The Wire - July 31, 2025

//The Wire//2300Z July 31, 2025//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: DIGITAL PRIVACY CONCERNS REMAIN A CENTRAL FOCUS OF THE WESTERN WORLD. RANDOM ATTACKS TAKE PLACE IN MULTIPLE RECREATIONAL AREAS AROUND THE USA.//

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-International Events-

Global: Around the world, the push for more censorship and a reduction of privacy continues to grow in size and scope. In the United Kingdom, politicians have called for an expansion of the Online Safety act to include generic search engines such as Google. Following the implementation of the Online Safety Act, several other EU member states have also voiced their support for similar efforts in their nations, which include: Italy, Greece, Denmark, Spain, and France.

Germany: Outrage has resulted from a recent push in Bavaria to tax groundwater. As of January 1, 2026, residents of the region will be taxed 10 cents per cubic meter of groundwater that is pumped out of the ground on one's own property.

Analyst Comment: Once various entities around the world realize that this tax will just result in general discontent, and not an outright open rebellion, this tactic will expand greatly to be utilized by other nations.

Ireland: New footage has come to light regarding an Islamic terror attack that took place in Dublin on Tuesday. The video of the attack confirms that the assailant shouted Islamic phrases during the attack, in which he approached a police officer from behind, stabbing him with a large knife.

Analyst Comment: Continuing the trend of European media, all references to this attack strategically omitted all references to terrorism, with all media groups calling this incident an "unprovoked attack" and protecting the identity of the terrorist. This half-truth omits the detail that the individual was attempting to commit an act of jihad.

-HomeFront-

Washington D.C. - Various trade deals remain in development with the White House granting Mexico an extension regarding the implementation of a deal with the United States. South Korea also finalized their re-negotiation of trade policy with the United States yesterday.

North Carolina: A shooting was reported at the Avalon Fishing Pier in Kill Devil Hills this afternoon. One person was killed and another wounded during the engagement, with the shooter egressing from the area before being immediately captured nearby. No further details have been provided on this shooting, or what prompted the incident in what is normally a low-crime area.

Colorado: This afternoon an ICE-involved shooting was reported in the Black Forest area near Colorado Springs. Federal authorities state that immigration enforcement operations were underway throughout the area this afternoon, when two illegals in a vehicle attempted to ram an officer while trying to escape the scene. One agent engaged the vehicle with small arms, which was later abandoned by the assailants. The status of the illegals remains unknown, and a significant police presence has been noted throughout the area.

Georgia: Four people have been arrested for an attack that took place at the Low Gap Campground last weekend, and more details pertaining to the case have also come to light. A man and his daughter were fishing when four individuals hit him over the head with a glass bottle, knocking him unconscious and causing severe bleeding. The man's daughter was also attacked, but managed to stab her attackers with her knife, causing the attackers to flee.

Arkansas: An assailant has been arrested in conjunction with a double-homicide investigation at Devil's Den State Park, following the discovery of the remains of two hikers on a trail in the park on Saturday. The attacker has been identified as Andrew James McGann, who was arrested today after confessing to the murders.

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Analyst Comments: These attacks are an unfortunate reminder that even remotely-populated public areas can be host to extreme violence that only will be stopped by potential victims returning that violence to their attackers. Most importantly, the response time and remote nature of many public parks must be considered. Most outdoor recreational communities do not stress the importance of being prepared for massive hemorrhaging wounds, which in today's age would be wise to reconsider. Concerning the attack in Georgia, the testimony from survivors indicates that this was a random attack, and that a group of people (some of which have not been arrested yet) decided to randomly attack this man and attempt to murder him, which is similar to what took place in Arkansas.

Regarding the Arkansas murders, the two children of the victims survived due to their mother egressing from the area with them after their father was attacked. Once back at the trailhead, the mother returned down the trail to the scene of the the first murder to assist her husband, and was ambushed by the attacker herself. Regarding a motive for the attack, so far authorities have not determined why this man killed the victims, and at the moment this appears to be a random attack by a psychopath. This is most strongly evidenced by the deliberation undertaken by the killer; he had used tape to obscure his license plate before the attack and appears to have had a pre-determined egress plan. Though no details have been provided to confirm, the murders appear to have been very graphic as the killer's hair and blood were also recovered from the scene (indicating a struggle). Of note, McGann had been hired as a local schoolteacher for the upcoming school year but had not yet begun employment at the school yet.

Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
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