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FBI agents swarm Massachusetts home in document leak probe

Associated Press
ERIC TUCKER
Updated April 13, 2023, 2:37 PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI agents converged Thursday at the Massachusetts home of a member of that state's Air National Guard who has emerged as a main person of interest in the disclosure of highly classified military documents on the Ukraine war, two people familiar with the investigation said Thursday.

Investigators believe that the guardsman, who specializes in intelligence, led the chat group where the documents were posted, according to the two people, who were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

They identified the guardsman as 21-year-old Jack Teixeira.

It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf, and a phone message left at a number believed to belong to his mother was not immediately returned. Law enforcement officials roped off the street near the home. The New York Times, which first identified Teixeira o Thursday, said that a man who had been standing outside the Teixeira home earlier said that “he needs to get an attorney if things are flowing the way they are going right now. The Feds will be around soon, I'm sure.”

The emergence of Teixeira as the apparent primary suspect is bound to raise questions about how the highest-profile intelligence leak in years, one that continues to unfold with almost daily revelations of highly classified documents, could have been caused by such a young, low-ranking service member.

The Biden administration has scrambled for days to contain the fallout from the leaked information, which has publicized potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters.

The National Guard did not confirm his identity but said in a statement that, “We are aware of the investigation into the alleged role a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman may have played in the recent leak of highly-classified documents.”

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, referred all questions about the case to the Justice Department. But he said: “We have rules in place. Each of us signs a nondisclosure agreement. This is a criminal act, a willful violation of those."

The Biden administration has been working to assess the diplomatic and national security consequences of the leaked documents since they were first reported last week. A top Pentagon spokesman told reporters earlier this week that the disclosures present a “very serious risk to national security,” and the Justice Department opened an investigation to identify the person responsible.

“We're getting close,” President Joe Biden told reporters in Ireland on Thursday. He said that though he was concerned that sensitive government documents had been disclosed, "there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence.”

The Justice Department declined to comment Thursday.

It’s possible the leak may have started on a site called Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games. The Discord site hosts real-time voice, video and text chats for groups and describes itself as a place “where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community.”

In one of those forums, originally created to talk about a range of topics, members would debate the war in Ukraine. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that the poster claimed were classified, first typing them out with the poster’s own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, uploading images of folded papers.

Discord has said it was cooperating with law enforcement.

There are only a few ways the classified information that was leaked could have been accessed, which may provide critical clues as to who is responsible. Typically in classified briefings, as with the slides that were placed on Discord, the information is shared electronically.

That is done either through secure computer terminals where users gain access based on their credentials or through tablets that are distributed for briefings and collected afterward. If the slides need to be printed out instead, they can only be sent to secured printers that are able to handle classified documents — and that keep a digital record of everyone who has requested a printout.

It’s those digital clues like the record of printouts that may help investigators hone in on who took the documents. In most of the photographs of documents posted online the pictures are of paper copies that look like they had been folded into quarters — almost as if they’d been stuffed into someone’s pocket.

In the days since the leaks came to light, the Pentagon has deferred questions on the investigation to the Justice Department, stating that it’s a criminal matter. Even if the person who leaked the files is an active duty member of the U.S. military, the Justice Department would likely still have the lead in the prosecution until it was ready to turn the matter over to the Defense Department, a defense official told the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

This has been the case in previous criminal cases, such as when two Marines based at Camp Pendleton in California were arrested on drug trafficking charges in 2020, the official said. If the person responsible turns out to be a civilian, the Justice Department will be responsible, the official said.

Associated Press writers Michelle R. Smith in Swansea, Massachusetts, Nomaan Merchant and Zeke Miller in Washington, Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston and Colleen Long and Darlene Superville in Dublin contributed to this report.

Originally published April 13, 2023, 2:37 PM

Greene defends accused Ukraine documents leaker

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Thursday took to Twitter to defend Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who was arrested Thursday over his alleged role in leaking Pentagon files.

“Jake Teixeira is white, male, christian, and antiwar. That makes him an enemy to the Biden regime,” Greene said on Twitter.

“Ask yourself who is the real enemy? A young low level national guardsmen? Or the administration that is waging war in Ukraine, a non-NATO nation, against nuclear Russia without war powers?” the congresswoman added.

A trove of apparent Pentagon documents appeared online in recent days. Some included confidential information on U.S. and NATO support to Kyiv amid Russia’s war on Ukraine, while others included information apparently gleaned from spying on allies such as Israel and South Korea.

The documents were shared in an online group reportedly run by 21-year-old Teixeira.

FBI agents took Teixeira into custody without incident on Thursday, according to the Justice Department.

Attorney General Merrick Garland indicated in a brief public statement Thursday afternoon that Teixeira could face charges under the Espionage Act.

“Today the Justice Department arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defense information,” Garland said.

The FBI in a statement said it had “aggressively pursued investigative leads” over the past week and that the arrest “exemplifies our continued commitment to identifying, pursuing, and holding accountable those who betray our country’s trust and put our national security at risk.”

