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Source: Arrest Soon Of Suspected Leaker Of Highly Secret Government Intel; Pentagon Briefing Amid Reports Leaker About To Be Arrested; U.S. Official: Suspect Arrested In Pentagon Leak. Aired 2- 2:30p ET

Aired April 13, 2023 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[14:00:00]

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The governor of Arizona is laundering money for the Mexican drug cartels. So, here the Republican said, that's our line. You are out. Abby.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: Fascinating story there. Kyung Lah, thank you very much. And that does it for me. I'll see you back here tomorrow. There's more news coming up right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Thank you for joining us in the CNN NEWSROOM at the top of the hour. I'm Erica Hill.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: And I'm Bianna Golodryga.

We're going to bring you that breaking news. CNN has learned law enforcement is about to arrest a suspect tied to the leak of a trove of highly secret government intelligence, which has embarrassed the U.S. and strained multiple alliances. Today, several blockbuster reports expose who the suspected leader is.

The New York Times has named him as a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. CNN has not independently verified his identity and is not currently naming him. Both the Times and The Washington Post say the man is the leader of a chat group on the online platform Discord and is older than most members of the group of gamers who call him OG.

HILL: One of OG's friends who've spoken unanimously on camera to The Post who obtained the parental permission to do so because that friend is underage. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was -- he was a young charismatic man who loved nature, God, who loved shooting guns and racing cars. He did see himself as the leader of this group. And ultimately, he was the leader of this group. And he wanted us all to be sort of super soldiers to some degree and formed fit with God, well-armed, stuff like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HILL: Well, the leaker's ID is just one of several big developments on this story today. The Pentagon, we've learned, as they're tightening its communication lines limiting who receives highly classified intelligence. And The New York Times discovered 27 new pages online which reveal infighting based on what they saw among Russia's government when it comes to the war in Ukraine.

GOLODRYGA: We'll get to all of that later in the broadcast. But first, CNN's Natasha Bertrand has been tracking every new detail we are getting in. Natasha, do we have any idea as to how soon an arrest could be made?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER (on camera): Well, Bianna, a law enforcement source tells my colleague Evan Perez, that arrest could be made imminently here. We don't know exactly when but it is likely to be very soon. Now, this suspect, this 21-year-old Air National Guardsman, he was apparently the leader of an online group chat on a server called Discord. And he, according to a member of that group chat, who spoke to The Washington Post was the one who was posting hundreds of classified documents on this server over the last several months.

Now, his motivation at this point is not totally clear. However, that friend of his did tell The Post that he believes that this leaker was highly suspicious of the U.S. government and believed that the U.S. intelligence community was hiding things from the general public. And he wanted the members of that group chat who were largely teenagers to be more aware of the world around them.

Now, once these documents started to become public, members of that group chat, who were numbered in about the two dozens, they were very, very freaked out by this, to say the least. And they did not realize just how big this was until it all started spilling out into the public. Here's what one of the members had to say to The Post.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was about three other members in the voice chat with me when I first found out that these were public -- made public. It felt like my heart was beating out of its chest and my legs were buckling. And I cannot believe that this was happening. We didn't realize the sheer just immense nature of these leaks until a bit later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERTRAND: So, that really gives you a window here into just how inexperienced the members of this group chat were with these kinds of highly sensitive national security issues that this guardsman was exposing them to. And we are told that the law enforcement community, the FBI, which has been investigating this for over a week now, they did begin to hone in on this particular suspect in recent days, and an arrest is imminent. The Pentagon meanwhile, it has dramatically limited the district -- the distribution of the kinds of highly classified documents that this guardsman was able to get his hands on. And we'll see whether or not that stymies leaks like this in the future, guys.

HILL: Yes, it is a really important question. Natasha, appreciate the reporting. Thank you.

Well, President Biden is weighing in for the first time about these intelligence leaks. He is, of course, currently in Ireland on a state visit where he met with the country's president earlier today in Dublin. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is live at the White House. So, what is the president saying, Jeremy, about these leaks?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, we do know that President Biden has been getting constant updates about the state of the investigation into these leaks. And earlier today, the president reflecting what it appears that we're now learning, this notion that we're hearing that an arrest may be imminent. The president earlier today not saying that exactly but saying that this investigation does appear to be progressing and saying that they appear to be getting close to identifying the source of this. Listen.

