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WORCESTER, Mass. — Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified documents online, will remain in custody while a judge considers new evidence that raised serious questions about the military’s decision to grant him a high-level security clearance. During a tense 90-minute hearing on Thursday, lawyers for the Justice Department asked a federal magistrate judge in Massachusetts to detain Airman Teixeira indefinitely pending his trial, arguing that his history of violent and racist remarks, coupled with his attempts to obstruct its investigation, made him a “serious flight risk.”The magistrate judge, David. H. Hennessy, did not immediately rule on the matter, saying he needed more time to consider that motion and a request by the airman’s court-appointed lawyers that he be immediately released to his parents’ custody on $20,000 bond.

☆ Prosecutors say they fear foreign enemies could try to recruit Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira because of what he knows and his limited net worth — half of which is in guns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Federal prosecutors want Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira to remain in custody. They argue in court documents the 21-year-old could flee the country, or harm US national security. They fear he might he tempted to flee the country or become a person of interest to US adversaries. Court documents filed Wednesday night show prosecutors expressing concern that Teixeira's release could pose a tremendous risk to US national security. "The damage the Defendant has already caused to the US national security is immense," they wrote in the court documents.

☆ Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira had a stash of guns in his army-themed bedroom and talked about mass shootings, legal filings show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In new court documents, prosecutors said he had a history of making violent and "racist" threats. Teixeira had a gun locker two feet from his bed filled with an "arsenal" of weapons, they said. "In the gun locker were multiple weapons, including handguns, bolt-action rifles, shotguns, an AK-style high-capacity weapon, and a gas mask," the prosecutors said. Jack Teixeira's bedroom, according to court documents. Department of JusticeSome of the documents Teixeira is accused of leaking included details about Russia's spy agencies' activities, details about aid to Ukraine, and information about casualties on both sides.

☆ Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira boasted online he'd thought of everything and was untraceable, FBI investigator says. Now he faces decades in prison.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Pentagon leak suspect allegedly boasted on social media that he was untraceable and had thought of everything. But FBI investigators found him by asking Discord for the subscriber info connected to his username. Teixeira is suspected of leaking hundreds of classified documents and faces up to 25 years in prison. In new court documents filed late Wednesday evening, an FBI investigator, special agent Luke Church, revealed a number of incriminating text exchanges between Teixeira and other users on the platform. Teixeira was arrested on April 13 and now faces up to 25 years in prison.

☆ Feds found a smashed Xbox and more in a dumpster at Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira's house. Prosecutors allege he was covering his tracks.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Jack Teixeira, who is suspected of leaking secret Pentagon documents, is due back in court. In court documents, they also allege that he tried to cover up his tracks by destroying evidence. Prosecutors allege they were destroyed to try and cover his tracks. "These efforts appeared calculated to delay or prevent the government from gaining a full understanding of the seriousness and scale of his conduct," prosecutors allege in the court documents. The documents contain sensitive information about US allies — like Israel, South Korea, and Egypt — and also its adversaries, like China, Russia, and North Korea.

☆ Airman Accused of Leak Has History of Racist and Violent Remarks, Filing Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Glenn Thrush | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified documents online, repeatedly tried to obstruct federal investigators and has a “troubling” history of making racist and violent remarks, Justice Department lawyers said in a court filing late Wednesday. In an 18-page memo, released before a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday in a Massachusetts federal court, the department’s lawyers argued that Airman Teixeira needed to be detained indefinitely because he posed a “serious flight risk” and might still have information that would be of “tremendous value to hostile nation states.”Airman Teixeira tapped into vast reservoirs of sensitive information, an amount that “far exceeds what has been publicly disclosed” so far, they wrote. Prosecutors pointedly questioned Airman Teixeira’s overall state of mind, disclosing that he was suspended from high school in 2018 for alarming comments about the use of Molotov cocktails and other weapons, and trawled the internet for information about mass shootings. He engaged in “regular discussions about violence and murder” on the same social media platform, Discord, that he used to post classified information, the filing said, and he surrounded his bed at his parents’ house with firearms and tactical gear.

☆ Russia's space program is crumbling because of US sanctions and the rise of SpaceX, but it's being replaced by China's rapid growth, leaked US intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's space program is declining thanks in part to sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. The documents added that Russia's space program has been in decline since at least 2020. While Russia's space program is suffering, China's is booming, the documents said. This would include China using its satellites to jam other communications and intelligence satellites, and to "destroy ballistic missile early warning satellites," the documents said. Both China and Russia have also developed the ability to use missiles to destroy satellites in space, the Post noted.

