The New York Times revealed, on Friday, April 7, that hundreds of pages of classified US documents had been leaked, some of which were classified as “top secret”, circulating on the Internet for several weeks. What do we find in these secret documents? Who causes leakage and what are its risks? Lubes assesses one of the most serious decade-long classified document leakage scandals in the United States.
- A 21-year-old suspect was arrested
Jacques Teixeira, the 21-year-old suspected of being behind the leak, was arrested Thursday in Dayton, a small rural town south of Boston, Massachusetts.
sequel after announcement
This junior Air National Guard employee has been arrested “without accident” According to Attorney General Merrick Garland. American television channels broadcast live pictures of his arrest. In it, a man in a gray T-shirt and red shorts with his hands on his head can be seen slowly backing toward armed FBI agents in camouflage clothing before being stopped and escorted to a car.
According to the Washington Post, Jacques Teixeira had transcribed hundreds of pages of classified documents at the military base where he worked. He shared it regularly on the social network Discord, where he had a pseudonym “OG”, For a group of about 24 people formed in 2020 about Mutual love of firearms, military equipment and God.
Jacques Teixeira held the position of “Cyber Transportation Systems Specialist”, that is, the computer scientist responsible for military communications networks.
- The documents contain highly sensitive information
The leaked documents relate to the war in Ukraine and appear to reveal US espionage operations against allied countries. However, the authenticity of the images circulating on the Internet has not been publicly confirmed by the authorities and the Pentagon fears that this leak could “Potentially fuel disinformation.”
sequel after announcement
There is a document that estimates Russian losses higher than those suffered by Ukraine, and in another apparently modified version, it declares the opposite. Two other documents dated February 28 detail the alarming state of Ukraine’s air defences, which will be the same mini(s) to nothing by May 23rd.”. It was also mentioned in the report that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed regret that his army did not have missiles to hit Russian territory directly.
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Another undated document appears to reveal US espionage operations against an allied country. This reveals that the leaders of the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, would have encouraged the agency’s officials and citizens to protest the reform of the judicial system in Israel.
And a document detailing a March 1 exchange of views between South Korean officials again suggests Washington is spying on a close ally. According to this document, the South Korean National Security Council feared that the United States would transfer Kiev ammunition ordered from Seoul.
Finally, a document dated February 27 reveals reconnaissance flights in the Black Sea by the US, UK, France and NATO, from the end of September to the end of February, with or without crewed instruments.
sequel after announcement
- The government says the risks are “very serious”.
Circulation of these documents on the Internet brings ‘A serious threat to national security’US Defense Department spokesman Chris Major told reporters. Joe Biden, who is visiting Dublin, said Thursday ‘Worried it might happen’ Before adding to his knowledge that there is nothing among the leaked information.” Which is of great importance “.
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The Pentagon said on Sunday that the United States is trying to assess the risks associated with this leak, the repercussions of which could indeed be significant, particularly by disclosing sensitive information to Moscow related to the conflict in Ukraine.
According to the New York Times, it is the immediate importance of the information that worries the White House and the Pentagon the most, as some documents are only 40 days old.
- Case is still ongoing
The US Department of Justice announced on Saturday that it has opened an investigation to try to determine the source of the leaked documents. The Pentagon also said on Friday that it was investigating the matter.
sequel after announcement
The kitchen counter and tiled floor of Jacques Teixeira’s childhood home, seen in the background of photos in the leaked documents, are among the pieces of evidence that led to his arrest. According to the New York Times, the FBI is currently searching the residence of Jack Teixeira
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Pentagon press secretary Patrick Rader on Thursday called out the leak. premeditated criminal act He added that the Pentagon has taken steps to review information distribution lists and ensure only people who need to know get it.
Jacques Teixeira is expected to appear in a Massachusetts court on Friday, according to a Justice Department source. If the charges are proven, he could face up to 10 years in prison, according to Brandon Van Grack, a former US attorney general with the US Department of Justice. Plaintiffs can treat each leaked document as a separate account.
