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Jack Teixeira: What we know about Pentagon leaks suspect Jack Teixeira: What we know about Pentagon leaks suspect
(14 days later)
Jack Teixeira in a photo posted on social mediaJack Teixeira in a photo posted on social media
Friends of 21-year-old Jack Douglas Teixeira, the man accused of leaking classified US intelligence files, say he is not a whistleblower. Prosecutors say an American accused of one of the highest-profile intelligence leaks in years had a history of violent threats and troubling social media posts.
So why would a relatively junior airman with no clear motivation allegedly share highly sensitive documents online? The files, which number in the dozens, included confidential information about the war in Ukraine and other national security issues. Jack Douglas Teixeira, 21, is charged with the unauthorised removal and retention of classified documents and materials. If found guilty, he faces up to 25 years behind bars.
FBI investigators will no doubt be working to establish a potential motive. In court papers, government prosecutors disclosed that he was once suspended from secondary school and denied a firearms ID over troubling comments he made.
Mr Teixeira appeared in federal court for the first time on Friday, wearing a beige jumpsuit and handcuffs. Authorities have charged him with unauthorised removal and retention of classified documents and materials. If found guilty, Teixeira faces up to 15 years behind bars. He did not enter a plea. Authorities further allege he destroyed his electronic devices and other evidence as they closed in on an arrest.
Mr Teixeira's family has a history of military service, and friends say he has long wanted to join the military, raising further questions about why the suspect would potentially endanger US national security by leaking the files. But many questions remain about why Mr Teixeira would share highly sensitive files, including confidential information about the war in Ukraine and other national security issues.
His stepfather retired after 34 years of military service, while his mother previously worked for non-profit organisations focused on veterans, according to LinkedIn and public records cited by US media outlets. His mother posted photos of the family every year for Veterans Day. 'An ongoing risk to national security'
His parents attended his hearing on Friday, but did not comment to the swarm of media that surrounded them as they left court. Mr Teixeira enlisted in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, a reserve of the US Air Force, in 2019. His job title is cyber transport systems journeyman, and he holds the junior rank of Airman 1st Class.
The family live in North Dighton, Massachusetts, and Mr Teixeira graduated from high school there in 2020. He was arrested outside the family's rural home by heavily armed FBI agents on Thursday. He has top secret security clearance. In order to be given this clearance, Mr Teixeira signed a "lifetime binding non-disclosure agreement" acknowledging that the "unauthorized disclosure of protected information could result in criminal charges", according to court documents.
CNN spoke to former high school classmates of his. One expressed surprised at the leaking allegations, saying: "I could never have foreseen him doing that." Personnel assigned to his role are responsible for operating the Air Force's global communications network and require a background check that allows access to top secret information.
Neighbours described Mr Teixeira as being "big into video games", but said he was a "good kid, not a troublemaker". But the government has argued Mr Teixeira has a history of extreme remarks and behaviour, and would pose a serious flight risk and ongoing threat of further damage to national security if he was released from jail pre-trial.
One said "he had a good head on his shoulders [and] wanted to join the military". Their latest court filings alleged that the airman wrote on social media about how he would kill a "ton of people" if he had his way, and had discussed guns and vehicles he could use to conduct mass shootings.
Guns, war and secret documents While still in high school, he was allegedly overheard by a classmate talking about Molotov cocktails and guns and making racial threats. Those comments earned him a suspension and later led to him being denied a firearms identification card, the filing says.
Mr Teixeira allegedly first leaked the files on the online chatroom platform Discord, which is popular among gamers. At home, his gun locker sat close to his bed and he owned so many weapons they accounted for about half of his overall net worth, prosecutors said.
Known as "OG", he was seen as the leader of an invitation-only chatroom called Thug Shaker Central which he created during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. And with his arrest imminent, he allegedly smashed his tablet, laptop and Xbox console; encouraged members of the chatroom where he leaked files to delete their messages; and then deleted the chat server itself.
The Washington Post reported that the group - which had about two dozen members - swapped "memes, offensive jokes and idle chitchat".
They reportedly watched films together, discussed their favourite guns, and messaged extensively about the war in Ukraine. The Associated Press reports that the members also prayed together.
The leak suspect reportedly began sharing photographs of classified files in JanuaryThe leak suspect reportedly began sharing photographs of classified files in January
One member of the chatroom described Mr Teixeira as a young, charismatic gun enthusiast. Others said he was older than most in the group and appeared keen to impress them. Memes, guns and secret documents
Before he shared the images of the intelligence in January, Mr Teixeira allegedly wrote up versions of the sensitive information and shared it to the chatroom. Mr Teixeira allegedly first leaked the files on the online chatroom platform Discord, a popular hangout among gamers.