☆ Ukraine's fight to fend off Russia's superior air force hinges on its surface-to-air missiles, expert says, but leaked top secret documents show it may be running out
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia's air force has an edge over Ukraine's aircraft, requiring Ukraine to rely on other capabilities. Fighting off Russia's air force is dependent on Ukraine's surface-to-air missiles, a new report says. One document in particular that was obtained and reviewed by Insider details Ukraine's air defense capabilities and the risks it faces. Soldiers of the German Armed Forces stand on a trailer with launching pads for guided missiles of the Patriot air defense system on a snow-covered field in southeastern Poland. "Our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure because Patriot air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said last week.

☆ Ukrainian officials planned 'mass strikes' on Moscow and other cities 'with everything' they had, but they stood down after US intervention: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Washington Post reports Ukrainian officials had plans for "mass strikes" on Russian cities on the first anniversary's of the war. Ukraine's military intelligence chief directed an officer to hit "with everything" available, but the plan wasn't carried out. Officials in Kyiv have disputed the Post report based on leaked documents, calling it "strange media" and "sensation." Ukraine is also suspected to be behind a number of explosive sea drone attacks on Russian installations. Smoke rises after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase near Novofedorivka, Crimea August 9, 2022.

☆ The Pentagon leaks: What documents leaked in the US military's worst intelligence breach in a decade reveal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The leaked documents revealed US spying on adversaries and allies alike. The leak also offered compromising details on the extent to which the US has infiltrated Russia's military and intelligence apparatus. Insider obtained and reviewed copies of photographs of dozens of the leaked documents. The documents revealed the US is spying on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and showed that he wanted to launch drone strikes against Russian forces in Russia. The US is keeping a watchful eye on ChinaA number of the leaked documents pertained to China, amid historic tensions between the US and Beijing.

☆ Air Force Inspector General Probe of Airman Jack Teixeira’s Unit Could Lead to More Charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Nancy A. Youssef | Gordon Lubold | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo Illustration: Madeline MarshallThe intelligence unit of a U.S. Air National Guardsman who allegedly accessed and shared highly classified intelligence documents has come under scrutiny and officials aren’t ruling out punitive action for the unit, defense officials said Wednesday. The Air Force inspector general is investigating the home unit of Airman First Class Jack Teixeira , the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who has been charged with taking and sharing a trove of government secrets. The inspector general is seeking to determine whether the unit complied with procedures designed to protect against leaks, those officials said.

Photo Illustration: Madeline MarshallThe detention hearing for Airman First Class Jack Teixeira , the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman charged with allegedly taking and sharing highly classified intelligence documents, has been postponed for two weeks. In a court filing Wednesday, the day originally scheduled for the hearing, Airman Teixeira’s lawyers said the government agreed to their request for “more time to address the issues presented by the government’s request for detention.”

Photo illustration: Madeline MarshallFederal prosecutors are expected to outline more of their evidence Wednesday against Airman First Class Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman charged with taking and sharing highly classified intelligence documents that exposed significant vulnerabilities in the way the U.S. protects some of its most closely held secrets. Airman Teixeira, 21 years old, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston for a detention hearing, where prosecutors are set to argue that he should remain detained while his criminal case proceeds. The Justice Department charged him Friday with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material, charges that combined carry a potential 15-year prison sentence upon conviction.

☆ What Happens Next in the Leaked Documents Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Julian E. Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified documents about the war in Ukraine on social media, is expected to appear in a Massachusetts federal court on Thursday, hours after the government said in a memo that he continued to be a national security risk. The hearing for Airman Teixeira, who was arrested April 13 on two separate counts related to the unauthorized handling and publication of classified materials, had been scheduled for federal court in Boston earlier this month. But his lawyer, Brendan Kelley, requested more time to address the government’s arguments, and the magistrate judge, David. Prosecutors often reveal new details of their case at detention hearings, but only enough information to argue that the defendant is a potential flight risk. The information disclosed late Wednesday was an exception — it sought to portray Airman Teixeira as violent and racist as well as an unpredictable threat.

☆ Leaked US assessment says China readying supersonic spy drone unit - Washington Post
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - A leaked U.S. military assessment says the Chinese military may soon deploy a high-altitude spy drone that travels at least three times the speed of sound, the Washington Post reported late on Tuesday. The newspaper cited a secret document from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The Washington Post said it obtained the assessment of the program from a trove of images of classified files posted on the Discord messaging app, allegedly by a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, who was arrested last week. The FBI on Thursday arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air National Guard, over the leaks online of classified documents that embarrassed Washington with allies around the world. The leaks first became widely known earlier this month, setting Washington on edge about the damage they may have caused.

CNN —The Air National Guardsman accused of posting a trove of classified documents to social media will be back in court Wednesday for a hearing on whether he will be kept in jail. Prosecutors are expected to argue to a judge that Teixeira should stay behind bars during the course of his legal case. According to charging documents, Teixeira began posting classified information to the Discord chatroom in December 2022, and he began uploading photos of the classified documents in January 2023. The fact that the documents sat online for months before being discovered has revived questions about how classified information is handled across the government. The Pentagon has limited access to classified materials in the wake of the leak, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has directed a 45-day review of classified intelligence handling across the Defense Department.

