The US is struggling to come to terms with a leak of classified information that has rocked lawmakers, officials and key allies. The documents, which were posted to a social media platform popular with video gamers, offer a snapshot of how the intelligence community understood the world in late February and early March. They include insights on the war in Ukraine, China’s influence in global technology and terrorism.
As with previous leaks of top secret documents, officials are trying to figure out how the information ended up online and who had access. To do so, investigators are focusing on two critical points: the point at which the information surfaced and the source of its original creation. Together these points form a chain of custody, a path by which the information moved from private to public.
The first step in the process involves identifying where the leaked information came from, a source familiar with intelligence operations told CNN. In this case, both sets of Israel-related documents were published on a Telegram channel that has also published memes praising Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The channel was created by an individual whose name appears to be Jack Teixeira, a 21-year Air National Guard member who has been arrested in connection with the leak.
Investigators are looking at a variety of possible sources, including examining distribution lists for the group that produced the documents. They are also examining how the documents were printed, which could help investigators narrow their search.
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