Guardsman took 'obstructive steps' in document leak investigation, prosecutors say

ENEMIES AND ALLIES. JOHN COHEN, AN ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR AND FORMER ACTING UNDERSECRETARY FOR INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYSIS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, JOINS US LIVE. BEN: THE MAN ARRESTED IS 21-YEAR-OLD JACK TEIXEIRA. IN YOUR OPINION, A 21-YEAR-OLD SHOULD HE BE TREATED AS A REAL CRIMINAL, OR A YOUNG KID? JOHN: IN THIS CASE WE DO NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE SITUATION. THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE MILITARY, A MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER WITH ACT AS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. HE HAS BEEN A PART OF THE MILITARY AND IS EXPECTED TO NOT ONLY ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT MILITARY OPERATIONS BUT HE IS ENTRUSTED WITH NATIONAL SECRET. WHEN HE VIOLATES THE COMMITMENT, WHEN HE DISCLOSES NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION, HE’S GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHETHER HE IS 21 OR 51. MARIA: JESSICA: WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING MORE ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND. DO SOMEONE WITH HIS RANK TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS KIND OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION? JOHN: A BIG CHUNK OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT IT SO FAR IS THAT THE INFORMATION A SECRET. MANY OF NOT ALL ACTIVE-DUTY MEMBERS HAVE A SECRET LEVEL CLEARANCE WITH ACCESS TO SECRET LEVEL SYSTEMS. ONCE YOU ARE IN THE SYSTEMS YOU CAN ACCESS A BROAD RANGE OF INFORMATION. IT’S NOT UNUSUAL TO ME THAT A MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST HAVE ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WHAT’S DISTURBING TO ME IS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO INAPPROPRIATELY HANDLING INFORMATION AND APPARENTLY TAKE IT OUT OF THE SECURED FACILITY WHERE IT SHOULD BE KEPT AND STORED AND HE WAS ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH IT AND WAS ALLEGEDLY ABLE TO POST IT ONLINE. IT SAT ONLINE IN CERTAIN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FOR WEEKS BEFORE IT WAS DISCOVERED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY OFFICIALS. ED: SO WHAT KIND OF RISK IS THAT POSTEN NATIONAL SECURITY? JOHN: IN MY FORMER JOB NATIONAL HOMELAND SECURITY WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT A NUMBER OF FACTORS. ONE, WHAT DOES IT TELL US ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BETTER SAFEGUARD CLASSIFIED INFORMATION? THERE ARE TECHNOLOGIES WE SHOULD BE EMPLOYING ACROSS CLASSIFIED SYSTEMS THAT BETTER ENABLE US TO DETECT INAPPROPRIATE HANDLING INFANT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SEEKING TO REMOVE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION FROM WHERE IT SHOULD BE. WE SHOULD BE USING THOSE ACROSS THE BOARD. SECONDLY, CONCERN OVER THE MOTIVATION. WAS IT PERHAPS IDEOLOGICAL? AN INDIVIDUAL ADOPTING STREAMS TO VIEWPOINTS? WE HEARD THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN POSTING CONTENT IN WHICH HE WAS USING RACIAL SLURS, ALLEGEDLY MAKING ANTI-SEMITIC COMMENTS AND FIRING A FARM. DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT HIS IDEOLOGICAL BELIEF SYSTEM? FINALLY, WE NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS FROM A GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE AND HOW WE EVALUATE ONLINE COMMON -- CONTENT. DOMESTIC EXTREMISTS HAVE INTEGRATED SOCIAL MEDIA INTO THEIR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES. WE HAVE TO UPDATE OUR INVESTIGATIVE AND ANALYTIC ACTIVITIES TO TAKE IT INTO ACCOUNT AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT DOING THAT. JESSIC

Updated: 1:58 AM EDT Apr 27, 2023

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Updated: 1:58 AM EDT Apr 27, 2023

