A young soldier was charged Friday by federal justice in the United States, suspected of being at the origin of the leak of a series of confidential American documents on the war in Ukraine which embarrasses Washington.
Jack Teixeira, 21, was shown in federal court in Boston on Friday, where he appeared dressed in a beige inmate jumpsuit.
This Air National Guard recruit was charged with “unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information” as well as “unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material,” according to a court document.
Facts punishable by ten years and five years in prison. Justice Secretary Merrick Garland has promised to seek “very heavy sentences”.
The young man was placed in pre-trial detention pending a new hearing, scheduled for Wednesday.
The day after his arrest, all eyes were on this young soldier, who allegedly took advantage of his position to distribute confidential and critical documents on operations in Ukraine to a private group on the Discord social network.
Since Thursday, the aerial images of his arrest in Dighton, a small rural town in Massachusetts, and the photo of him in uniform, looking a little frail, holding a cell phone in front of him, have been looping.
“Very serious risk”
The case also raises questions about possible security breaches and the possibility for a young recruit to have access to such documents.
The confidential documents, some of which later circulated on Twitter and Telegram, reveal in particular US intelligence concerns about the viability of a Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces.
They also seem to indicate that Washington collects intelligence on its closest allies, including Israel and South Korea.
A most embarrassing affair for the government of President Joe Biden, who said on Thursday “concerned that this happened”.
The National Guard said Jack Teixeira enlisted in September 2019, worked as a computer and communications specialist and achieved the rank of first-class enlisted, third from the bottom.
Jack Teixeira had had a “top secret” security clearance since 2021, according to an affidavit from an FBI agent in support of the prosecution.
“People who sign undertakings to receive classified documents recognize the importance to national security of not disclosing these documents. And we intend to send a message [pour montrer] how important it is to our national security,” Merrick Garland said.
The group in which Jack Teixeira played the role of leader under the pseudonym “OG” consisted of approximately 24 people, including some from Russia and Ukraine. It was formed in 2020 around a mutual passion for firearms, military equipment and religion, according to the New York Times and the washington post.
“OG” had asked other members of the Discord group not to distribute the documents, claiming not to have the intention of being a whistleblower, according to the washington post. He was critical of the state – whose “abuse of power” he denounced – the police and the intelligence community.
According to washington post“OG” allegedly told other members of the group that he had access to “a secure facility” for his work.
Audit
The White House said Thursday that the United States was examining the “implications” of this leak “for national security”.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Thursday that he had ordered an “audit of access to our intelligence”.
Dozens of photos of the documents have been relayed on Discord, but also on Twitter and Telegram. Some may have circulated for weeks, if not months, before attracting the attention of the press.
However, US authorities have not publicly confirmed the authenticity of these documents posted online, and it has not yet been independently verified.
Many of these documents are no longer accessible on the sites where they originally appeared.