Traceable digital fingerprints, clues in chat rooms: How investigators zeroed in on document leak suspect

The suspect was relatively easy to find.

In a world of social media that produces traceable digital fingerprints, it didn’t take long for federal authorities and open-source investigators adept at sifting through data to come up with Jack Teixeira’s name.

Teixeira, 21, who served in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, was arrested Thursday for leaking classified documents that rocked capitals from Washington to Kyiv to Seoul, with revelations of US spying on allies and enemies and the disclosure of sensitive military intelligence about the war in Ukraine.

There were clues in messages posted in a chat room on Discord, a social media platform where Teixeira is believed to have posted for years about his favorite guns, games and memes – and, according to several people who talked to him, a closely guarded US secret .

Investigative website Bellingcat and The New York Times first publicly identified Teixeira, minutes before federal officials confirmed he was the subject of the investigation. They reported tracking profiles on other obscure sites linked to Teixeira.

The suspect, as part of his duties, reportedly had access to classified information.

The case underscores the challenge for the US and other governments to maintain secrecy in an era of ubiquitous data and an army of savvy users who know how to exploit it.

When asked how young service members could have access to highly sensitive documents, Pentagon spokesman Brig. General Patrick Ryder, said that the nature of the military is trusted by very young service members with a high level and sometimes grave responsibility, including a high level of security clearance.

In an earlier Associated Press story, the leaker was identified as “OG” by members of an online chat group where Teixeira and others had been posted for years. Members of the chat group declined to give their names to the AP, out of concern for their personal safety.

The chat group, called “Thug Shaker Central,” attracts about two dozen fans who talk about their favorite types of guns and also share memes and jokes, some of them racist. The group also included discussions about the war which included talk of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In the discussion, “OG” would for months post material he said was classified – originally typing it in his own notation, then a few months ago switched to posting pictures of folded paper because he felt the writing wasn’t there. that is taken seriously, people say.

Different participants in the group shared some files a few weeks ago in a different chat group – and from there it seems to have spread around the Internet.

The person who spoke to the AP said he was not in touch with Teixeira on Thursday, but remained in touch earlier in the week. Teixeira said he knew the FBI was looking for him, the person said.

Teixeira is an airman first class detailed with Air Force intelligence, according to a Facebook post from the 102nd Intelligence Wing based at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts.

Local police on Thursday blocked the road in front of the house listed as his family’s.

People who spoke to the AP said Teixeira was a devout Christian who often talked about God and prayed with chat group members.

When he signed up, Teixeira opposed many of the US government’s priorities and opposed the military “because it was run by elite politicians,” the person said, adding that he did not know why Teixeira had signed up in the first place. .

“He expressed regret (for) joining too much,” the person said. “He even said he would kick my ass if I thought of joining.”

But the man insisted he did not believe Teixeira leaked the documents to undermine the US government or for ideological reasons.