maduro is gone. Varying stories have been reported at the higher ranks of the more traditionally-uniformed military services in Venezuela...most Generals have stayed in power for now and are simply trying to figure out what to do next. Clearly, the American CIA has a very large presence in Venezuela, and have already lined up Maduro's successors. Amongst the Venezuelans, they are also probably trying to figure out which of them the CIA has picked to still have a job in a week's time, and which of them is due a black bag over the head. In South America, a LinkedIn rejection email might arrive in an unmarked van, so the leadership which hasn't already fled is probably waiting to see how all of this works out. Venezuela will have to be run by Venezuelans, so many probably think that there will always be a deal to be made. It's Monday, Venezuela just started a whole new week. And it's very likely that this week will be filled with a lot of changes down south. Most people within the US government who would have had the real-world experience of toppling a South American nation has either died or retired by now, so only time will tell if this traditional American pastime will work out in the long run. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//1130Z January 3, 2026// //PRIORITY// //BLUF: UNITED STATES BEGINS WAR IN VENEZUELA. MADURO CAPTURED IN OVERNIGHT RAID.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Caribbean: The war in Venezuela has begun. Overnight, the United States carried out a Helicopter Assault Force (HAF) raid to capture Maduro and his family, which President Trump states was a success. Maduro is currently being flown out of the country, and large-scale airstrikes are being carried out in Caracas. No American casualties have been reported as a result of the operation, and the forces that launched the raid are already out of Venezuelan airspace. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: Based on statements made by Maduro's political opposition, he cut a deal. The raid was part of the egress plan to get him out of the country, and he did so willingly. The kinetic nature of the operation was to enable Marudo to escape without his own people killing him, and so far the operation seems to be a success. Whether or not any of this is true is anyone's guess at the moment, but that's the story. Concerning battle damage in Caracas, substantial strikes have taken place. Once the sun rises a more thorough examination of what happened can take place, but right now it looks like most of the military capability in Caracas has been taken offline, with heavy strikes hitting Fort Tiuna, as well as La Carlota Airbase. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 2, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: PROTESTS EXPAND IN TEHRAN. TERROR ATTACK HALTED IN NORTH CAROLINA.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Iran: Overnight demonstrations continued throughout the country, increasing in size and scale. Yesterday evening President Trump weighed in on the protests, directly stating that the United States will intervene militarily if Iranian forces begin shooting protesters en masse. Analyst Comment: In the Middle East, a "happening" may potentially be on the horizon. So far, the Iranian government has seen worse protests over the years, but the situation is deteriorating rapidly and in classic regional fashion things are getting out of hand in some cities, particularly in locations where a protester gets shot, or some other high-profile event occurs. From the West, regime change is clearly being encouraged, as it has been for a very long time. Considering Netanyahu's recent visit to DC, and the general diplomatic strategy at play here, it's absolutely certain that both Israel and the US are making another big push for regime change again, so we'll have to see how it works out this time around. -HomeFront- North Carolina: This morning the DoJ announced the arrest of one individual who was allegedly planning to carry out a New Year's terror attack. Christian Sturdivant was arrested after conveying attack plans to an undercover agent earlier in December. The suspect pledged allegiance to what he thought was ISIS, and wanted to conduct an Islamic stabbing attack at a local area grocery store. The suspect originally came "on the radar" of the FBI back in 2022, when he made contact with actual ISIS fighters on social media, who encouraged him to conduct home invasions and kill people with hammers. The FBI made contact with him at that time, however he was 14 years old and no charges were filed as he allegedly underwent psychological treatment. Last month, after turning 18, Sturdivant returned to social media, making threats of his own, which prompted the FBI to intervene again to attempt to institutionalize him, which failed after a local magistrate judge refused to involuntarily commit him, and the FBI moved forward with their criminal case resulting in his arrest. