FBI arrests Air Force guardsman in Pentagon leak case

A 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, Jack Teixeira, was on Thursday apprehended by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States of America.

His arrest was in connection with their investigation into classified documents that were leaked on the internet.

The classified documents from the Defence Department were found online last month — how long they had been on the Internet and the total number that had been posted remain unclear. They revealed details about the US spying on Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine and secret assessments of Ukraine’s combat power, as well as intelligence-gathering on America’s allies, including South Korea and Israel, NBC News reports.

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.

The FBI took Teixeira into custody Thursday afternoon “without incident,” Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in brief remarks at the Justice Department, which 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 US President, Joe Biden, disclosed that the investigation is leading to a breakthrough.

“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.