[14:05:15]

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's a full-blown investigation going on as you know with the intelligence community and the Justice Department, and they're getting close. I'm not concerned about the leakages. I'm concerned in what happened. Look, there's nothing contemporaneous that I'm aware of that is of great consequences.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: And now, the last part of those remarks by the president are very interesting because, look, the president says there's nothing contemporaneous here, nothing all that consequential but we do you know that these leaks have spurred on all our government effort to appease U.S. allies. Some of whom appear to have been spied on based on these documents. Some of whose embarrassing secrets have been revealed through these documents.

And then as far as the contemporaneous nature of this, look, I guess it depends on how you define contemporaneous, but certainly one thing that current and former officials have pointed out as one of the concerning aspects of these leaks is how fresh some of this intelligence is. Detailing, for example, dwindling Ukrainian stockpiles of munitions going back just to last month, and also talking about U.S. plans to help bolster Ukrainian defenses going into detail about U.S. intelligence collection efforts within the Russian military, all of which -- the revelation of which could potentially compromise the U.S.'s efforts to help Ukraine and to gather intelligence about Russia going forward.

So certainly, U.S. officials are not downplaying this. But the president there does appear to be trying to at least downplay the consequential nature of these leaks. Now, going forward, what's clear is that U.S. officials do plan on clearly prosecuting this case and getting to the bottom of who leaked this information, potentially arresting that person at some point soon, but certainly, something that the president is staying close to even as he continues his trip in Ireland.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, it is puzzling is to the president saying these are not contemporaneous because as you mentioned, Jeremy, they are relatively fresh, just a few weeks -- a few months old. Thank you so much for your reporting, Jeremy Diamond.

Well, the young friend of the leaker told The Washington Post that initially, he typed out the intelligence but then began posting hundreds of photos of the documents themselves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was first made aware of these documents I want to say about six to eight months ago. I was in a Discord server by the name of Thug Shaker Central. And in this channel, there was classified documents being posted by a user who I will refer to as OG from this point. The documents were often listed as Ukraine versus Russia at first, however, it slowly spiraled into just intelligence about everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Slowly spiraled. Kimberly Dozier is a CNN Global Affairs analyst and senior managing editor at the Military Times. David Priess is a former CIA officer and author of the book The President's Book of Secrets. It's about top-secret intelligence and how it's handled. He's also a host of the national security, podcast Chatter. And retired Air Force Colonel, Cedric Leighton, is a CNN military analyst. Good to have all of you with us.

And, Colonel, can I start with you? As we look at what we're learning. And this is really evolving fairly rapidly, just in the last few hours or so. Learning that this is a young 21-year-old, according to The New York Times and Washington Post, a national air guardsman. Someone who is that young may your -- how they had access to some of this information, the papers reporting that it could be based on a role working in IT. But, Colonel, just give us a sense. Even if somebody's working in a role like that, what sort of clearance would they need to have access given their job?

CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, Erica. So, this is a very interesting case because I've worked with thousands of airmen who are younger than 21, who were able to quite coherently maintain their security clearance posture and handled highly classified information. You know, obviously, he got a hold of a whole bunch of documents and briefings that are beyond what a normal person at that level of Air Force would see.

But one thing that did strike me was the fact that he may not have had the same formal training that active duty airmen get when it comes to intelligence handling procedures. There is some training that occurs, the kind of role that he had, he may have been an administrative assistant to a senior officer or you know even a mid-level officer. And in that role, he may have been able to see some of the documents and some briefings from the joint staff that he then put on that Discord server. GOLODRYGA: Yes. It's stunning to see the Washington Post source telling reporters that if you could think it, it was in those documents. And equally stunning, David, is just the amount of time and how long the suspect had been posting this intel online.

[14:10:06]

And I've been reading that a lot of intelligence agencies specifically are focusing on these online gaming sites as a way of really eyeing it potentially recruiting spies in the future. This is a relatively well- known site, Discord. Does it surprise you that he'd been able to get away with this and post for as long as he has been? The Washington Post is saying that this has been going on since late last year.

DAVID PRIESS, FORMER CIA INTELLIGENCE OFFICER: Yes, it is a shift in terms of how leaked information is propagated and how it's sent to the media. Back in the old days, you used to find people leaking to reporters, and then there would be a mediating function where the reporter or the publisher of a newspaper would sometimes decide, well, this has some public interest, but the lives at stake outweigh the public interest. And we're just not going to publish that. That's not the case here.

If people are putting information out onto Discord or other platforms, there is no mediation. Whoever has access to that server can get that information. And in this case, it's not clear but from the reporting, we're seeing that appears to be largely teenage boys that this person was trying to impress.

