A former Massachusetts Air National Guard member accused of leaking highly classified military documents has been ordered to remain behind bars as he awaits trial in the United States.Jack Teixeira appeared in federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, where Magistrate Judge David Hennessy weighed prosecutors’ request that the 21-year-old should remain locked up ahead of the closely watched trial.
In handing down Friday’s decision, Hennessy indicated that Teixeira may be unreliable, given that the case hinged on the allegation that the 21-year-old had broken his “word that he would protect information related to the security of the United States”.
Hennessy also addressed the gravity of the accusations against Teixeira. “Who did he put at risk? I mean, you could make a list as long as a phone book,” the judge said, referencing the alleged leak.
In addition, Hennessy cited Teixeira’s fascination with guns, his online comments and his disciplinary record with the state national guard as reason to keep him in detention.
Teixeira faces charges under the Espionage Act for allegedly sharing a trove of secret military documents in a chat room on Discord, a social media platform used predominantly by gamers.
The documents purported to show the US assessment of Russia’s war in Ukraine and an array of other national security issues. The revelations roiled several US allies and drew wider questions about why a relatively low-ranking official in a state national guard would have access to such classified information.
Those questions have been heightened after prosecutors said …

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