Pentagon leak suspect Teixeira pleads not guilty to US federal charges

Prosecutors say Teixeira leaked classified documents to a group of gamers on the messaging app Discord.

 Jack Douglas Teixeira, a U.S. Air Force National Guard airman accused of leaking highly classified military intelligence records online, makes his initial appearance before a federal judge in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. April 14, 2023 in a courtroom sketch. (photo credit: REUTERS/Margaret Small)
Jack Douglas Teixeira, a U.S. Air Force National Guard airman accused of leaking highly classified military intelligence records online, makes his initial appearance before a federal judge in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. April 14, 2023 in a courtroom sketch.
(photo credit: REUTERS/Margaret Small)

The Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified US military documents pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to six federal charges, CNN reported.

Jack Douglas Teixeira, 21, appeared in a federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, for an arraignment after his arrest in April over the disclosure of US documents related to the Ukraine war and numerous other sensitive issues.

Teixeira has been held in federal prison in Plymouth County, south of Boston, while waiting trial. No trial date has been set.

Accusations made against Teixeira 

Prosecutors say Teixeira leaked classified documents to a group of gamers on the messaging app Discord. The leak is considered the most serious US national security breach since more than 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables appeared on the WikiLeaks website in 2010.

The leaked documents held highly classified information on allies and adversaries, with details ranging from Ukraine's air defenses to Israel's Mossad spy agency. President Joe Biden has ordered an investigation into why the alleged leaker had access to the sensitive information.

Photo evidence collected during the investigation into U.S. Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who is accused of leaking classified documents online, is released in a document by the U.S. Department of Justice. (credit: REUTERS/US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/HANDOUT)
Photo evidence collected during the investigation into U.S. Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who is accused of leaking classified documents online, is released in a document by the U.S. Department of Justice. (credit: REUTERS/US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/HANDOUT)