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- US officials are investigating how secret Pentagon documents were leaked online.
- The search seems to be focusing on Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National guard.
- According to the New York Times, the 21-year-old lead the online group where the intel was leaked.
US officials have been scrambling to figure out how a trove of top secret documents wound up being shared with an online gaming forum, and the hunt for the source of the leak appears to be narrowing in on an Air National Guardsman.
The leak of highly sensitive Pentagon documents has been traced back to a private Discord server. The leader of the group is a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard who worked in the 102nd Intelligence Wing, The New York Times reported on Thursday just prior to a report from Reuters that an Air National Guardsman suspected to be behind the leak will soon be arrested in Massachusetts.
The man who oversaw the group, called "Thug Shaker Central," has been identified by the Times as Jack Teixeira. Two US officials confirmed to the outlet that investigators are looking to speak with Teixeira about the leaks. The Times noted though that Teixeira has not yet been identified as a suspect.
The Pentagon, Department of Justice, and Massachusetts National Guard did not immediately respond to Insider's request seeking comment on the reports.
Since they began making headlines last week, the leaked documents have triggered widespread alarms in Washington because they contain classified military and intelligence information about US allies, adversaries, and Russia's war in Ukraine.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.