Jack Teixeira, 21, was brought before a federal court in Boston on Friday, where he appeared wearing a beige prison suit. The Air National Guard recruit was charged with "unauthorized retention and transmission of information relating to national defense" Justice Minister Merrick Garland has promised to seek "very heavy sentences" The case raises questions about possible security breaches and the possibility for a young recruit to have access to such documents.
The confidential documents, some of which were later circulated on Twitter and Telegram, reveal in particular the concerns of the US intelligence services about the viability of a Ukrainian counter-offensive.