Jack Teixeira — The FBI apprehended Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, on Thursday.
Teixeira is linked to the leaked private data that has been making the rounds online, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The arrest
The arrest of Jack Teixeira follows a swift investigation by US authorities into the identity of the individual who leaked personal information to Discord, a prominent social networking platform among video game players.
Teixeira was apprehended without incident in Massachusetts, according to Garland.
He will also face charges in federal court in that city.
“The investigation is ongoing,” said Garland. “We will share information at the appropriate time.”
According to the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, Jack Teixeira will appear in court in Boston on Friday.
Meanwhile, the FBI said that Teixeira had been arrested at his residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts, for his role in the leak of classified US government and military information.
“The FBI is continuing to conduct authorized law enforcement activity at the residence,” said the agency.
“Since late last week, the FBI has aggressively pursued investigative leads, and today’s arrest exemplifies our continued commitment to identifying, pursuing, and holding accountable those who betray our country’s trust and put our national security at risk.”
The hacked data, which included comprehensive intelligence evaluations of friends and adversaries, was widely distributed on social media.
Some of the documents also highlighted the realities of the Ukraine war and the hurdles that caused Kyiv and Moscow to come to a standstill.
Search for the suspect
Several US intelligence organizations believe Jack Teixeira is the leader of a group that is sharing secret material over social media.
Thousands of individuals with access to the news started looking for the offender.
However, police rapidly limited the search to prospective chat group members using information obtained in the days following the discovery of the sensitive data by US officials.
Despite the fact that the records were accessed by various persons, investigators were able to narrow down the suspects thanks to the leaker’s forensic trail.
According to a US government source familiar with the case, Jack Teixeira had been under surveillance for many days before being apprehended by the FBI on Thursday.
Biden’s update
President Biden appeared to hint early Thursday that the administration was close to catching the leaker.
According to a US source, Biden learned of his imprisonment between his speech to parliament and his departure for a gala dinner at Dublin Castle.
Between the two events, Biden stayed at the hotel for more than 90 minutes.
According to the officials, the US president was brought up to date on the investigation and the attempts of his senior staff to engage with allies named in or impacted by the substance of the stolen files.
According to another source, the problem has lingered over Biden’s profoundly personal and essential overseas journey.
Read also: Louisville shooting investigations underway
Details on the leaker
The Air Force revealed Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira’s service details following his detention.
Teixeira is a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
He started his formal Cyber Transport Systems journeyman position in September 2019.
According to the Air Force, Cyber Transport Systems employees maintain the proper operation of the service’s global communications network.
According to the Washington Post, the leaker worked on a military website and transmitted vital national secrets with an online network of buddies.
A leaker’s friend described him as a lonely young guy and gun enthusiast who belonged to a Discord group with over two dozen other people who shared a passion for firearms and military gear.
Upbringing
Several of Jack Teixeira’s old high school friends had an interest in the military, weapons, and violence.
Teixeira would sneak into school with a thick book on weaponry on occasion, behaving in ways that made other pupils uncomfortable.
“A lot of people were wary of him,” said Brooke Cleathero, a middle school and high school classmate.
Another student, John Powell, remembers Teixeira as a nice and quiet young guy who was occasionally mocked.
“He didn’t have many friends,” said Powell.
Jack Teixeira grew up in the Providence suburbs, according to public documents.
In 2020, he graduated from Dighton-Rehoboth High School.
Powell recalls Teixeira sometimes dragging a military vehicle textbook.
“He was dead set on joining some branch of the military, even as a kid,” said Powell.
Other students who sought anonymity said Jack Teixeira possessed a terrifying atmosphere and made derogatory remarks about others.
Following the deadly shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, one kid claimed to have arrived at school wearing a shirt with an AR-15 design.
While Teixeira’s behavior did not require reporting, he did arouse concern among many others.
Another student, meantime, mistaken his military interest for American nationalism, which surprised her when the allegations were made public.
“I didn’t think he would be capable of doing something like this,” she said.
Biden voiced concern about the leaks but was unbothered about the content on Thursday.
“I’m not concerned about the leak,” said the US president.
“I’m concerned that it happened, but there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of any consequence.”
