re.search Multiple lines Python

re.search with \s or '\n' is not finding the multiline i'm trying to search for. Portion of Source: ``` Date/Time: 2013-08-27 17:05:36 ----- BEGIN SEARCH ----- GENERAL DATA: NAME: AB12 SECTOR: 999,999 CONTROLLED BY: Player ALLIANCE: Aliance ONLINE: 1 seconds ago SIZE: Large HOMEWORLD: NO APPROVAL RATING: 100% PRODUCTION RATE: 100% RESOURCE DATA: POWER: 0 / 0 BUILDINGS: 0 / 20 ORE: 80,000 / 80,000 CRYSTAL: 80,000 / 80,000 POPULATION: 40,000 / 40,000 BUILDING DATA: N/A UNIT DATA: WYVERN(S): 100 ----- END SEARCH ----- ``` Looking at it in Notepad++ I see "BUILDING DATA:(LF)" Full Code ``` lines = open('scan.txt','r').readlines() for a in lines: if re.search(r"\A\d", a): digits = a if re.search(r"2013", digits): date.append(digits[:19]) count +=1 elif re.search(r",", digits): clean = digits.rstrip() sector = clean.split(',') x.append(sector[0]) y.append(sector[1]) elif re.search(r"CONTROLLED BY:", a): player.append(a[15:].rstrip()) elif re.search(r"ALLIANCE:", a): alliance.append(a[10:].rstrip()) elif re.search(r"SIZE:", a): size.append(a[6:].rstrip()) elif re.findall('BUILDING DATA:\sN/A', a, re.M): def_grid = '' print "Didn't find it" defense.append(def_grid) defense_count +=1 elif re.search(r"DEFENSE GRID", a): def_grid = a[16:].rstrip() print "defense found" defense_count +=1 ``` But I am not having anything returned. I need to put an empty spacer in when "DEFENSE GRID" doesn't exist after "BUILDING DATA:" I know i'm missing something and I've tried reading up on re.search but i'm not able to find any thorough examples that explain how the multiline works.