Known as "OG", he was the administrator of an invitation-only server called Thug Shaker Central, which he created during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
The group reportedly had about two dozen members and swapped "memes, offensive jokes and idle chitchat". They also watched films together, discussed their favourite guns, prayed together and messaged extensively about the war in Ukraine.
One member of the chatroom described Mr Teixeira to the Washington Post as a young, charismatic gun enthusiast. Others said he was older than most in the group and appeared keen to impress them.
Before he shared images of US intelligence material in January, Mr Teixeira allegedly wrote up versions of the sensitive information and shared it to the chatroom.
But he reportedly began sharing photos of the files after becoming frustrated with the lack of response.But he reportedly began sharing photos of the files after becoming frustrated with the lack of response.
This began around January 2023. On several occasions, the Post said, he complained that they were more interested in YouTube videos and he would stop sending documents if the group did not interact with them.
On one occasion, the Post said, he sent an irate message to the group complaining that they were more interested in YouTube videos. The Post was also shown videos from a member of the group of Mr Teixeira shouting racist and anti-semitic slurs before firing a rifle. He told the group he worked in a facility where phones were banned.
"He got upset, and he said on multiple occasions, if you guys aren't going to interact with them [the files], I'm going to stop sending them," the unidentified group member told the newspaper. In early March, members of his chatroom began posting the files on other Discord servers, including ones dedicated to the game Minecraft and a Filipino YouTuber.
At first, the leaks were kept inside the small chatroom, but in early March, members began posting them on other Discord servers, including ones dedicated to the game Minecraft and a Filipino YouTuber. One member of the group theorised to the New York Times: "This guy was a Christian, anti-war, just wanted to inform some of his friends about what's going on."
Investigators say Mr Teixeira wanted to figure out whether or not the intelligence community knew the identity of the leaker yet, and in April he started using his government computer to search the word "leak".
The Washington Post said they were shown videos from a member of the group of Mr Teixeira shouting racist and anti-semitic slurs before firing a rifle.
According to the Post, he told the group he worked in a facility where phones were banned.
He is said to have used various usernames online, such as TheExcaliburEffect, jackdjdtex and TexKilledYou.
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One teenager in the group had a theory on why he shared the documents. What family and friends say
"This guy was a Christian, anti-war, just wanted to inform some of his friends about what's going on," he told the New York Times. Friends of Mr Teixeira have said he is not a whistle-blower and he has long wanted to join the military,
Mr Teixeira enlisted in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, a reserve of the US Air Force, in 2019. His job title is cyber transport systems journeyman, and he holds the junior rank of Airman 1st Class. His family has a history of military service. His stepfather retired after 34 years of military service, while his mother previously worked for non-profit organisations focused on veterans, according to LinkedIn and public records cited by US media outlets. The latter posted photos of the family every year for Veterans Day.
He has top secret security clearance. In order to be given this clearance, Mr Teixeira signed a "lifetime binding non-disclosure agreement" acknowledging that the "unauthorized disclosure of protected information could result in criminal charges", according to court documents. Both parents attended Mr Teixeira's court appearance earlier this month, but made no comment to the swarm of media that surrounded them as they left court.
The Air Force's official website says that personnel assigned to his role are responsible for operating the Air Force's global communications network. The only time they spoke was when Mr Teixeira's stepfather shouted "I love you, Jack" inside the courtroom. The shackled defendant replied "I love you too, dad".
It also notes that the job requires a background check - specifically a single scope background investigation (SSBI) - which allows access to top secret information. The family live in North Dighton, Massachusetts, where Mr Teixeira graduated from high school in 2020. He was arrested outside the family's rural home by heavily armed FBI agents on 13 April.
The New York Times quoted Mr Teixeira's mother as saying he had been working overnight on the base in the lead-up to his arrest. Neighbours described Mr Teixeira as being "big into video games" but a "good kid, not a troublemaker". One former classmate told CNN they "could never have foreseen" his actions.
On 6 April, the date that media reports on the leak started being published, Mr Teixeira allegedly used his government computer to search classified intelligence reporting for the word "leak".
Watch: How damaging are 21-year-old Jack Teixeira's US intelligence leaks?Watch: How damaging are 21-year-old Jack Teixeira's US intelligence leaks?
Watch: How damaging are 21-year-old Jack Teixeira's US intelligence leaks?Watch: How damaging are 21-year-old Jack Teixeira's US intelligence leaks?
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Pentagon leaksPentagon leaks
US national securityUS national security
Jack TeixeiraJack Teixeira
United StatesUnited States