However, Greene on Thursday described Teixeira as a “21-year-old low level National Guardsman ‘responsible’ for exposing the truth about Ukraine.”

Ukraine earlier this week suggested Russia was behind the leaks and raised concerns that some of the materials may have been altered, citing some discrepancies in casualty counts included in the documents.

Greene also claimed the leaker exposed that the U.S. has troops on the ground in Ukraine; however, the Pentagon has said since last year that a small team of Marines has been deployed to the U.S. embassy in Ukraine, which reopened in May.

One of the leaked documents noted that 14 U.S. special operations forces were in Ukraine as of February this year. U.S. officials have said they help provide oversight on U.S. weapons and Ukraine but are not deployed for fighting or to the frontlines.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/...C15ucFl74WqoKE9GKRP4iak5gTyrHb-LfkU5bDo4

And it seems to be catching on.

Why do republicans hate Ukrainians?

Why do you ask such obviously spun questions?

It’s a legitimate question. No spin.

"Have you stopped beating your wife? " That is the same sort of question. You try to presuppose that republicans hate Ukrainians, just as that question presupposes you beat your wife. It is designed to plant that seed, even if it isn't true. That's the spin of it.

I know a lot of people that identify as republican, none of them hate Ukrainians.

They don't,, they love Putin.

I don't think I'll ever get over an elected official backing a criminal. From Trumps pardon of Bannon and Flynn to MTG and this traitor.

Alex, what is "things hyperbolic hacks say"?

Now that’s just your spin. Why do republicans always rail about beating women and such when asked a simple question about their policies?

Are you attempting to miss the point on purpose or does it just come naturally?

I think what he's saying is a generalization. At the very same time I believe there is reason to believe, based on what some of them say, that there certainly are Republicans that would refuse to help Ukraine and let Russia have their way by taking it over. And yes I'm aware that's not exactly the same thing.

Hyperbolic? What the hell are you talking about. Have you not listened to these ass hats in the republican party standing up for Putin... Starting with the lunkhead who was in the Oval Office Before Biden.

It's not hyperbolic if you can look up the number of times and the number of MAGA heads that actually support Putin.... (as well as the rest of those tyrants the Trump speaks so highly of)

So don't tell me it's hyperbolic.....

What point? That republicans continually want to abandon Ukraine and be fine with Putiin in power, or the wife beating analogy point?

The point where you asked a question so you could try and spin the topic. Your question is spin. It is false political rhetoric.

I don't think this line of thinking is correct, it is really deflecting the truth. The truth is our Country is in the weakest state it has ever been in with Biden as Commander and Chief. That is the reason Putin attacked Ukraine and that is the reason before this miserable term is over China will attack Tawain.

Biden has been wrong on every issue from foreign policy to the economy, to social issues. All the Democrats have is defection, BUT TRUMP!!! The bottom line is Biden owns the Ukraine mess, Biden owns the inflation, Biden owns the economy of our Country, etc.... I don't even think Jimmy Carter was wrong on every issue like this piece of work is.

Lol .. gotcha …asking valid questions is now false political rhetoric. Never mind addressing the question. I’ll let you off the hook. Forget it. Straight answers can not be expected from the right on simple ass questions anyways.

Do you still hate the constitution?

Why would you reflect the flaws of the trump brigade onto others?

Typical progressive deflection. I suppose you still hate it.

I swore on my life to protect it. You?

Doesn't mean you like it.

You must have forgotten that Russia attacked Ukraine when they invade Crimea back in 2014.

We don't. We just don't want to stumble in to a world war over Ukraine. I wouldn't be surprised if Zelenskyy has dirt on President Biden and his family and is blackmailing the President.

So it would be better to wait until Putin is on the very doorstep of several NATO nations first?

Interesting with nothing to back that up, while we forget the previous president withholding military aid promised. But yeah whatabout bs only goes one way with you all. Nevermind

Geez Pit, haven't you heard, Republicans love Putin...... Starting with Republican 1...

I do nevermind what you say.

I clearly said I wouldn't be surpried, so I don't really need back-up, but I wouldn't be surprised if, when it comes out.

Some time back I got hammered when I talked about the Biden crime syndicate. Now it is surfacing a few months later that 5-6 Biden family members have dubious bank transactions and an IRS whistleblower is starting to tell the story.

Keep talking about Trump, DeSantis, whoever you want, but ignore the real criminal and traitors in this country.

The border alone should wake you up. Add in DA's who won't prosecute theft, saying poverty is a mitigating excuse....you people are screwed up.

Yeah ok bro. Lol. Keep praying to your golden idol. We talk about DeSantis and trump because they both want to be president, so badly that, they’d tear up the constitution to satisfy their base.

Oh wait, did you just do a whatabout the border? Lol. Point made.

And what do you expect us to do about the Biden’s? … sue them for making $ in a capitalistic world?

Ok....