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: Based on the documentation that has been provided on the details of the case, this seems less like a major terrorist takedown, and more like a habitually violent idiot getting rolled up after he posted stupid stuff online. The suspect's shockingly low IQ can be discerned from the press release, which indicate that the FBI was able to get pretty much every bit of evidence physically possible: He made violent threats online, which were followed up by messages from two undercover FBI agents, which in turn prompted the suspect to confess his entire attack plans in depth, up to and including a voice recording confession. Nevertheless, this context is not to downplay this individual's actions...idiots can still be very dangerous. He did indeed express his violent desires and took steps to work toward these goals, as he has been working on for several years now. And considering that he was arrested in Mint Hill (a suburb of the infamous city of Charlotte), this will be important to remember in the likely chance that he gets let out of custody (again). Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z January 1, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: MULTIPLE STATES OF UNREST CONTINUE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. MAJOR FIRE RESULTS IN MASS CASUALTIES AT SWISS NIGHTCLUB. NEW YEAR'S RIOTS STRIKE EUROPE.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Switzerland: Last night a significant structure fire was reported at a New Year's celebration event hosted by a nightclub in Crans-Montana. A fire broke out at the Le Constellation nightclub, which consumed most of the facility. Approximately 40x fatalities have been reported due to the fire, along with dozens of others suffering severe burns. Most of these casualties are assessed to have resulted from the challenges in evacuating the structure. Netherlands: Overnight a major fire was reported at the historic Vondelkerk Church in Amsterdam. The fire completely destroyed most of the church, which was serving mostly as office space due to a decline in the parish population over the years. Analyst Comment: The cause of the fire has officially not been released, however local authorities have stated that the fire is under investigation, which is itself and indicator that there is something to investigate. Europe: New Year's festivities resulted in many riots around the continent. Various Moroccan enclaves in Belgium were observed rioting overnight, many of which involved parading around Brussels with weapons in the open, and generally trying to destroy things with fireworks. Actual explosives and incendiary devices were also used throughout the night in Belgium, as a few firebombings took place in Antwerp. France reported around 1,173x vehicles set on fire around the nation, and about 500x arrests were made by riot police throughout the night. Arson attacks were also reported throughout the Netherlands, with migrants attacking Dutch police vehicles with Molotovs. Middle East: The situation in Iran is deteriorating as protests continue to grow throughout the nation. Protests began in Tehran a few days ago, and have spread to several other major cities around the country. Analyst Comment: As with any crisis in the region, there is a significant amount of deception and propaganda afoot. However, based on the videos that are making it out of the country, the protests are indeed real. The point of debate is how significant these demonstrations are. The Israeli's have claimed what they always do, that the Ayatollah has fled the country in disgrace, and revolution is underway. The Iranians have likewise done what they always do as well, and not even acknowledged what's happening at all. The truth is probably somewhere between these two extremes, and only time will tell how significant these protests become over the next few weeks. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: Right now it looks like the nightclub fire/explosion in Switzerland was probably not a terrorist attack, as the start of the fire was highly documented. A considerable amount of fireworks were noted at this location, many of which were being set off in a risky manner, such as the fireworks which were ignited indoors and held very close to extremely flammable soundproofing tiles. Shortly after the investigation into the fire was launched, Swiss authorities stated that they think it was an accident. Witnesses that took videos of the aftermath might also shed some light on why there was an exceptionally high casualty count for such a small venue. Videos of the fire (which are too graphic for mixed company) confirm that many people were trapped inside the building, and unable to escape. Only one staircase served as an egress method for the basement, where the fire first began. Additionally, once the fire broke out, many people did not evacuate, either out of ignorance or inebriation. As such, many people only thought about evacuating after the fire was already consuming the entire structure, and it was impossible to use the staircase to escape. This is an exceptionally disturbing reminder for witnesses of incidents that will occur in the future: Put the phone down, and help. The situation will be highly documented for TikTok later, and when a facility is on fire, it is a good idea to evacuate as soon as possible. Some bystanders did just that. A local media group found a bystander identified as Gianni, a university student from Geneva. Per his testimony, not many people helped rescue others, but due to his Civil Defense training he was able to rally at least 3-4 others to help coordinate rescue efforts before emergency personnel arrived. While this is single-source reporting from one witness, it does make sense in the context of local responders simply being overwhelmed with the scale of this disaster. As such this is another reminder of the importance of being prepared and acting with both speed and deliberation during a disaster. