FBI arrests 21-year-old Air Force guardian in Pentagon leak case

The Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America detained Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, on Thursday.

His detention was related to their investigation into the online leak of confidential papers.

Last month, the Defence Department's classified documents were discovered online; however, it is unknown how long they had been available online or how many of them had been published. According to NBC News, they disclosed information about US eavesdropping on Russia's military operations in Ukraine, covert evaluations of Ukraine's combat capability, and intelligence gathering on the US allies, including South Korea and Israel.

According to the FBI bureau office in Boston, in a statement released on its official Twitter handle (@FBIBoston), on Thursday, Teixeira was arrested at a residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts,

“The FBI is continuing to conduct authorised law enforcement activity at the residence.

“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 statement read.

Attorney General Merrick Garland made a brief statement at the Justice Department about Teixeira's arrest by the FBI on Thursday afternoon. The Justice Department has been conducting a criminal investigation.

“Today, the Justice Department arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorised removal, retention and transmission of classified national defence information. Teixeira is an employee of the United States Air Force National Guard,” Garland said.

The probe is resulting in a breakthrough, according to US President Joseph Biden.

“There’s a full-blown investigation going on, as you know, with the Intelligence Committee and the Justice Department, and they’re getting close,” Biden said on Thursday.

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