Suspect ‘National Guard spy’ Teixeira
In charge of communications… Confidential system access
FBI arrests armored personnel carrier
U.S. Attorney General Investigation into Leakage of “Espionage Law Prosecution”
Jack Teixeira (21, photo), a spy in the Massachusetts National Guard, a suspect in the leaking of US classified documents, was arrested on the 13th (local time). It has been exactly one week since the fact that the documents were leaked was known through reports such as the New York Times (NYT) on the 6th. With his arrest, the investigation into the details, purpose, authenticity, and accomplices of the leaked documents is also expected to speed up. However, when it was revealed that the latest secrets collected by the United States from around the world were leaked by a soldier in his 20s, criticism of the weak security system of the most powerful country is also rising.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland held a press conference that day and announced that he would be prosecuted for violating the Espionage Act, saying, “FBI agents arrested the suspect, Teixeira, for taking and transmitting classified information without permission.” . CNN and others predicted that Teixeira would appear in the federal district court in Massachusetts on the 14th and go through the prosecution process. Under the Espionage Act, he could face up to 10 years in prison for each leaked document. According to the NYT report, it means that he, who leaked about 350 documents, could be sentenced to a huge sentence of hundreds of years in arithmetic terms.
Teixeira is a private in the 102nd Intelligence Wing, Massachusetts National Guard. Although he is a young man with a low rank, he is in charge of military communication network management, etc., and is able to access the ‘World Information Communication System (JWICS)’, where unclassified information is gathered, so it seems that it was possible to steal documents. He leaked documents from the beginning of last year, acting as a kind of ‘host’ in a chat room called ‘Sug Shaker Central’ where there are many teenage military YouTubers in the chat platform ‘Discord’.
live streaming of arrest Intelligence officer Jack Teixeira (center), a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, who is suspected of leaking classified U.S. documents, is detained by heavily armed FBI agents at his mother’s home in North Dyton, Massachusetts, on Wednesday (local time). When he took a picture of the document and posted it on the chatting platform ‘Discord’, the authorities identified his location by looking at his appearance in the background in the picture. On this day, an armored vehicle and six armed agents were mobilized to arrest him, reminiscent of a military operation. American media such as CNN broadcast live the arrest process. North Dyton = AP NewsisHis arrest resembled a military operation. The FBI sent six agents heavily armed with armored vehicles, military aircraft, rifles and bulletproof vests to Teixeira’s mother’s home in North Dyton to arrest him. US media outlets such as CNN also broadcast live the arrest process in real time.
The National Guard, to which he belongs, is in charge of handling disasters and disasters in the region and maintaining public order under the command of each governor during normal times. In wartime, it is commanded by the federal government and assumes some functions of the regular U.S. Army. The aftermath of the situation is likely to continue as documents containing eavesdropping and wiretapping circumstances on South Korea and other allies, military information on North Korea and China, and the situation in the Ukraine war were exposed by a low-level soldier in the nature of a reserve unit, not the US regular army.
[美 감청 논란]
Confidential leak suspect Teixeira arrested
Show off your intelligence by posting confidential information in the chat room… FBI Locates Suspects with Photos
In the US, 2.8 million people have confidential access… Next week, congressional hearings will be held to discuss countermeasures
Suspect Jack Teixeira (21), who leaked about 350 pieces of the latest top-secret information collected from around the world, including the delivery schedule of Korean shells, the trajectory of North Korean missiles, and maps of Ukrainian air defense networks, was arrested on the 13th (local time). Investigations on the back are also expected to speed up. On this day, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested him in an arrest operation reminiscent of a military operation, including mobilizing a large number of heavily armed agents with armored vehicles, military aircraft, and rifles.
However, as it was revealed that Teixeira, a low-level communications officer belonging to the Massachusetts National Guard, not the US regular army, had unrestricted access to top-secret information, criticism of the US’ lax security system as well as the aftermath of the situation did not subside easily. Even after 10 years have passed since the 2013 accusation by Edward Snowden, a former NSA agent who exposed the United States’ omnidirectional wiretapping and wiretapping, criticism continues that the system for handling classified US documents has not been properly maintained.
According to The Washington Post (WP) and others, Teixeira belonged to a “patriotic family,” in which she, her mother, stepfather, and relatives all engaged in military-related work. His mother worked for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Affairs, a non-profit organization that supports veterans. My stepfather, who served for 34 years, retired a few years ago as a sergeant. He also served in the 102nd Intelligence Wing, his stepson Teixeira’s current post.
Teixeira, a Catholic, joined several relatives in September 2019 after graduating from high school. Because of his recruit training, he was unable to attend his high school graduation ceremony. In October 2021, he was deployed to his current duty station, and in July of last year, he was promoted from Private to Private and received a Medal of Excellence.
Teixeira showed his far-right and anti-Semitic tendencies by using the nickname ‘OG’ in a chat room in ‘Discord’, a chat platform that leaked documents. Chat participants, most of whom are in their teens, were admonished on the importance of hierarchical order and the international situation. When Teixeira prophesied about an event not reported in the media, the participants held him up like a leader.
Teixeira enjoyed this treatment and acted like he was important. This is the reason why there is an analysis that he leaked it for the purpose of ‘bluff’ and ‘show off’, not as a ‘whistleblower’ like Snowden. When the interest of the participants faded after posting the document, he was angry several times, saying, “If I don’t read it properly, I won’t post it anymore.”
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sent an armored vehicle and six agents armed with rifles and body armor to his mother’s home in North Dyton, Massachusetts, on the same day. A reconnaissance military aircraft was also waiting in the nearby sky.
Agents confirmed that Teixeira was at home. Considering that he is an active soldier and a weapon enthusiast, he called his name from outside rather than immediately entering the house. Teixeira complied with the arrest relatively docilely. He clasped his hands behind his head and backed up to his armored car. The agents took cover behind his armored vehicle and aimed their rifles at him.
The fact that he was arrested in a relatively short period of time, just one week after the report on the leaked documents on the 6th, is interpreted as leaving ‘digital fingerprints’ throughout the leaking process that can infer his identity. In particular, it is known that the place of arrest, such as the mother’s house, was exposed early by taking pictures of the documents and posting them. The FBI monitored him two days before his arrest and succeeded in arresting him.
Espionage law applied to Teixeira for leaking US secrets A photo of Jack Teixeira in uniform posted on social media in the past by Massachusetts National Guard, who was arrested on the 13th (local time) as a suspect in leaking classified US documents (upper photo). Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference that day that he would prosecute him for violating the Espionage Act. Teixeira is expected to appear in court on the 14th at the earliest. Photo source Teixeira Instagram · Washington = AP NewsisUnder the US Espionage Act, up to 10 years in prison is possible for each leaked document. This means that he, who leaked about 350 cases, could be sentenced to hundreds of years in arithmetic terms.
It is also questionable how he, a private in the National Guard, was able to steal the top secret. Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said on the 13th that the US security system values ’job relevance’ rather than ‘rank’ and that “secret handling authorization may be required depending on the job.” His position as a communications intelligence officer meant that he was granted high-level classified access.
CNN said that as of 2017, six years ago, 1.6 million people had confidential access, and an additional 1.2 million people could view classified information. It is pointed out that the practice of printing confidential information on paper for generals who enjoy memos and the lax operating system that can be seen by 2.8 million people must be corrected urgently. The ruling Democratic Party decided to hold a hearing next week to discuss measures to prevent a recurrence.
Washington =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.