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 31, 2025// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: FINLAND SEIZES SHIP AFTER UNDERSEA CABLES CUT IN GULF OF FINLAND. SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL CONTINUES TO GROW NATIONWIDE AS RESISTANCE EFFORTS BEGIN IN MINNEAPOLIS.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Finland: Authorities seized a vessel that was suspected of deliberately dragging anchor over undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland. This morning, anomalies were detected by Elisa, a Finnish telecom provider which operates several undersea cables providing internet connectivity between Finland and Estonia. Shortly after the disturbance was noted, Finnish Naval forces dispatched a helicopter to patrol the area, which resulted in the discovery of the M/V *FITBURG* dragging her anchor while steaming through the area that the cable outage was reported in. Finland immediately boarded and seized the vessel, which remains in Finnish custody as the investigation into the anchor dragging incident continues. -HomeFront- Minnesota: Significant resistance has been noted among the Somali community of Minneapolis as the fraud situation becomes more public. A few Somali TikTokers harassing random citizens have been reported, and a general hostile tone has been noted throughout the city. Due to the rise of independent journalists investigating random businesses, Somali enclaves are now calling 911 on any non-Somali they see at their front door, and making the false claim that the person has a gun in order to elicit a police response. Washington D.C. - In response to the scale of the fraud on display in Minnesota, the federal Department of Health and Human Services has announced a halt of all Administration for Children and Families (ACF) payments made to child care facilities in the state, until each child care facility can prove they actually exist and provide services. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, the saga continues as the Nick Shirley story continues to gain traction. Officially, the State of Minnesota has stated that the "Learing Center" was actually shut down before Shirley's report. However, after this rhetoric was issued, the entire Somali community of the local area came out to make a grand show of the "Learing Center" actually being open. They brought random children to the facility to "prove" that the center was open, and made a big production out of the whole affair. Meanwhile, state-level officials have been on TV over the past few days urging the public that the facility has actually been closed for some time. Some Somalis, however, do understand the stakes in Minneapolis. Overnight, a break-in was reported at the Nokomis DayCare Center on Bloomington Avenue. The owners of the facility called an urgent press conference to address the situation, which several local media outlets flocked to this morning. The owners stated that the miscreants which conducted the daring heist only stole very specific items...all of the child enrollment records held by the daycare, as well as the checkbook that held all the financial data for the facility. The official story by the daycare owners is that thieves broke in during the night...to steal paperwork. To even the casual observer, this is very clearly a "dog ate my homework" level of effort to conceal some sort of criminal enterprise. Additionally, at this same venue, a hole was discovered in the wall under an electrical panel. In the world of tradecraft, this is a classic sign....the remnants of a cash hide site. It is extremely common for cash obtained through illegal means to be stored inside a wall for safekeeping. When it comes time for the criminal to fly to coop, they break the drywall, scoop out the cash, and run for it. While this is completely speculative in this case, it's probably one of the easiest assessments to make as this tactic is widely used throughout the third world (though usually the cash is encased in concrete to protect it from rodents). Even the most basic investigator would come to have a very clear theory about what happened here: A shady business was broken into during the night, all their paperwork was stolen and there's a hole in the drywall, but nothing else taken....this was clearly an operation being rolled up, and whomever was using this one business for illicit purposes is probably long gone. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 30, 2025// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: SAUDI ARABIA BOMBS EMIRATI WEAPONS SHIPMENT IN YEMEN. RAIL DELAYS SPREAD AROUND EUROPE AFTER INCIDENT IN CHANNEL TUNNEL. CROWBAR ATTACK REPORTED AT BRITISH HOSPITAL.