Pentagon leak left no effect on US cooperation with allies: Blinken

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Apr 2023 21:20

The suspect in the leaking is expected to face Espionage Act charges and the probed investigation will reportedly take months to finish, according to CNN.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Office of the Government in Hanoi, Vietnam, on April 15, 2023 (Reuters)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed during a press conference on Saturday that the recent leak of Pentagon classified files has not impacted any cooperation between the US and its allies, after communicating with them afterward at "high levels".

Blinken added at the conference in Vietnam: "... we have made clear our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and our commitment to our security partnerships. What I've heard so far, at least, is an appreciation for the steps that we are taking, and it's not affected our cooperation, I just haven't seen that, haven't heard that."

This comes after US law enforcement arrested a military service member, Jack Douglas Teixeira, as a suspect in connection with a leak of classified defense information online.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland noted that Teixeira is an employee of the US Air Force National Guard, adding that FBI agents took him into custody and added that he will make an initial appearance in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Teixeira is expected to face Espionage Act charges and the probed investigation will reportedly take months to finish, according to CNN.

BREAKING: US intelligence leaker Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the Air National Guard, is arrested at his home in Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/vZ2y6d3Fqd
— 301 Military (@301military) April 13, 2023

Some of the most sensitive leaked details are purportedly related to Ukraine's military capabilities and shortcomings, as well as information about US allies, including the Israeli occupation, South Korea and Turkey.

The top secret files leaked online in recent weeks allegedly expose weaknesses in Ukrainian air defenses, Russia's military activities in Ukraine, and other details that conflict with earlier US military assessments.

Earlier on Thursday, US President Joe Biden said that investigators were closing in on the source of the online leaks in what is believed to be the most serious security breach in years.

The US was even scrambling to reassure "Israel" over the leak of highly classified documents from the Pentagon, since according to Axios citing two Israeli officials, the documents suggest that the US has been spying on some of its closest allies, which include "Israel".

The matter is serious because the leaks contain sensitive information from US-Israeli consultations.