So, the information can get out there quicker. And it's also harder to detect than something that goes to a newspaper or to CNN that the publisher takes to the CIA and says, hi, we're going to report on this. Do you want to offer commentary? Do you want to give us any perspective? If it's to be put out on one of these platforms, there's no opportunity for that.

HILL: David, I want to interrupt you for just a second -- David, hold that that. We're going to go straight to the Pentagon where the press secretary is addressing this leak. Let's listen in.

TARA COPP, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: Can you confirm that Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard is a person of interest in this leaked document's case? And I have several other questions.

BRIG. GEN. PAT RYDER, PENTAGON DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: Sure. So first of all, as I mentioned, there is an ongoing criminal investigation. And so, anything related to that, I'm going to need to refer you to the DOJ or the FBI.

COPP: Can you speak at all to if anyone in the Department of Defense has reached out to this airman? Do you know where he is? There are reports that law enforcement is closing in on this airman's location. So, has anyone been able to reach out to him?

RYDER: Again, Tara, appreciate the question. But again, given that this is an ongoing investigation, I'm not going to be able to talk about the investigation or any potential DOJ action, so I'd refer you to them.

COPP: OK. In the days after the leaks came to light, what steps has DoD taken to reduce the number of people who have access to not only these classified briefings but the classified material in general?

RYDER: Sure. So, we continue to review a variety of factors as it relates to safeguarding classified materials. This includes examining and updating distribution lists, assessing how and where intelligence products are shared, and a variety of other steps.

I would say, though, that it is -- it is important to understand that we do have stringent guidelines in place for safeguarding classified and sensitive information. This was a deliberate criminal act, a violation of those guidelines. And so again, I think it's important to understand.

Now, we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that people who have a need to know when it comes to this kind of information have access to that. We're always going to learn from every situation. But again, this is something that we'll continue to look at.

COPP: But you are taking steps to tighten that, I guess, population who might have access to this level of information?

RYDER: That's accurate. Again, we continue to review those distribution lists and update that make sure there's a need to know. But again, let me just emphasize my point that this was a -- we have rules in place.

Each of us signs a nondisclosure agreement, anybody that has a -- has a security clearance. And so, all indications are again, this was a criminal act, a willful violation of those. And again, another reason why we're continuing to investigate and support DOJ's investigation.

COPP: Well, just the last question. Do you have a sense that this is just the act of one individual? And even if so, wouldn't members of his chain of command also be held accountable for this lost information?

RYDER: Again, I don't want to speculate or get ahead of the DOJ's investigation. We need to allow that to run its course. And so, I'd refer you to them. Let me go ahead and go to Gordon and then I'll come back to Jean (PH).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Pat. Just two questions. One, just to clarify in DOD's efforts to change the way you do business in terms of protecting classified information, apart from the stuff that you do already, is that DOD-led or is that joint staff-led? Who's kind of directing what on that?

And the second question is just hypothetically, I know you'd like hypotheticals, if somebody was to be charged, what would determine whether the military would charge and indict and you know carry out the legal process against that person or people or DOJ? [14:15:03]

RYDER: Yes. So, on your latter question, you're right. I don't want to get into hypotheticals. I will say that you know, as always, every case is judged on its own merits. And we need to allow this investigation to run its course. And then, of course, there'll be more to say on that.

On your first question. Again, it's important to understand that this is not just about DOD, this is about the U.S. government. This is about how we protect and safeguard classified information. And as I highlighted, we do have strict protocols in place. So, anytime there is an incident, anytime there's an opportunity to review that and refine it, we're, of course going to take advantage of that.

Within the Department of Defense, as you've heard us say, Secretary Austin has been convening daily meetings with his senior leaders to include the chairman to talk about reviewing the scope and the impact of this. And also, to look at mitigation measures and what we need to do across the Department of Defense to ensure that we're doing our utmost to reinforce existing policies, procedures, and rules. And if there are any areas where we need to tighten things up, we certainly will.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you've made some things already?

RYDER: That's correct. As I -- as I mentioned here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

RYDER: When I say DOD, I mean, the Department of Defense. Across the entire enterprise. OK? Jean.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: General Ryder, you say that there are strict protocols in place, and yet a 21-year-old airman was able to access some of the nation's top secrets. How did this happen and isn't this a massive security breach?

RYDER: Again, we need to allow the investigation to run its course. We'll, of course, know more when that is completed, so I'd refer you to DOJ on that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is your message to anyone who might be thinking of leaking these kinds of documents in the future?

