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☆ 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.

☆ 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?

☆ 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.

☆ Man accused of applying to RentAHitman.com and taking money from an undercover agent for a contract killing is arrested
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Tennessee man was arrested this week, charged with accepting money from an undercover FBI agent to kill someone. Authorities say Garcia was given opportunities to back out, but said he wanted to do it to make money. Josiah Garcia was arrested this week and charged with using interstate facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, authorities announced Friday. On April 3, an undercover FBI agent used the number Garcia provided to Innes, and the two spoke several times on the phone and by text before meeting in person. Authorities said they discovered an AR-style rifle upon searching Garcia's home, and that he had told the undercover agent he was planning to buy a handgun.

☆ 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.

“I could never have foreseen him doing that,” said John Powell, a former high school classmate. Teixeira grew up in the suburbs of Providence, Rhode Island, according to public records and graduated from Dighton-Rehoboth High School in neighboring Massachusetts in 2020. He toted around a “dictionary-sized” book on firearms and another about “tanks, planes and submarines,” former classmates told CNN. “A lot of people were wary of him,” said Brooke Cleathero, a former classmate in both high school and middle school. FBI agents interviewed at least one person who said a young man later identified as Teixeira began posting “what appeared to be classified information” on a server in December.

☆ Factbox: Jack Teixeira: Who is the man arrested over leaked Pentagon documents?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - Jack Douglas Teixeira was arrested on Thursday for allegedly leaking a trove of highly classified documents online. Teixeira served with the Air National Guard in Massachusetts, as did his stepfather. His unit, the 102nd intelligence wing of the Massachusetts National Guard, is responsible for providing intelligence support to many units of the military. Teixeira joined the Air National Guard in 2019, part of the National Guard that reports to the governor of their respective state or territory. The National Guard is made up of reserve troops that often hold civilian jobs or attend schools, and often respond to domestic emergencies.

CNN —The suspect in the leak of classified Pentagon documents posted on social media has been charged under the Espionage Act with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal of classified information and defense materials. According to charging documents, Teixeira held a top secret security clearance and allegedly began posting information about the documents online around December 2022, and photos of documents in January. Investigators narrowed in on the potential members of the chat group with evidence collected following the discovery of the classified documents online. Four Discord users active in a different Discord chatroom where the documents later appeared told CNN the documents began circulating on Thug Shaker. Several former high school classmates of Teixeira’s told CNN Thursday that he had a fascination with the military, guns and war.

☆ 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.

☆ Jack Teixeira, the alleged top secret documents leaker, searched his government computer for 'leak' to see if investigators were onto him: prosecutors
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Alleged leaker Jack Teixeira searched his government computer for "leak," prosecutors say. Teixeira was arrested Thursday in connection with the top secret military document leak. According to the criminal complaint, Teixeira, 21, completed the search on classified networks on April 6. The documents contain secret information about US allies, like Israel, Egypt, and South Korea, as well as adversaries, like North Korea, China, and Russia. That clearance would have given him access to the classified documents leaked online.

Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call Group | Getty ImagesAn embarrassing leak of highly classified Pentagon documents has endangered intelligence methods, exposed American strategy and undermined trust among U.S. allies, former defense department officials and intelligence experts tell CNBC. America's control over its most valuable secrets has been thrust into question amid the fallout from the most damaging intelligence leak since Edward Snowden's breach more than a decade ago. 'Devastating' for American alliesThe major security breach also contained intelligence gathering on American allies, including South Korea and Israel. "Our allies can't trust us … That's why the Middle East, they're talking to the Chinese. one American defense industry executive told CNBC, speaking anonymously due to professional restrictions.

☆ 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.

☆ Analysis: 21-year-old's arrest exposes larger classified documents problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

If the many earlier and ongoing scandals regarding classified information aren’t a wakeup call that the US government has a problem, maybe the arrest of Jack Teixeira will do the trick. Classified material scandals aplentyOne thing that should be abundantly clear from the string of leaks and improperly handled pieces of classified information beyond this story is that the system has problems. The New York Times reported Wednesday that witnesses questioned as part of the Trump investigation have been asked if he was showing off a map with sensitive intelligence information. There are additional people who have security clearance but don’t currently have access to information. Gen. Pat Ryder, compared the method by which classified information is stored to a locked house where people with clearance can get a key.

☆ 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.

☆ Marjorie Taylor Greene defends suspected Pentagon leaker, saying he is 'white, male, Christian, and anti-war'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Marjorie Taylor Greene defended the suspected Pentagon leaker, saying he is "white, Christian, and anti-war." Greene said, "He told the truth about troops being on the ground in Ukraine and a lot more." download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyRep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has defended the man suspected of leaking top-secret Pentagon documents, saying he is "white, male, Christian, and anti-war." Greene said, "He told the truth about troops being on the ground in Ukraine and a lot more. Teixeira was sitting on his porch reading when he was arrested at his home and taken into custody by FBI agents.

☆ A Steam profile, Instagram, and a kitchen table helped identify the 21-year-old accused of posting classified US intel online
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The New York Times identified Jack Teixeira, the man accused of leaking US intel online. They used details like photos of a kitchen countertop and his gaming username to identify him. His arrest came after dozens of Pentagon documents were posted online, a striking breach in US information security which exposed secret details of the Ukrainian and Russian militaries. Per The Times, "the same interior décor is visible in photographs of the family home posted online by one of Airman Teixeira's immediate relatives." The Times reported that a photo posted by his sister showed "a kitchen countertop that appeared identical to the surface on which the classified documents were photographed."

☆ 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.

President Joe Biden suggested on Thursday morning that officials appeared to be nearing a breakthrough in their investigation into who leaked the documents online. The Washington Post was the first news outlet on Wednesday night to report about the gaming group, and only identified him as "OG." The Post said it reviewed approximately 300 photos of classified documents that the suspect allegedly leaked, most of which the report said have not been made public. NBC News has not yet verified the details about the gaming group and that it was the source of where the classified documents were first shared. He also said that it appears that some of the classified documents had been altered from their original form.

☆ U.S. arrests Jack Teixeira in connection with classified defense information leak
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - The United States arrested Air National Guard employee Jack Teixeira on Thursday in connection with transmission of classified defense information, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said. "FBI agents took Teixeira into custody earlier this afternoon without incident," Garland said at a brief statement at the Justice Department. Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Katharine Jackson; Editing by Doina ChiacuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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