Jack Teixeira discord group: What is Thug Shaker Central where Pentagon leaked document was allegedly shared

Jack Teixeira, who reportedly oversaw a discord group called Thug Shaker Central where the Pentagon leaked document was allegedly shared, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday. The 21-year-old is a member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

An FBI spokeswoman said that they took Teixeira into custody without ‘incident at a residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts’.

Also read: Is Jack Teixeira a Donald Trump MAGA follower? Suspect behind Pentagon document leak arrested

“The F.B.I. is continuing to conduct authorized law enforcement activity at the residence. Since late last week the F.B.I. has aggressively pursued investigative leads and today’s 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,” she added.

US attorney general Merrick Garland confirmed the arrest. He said that the 21-year-old was being held “in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defence information”.

Teixeira is expected to make an appearance at the Massachusetts district court.

What is Thug Shaker Central?

Jack Teixeira is believed to be the leader of the online Discord group called Thug Shaker Central. The group, as per reports, had 20 to 20 young members. They talked about guns, video games and racist memes.

The group was reportedly formed in 2020.

Also Read | Pentagon email leak: Exposed files include completed questionnaire for national security

Members of Thug Shaker Central told the New York Times that the documents they discussed were ‘meant to be purely informative’. However, it gained more attention after one of the members posted them on a public forum.

The secret documents were never meant to leave the group, the member added and the person who shared them is not a whistle-blower.

The Pentagon documents revealed maps of Ukrainian air defenses and a review of South Korea’s secret plans to deliver ammunition to the war-ridden country. The appeared to be pretty recent.