21 year old cracker got a long prison future ahead of him
U.S. identifies suspect in leak of secret Pentagon documents as Jack Teixeira...FBI arrests suspect
(CNN)-- A member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard was arrested by the FBI on Thursday in connection with the leaking of classified documents that have been posted online, according to a US official familiar with the matter.The arrest of Jack Teixeira, 21, comes following a fast-moving search by the US government for the identity of the leaker who posted classified documents to a social media platform popular with video gamers.
Teixeira had been identified by The New York Times ahead of his arrest Thursday as the leader of the group where a trove of classified documents was posted.
The FBI had narrowed the number of people who they believe could be responsible for the leaks and have been conducting interviews in recent days, two people briefed on the matter said earlier. While there’s a large number of people who had access to the documents, investigators have been able to home in on a small number for closer scrutiny thanks to the forensic trail left by the person who posted the documents. Investigators are working on building a case for prosecution, people familiar with the matter say.
Another source familiar with the criminal investigation said that they expect it will move along much more quickly than the Pentagon’s damage assessment of the leaks.
Earlier Thursday, President Joe Biden appeared to suggest that the US government was close to identifying the leaker.
“There’s a full-blown investigation going on, as you know,” Biden said when asked for comment about the leaks. “The intelligence community and the Justice Department. And they’re getting close. I don’t have an answer for you.”
Biden was speaking in Dublin, where he is meeting the Irish president. It was the first time he commented on the leak.
CNN has previously reported that the Army Criminal Investigation Division is also “assisting the DoD in their investigation” of the leak, Jeffrey Castro, a spokesman for the division, told CNN.
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FBI arrests Massachusetts airman Jack Teixeira in leaked documents probe
Federal law enforcement officials have identified a suspect in the leaking of secret defense and intelligence documents that have circulated online for weeks.
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