The FBI announced Thursday that it has arrested a suspect in the classified documents case.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a press conference that the FBI arrested Air National Guard Captain Jack Teixeira today without any complications.
The Minister of Justice said that Jack Douglas Teixeira, who was arrested in Massachusetts over the leaked security documents, is now under investigation for classified information that was illegally collected, preserved, and transmitted.
Teixeira, who joined the Air National Guard in September 2019, has the highest level of security clearance granted by the federal government for top secret information, according to an internal Department of Defense email. Another internal government document also said his clearance was revoked. security and its ability to access secret government systems.
Teixeira most recently served at Otis Air National Guard Base as a member of the 102nd Intelligence Wing. According to the unit, he was promoted to Airman First Class last July.
The FBI began monitoring Teixeira for the leaks before Thursday but had to accelerate plans to arrest him after the New York Times identified him Wednesday night, a source familiar with the investigation said.
The New York Times report stated that Teixeira is the leader of a discord group called “Thug Shaker Central” that consists of approximately 20 to 30 guys.
Teixeira allegedly began sharing confidential documents with the private group in recent months, but the leaks received wider attention after another member shared them in a public forum, according to the report.
Fox News reported that investigators do not believe the case ends with Teixeira, noting that other people are being sought.
The National Guard said in a statement that it is aware of the alleged role a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard may have played in the recent leak of top-secret documents from the Pentagon.
“The National Guard takes this case very seriously and will support investigators. National security is our top priority, and any attempt to undermine it threatens our values and erodes trust between our members, the public, allies, and partners.”
Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, described the leaks as a deliberate criminal act, and said distribution lists of classified information were being reviewed.
[…] the past few days, a batch of secret US military documents have appeared on social media, covering various aspects of intelligence such as the conflict […]