The Department of Justice (DOJ) made a startling claim late Wednesday in the case of suspected leaker and Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira. Federal prosecutors argued he could leak even more classified documents and cause “extraordinary damage.”
According to Justice Department attorneys, it is still unknown whether the 21-year-old kept copies of classified materials. These could include reports that are yet to be made public.
Prosecutors wrote in their filing that there is “no condition or combination of conditions that can ensure the Defendant will not further disclose additional information still in his knowledge or possession.”
They described the damage already wrought on U.S. national security as “immense” and warned it may be far from over.
Two commanders in the military unit in which Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira worked, have been suspended. https://t.co/Yp9saLSCgk
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 27, 2023
Government records reportedly confirm that Teixeira began accessing classified materials as early as Feb. 2022. These documents bore “national defense information that had no bearing on his role” as an IT specialist in the Air National Guard.
In an interesting argument, prosecutors listed the guardsman’s gun collection as a reason he posed a danger to the public. They asserted he possesses a “virtual arsenal of weapons,” including “bolt-action rifles, rifles, AR- and AK-style weapons, and a bazooka.”
They also reported that Teixeira as recently as July 2022 used his government computer to conduct searches for “Ruby Ridge,” “Las Vegas shooting,” “Mandalay Bay shooting,” “Buffalo tops shooting,” and “Uvalde.”
Prosecutors conceded that his internet searches may be tied to his beliefs that the government had advance knowledge of these tragedies.
Government lawyers revealed that the defendant already faces 25 years in prison and potentially far more consequences for the damage he allegedly wrought. They called their evidence “substantial and mounting” and referenced the possibility that he still has access to classified information.
Prosecutors pointed towards steps he allegedly took to hide the scope of his activities.
A search of a dumpster at his residence found several smashed items, including a laptop, a tablet, and an Xbox gaming console. Teixeira allegedly instructed members of his social media group to “delete all messages” and not divulge any information to investigators.
The DOJ concluded its Wednesday filing by stating that Teixeira “poses a serious flight risk” and therefore “must remain detained.” He has yet to enter a plea on charges of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information.
