US authorities on Thursday (April 13) arrested 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, in the case of a leak of classified documents. News helicopter footage showed the suspect, in red shorts with his hands behind his back, being placed by heavily-armed agents into an unmarked sports utility vehicle, in a forested area in North Dighton, Massachusetts.
According to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Teixeira, in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defence information.
“Today, the Justice Department arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defence information, to share it as an employee of the United States Air Force National Guard. FBI agents took Teixeira into custody earlier this afternoon without incident. He will have an initial appearance at the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts,” Garland said.
The embarrassing security breach revealed US unease over the viability of a coming counteroffensive by Ukraine’s forces against Russian troops as well as concerns about Ukrainian air defences and pointed to American spying on allies.
It was earlier reported that Jack Teixeira led Thug Shaker Central, a group on Discord. According to the Washington Post, the group of around 24 people, including some from Russia and Ukraine, bonded over their mutual love of guns, military gear and God, and formed an “invitation-only clubhouse in 2020 on Discord.
The Pentagon said on Thursday that the leak was a “deliberate, criminal act.”
Earlier, US President Joe Biden said “concerned” but that the intelligence community and Justice Department were “getting close” to identifying the source of the leak.
“There’s a full-blown investigation going on, as you know, with the intelligence community and the Justice Department, and they’re getting close,” Biden said during a visit to Ireland.
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