He faces imprisonment for decades.. The leaker of secret Pentagon documents changes his confession and admits his guilt

Teixeira was arrested in Massachusetts last April (Communication sites - archive)

Judicial documents showed yesterday, Thursday, that US Air Force member Jack Teixeira, who is accused of leaking top-secret documents to the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) and publishing them online, will change his confession and admit his guilt, which could lead him to prison for decades.

Prosecutors requested that the confession be changed during the hearing that will be held on March 4, where Teixeira will confirm the cancellation of his not guilty plea.

Teixeira was arrested in Massachusetts last April on charges of organizing the most damaging leak of secret US documents in a decade, some of which relate to the war in Ukraine.

The US Air Force member faces 6 charges related to maintaining and transmitting national defense information, each of which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Teixeira is also accused of publishing documents, some of which date back to early March 2023, on a private chat group on the social media platform “Discord.”

Some files later appeared on other sites, including the X platform, 4chan, and Telegram.

The documents indicated the United States' concern about Ukraine's military capabilities in the face of Russian forces, and also showed that Washington apparently spied on its allies Israel and South Korea, as well as other sensitive details.

Violations and questions

This is the largest breach of its kind since Edward Snowden leaked National Security Agency documents in 2013, raising questions about the ability of Teixeira and other junior employees to access high-level secrets.

Teixeira has had a security clearance since 2021.

In May 2023, a judge ordered Teixeira to remain in detention after prosecutors deemed that he posed a continuing threat to US national security.

Prosecutors said Teixeira may still have access to classified documents, and that "hostile" countries could help him escape if he is released.

They also cited his history of making "violent" statements.

Teixeira wrote on social media in November 2022 that he wanted to “kill a lot of people”;

Because this would lead to “the execution of weak-minded people,” according to a judicial document.

Teixeira was arrested in a dramatic security operation in April 2023 that was broadcast live on television networks.

Source: French