RYDER: Look, again, we have procedures. We have protocols in place. We receive regular training on the proper handling of classified information.

As I mentioned, we signed nondisclosure agreements. So, those rules are very clear. And anyone who has a security clearance knows that. Anyone who violates those rules is doing so willfully.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you put into context the damage that has been done by this leak?

RYDER: Again, right now, we're continuing to assess the scope and the impact. And so, that's work that will be ongoing. Tony?

TONY CAPACCIO, DEFENSE REPORTER, BLOOMBERG: How large was the distribution network for these documents, say, prior to last Thursday when the disclosures came out? We're talking thousands of people that had access inside the Pentagon and outside the Pentagon, to include Europe and bases around the United States.

RYDER: Yes, Tony. So, I don't -- I don't have any numbers to provide you, as I'm sure you can appreciate the Department of Defense and all of our components. It's a global enterprise. Doing work in all areas of the world. And so certainly, we have people who have access to information that they need to do their jobs. But I don't have any numbers for you

CAPACCIO: Say it was widespread, though versus, you know, outside the Pentagon, though, and two other military installations?

RYDER: Well, again, the Department of Defense -- we conduct global operations. So, intelligence products, operational information products are shared with DOD leaders and personnel globally throughout the world, whether it's at a Component Command, whether it's in the services. But again, the important thing to understand about classified information, it's not just I want to have access to it because I have a clearance. It's all based on a need to know. Do you have a need to know that information? And that typically will grant you access if you have the appropriate clearances.

CAPACCIO: Thanks.

RYDER: Thank you. Travis? (PH)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, Pat. I'm still confused on the access issue. You said that there were changes that were made but you also said that you're reviewing things. Can you tell us where -- are there less people who have access to this type of information today than there were a week ago?

RYDER: So, Travis, again, I'm not going to -- I'm not going to get down to numbers. Again, reviewing distribution lists, looking at who has a need to know, making sure those things are updated, doing due diligence in the wake of these unauthorized disclosures.

Again, though, I want to emphasize that this was a deliberate criminal act to violate those guidelines and rules in the same way that if you locked your front door and somebody came into your house and took something, you followed your procedures and you locked your door, but somebody went in your house and took something and put it out on the street. That's what we're talking about here. Let me go to Carla.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks, Pat. Just a couple of questions on this, and then I have a follow on something separate. Why did it take so long to brief the Secretary about the leaks? He said that he was briefed on April the sixth. And would you classify that delay as a failure of the open-source intelligence teams?

RYDER: Absolutely not. We were notified -- you know the department became aware on the fifth, the Secretary was briefed hours later the morning of the sixth. I don't consider that a delay. Thanks. Yes.

[14:20:08]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But to follow on that. These documents were available long before April fifth and sixth. So, what took so long for DOD and the intelligence communities to locate these documents?

RYDER: Yes. So, that's really something that the investigation will tell us. That said, I think it's important to remember that the DOD's intelligence activities are primarily focused internationally. So, to the extent that the department collects any information related to U.S. persons, for example, or gaming chat rooms, it would have to be conducted in accordance with law and policy, and in a manner that protects the privacy and civil liberties. So, again, we'll know more the culmination of this investigation. Thank you. Let me go --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) to follow up on --

RYDER: No, let me -- all right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just the Syria -- really quickly on the Syria attacks from March. Do we have a final conclusion on the TBI's assessments how many U.S. troops received TBIs as a result of these attacks? And do you believe that the U.S. strikes have -- that happened on 3-23, the retaliatory strikes, do you believe that they've deterred Iranian-backed groups from targeting U.S. forces?

RYDER: Yes. So, on the -- on the TBI, my understanding is CENTCOM has collected some additional information. So, we'll get that to you and the press team here. In terms of deterrence, again, we're going to continue to do everything that we need to do at a time and place of our choosing to ensure that we're deterring and safeguarding our folks. Just leave it at that. Thank you. We go to David.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you just tell us what the mission of the 101st -- 102nd intelligence wing for the Massachusetts Air National Guard was? And are you going to release this airman's service record in response to, I'm sure the thousands of requests you've already gotten?

RYDER: Yes. So, David, on the service record, again, we'll take that and we'll provide an update when we're able to. In terms of the 102nd intelligence wing, I don't have that in front of me. I'm positive, they have a website. We can quickly find the fact sheet up there.

