Pentagon leak suspect had been warned over his ‘concerning actions’ with classified info: Filing
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on May 17, 2023
(WASHINGTON) — The Army National Guardsman charged with leaking a trove of military secrets was twice admonished by his superiors last year over “concerning actions” he took with regards to classified information, federal prosecutors said in a court filing on Wednesday.
Jack Teixeira was told by superiors in September and October “to no longer take notes in any form on classified intelligence information and to “cease-and-desist on any deep dives into classified intelligence information,” prosecutors wrote in the filing.
But even after being warned, a superior in February found Teixeira viewing classified materials that were not related to his primary duties, according to a Feb. 4 report cited by prosecutors.
Wednesday’s filing — which argues in support of keeping Teixeira behind bars until his trial — gives further insight into what prosecutors are learning in their investigation of Teixeira’s actions leading up to his arrest last month as the alleged source of the massive leak of classified national defense information that has since spread across the internet.
Prosecutors wrote Wednesday that, in January, Teixeira had boasted about the vast amount of classified information he had access to — writing “theres gonna be a f— ton of information here . . .,” according to one message the government obtained from the online platform Discord.
“It is clear that the dissemination of the classified national defense information that the Defendant unlawfully posted was even more widespread and diverse than previously known,” prosecutors wrote. “It is also clear that the Defendant publicly exalted in the breadth and sensitivity of the information that he was disclosing.”
Teixeira has not yet pleaded to his charges.
He is set to appear in court on Friday afternoon, when a judge will determine if he should remain detained.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
