Portuguese descendant Jack Teixeira, arrested Thursday (13) in the United States for disclosing highly confidential US military documents – including many related to the current war in Ukraine – had access to classified information since 2021, the FBI revealed in the eight-page account of the investigation that led to the arrest of the 21-year-old American.
Along with Jack Teixeira’s appearance in court this Friday, the justification for his arrest was released. Known as an affidavit, the document has eight pages and was written by the FBI agent who led the investigation that resulted in the arrest of the Portuguese descendant, grandson of the Azores, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, who in service since 2019.
It is revealed in paragraph 24 of the document that Jack Teixeira was authorized to use “Top Secret” files since 2021. )”. These SCI files refer to information obtained by intelligence agencies and may contain methods used or analytical processes, which are highly classified.
Jack Teixeira’s access to such classified documents is one of the controversial points of this document leak, which is already considered the most serious in the United States since Edward Snowden’s case in 2013. A US Defense Department official said the young A military officer can have a high level of security clearance because he is an information technology specialist and is responsible for military communication networks.
What is certain is that in response to this case, US President Joe Biden has already ordered a review and tightening of the conditions for access to classified documents, and that the Pentagon has announced that it will change its procedures for access, accountability and control will review. of intelligence to prevent such leaks from happening again, said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
A crucial video call
In the extensive report on the investigation that led to the arrest of Jack Teixeira, the FBI describes all the steps that have been taken. Of this, the testimony of a user of the social network Discord, very popular among online players, stands out, in which the Portuguese descendant led a discussion group called “Thug Shaker Central”, where he began to publish classified documents. First in December, in the form of a textual transcription of the information in some files. Beginning in January, Teixeira even began publishing photos of the documents, according to the FBI report — the information meanwhile spread to other social networks, such as Twitter or Telegram.
An important clue that led to the investigation to identify Jack Teixeira begins to be explained in point 15 of the report, which states that on April 10, the FBI interviewed another member of that small closed chat group on the Discord platform, identified in this document as “user 1”. He reportedly told officers the chat group was being used to “discuss geopolitical issues and current and historic wars.”
Then, in point 18, the user questioned by the FBI said he had spoken several times with the author of the documents’ disclosure, now identified as Jack Teixeira, including via video call. The FBI then concluded that a visual identification would be possible.
Using the billing data created on the Discord platform, the investigators obtained Jack Teixeira’s driver’s license and confronted the witness with the photo of the Portuguese descendant, among other random driver’s licenses. The confirmation, by the respondent, prompted the FBI to proceed Thursday with the arrest of the young soldier next to his residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts.
unknown reason
What the investigators have not yet suggested is what Teixeira’s motive may have been for this information leak. The young serviceman enlisted in the US Air Force National Guard in September 2019 and was an information and communications technology specialist who will receive the rank of Airman First Class in 2022 – the third lowest for enlisted personnel in the Air Force.
Its home base was Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod, about 60 miles south of Boston.
Friends of Jack Teixeira described him to The Washington Post as a devout Catholic and interested in guns. He grew up in a family with decades of military service: the father spent 34 years in the same military unit as his son, while Teixeira’s mother worked for non-profit organizations that supported veterans.
In pre-trial detention until further questioning
Jack Teixeira, who was heard in Boston court this Friday, will be held until the next hearing, on Wednesday (19), but has learned he faces two charges of misusing official documents without authorization. Teixeira was not required to make any statement about his guilt.
The Portuguese descendant appeared in court in beige overalls, with a taciturn appearance, according to AFP reports, and in front of the family in the living room. At one point in the short audience, Jack’s father was heard shouting, “We love you, Jack”, to which he replied, “I love you too, Dad”.
The charges carry prison sentences of up to 15 years. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said there are “very severe penalties” attached to the crimes Jack is accused of. “People who sign agreements to receive confidential documents recognize the importance of not releasing these documents to national security, and we intend to send that message about how important this is to our national security,” Garland added. please.
with authorities
Source: DN