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Yemen: Overnight tensions escalated sharply between several nations as the conflict in Yemen threatens to become more serious. Colonel Turki Al-Malki, the Saudi Air Force Colonel that serves as the spokesman for the Saudi mission to Yemen stated that two vessels departed the UAE without permission this morning, and sailed without turning their AIS transponders on before arriving in Yemen. Onboard these vessels were weapons and armored vehicles that the UAE was allegedly trying to smuggle to the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a faction that threatens the Saudi border. As a result, Saudi Arabia conducted a few airstrikes within the Yemeni port of Mukalla, targeting the combat vehicles to be used by the STC. After the strikes, Saudi Arabia also called for the UAE to leave Yemen entirely. A few hours after this morning's scuffle, the UAE announced a cessation of their already-reduced mission in Yemen, and are withdrawing all public support for the STC, per Saudi demands. United Kingdom: This morning an Afghan migrant was arrested for conducting an attack at the Newton-Le-Willows Hospital in Merseyside, a small village halfway between Liverpool and Manchester. The attack began after the man was denied an appointment after entering the lobby with a crowbar in hand. After being told there were no appointments, the man began attacking staff with the crowbar. 5x people were wounded during the attack. Europe: This morning a "major disruption" was reported in the Channel Tunnel, halting train services between London and Paris. The cause of the disruption was two-fold, resulting from several power lines being downed in one tunnel, and a train stuck in the other tunnel, blocking service both ways under the English Channel. Analyst Comment: This sounds like it wouldn't be that big of a deal, but due to the importance of this one tunnel (and the nature of rail logistics), passenger train services were halted from Amsterdam to Paris, all during one of the most heavily-trafficked travels season of the year. Delays have been reported all day, and EuroStar has recommended travelers to avoid trains which use cross-Channel routes until repairs are made. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: The situation in Yemen has always been a tangled web of factions, and thing's aren't as simple as "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". This latest development is no different, and throughout the day the statements from all parties reflect more of the plot of a soap opera than traditional diplomacy. The STC is a separatist movement in Yemen that is opposing the Houthi's, but also opposing the Saudis. The Saudis know that if the STC were to win the Civil War in Yemen and actually dominate the Houthis, the STC would probably sidestep the formal Yemeni government and succeed in their goal of creating a new state (what they call South Arabia), which the STC has been working toward for some time. The UAE provides materiel support to the STC for several reasons. For one, the UAE and the Saudis have bad-blood between them on cultural grounds, but both the Emirates and the Saudi royal family also don't want the Houthi's to control most of Yemen, thus the reason for both nations teaming up to form the security coalition in Yemen. However, the Saudis also don't want the Houthi's adversaries (the STC) to get too much control either...which the UAE *does* want so as to apply pressure to the Saudis because the UAE and Yemen don't share a land border, so they don't care. In short, the Saudis and Emirates don't actually like each other, but work together to control the dozens of factions at play in Yemen, and this morning, the UAE overstepped their bounds, so the Saudi's bombed their arms shipment. The Emirates have argued that that technically the armored vehicles that they mailed to the Saudi's enemies are not "arms" so it doesn't count as being an arms shipment. In return, the Saudis have pointed out that there were also conex boxes full of explosives onboard the vessels, and re-stating that any threats to their national security will be dealt with swiftly, et al, etcetera, and so on. Daytime TV drama aside, squabbling between factions as large as the Saudi royal family and the seven territories that collectively form the "United" part of the United Arab Emirates usually isn't great for stability in the Middle East, especially since major offensives are currently underway throughout Yemen between several different factions. Whether it's directly related to the drama between the Saudis and the Emirates is not entirely clear, but right now there's a whole lot of shooting going on in the city of Mukalla, the same city struck earlier this morning. Though it was probably planned some time ago, various factions (including STC) are trying to capitalize on the squabbling between the big kids on the playground, so as to improve their own tactical positions on the battlefield. Most Middle Eastern nations have picked up on this as well, and the Qataris and Kuwaitis have both issued statements of solidarity regarding the deterioration of the security situation in Yemen over the past 12 hours or so. All in all, a busy day for the Middle East, and things aren't over just yet. