The FBI’s use of billing records from an internet social media app has exposed US pilot Jack Teixeira as a suspect in leaking top-secret military documents, it has been revealed.
Investigators used messages on the Discord chat platform to identify the 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, according to court documents released Friday.
The leak is believed to have started from its servers, which are often used by those who play online games.
LIVE BLOG: US Secret Leak Suspect Jack Teixeira Indicted Out of Court
Classified information said to range from briefing slides to map out military positions Ukraine What is the Russian president thinking about? vladimir putin Nuclear weapons may be used.
According to an FBI affidavit unsealed Friday, Discord said it was cooperating with the bureau.
The filing said the FBI on Monday interviewed an anonymous person familiar with Teixeira’s post.
Teixeira is said to be the “core” of a private channel called Thug Shaker Central, which allegedly posts about guns, games, jokes and memes, people claiming to chat with him claim.
A username linked to Teixeira began posting seemingly classified information last December, the person told the FBI on condition of anonymity.
Suspected document leaker arrested
Jack Teixeira appeared in courtroom sketches before a federal judge in Boston, Mass., on Friday. Photo: REUTERS
The affidavit indicated that Teixeira had been printing documents in his possession but began taking them home and taking pictures after “concerns that he might be caught transcribing them at the workplace.”
However, others said the user, nicknamed “OG” — also known as “original” or a way to describe a founder or influential person of a certain group — had been posting about him for months. Say files that are categorized in that group.
The OG allegedly started posting file images because they were annoyed that other people weren’t taking them seriously.
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According to the affidavit, Teixeira was discovered on April 6 — the same day the New York Times first reported the leak of classified documents.
He was arrested by heavily armed agents on Thursday following a week-long investigation into the leak of highly sensitive government records.
Learn more about Jake Teixeira:
Who is the 21-year-old National Guard suspected of leaking US intelligence?
How did someone so young gain access to such sensitive documents?
U.S. under pressure as Pentagon vows to boost security
A federal police car parked outside the U.S. District Court in Boston, Massachusetts Photo: AP
Teixeira’s relatives leave federal court after his appearance Pic: REUTERS
Family sobs as they appear in court
The 21-year-old appeared before a federal magistrate judge in a Boston court on Friday charged with possession of unclassified documents related to national security and possession of defense material.
Family members could be seen crying and comforting each other before the accused was brought into court.
Wearing a brown jumpsuit, he was ushered into court by U.S. Marshals.
The judge ordered him to remain in custody until a detention hearing on April 19.
US ’embarrassed’ by leaked documents
The leaked documents were not individually certified by officials.
A U.S. Department of Defense official said that because Teixeira was an information technology specialist in charge of military communications networks, he could have received a higher level of security clearance.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Pentagon will now conduct a review of its intelligence access, accountability and control procedures to prevent such leaks from happening again.