☆ Judge delays hearing for accused US intel leaker Jack Teixeira because his defense says it needs 'more time'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A 21-year-old charged with leaking secret US military documents had his detention hearing delayed. Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman, appeared briefly in federal court Wednesday. A judge had granted a motion to delay the detention hearing because the defense needs more time. But earlier on Wednesday, Hennessy granted a request by attorneys to delay Teixeira's detention hearing by around two weeks. Jack Teixeira, 21, has been charged in connection with the leak of secret Pentagon documents.

☆ Opinion: Top secrets come spilling out
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. Writing for CNN Opinion, Rep. Justin Pearson noted, “This should be a chastening moment for revanchist forces in Tennessee’s legislature and across the country. Over the long haul, the undemocratic machinations employed to oust us from office are destined to fail. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once famously said that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. “As a Jewish historian,” Perry wrote, “I worry about the tension between preserving the memory of past hardships while not locking our entire history into a tale of oppression.

☆ Document Leaks Indicate Extent of U.S. Electronic Snooping
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Warren P. Strobel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The classified documents that investigators say were leaked by a junior member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard indicate the extent to which U.S. spy agencies rely on clandestinely intercepted communications to keep tabs on their adversaries and allies alike. In vivid examples, the documents track foreign governments’ military movements, diplomatic efforts and clandestine weapons sales, as well as debates in friendly capitals and more.

☆ Chinese spy balloon's solar panels could power sophisticated radar, Washington Post reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - A Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by the U.S. in February carried solar panels that could generate enough electricity to power a type of radar that can generate images at night and through clouds, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing leaked U.S. intelligence documents. The balloon caused an uproar in Washington and damaged U.S.-China ties when it flew over the U.S. in January and February. According to the NGA document, the balloon could generate up to 10,000 watts of solar power, more than enough to operate a sophisticated surveillance system known as synthetic aperture radar, the Post said. That type of radar can return images at night and can penetrate clouds and thin materials such as tarps to show objects beneath, the newspaper reported. The balloon also had a parabolic dish measuring 1.2 meters in diameter, several unidentified sensors and a possible mast antenna, the Post said.

☆ Jack Teixeira's alleged Discord leaks show why the US should not give Top Secret clearances to 21-year-olds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Nevertheless, that looks to be the US intelligence community's approach to handling classified information. The tangled views of Jack Teixeira, who was indicted Friday in connection with leaking hundreds of classified documents to a private Discord server, are still coming into focus. There are classified phone systems, email systems, fiber optic cables, and a Wikipedia clone. Aside from the question of how many people have access to secrets, it's also worth considering how many of those supposed secrets belong on classified systems at all. Who was tracking the whereabouts of the volume of secret files he appears to have sent to the printer?

☆ The Latest U.S. Intelligence Leaks Are No Surprise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Oleg Smolenkov knows the dangers of leaks. For nearly a decade, the Russian official was the CIA’s most valuable spy in the Kremlin. From there, the agency quietly exfiltrated Mr. Smolenkov, his wife and three young children to a safe house in the U.S. intelligence appears to have penetrated nearly every Russian military body, including the General Staff, the Defense Ministry and the GRU military intelligence agency, as well as the private mercenary group Wagner,” wrote Russia’s independent, English-language Moscow Times this week. Agents of Russia’s FSB are undoubtedly now engaged in a frantic spy hunt.

☆ The Guardsman and the Guardians
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Federal agents on Thursday arrested a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman in connection with the recent leak of intelligence secrets, and it will be a relief if that’s where the security breach ends. The concern whenever secrets spill into the open is how far-reaching the breaches go and if there is a larger conspiracy afoot. That’s especially true when authorities seem as flummoxed as the Biden Administration was until Thursday.

☆ Pentagon Looking Into How Accused Leaker Accessed Top Secret Documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Nancy A. Youssef | Daniel Nasaw | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Federal authorities on Thursday arrested Jack Teixeira in Dighton, Mass., for the suspected unauthorized removal, handling and distribution of secret information, officials said. Mr. Teixeira, 21 years old, holds the rank of airman first class in an intelligence unit of the Massachusetts Air National Guard and is a junior Air Force communications specialist, according to his service record. His job title—cyber transport systems journeyman—gives no obvious hint why he would have access to the types of files that were leaked. He joined the Air Force National Guard in September 2019, according to his service record. Mr. Teixeira is expected to appear Friday in federal court in Massachusetts.

A Massachusetts Air National Guardsman arrested in connection with a leak of purported highly classified intelligence documents was charged Friday as federal prosecutors offered new details about how they think some of the government’s most closely guarded material ended up online. Prosecutors charged Jack Teixeira with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material, in a brief hearing in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

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