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Pentagon leak suspect may still have access to classified info, court filings allege Pentagon leak suspect may still have access to classified info, court filings allege
(about 11 hours later)
Justice department filings also allege that Jack Teixeira took steps to obstruct the government’s investigation Jack Teixeira, 21, expected to appear in Massachusetts court on Thursday as prosecutors urge judge to keep him behind bars
Federal prosecutors are urging a judge to keep behind bars a Massachusetts Air National guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents, arguing he may still have access to secret national defence information that he could expose. The Massachusetts air national guardsman suspected of leaking highly classified US intelligence documents is set to appear in federal court on Thursday, after federal prosecutors urged a judge to keep the suspect behind bars.
In court papers filed late Wednesday, Justice Department lawyers said releasing 21-year-old Jack Teixeira from jail while he awaits trial would be a grave threat to US national security. Investigators are still trying to determine whether he kept any physical or digital copies of classified information, including files that haven’t already surfaced publicly, they wrote. Jack Teixeira, 21, is expected to appear at 1pm ET for a detention hearing in Worcester, Massachusetts.
“There simply is no condition or combination of conditions that can ensure the Defendant will not further disclose additional information still in his knowledge or possession,” prosecutors wrote. “The damage the Defendant has already caused to the U.S. national security is immense. The damage the Defendant is still capable of causing is extraordinary.” The presiding judge, David Hennessy, will decide if Teixeira should remain in federal custody prior to his trial.
In court papers filed late on Wednesday, justice department lawyers said releasing Teixeira from jail while he awaits trial would be a grave threat to US national security, arguing he may still have access to secret national defense information he could expose.
Investigators are still trying to determine whether he kept any physical or digital copies of classified information, including files that haven’t already surfaced publicly, they wrote.
“There simply is no condition or combination of conditions that can ensure the Defendant will not further disclose additional information still in his knowledge or possession,” prosecutors wrote.
“The damage the defendant has already caused to the US national security is immense. The damage the defendant is still capable of causing is extraordinary.”
Teixeira has been in jail since his arrest earlier this month on charges stemming from the highest-profile intelligence leak in years. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday in a federal court.Teixeira has been in jail since his arrest earlier this month on charges stemming from the highest-profile intelligence leak in years. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday in a federal court.
Prosecutors said in their filing that Teixeira’s attorneys have indicated they will urge the judge to release him to his father’s home. As of late Wednesday, Teixeira’s attorneys hadn’t filed court papers arguing for his release. Prosecutors said in their filing that Teixeira’s attorneys have indicated they will urge the judge to release him to his father’s home. As of late Wednesday, Teixeira’s attorneys had not filed court papers arguing for his release.
Teixeira has been charged under the Espionage Act with unauthorized retention and transmission of classified national defense information. He has not yet entered a plea, and his attorney declined after last week’s hearing to speak to reporters.Teixeira has been charged under the Espionage Act with unauthorized retention and transmission of classified national defense information. He has not yet entered a plea, and his attorney declined after last week’s hearing to speak to reporters.
If convicted, prosecutors said he faces up to 25 years in prison.If convicted, prosecutors said he faces up to 25 years in prison.
He is accused of distributing highly classified documents about top national security issues in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers.He is accused of distributing highly classified documents about top national security issues in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers.
The classified documents provided a wide variety of highly classified information on allies and adversaries, with details ranging from Ukraine’s air defences to Israel’s Mossad spy agency.The classified documents provided a wide variety of highly classified information on allies and adversaries, with details ranging from Ukraine’s air defences to Israel’s Mossad spy agency.
In describing Teixeira as a danger to the community, prosecutors wrote that the suspect, who owned multiple guns, repeatedly had “detailed and troubling discussions about violence and murder” on the platform where authorities say he shared the documents. In February, he told another person that he was tempted to make a minivan into an “assassination van,” prosecutors wrote. In describing Teixeira as a danger to the community, prosecutors wrote that the suspect, who owned multiple guns, repeatedly had “detailed and troubling discussions about violence and murder” on the platform where authorities say he shared the documents. In February, he told another person that he was tempted to make a minivan into an “assassination van”, prosecutors wrote.
Teixeira is accused of searching for recent shootings and shooting-related terms including “Las Vegas shooting”, “Buffalo tops shooting”, and “Uvalde” that were not pertinent to his military base job.
An application for a firearms ID card that Teixeira filed “was denied due to the concerns of the local police department over the Defendant’s remarks at his high school”, the Washington Post reported.
Prosecutors also disclosed that Teixeira was suspended during high school when a classmate overheard him discussing molotov cocktails and other weapons and racial threats.Prosecutors also disclosed that Teixeira was suspended during high school when a classmate overheard him discussing molotov cocktails and other weapons and racial threats.
Prosecutors alleged in their filing that Teixeira took steps to destroy evidence after news outlets began reporting on the documents leak. Authorities who searched a dumpster at his home found a smashed laptop, tablet and Xbox gaming console, they said.Prosecutors alleged in their filing that Teixeira took steps to destroy evidence after news outlets began reporting on the documents leak. Authorities who searched a dumpster at his home found a smashed laptop, tablet and Xbox gaming console, they said.
The Justice Department has said its investigation is continuing, and the Pentagon has said it would conduct its own review of access to sensitive intelligence to prevent a similar leak in the future. The justice department has said its investigation is continuing, and the Pentagon has said it would conduct its own review of access to sensitive intelligence to prevent a similar leak in the future.
Billing records the FBI obtained from Discord were among the things that led authorities to Teixeira, who enlisted in the Air National Guard in September 2019. Billing records the FBI obtained from Discord were among the things that led authorities to Teixeira, who enlisted in the air national guard in September 2019.
His specialty in the Air National Guard was as a “cyber transport systems specialist,” essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks. In that role, Teixeira would have had a higher level of security clearance because he would have also been tasked with responsibility to access and ensure protection for the network, a defence official told the AP. His specialty in the air national guard was as a “cyber transport systems specialist”, essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks. In that role, Teixeira would have had a higher level of security clearance because he would have also been tasked with responsibility to access and ensure protection for the network, a defence official told AP.
A Discord user told the FBI that a username linked to Teixeira began posting what appeared to be classified information roughly in December.A Discord user told the FBI that a username linked to Teixeira began posting what appeared to be classified information roughly in December.
On Wednesday, the air force suspended the commander and a detachment commander in the squadron that Teixeira was employed, reported NBC News.
The intelligence mission of Teixeira’s squadron has also been suspended as the investigation continues.