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 29, 2025// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: PRESIDENT TRUMP QUIETLY CONFIRMS LAND-BASED STRIKES HAVE BEGUN IN VENEZUELA. CHINA LAUNCHES LARGE-SCALE MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR TAIWAN.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Far East: This morning China kicked off their large-scale yearly military exercise in the waters surrounding Taiwan. This year's exercise has been titled "Justice Mission 2025" and focuses on combined arms warfare techniques that will be necessary for the invasion of Taiwan. In the graphics and AI-generated content provided on the exercises by China, the focus for the drills is openly to deter a Taiwanese bid for independence. Analyst Comment: As usual, all eyes are on the drills this year to assess whether or not China will be capable of taking Taiwan when the time comes. Traditionally, China never announces their military drills ahead of time. In this case, approximately one hour elapsed between the official announcement of the drills, and the first aircraft detected on Taiwanese radar. Somewhat interestingly this year, China has leaned into camouflage as a concept. Ironically, China directly stole the idea of "urban camouflage" from Taiwan, which has taken the form of Chinese units camouflaging ICBM launchers to appear to be construction cranes...a tactic Taiwan has been using for many years. Due to the nature of the expected urban combat of Taipei, Taiwan has had to come up with unique ways for military equipment to survive as long as possible in the event that war kicks off. Turns out, China has also replicated much of this urban camouflage doctrine, which indirectly confirms that China is expecting missiles to be landing within their homeland as well. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: This afternoon, President Trump received Prime Minister Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence to conduct talks on the Middle East and other various topics. While this visit was quite standard (as these visits have become fairly regular over the past year), several very important items of note took place during the reception. As Prime Minister Netanyahu was welcomed, a brief press conference was called as is common for dignitary visits. As journalists were present asking questions, the topic of conversation turned to Venezuela. During this off-the-cuff press briefing, President Trump casually stated that the United States had conducted at least one land-based strike within Venezuela. President Trump stated that an "implementation area" (sic) was struck, which he described as being a dock area where boats were being loaded with drugs. This leaves more questions than answers, and when pressed by journalists about this rather important conflict, President Trump stated that he did not want to comment on the matter any further. As this short 30 second clip is all we have to go on, there's not much that can be discerned at present, however it's almost certain that ground strikes have already quietly started throughout the region. Throughout this short presser, various other topics came up as well. President Trump reiterated the commitment to continue strikes in Iran, which is not surprising but still notable as it confirms that this conflict is certainly far from over. President Trump also confirmed that he took an unscheduled call from President Putin regarding an event that occurred this morning. In Moscow, the Kremlin reported a Ukrainian drone strike being conducted at an undisclosed location which targeted one of Putin's personal residences. Ukraine has denied this attack outright, and has stated that the whole affair has been fabricated from the ground up. During this morning's ad hoc press briefing in Florida, President Trump stated that the phone call had taken place, and that the US stopped the sale of Tomahawks to Ukraine for this reason (presumably to prevent them from using these munitions to assassinate Putin). Granted, these minor details probably don't matter that much to the average American taxpayer, but it does shed light on the relationships between all parties during this war, as well as the high-stakes nature of this conflict and very tenuous peace talks. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 24, 2025// //FESTIVE// //BLUF: UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT PILOTED BY MAN IN RED SUIT SPOTTED DEPARTING NORTH POLE.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- North Pole: Yesterday afternoon Santa's elves were carrying out final preparations for the yearly trip around the world. This year, a slight delay was noted by the Northern Observatory for Elvish Labor due to some of the flight plan paperwork and airspace clearance permits arriving a bit later than expected. Once the various paperwork was filed, the Supervisory Administrator for Nighttime Transportation Activities confirmed that Santa was able to complete final preparations for delivery this afternoon. Greenland: Earlier this evening, a US Air Force RADAR site detected an object departing the North Pole. As the object flew over the Norwegian territory of Svalbard, observers saw a bright red light shining from the object, marking it's position in the night sky. Alaska: Some time later, the United States Air Force Center for Logistical Analysis of Unknown Sky Events scrambled F-16 fighter aircraft to visually confirm the presence of Mr. Claus, however the pilots were unable to keep up with Santa as he was flying much too fast for normal aircraft. At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the director of the Joint Organization for Leading Logistics, Yearly stated that he had never before seen anything fly so fast, and that Santa's sleigh must have been upgraded earlier this year. