Pentagon leak: Teixeira shared 'top secrets' with Russians months earlier than originally thought

Washington: Over two dozen potential suspects who participated in Jack Teixeira’s Discord page, where he allegedly exposed security information, are under investigation by the FBI.

It was recently discovered that Teixeira, a member of the US Air National Guard who is suspected of leaking sensitive information to a select number of gamers, had been sharing private material to some wider chat group months earlier than originally thought.

A user account with the same name as Airman Jack Teixeira started uploading top-secret intelligence on the Russian war effort in February 2022, not long after the invasion of Ukraine.

According to the New York Times, which cited online messages examined by the newspaper, Teixeira was utilising a previously unreported chat group on the social media platform Discord. The group had roughly 600 members, the newspaper added.

Friends of Teixeira from the unfortunately called “Thug Shaker Central” Discord server have been questioned by the FBI, according to reports.

They were questioned about how they met Teixeira, the games they were playing, and whether or not they were foreigners.

The Russian link in Pentagon leak

According to the Washington Post, some of the those who were on the Discord group previously said that around twenty members were from South America, Russia, the Ukraine, mainland Europe, and Asia.

It’s not clear if the FBI has confirmed foreign nationals were on the server, but at least one former member had their electronic devices taken by the FBI.

Pentagon leak case update

Teixeira, 21, was supposed to have a detention hearing in federal court in Boston, but the judge postponed it after Teixeira’s attorney submitted a motion asking for it to be put off for roughly two weeks.

According to the defense, “more time is needed to address the issues raised by the government’s request for detention.” No new time has been determined.

Teixeira renounced his right to a preliminary hearing and was taken to the courtroom on Wednesday morning in shackles and orange jail garb. He only responded with a yes or a no when asked if he understood his rights and the proceedings.

Charges on Teixeira

Teixeira was charged last week with unauthorised retention and communication of sensitive national defence information under the Espionage Act. He was mandated to remain in custody until his detention hearing by a magistrate judge during his initial court appearance last Friday.

He hasn’t yet admitted guilt. His federal public defender did not talk to reporters at the courthouse or reply to an email sent by The Associated Press last week.

Teixeira is charged with disclosing highly sensitive military information on Russia’s conflict in Ukraine and other important matters of national security in a chat room on Discord, a social media site that originally served as a gaming community hangout.

The shocking leak of highly sensitive intelligence has caused anxiety around the world and brought up new issues regarding America’s ability to keep its secrets safe.

Leaders in the Air Force announced on Tuesday that they were looking into how a single airman could obtain and possibly share hundreds of highly classified papers.

In the meantime, the Air Force has suspended operations at the Cape Cod-based 102nd Intelligence Wing of the Air National Guard, where Teixeira formerly served.

How was Teixeira caught?

According to court documents that were recently disclosed, Teixeira was located through interviews with social media allies and billing records the FBI received from Discord.

Investigators think he was in charge of the Thug Shaker Central private Discord chat group, which attracted about twenty aficionados who discussed their preferred firearms and traded memes and jokes. The group also engaged in an ongoing conversation about wars during which the Russian invasion of Ukraine was brought up.

According to a Discord user who is familiar with Teixeira’s online writings, a username associated with Teixeira started publishing what appeared to be secret material towards the end of December.

According to court documents, the individual gave the FBI some basic identifying information about Teixeira, including that he went by the name “Jack,” claimed to be a member of the Air National Guard, and appeared to reside in Massachusetts.

The source further revealed to the FBI that Teixeira changed his method of transcribing documents he had in his hands from typing them out to bringing them home and taking pictures because he was “concerned that he may be discovered making the transcriptions of text in the workplace.”

In contrast to what users have claimed to The Associated Press and other media sources, who have reported that the person they would refer to as “the O.G.” started posting photographs of documents because he was upset that other users weren’t taking him seriously.

Teixeira allegedly searched for the phrase “leak” in a classified system on April 6, the day The New York Times published its initial article about the document breach, according to the prosecution affidavit.

According to the FBI, there was a good chance Teixeira was attempting to learn more about the inquiry into the leakers.

How big is the Pentagon leak?

The exact number of documents that were leaked is unknown. About 50 documents have been read by the Associated Press, although some estimates place the amount at hundreds.

The sensitive information in the documents ranges from briefing slides outlining Ukrainian military positions to analyses of international support for Ukraine and other touchy subjects, such as the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Since the leaks were initially discovered, the Biden administration has hurried to control any potential diplomatic and military repercussions, assuring allies and determining the extent of the harm.

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