The Air Force has launched an investigation into the major leak of dozens of classified documents by a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member.
The investigation will focus on the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, to which the alleged leaker, Jack Teixeira, was assigned, officials said.
“The Secretary of the Air Force directed the Department of the Air Force inspector general to investigate overall compliance with policy, procedures, and standards, including the unit environment and compliance at the 102nd Intelligence Wing related to the release of national security information,” Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told The Epoch Times via email.
Stefanek said that the 102nd Intelligence Wing has been removed from the Air Force’s intelligence mission and its work is currently being undertaken by other units.
Teixeira Arrested, Charged
Teixeira was arrested on April 13 at a home in southern Massachusetts, about 18 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island, following a Department of Justice (DOJ) probe into the leak of documents launched in that same month, although he is believed to have started sharing the documents online as far back as January.The highly sensitive documents—allegedly relating to the Russia–Ukraine war—were leaked earlier this year across platforms such as Discord, an instant messaging social platform popular with gamers, as well as on the Telegram app and 4chan.
He is expected back in court for a hearing on April 19. If convicted, Teixeira could face up to 10 years in prison for each charge.
‘We Are All Disturbed’
Officials say his role granted him a higher level of security clearance and sensitive compartmented access to other highly classified programs since 2021.“I’ve tasked our inspector general to go look at the unit and anything associated with this leak that could have gone wrong from the point of view of implementing our policies, to see what things allowed this to happen,” Kendall said.
“We’re turning on a complete review of our policies themselves, within the staff to make sure our policies are adequate and that will be illuminated by what we learn about what happened in this incident. We are asking the entire force to do a stand-down to review their security practices, conduct training as necessary, and respond to the Secretary of Defense’s guidance.”
“There is a full-court press going on about this,” Kendall continued. “We are all disturbed about it and we are working very very hard to get to the bottom of it and take corrective actions.”