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: Santa Claus is indeed coming to town. For those who want to track Santa in real time NORAD has their yearly tracker to help find out where Santa is flying right now, which can be found at www.noradsanta.org. As a reminder, it is recommended that all children go to bed a bit early tonight, as local zoning regulations mean that Santa cannot deliver presents while everyone is still awake. St. Nicholas' power does work globally, however it is helpful to make his job a little easier when possible as he has a lot of homes to visit! As such, may everyone have a Merry Christmas, and to all a good night! Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 23, 2025// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: MEXICAN NAVY AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN GALVESTON, 2X SURVIVORS RESCUED BY GOOD SAMARITANS. INVESTIGATION INTO BROWN UNIVERSITY CONTINUES.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Caribbean: Yesterday the Pentagon announced the shelling of another narco-submarine, which was sunk in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. One individual was reported killed during the strike, though a full Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) has not been provided due to the nature of the submersible craft making it hard to count home many people were really on board. -HomeFront- Texas: Last night a Mexican Navy aircraft transporting medical patients crashed in the waters off the coast of Galveston while attempting to land. The flight was carrying medical patients who were to undergo surgery at the Shriner's Children's Hospital in Galveston. So far, of the 8x people onboard the aircraft 5x fatalities have been confirmed, with 2x survivors and one individual remaining missing. Analyst Comment: The accident appears to be the result of poor visibility at the time of the crash, and the fact that anyone survived at all is a sheer miracle. One woman was rescued from the wreckage by a good Samaritan who responded to the crash site, jumped in the water, and pulled her from the airframe. Other volunteers also helped recover everyone they could from the debris before it sank. The status of the survivors is not clear, however all were in extremely serious condition when they were rescued from the aircraft. Pennsylvania: This afternoon an explosion was reported at the Silverlake Nursing Home in Bristol. A mass casualty situation was declared as a significant blast destroyed part of the structure. Analyst Comment: At the time of this report, this is a developing situation and the casualty count is not yet known. The cause of the blast is also not confirmed, however initial assessments suspect this may have been the result of a natural gas leak. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: As the investigation into the Brown University shooting has continued, more information has come to light that clarifies some details of the incident. The Chief of the Brown University campus Police Department has been placed on leave as testimony indicates the shooter was observed acting suspiciously within the Barus and Holley building in the weeks leading up to the mass shooting. Derek Lisi, the custodian who works within the engineering building complex, stated that he reported the shooter to security over a dozen times for acting suspiciously. His tips were ignored and no investigation was launched. Regarding the lack of security camera footage, some useful information has actually arisen from a journalist during a press conference. The press conferences involving Chief Perez, AG Neronha, and others have become regularly disastrous to the point that even journalists are becoming hostile toward how poorly this is being handled. During one press conference, a journalist started asking a question which rapidly became more of a tirade, which accused the officials of something very specific. The journalist stated that the reason for certain cameras not functioning is because they were actually taken down completely at the request of a few dozen different activist groups, who wrote letters to Brown University demanding the school protect illegal immigrant students. So far this has not been confirmed as it's very unlikely for Brown University to incriminate themselves now (the press conferences have definitely become a "plead the fifth" kind of arrangement at this point). However, if this is true, this would line up with the initial suspicions expressed during the early moments after the shooting. Removing security cameras for social justice reasons has always been a main theory from the very start, and now it's looking like the mainstream media is catching on to this possibility as well. