A member of the US Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly "retaining and transmitting classified national defense information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April." The Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement on Thursday that Jack Teixeira, 21, was indicted on six counts of "willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information)." Teixeira was arrested in April and charged by criminal complaint with "retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials." Teixeira remains in federal custody.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement in this regard "as laid out in the indictment, Jack Teixeira was entrusted by the United States government with access to classified national defense information, including information that reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if shared." "Teixeira is charged with sharing information with users on a social media platform he knew were not entitled to receive it. In doing so, he is alleged to have violated US law and endangered our national security," he added. For his part, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, "Individuals granted security clearances are entrusted to protect classified information and safeguard our nation's secrets.The allegations in today's indictment reveal a serious violation of that trust." "The FBI and our partners remain firm in our commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our national security and the security of our allies around the world," he stressed.
Each charge of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to USD 250,000, according to the DOJ.
Source: Kuwait News Agency