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☆ Pentagon leak spotlights surprising interplay between gaming and military secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The recent leak of classified US documents on social media platform Discord seemingly caught many at the Pentagon by surprise. The recent leaks on Discord exposed a shortcoming in how the US government alerts platforms that they are hosting sensitive or classified information, according to Discord’s top lawyer. The episodes point to vexing challenges for social media platforms like Discord – where 21-year Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira allegedly began posting classified information in December – and the US military, which has used Discord for recruiting. The Pentagon is trying to tap into online youth culture without it backfiring spectacularly, as it allegedly did with Teixeira. Classified or sensitive documents are also a unique problem for content moderators on social media sites.

This chat room was publicly listed on a YouTube channel and was easily accessible, the newspaper added. The Pentagon declined to comment on the new information reported by the New York Times. The 21-year-old U.S. Air National Guardsman facing criminal charges for leaking top-secret military intelligence records online was arrested last week. The user claimed to be posting information from the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies, according to the New York Times. The leaks did not come to light until they were reported by the New York Times in early April even though the documents were posted earlier.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Moscow expels German diplomats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 22 (Reuters) - Russia said it was expelling a number of German diplomats in a tit-for-tat move. Germany did not immediately confirm any expulsions of its own, but said the arrival of a Russian government plane in Berlin was connected to the issue. Russia's RIA Novosti news agency said Germany had decided to expel more than 20 Russians. TANKS, BATTLE* Russia's Defence Ministry said Russian forces had captured three more blocks in the western part of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. * The U.S. said on Friday it would soon start training Ukrainian troops to use its Abrams tanks as Germany announced a deal to establish a hub in Poland to repair German Leopard tanks deployed in Ukraine.

☆ Accused Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira posted sensitive US intelligence less than 48 hours after the Ukraine war began, a report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The New York Times found posts sharing secret intelligence less than 48 hours after Russia invaded Ukraine. The New York Times has discovered a Discord user profile matching Jack Teixeira's shared secret intelligence about the war in Ukraine less than 48 hours after Russia began its invasion. The affidavit said he had started posting classified information on social media around December 2022, according to Reuters. The user claimed to be posting information from the NSA, CIA, and other intelligence agencies. On some occasions, the user shared information about the Russian invasion that preempted events on the battlefield.

☆ Intelligence Leaks Cast Spotlight on a Recurring Insider Threat: Tech Support
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Dustin Volz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo Illustration: Madeline MarshallWASHINGTON—Jack Teixeira, the 21-year-old Air National Guardsman charged with leaking top-secret U.S. documents, shares at least one thing with leaker Edward Snowden: They both worked in tech support. Massachusetts Airman Teixeira’s alleged disclosures on a social-media platform demonstrate anew how information-technology workers responsible for routine tasks such as network maintenance pose a potential risk to the government’s efforts to control classified information.

☆ Our Jack Teixeira Problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Daniel Henninger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Wonder Land: When we began to devalue conscience, blurring a pragmatic understanding of right from wrong, we unleashed the whirlwind that engulfs us now. Images: Margaret Small/Reuter/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyThe revelation that for months the videogamer community was able to see highly classified intelligence documents allegedly pilfered from the U.S. government by a 20-something Air National Guardsman has repeatedly raised the question: How could this happen? Maybe the better question for our times is: How could it not happen?

☆ 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.

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.

☆ Lindsay Graham rips Marjorie Taylor Greene's defense of the accused Pentagon leaker, calling it 'one of the most irresponsible statements she can make'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Lindsey Graham criticized Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's defense of the accused Pentagon leaker. Graham called Greene's stance "irresponsible" and one that puts America "in serious danger." Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) April 13, 2023"Jake Teixeira is white, male, christian, and antiwar. Hours after Graham's criticism of Greene, Greene posted a doctored image of him on Twitter holding a Bud Light can that featured a photo of trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) April 16, 2023Conservatives have blasted Bud Light's recent partnership with Mulvaney and have called for a boycott of the brew.

☆ Pentagon, Intelligence Agencies Face Calls for Details on Leak Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Ian Talley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A review has been ordered of intelligence access, accountability and control procedures within the Pentagon to help prevent future leaks. WASHINGTON—U.S. Defense Department and intelligence agencies face growing calls from lawmakers for details about how a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman was allegedly able to access and post online classified information. Senior lawmakers with oversight of intelligence and defense on Sunday said they don’t yet understand how a low-level information technician was allowed access to the classified documents and allegedly to sneak state secrets out of secured facilities. Some lawmakers also called for officials to be held accountable for the breach.

