Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guard employee, was arrested on Thursday in connection to the Pentagon documents leak. An FBI spokeswoman said that the 21-year-old was taken into custody ‘without incident at a residence in North Dighton’.
If charged under the US Espionage Act, Teixeira could face at least 10 years in prison. “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,” the FBI spokeswoman said.
Teixeira is an airman. He joined the Air National Guard in September 2019, according to the Air Force. The 21-year-old works for the Massachusetts Air National Guard at Otis Air National Guard Base.
He reportedly oversaw an online Discord chat called Thug Shaker Central where the Pentagon leaked document was allegedly shared. A group member told the New York Times that the documents were ‘meant to be purely informative’. They gained more attention after one of the members posted them on a public forum.
The Thug Shaker Central reportedly had 20 t0 30 members- all youngsters. They discussed racist memes, guns and video games.
Also read: Is Jack Teixeira a Donald Trump MAGA follower? Suspect behind Pentagon document leak arrested
Teixeira’s arrest has raised a big question: How did a 21-year-old have access to key Pentagon documents?
Twitter users, including Democratic and Republican Party members, have engaged in a debate. Some are trolling the Joe Biden administration’s security while others are forming links between the airman and Donald Trump.
Teixeira, as per Air Force officials, is a trained Cyber Transport Systems Journeyman. He has been awarded with an Air Force Achievement Medal. As per the service’s website, all cyber transport systems specialists are responsible for keeping the force’s communication network running.
While it is not known how the airman got the documents, Republicans and Democrats are attacking each other one Twitter.
Also Read | Pentagon email leak: Exposed files include completed questionnaire for national security
“They couldn’t find the Supreme Court leaker who put Supreme Court Justices lives in danger, but magically, they can find 21-year-old low level National Guardsman “responsible” for exposing the truth about Ukraine,” Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted.
“As soon as Marjorie Taylor Greene heard the arrested leaker had posted racist and antisemitic videos she fell in love,” one person replied.
“Why would Jack Teixeira have access to such sensitive information? Weird,” another one wondered.