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 22, 2025// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: US SEIZES SECOND OIL TANKER IN CARIBBEAN, THIRD TANKER SEIZURE IMMINENT. AUSTRALIA INCREASES SECURITY AT POPULATED GATHERING PLACES.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Netherlands: This evening a vehicle ramming incident was reported in the town of Nunspeet, to the east of Amsterdam. 10x people were wounded during the incident, which involved a vehicle ramming into a crowd during a Christmas parade. Analyst Comment: At the moment it's not certain as to if this was a deliberate attack, or an accident. The parade itself was taking place in the dark, as it was organized around the viewing of Christmas lights. Since this took place in the Netherlands, it may take some time for more details to come to light. Caribbean: The Tanker Wars have continued to expand in scope as the US targets multiple tanker vessels throughout the region. On Saturday, the United States seized the M/T *CENTURIES*, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) flagged out of Panama and registered to a Chinese company. Sunday afternoon the US Coast Guard was observed to be in pursuit of a third vessel, the M/T *BELLA 1*, a stateless tanker vessel illegally flying the flag of Guyana. This vessel is well-known to smuggle crude to the Iranians in violation of US sanctions. Australia: Fortification efforts have been observed at Bondi Beach, which have been emplaced for the memorial event that was held in the park over the weekend. Analyst Comment: Emplacing obstacles at a site that has already been attacked is a strong indicator that the threats are not over yet. Granted, it's cheap to move around blocks of concrete with a forklift, so it makes sense to put them up for the holiday season. However, both of the threats presented to Bondi Beach have been related to small-arms attacks, and not vehicle ramming threats. This indicates that either the threats of further attacks are genuine, or somebody thinks they might be. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: In the Caribbean, it would seem as though the tanker wars have begun. However, the situation might be a bit more complicated than simply conducting a heist for oil, and the target vessels themselves have pointed to the reasoning for the interdictions. Firstly and most importantly, the pretense of this mission being solely about narcotics trafficking has been dropped; the White House has shifted into also targeting oil vessels without much comment, so at least they're being more honest now. However, even though it's about the oil, there's a bit more to the story. Though Venezuelan crude is quite high-grade, the US doesn't actually need it as the oil that's been seized is negligible in terms of our own domestic production. As such, it's probably less about the US getting the oil, and more about making sure that China doesn't. The war in the Pacific (which looks increasingly more likely to take place within the next few years) will 100% be a war largely decided by energy: Just like WW2, the Pacific Theater is big and logistics and fuel are the name of the game. Straight-up stealing Venezuela's oil is one way to impact China's logistical supply lines before a war ever begins, and this doctrine is very similar (in many ways) to what transpired between the US and Japan before the war kicked off back in 1941. This history may seem irrelevant, however the seizure of the M/T *CENTURIES* gives us a clue. The *CENTURIES* itself was not a stateless vessel, nor was it a sanctioned vessel. Everything about the paperwork for the *CENTURIES* was completely legal and above board...it was the oil onboard that was the illegal part that was subject to US sanctions. This is very telling as the US has altered the deal of the blockade, and Venezuela is probably hoping that they don't alter it any further. Regarding the other vessel that is being sought right now, the *BELLA 1*, her status is less clear. However, doctrinally speaking all nations that have a substantial naval force would agree that the *BELLA* is up to no good and in violation of not just US sanctions, but the standards of maritime decorum generally agreed upon by everybody (stateless vessels with no registration are a big no-no in the maritime community). Some reports state that the USCG attempted to board her at least once, but somehow failed. Right now that's just a rumor which is probably inaccurate. What's more likely is that the USCG hailed her via radio and she refused to stop her engines to allow boarding, and is attempting to make a run for Venezuelan waters. If the US Navy and the US Coast Guard so desire to board a vessel, it shall happen regardless of the opinions of those onboard. So it's likely that the USCG is shadowing her for the time being, until a higher-tier of military unit gets in position to conduct a more kinetic interdiction. Of note, the *BELLA 1* is currently transmitting distress calls over the radio, wanting fellow vessels to save them from being boarded. This is the maritime equivalent of calling the cops on your own drug dealer because the deal went bad, so it's unlikely that anybody is going to help them evade pursuit. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