☆ 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.

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.

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Pentagon leak suspect, 21, to appear in court; Ukraine making withdrawals in Bakhmut, UK says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The suspect, Jack Teixeira, will appear in court Friday. Ukrainian forces are withdrawing from some positions in the eastern city of Bakhmut under heavy Russian fire, Britain's Ministry of Defense reported. Ukraine has for months refused to give up on its defense of Bakhmut, despite both sides suffering heavy casualties and the city being entirely destroyed. Kyiv says that conceding Bakhmut would give Russia a major access route to much more of eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi reiterated calls for relevant parties to establish a security perimeter around Ukraine's embattled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, warning "we are living on borrowed time when it comes to nuclear safety and security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant."

☆ MAGA-world is rushing to defend Jack Teixeira, the accused Pentagon leaker who allegedly dumped secret documents online to impress his teenage gamer buddies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The leak represents the worst military intelligence breach in roughly a decade. To them, Teixeira is a martyr for revealing the truth about the stalemated war in Ukraine to the American people. "Tonight, the news media are celebrating the capture of the kid who told Americans what's actually happening in Ukraine," Carlson said. The leaks could hurt Ukraine on the battlefieldThe leak of the documents allegedly perpetrated by Teixeira represents the worst US military intelligence breach in roughly a decade. The secret documents offered details on US spying on friends and foes alike, many of which pertained to the war in Ukraine.

☆ Podcast: Pentagon intel leaked for likes, and the Texas book ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Follow on Apple, Google or Spotify. Intelligence officials are asking serious questions about the handling of confidential material after a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman is arrested by the FBI for allegedly leaking documents to impress teenagers. Texas is at the center of a debate about what children can be allowed to read in libraries. We hear about the betting odds at the world’s most famous steeplechase – the Grand National - and the fight for the title for World Chess Champion. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira was reading a book on a porch when the feds showed up to arrest him
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( John Haltiwanger | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Jack Teixeira, 21, was arrested in connection with the recent leak of secret military documents. Teixeira is a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who worked in the 102nd Intelligence Wing. He was reading a book on a porch when federal agents arrived to arrest him. Teixeira worked in the 102nd Intelligence Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. The secret military documents that were leaked on various social media platforms exposed US spying on allies and adversaries alike.

☆ Leaked Documents Likely Came From Air Guardsman at Fort Bragg, Officials Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Nancy A. Youssef | Sadie Gurman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Investigators believe the leak of purported highly classified documents on Ukraine and dozens of other subjects likely originated from an Air National Guardsman who was based at Fort Bragg at the time of the leak, U.S. officials said, and an arrest could be made as early as Thursday.

☆ Pentagon Document Leak: What We Know So Far and the Biggest Takeaways
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Nancy A. Youssef | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Federal agents arrested a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman in connection with a leak of purported highly classified documents surrounding the war in Ukraine and other topics. The arrest caps a fast-moving probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pentagon and others to pinpoint the source of a leak of documents.

Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman, has been arrested in connection with a leak of purported highly classified documents on Ukraine and dozens of other subjects that has exposed the challenges of safeguarding sensitive U.S. information and tested ties with some of America’s closest allies. Federal agents took Mr. Teixeira into custody at his home in Dighton, Mass., on Thursday afternoon. Television footage showed armed personnel leading a male with red shorts and green shirt with his hands cuffed behind his back.

☆ U.S. Air National Guardsman suspected of leaking intel to be arrested Thursday -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - An Air National Guardsman suspected of leaking highly classified U.S. documents will be arrested on Thursday in Massachusetts, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. The New York Times reported that the leader of an online group where the secret documents were posted is a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Named Jack Teixeira, the national guardsman led Thug Shaker Central, an online group where about 20 to 30 people shared their love of guns, racist memes and video games, the Times said, citing interviews and documents it reviewed. U.S. President Joe Biden earlier on Thursday said investigators were closing in on the source of the leak. Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Jasper Ward; editing by Susan HeaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A 21-year-old Air National Guardsman in the intel wing led the online gaming chat group where hundreds of top secret documents leaked: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US officials are investigating how secret Pentagon documents were leaked online. The search seems to be focusing on Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National guard. According to the New York Times, the 21-year-old lead the online group where the intel was leaked. The leak of highly sensitive Pentagon documents has been traced back to a private Discord server. The Pentagon, Department of Justice, and Massachusetts National Guard did not immediately respond to Insider's request seeking comment on the reports.

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