US airman arrested over leaked intelligence documents

MASSACHUSETTS – The FBI on Thursday arrested an official of the Massachusetts Air National Guard who was thought to be behind the internet leak of top-secret US intelligence information.

The news about 21 years old Jack Teixeira's  arrest was announced by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

According to reports, documents on the Ukraine War, US Surveillance of Allies and Enemies and Israeli Intelligence Mossad Supporting Domestic Anti-Government Protests emerged online on gamers communication platform, Discord.

Teixeira will make his first appearance in court on Friday where he will be formally charged, according to the US attorney's office in Boston.

According to CNN, Teixeira is thought to be the group's head who posted the stash of confidential information.

Thousands of persons with access to secret material were included in the search net, but the search was restricted by chat groups with evidence, owing to the forensic trail left by the person who uploaded documents on social media.

Before being arrested, the suspect was reportedly under surveillance for at least two days, according to officials.

Jack Teixeira was an enlisted Airman 1st Class, according to the US Air Force's service information made public on Thursday.

Teixeira started working with the military in September 2019 and is a journeyman in the field of cyber transport systems.

According to a report published by The Washington Post on Wednesday, the accused worked at a military facility and gave data to a selected number of people he knew.