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S2Underground 1 month ago
//The Wire//2300Z December 19, 2025// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: BROWN UNIVERSITY SHOOTER ALLEGEDLY FOUND DEAD AFTER BRIEF MANHUNT. STABBING ATTACK STRIKES TAIWAN. NEW YEARS CELEBRATIONS CANCELED IN MANY NATIONS WORLDWIDE DUE TO TERRORISM CONCERNS.//  -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----   -International Events- Global: Several nations have canceled or reduced their New Year's celebration events for many major cities. Paris, Hong Kong, Venice, Belgrade, and Tokyo have all canceled fireworks, concerts, and public gatherings due to terrorism concerns. Taiwan: This afternoon a complex terror attack was captured on video in downtown Taipei. One assailant began the initial phase of the attack by throwing a smoke grenade into the MRT Taipei Main Station (the central subway station in Taipei). During this initial incident, at least one citizen attempted to stop the attacker, however after a scuffle the citizen had either a medical emergency or sustained blunt force trauma (reports vary), and later died at a hospital. A few minutes after the attack began, it became clear that this initial incident was a diversion, and that the main attack was to be conducted at the Zhonshan Station a few blocks to the north. At some point after the first smoke grenade incident, the attacker moved to the second attack site and began stabbing people on the street right outside the Zhonshan Station subway entrance. The assailant also attempted to ignite a large incendiary device at some point during the attack, which was comprised of a bag full of Molotovs. Concerning casualties, 3x people were killed during the stabbing phase of the attack, and 9x others wounded. Eventually, the attacker took his own life by jumping from a high rise building during a foot pursuit by police, though the details of exactly how this happened remain unknown at the moment. The assailant was later identified as Chang Wen, however no details were provided regarding his motive for the attack. Australia: All seven of the suspects arrested during yesterdays counterterrorism investigation have been released from detention, even the suspects who were reportedly on terrorism watchlists. Authorities state that there was no reason to hold them, so they let them go. Analyst Comment: Analytically speaking, it's not usually a good idea to theorize just on gut instinct that a terror attack will take place, however if there ever were to be a time for such it would be right now. The intelligence value of letting known terrorists escape (so as to reveal the location of their buddies) seems like a good idea at first. However, the value of this investigative technique is negligible when the terrorist cell has reached the final stages of attack planning and have moved into the operational phase. By the time a group of terrorists are maneuvering into the objective area to obtain their weapons before an attack, the other cells have usually already cut contact for security reasons. These guys now know that they are being watched, and the element of surprise is gone at the same time they are walking free. -HomeFront- Rhode Island: Yesterday evening the Brown University shooter was identified by authorities as Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national who was a former student of Brown University. Authorities state he committed the shooting at the Barus and Holley engineering building, before egressing to Boston. At some point during this trip, he is claimed to have swapped the license plates on his vehicle to evade detection. Once in Boston, he is suspected of murdering MIT professor Loureiro, whom he had worked with in back in Portugal some years ago. Last night Valente was allegedly discovered deceased in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire. -----END TEARLINE----- Analyst Comments: Regarding the Brown University shooting, many details still remain to be ironed out. Most of the details are sketchy at best, and authorities are still withholding a lot of information. None of the witnesses who were in the room of the shooting have come forward with information either, an interesting observance that departs from nearly all prior mass shooting cases. Otherwise nobody with two brain cells to rub together believes the Providence Police department or the FBI after fumbling the case this hard. While the FBI was out kicking snow and explicitly telling us that there was no further threat to the public, the killer was quite literally driving a rental car to Boston to murder his former colleague. Or at least, that's the conclusion that can be reached using the official, government-approved version of the story. Considering the lack of trust in that official story, it will be some time before even the very basic details of these cases become supported to the point of being believable. Analyst: S2A1 Research: Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//