Investigations into the data leak: National Guard in the sights of the authorities

The federal police FBI in the state of Massachusetts arrested a suspect in connection with the publication of explosive US secret service information on the Internet. The “New York Times” and the US broadcaster CNN reported this on Thursday. CNN showed pictures of the arrest on television. The arrested man is a military employee, said US Attorney General Merrick Garland.

According to consistent reports from the US media, the investigators are targeting a 21-year-old military employee from the state of Massachusetts. The New York Times and others reported on Thursday that it was a member of the National Guard named Jack T., who led a chat group on the Discord platform popular with video gamers. There was initially no official information on the status of the investigation and the alleged perpetrator. However, US President Joe Biden said investigators were getting closer to the matter.

The “Washington Post” had previously reported extensively on the young man, citing members of the group, who some would have called “OG”. The newspaper later identified him as a suspect using his real name. He initially shared the explosive documents as transcripts with the chat group and later uploaded photos of printed documents there.

The Wall Street Journal also reported on Thursday that investigators believe the leaked secret documents came from a National Guardsman who was stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, at the time of disclosure. An arrest could be made as early as Thursday, it said.

Documents public for weeks, first reports before Easter

Secret documents from US agencies – allegedly from the CIA and the Pentagon – on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have been circulating on the Internet for weeks: information on arms deliveries, assessments of what is happening in the war. But also details of alleged US spying against partners. It is unclear what is authentic and what could possibly have been edited. For the US government, however, the matter is as uncomfortable as possible one way or the other. Questions arise about how reliable Americans are, how well they protect their secrets and those of their partners, and how loyal they are to allies.

US media first reported on the leak shortly before Easter without publishing the documents themselves. According to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, he only found out about the data leak about a week ago, even though the material had been floating around the web for weeks. Now the government rotates to appease partners and, above all, to find the leak as quickly as possible. The Justice Department has launched an investigation.

Biden tried to calm tempers on Thursday. To his knowledge, the documents contained no real-time information that would have major consequences, he said on the sidelines of a visit to Ireland, where the affair caught up with him. He is not concerned about the data leak itself, but that it happened. And Biden emphasized with a view to the investigation: “You are getting closer to the matter.” He wasn’t more specific.

“OG” wanted to “brag to friends” – and inform them

The Washington Post revealed extensive details about the possible mole. Around two dozen young people with a penchant for weapons and military equipment had come together in his chat group. The group was founded in 2020 during the corona pandemic. “OG” was described there as a charismatic gun nut with dark views of the US government, intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies. Others in the group would have admired him. “He’s fit. He’s strong. He’s armed. He’s trained. Pretty much everything you could want from a crazy movie,” said one of the members.

“OG” told the group that he obtained the documents at a military base where he worked. There he said he spent parts of the day in a secure facility where cell phones and other electronic devices that could be used to take photos or videos were banned. Therefore, he initially copied the documents. He posted his posts in the group throughout the winter. It was probably about “bragging about in front of his friends”, but also about informing them, said a member of the group.

According to the newspaper, when copying proved too tedious, he began posting pictures of previously printed papers – and apparently also took a great risk of being caught: In the background of some of the photos, the “OG” the others via video showed pieces of furniture and objects that could bring the investigators to his trail. For example a tube of glue, manuals or a nail clipper.

Documents should probably not be made public beyond Discord chat

The New York Times wrote that details of the 21-year-old’s childhood home, which were published in family photos on social media, matched details in the margins of some photos of the secret documents published.

According to the Washington Post, the young man had become frustrated that the other members of the group weren’t paying enough attention to his revelations.

Former intelligence coordinator James Clapper told CNN that it sounds to him like this “OG” shares a certain “level of narcissism” with other whistleblowers before him. “There’s an ego element in feeling important about yourself by having access to such material and disclosing it.”

“OG” stopped sharing documents with the chat group in mid-March, the Washington Post continued. The reason was that someone from the circle – to which users from Russia and Ukraine are said to have belonged – had posted documents in another group at the end of February and thus broken the agreed secrecy. In early April, just before the New York Times reported the leak, OG seemed desperate. “He said something happened and he prays to God that this event doesn’t happen,” the newspaper quoted a minor member of the group as saying.

“OG” probably not a Russian agent

According to the newspaper, there is no clear picture of “OG’s” motivation. Despite his gloomy views, he was not hostile to the US government, it said. According to the chat users, he was not a Russian or Ukrainian agent either.

It is also unclear what is behind the abbreviation – whether a name or another phrase. In English, “OG” is colloquial for “Original Gangster”. The term describes someone considered a pioneer or leader in a particular field, someone who is particularly authentic or particularly good at something.

According to the Wall Street Journal, ex-defense officials have warned that the story about Discord could be a sophisticated maneuver to lure investigators down the wrong path. In the meantime, however, the indications in this direction are increasing.

Note: This article has been updated to reflect the arrest.