Update (1445ET): 21-year-old National Guardsman Jack Teixeira has been arrested in connection with the leak of hundreds of classified documents, according to the Washington Examiner and several other outlets. Teixeira was identified by the NY Times ahead of his arrest at his home in Dighton, Mass Thursday afternoon. Television footage appeared to show armed personnel leading a male wearing red shorts and a green short with his hands cuffed behind his back, the WSJ reports.
Two police cruisers from the town of Dighton were blocking the road near a residence associated with Mr. Teixeira. They declined to speak about why they had blocked the road. A row of people who say they lived on the street were waiting to pass.
One neighbor said the police began blocking off the street around noon. At least one vehicle outside the police blockade had U.S. government license plates. - WSJ
Update(1255ET): The New York Times says it knows the identity of the leaker of a trove of classified US intelligence documents which has been subject of widespread reporting this week. The Times says he's a 21-year old member of the Air National Guard:
The leader of a small online gaming chat group where a trove of classified U.S. intelligence documents leaked over the last few months is a 21-year-old member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The New York Times.
The national guardsman, whose name is Jack Teixeira, oversaw a private online group named Thug Shaker Central, where about 20 to 30 people, mostly young men and teenagers, came together over a shared love of guns, racist online memes and video games.
Two U.S. officials confirmed that investigators want to talk to Airman Teixeira about the leak of the government documents to the private online group. One official said Airman Teixeira might have information relevant to the investigation.
The report suggests he hasn't even been interviewed by authorities yet, but likely the young man can expect a knock on his door at any moment. NBC is reporting that his arrest is imminent. Below is a social media photograph republished by the NY Times of the accused leaker:
[Tweet]
We should caution that at this early phase there's little that is fully confirmed.
Very likely, the Pentagon and DOJ could still be investigating a number of different leads based on multiple working hypotheses. But on the question of assertions which have now been pretty much discounted, "unnamed US officials" have hit it out of the ballpark again... just days ago there was this headline, based on no less that three anon officials, oops!:
Click for Full Text!
Poster Comment:
I have it on good authority that the punk's real name is Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, and his CO's name is Lt. Col. Henry Blake.