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Federal prosecutors say a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman charged with leaking highly classified military documents took "a series of obstructive steps" intended to prevent investigators from understanding the scope of what he allegedly did.Jack Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, is due in federal court in Worcester on Thursday for a detention hearing after he was charged with unauthorized disclosures of classified defense information.File video above: Security expert on level of risk posed by classified document leakThe 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air National Guard was stationed at Otis Air National Guard Base and served as an airman with the title of Cyber Defense Operations Journeyman.Teixeira is accused of sharing highly classified military documents about Russia's war in Ukraine and other top national security issues in a chat room on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers.In new court filings made on Wednesday, prosecutors make their argument to a federal judge about why Teixeira "must remain detained.""He accessed and may still have access to a trove of classified information that would be of tremendous value to hostile nation states that could offer him safe harbor and attempt to facilitate his escape from the United States," prosecutors said in the court filing.Federal prosecutors say following his arrest, authorities searched a dumpster at his residence and found a tablet, a laptop, and an Xbox gaming console, all of which had been smashed."These efforts appeared calculated to delay or prevent the government from gaining a full understanding of the seriousness and scale of his conduct," the filing by federal prosecutors said.Prosecutors claim that Teixeira gave instructions to other online members of a social media platform including to "delete all messages" and "f anyone comes looking, don’t tell them s**t."The court filing includes photos taken by the FBI from the search of Teixeira's room and the dumpster where law enforcement found the smashed devices.In the court filing, prosecutors expressed concern that it would be "all too easy" for Teixeira, if released on bail, "to further disseminate classified information," creating what they called an "unacceptable risk" he would flee the country and "take refuge with a foreign adversary."Teixeira was charged under the Espionage Act with unauthorized retention and transmission of classified national defense information. During his first court appearance, a magistrate judge ordered him to remain in custody until his detention hearing.File video below: Teixeira waived his right to a preliminary hearing and is being held behind bars until his detention hearingTwo leaders of the unit where Teixeira worked have been temporarily suspended by the Air Force while an investigation by the Department of the Air Force Inspector General Investigation continues.The two senior leaders are the commander of the 102nd Intelligence Support Squadron and the detachment commander overseeing administrative support for the squadron.The Department of Air Force has temporarily removed their access to classified systems and information.

Jack Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, is due in federal court in Worcester on Thursday for a detention hearing after he was charged with unauthorized disclosures of classified defense information.

File video above: Security expert on level of risk posed by classified document leak

The 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air National Guard was stationed at Otis Air National Guard Base and served as an airman with the title of Cyber Defense Operations Journeyman.

Teixeira is accused of sharing highly classified military documents about Russia's war in Ukraine and other top national security issues in a chat room on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers.

In new court filings made on Wednesday, prosecutors make their argument to a federal judge about why Teixeira "must remain detained."

"He accessed and may still have access to a trove of classified information that would be of tremendous value to hostile nation states that could offer him safe harbor and attempt to facilitate his escape from the United States," prosecutors said in the court filing.

Federal prosecutors say following his arrest, authorities searched a dumpster at his residence and found a tablet, a laptop, and an Xbox gaming console, all of which had been smashed.

"These efforts appeared calculated to delay or prevent the government from gaining a full understanding of the seriousness and scale of his conduct," the filing by federal prosecutors said.

FBI

Prosecutors claim that Teixeira gave instructions to other online members of a social media platform including to "delete all messages" and "[i]f anyone comes looking, don’t tell them s**t."

The court filing includes photos taken by the FBI from the search of Teixeira's room and the dumpster where law enforcement found the smashed devices.

In the court filing, prosecutors expressed concern that it would be "all too easy" for Teixeira, if released on bail, "to further disseminate classified information," creating what they called an "unacceptable risk" he would flee the country and "take refuge with a foreign adversary."

A photo of a destroyed laptop photographed by the FBI

FBI

Teixeira was charged under the Espionage Act with unauthorized retention and transmission of classified national defense information. During his first court appearance, a magistrate judge ordered him to remain in custody until his detention hearing.

File video below: Teixeira waived his right to a preliminary hearing and is being held behind bars until his detention hearing

Two leaders of the unit where Teixeira worked have been temporarily suspended by the Air Force while an investigation by the Department of the Air Force Inspector General Investigation continues.

The two senior leaders are the commander of the 102nd Intelligence Support Squadron and the detachment commander overseeing administrative support for the squadron.

The Department of Air Force has temporarily removed their access to classified systems and information.

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Guardsman took 'obstructive steps' in document leak investigation, prosecutors say

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