US document leak suspect will appear in court. A 21-year-old Air Force National Guard soldier accused of releasing highly sensitive military intelligence information online will appear before a federal court in Boston on Friday.
On Thursday, the FBI detained North Dighton resident Jack Douglas Teixeira.
The New York Times reported last week that the leaked secret papers at the center of the probe were uploaded on a social networking platform in March or earlier.
It may be the worst security compromise since WikiLeaks released 700,000 documents, videos, and diplomatic cables in 2010.
The disclosures, which revealed Ukrainian military weaknesses and intelligence on allies including Israel, South Korea, and Turkey, are still being assessed by U.S. authorities.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland said Teixeira was detained for “an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defense information.”
Willfully leaking national defense secrets carries a 10-year sentence. However, However, However, However, Teixeira’s charges may result in a heavier sentence.
Chelsea Manning, the WikiLeaks leaker, received a 35-year sentence. Obama commuted her sentence.
After a Defense Department referral, the Justice Department launched a criminal investigation into the recent disclosures last week. On Thursday, the Pentagon called the leak a “deliberate, criminal act,” adding that the military had reviewed distribution lists to verify recipients needed to know.
Teixeira may have hired a lawyer.
Reuters has studied over 50 “Secret” and “Top Secret” papers but has not verified their legitimacy. Leaked docs may exceed 100.
The U.S. wants Julian Assange extradited from London to face criminal prosecution for the 2010 leak.
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