In general intelligence wings throughout the Air Force, support is what you -- I would imagine. Air Force Intelligence requirements worldwide to support a variety of types of intelligence, missions, and requirements. So -- which include active Guard and Reserve Components. So, let me go to Brandi and then (INAUDIBLE).

BRANDI VINCENT, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, DEFENSE SCOOP: Thank you so much, General Ryder. What technologies is the Pentagon applying right now to both spot leaked documents online and track potential indicators of leaking-type practices? Do you plan to be investing in more? RYDER: Again, Brandi, so when it comes to this particular situation, we'll know more when the investigation is concluded. As I highlighted, when it comes to intelligence collection within the Department of Defense that's focused primarily in internationally. I'm not going to get into the specifics of where, how, and when we conduct our intelligence activities. But we're always looking at potential gaps, potential vulnerabilities, and that's something that will just be ongoing work.

VINCENT: So, you are using technologies right now to spot potential leakers of future documents?

RYDER: It's -- you're asking me a hypothetical. Basically, again, we're always going to be on the lookout --

VINCENT: I'm just asking about the technologies --

RYDER: We're always going to be on the lookout for any potential insider threats. Again, we get training on how to spot insider threats. But again, as I mentioned to Travis, you've locked your door, you've lent some keys to your friends, and if one of those friends decides to give the keys away you know, hopefully, you've been able to clue in on those signals. So, we'll continue to monitor.

VINCENT: And I don't think it's lost on anyone in this room that this is all happening at the same time that Deputy Secretary Hicks is conducting a review of the Pentagon's classification practices and at times over classification. So, can you talk about how this incident is informing that ongoing review?

RYDER: Again, I think that there's the investigation that the DOJ is conducting, and then you're talking about something separately, which is, again, our review of classification requirements, acknowledging that where we need to be better in terms of classification, so --

VINCENT: Do you think this is having no impact on Hicks's review?

RYDER: Thank you. I'm going to go on Oren -- (INAUDIBLE)

VINCENT: OK.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: I want to come back to the question of distribution from two different questions. Given the gravity of the situation, are you actively paring down the distribution list now as this a process that's moving quickly or is it going to take time for there to be meaningful, substantive changes to the distribution? And then is DOD or has DOD taken additional measures to restrict the access to classified information of others in the Massachusetts Air National Guard?

[14:25:00]

RYDER: So, Oren, broadly speaking, I think I've already answered the question that yes, we are taking and have taken steps to review distribution lists and to ensure that the folks receiving the information have a need to know. But again, to belabor the point, we have safeguards in place, we have processes, we have procedures. We'll continue to do due diligence as part of this review to ensure that we're doing everything we can to prevent potential unauthorized disclosures in the future, recognizing that again, this was a criminal deliberate act. Thank you.

LIEBERMANN: (INAUDIBLE)

RYDER: Again, I don't have anything on that. Row. (PH)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much, General. So, please let me ask you a question about China. Two questions about China --

RYDER: Wait, what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feel free.

RYDER: Read the room, Row. Come on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. The -- China has conducted a three-day exercise around Taiwan and still continues the combat training around Taiwan. So, do you assess China has overreacted to the meeting between President Tsai and Speaker McCarthy?

RYDER: Yes. Thanks, Row. So, we obviously continue to monitor the situation in the Taiwan Strait very closely as well as the PRC's military exercises. You've heard others say that, from a U.S. government perspective, these military exercises undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is critical to global prosperity, you know. They estimate you know upwards of a few trillion dollars of global commerce going through that strait regularly. And so, as we've said --

GOLODRYGA: All right. We have been listening to a Pentagon briefing on the massive leak of classified documents. We heard from Brigadier General Ryder really deferring a lot of the questions to DOJ and FBI but, Erica, making clear that he calls this and the government calls this a deliberate criminal act. And some of the steps that they are currently taking right now is tightening access to this type of classified information.

I want to go now to Evan Perez, our CNN's Senior Justice Correspondent with some breaking news on this topic. Evan.

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yes, that's right, Bianna and Erica. We believe now that the FBI has arrested the person who they suspect is behind the leaks of these documents. His name is Jack Teixeira, 21-year-old, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

There are some pictures there are coming in, I believe, showing some of the law enforcement activity there at the family home in Massachusetts where the arrest was made. This is now obviously in the hands of -- there you see the pictures of someone who's being -- we believe, to be Teixeira who is being taken into custody. The FBI was preparing to do this. They had hoped to have a little more time as part of this investigation. But the identity of this person was made public by some of the news media reports in the New York Times and of course, the Washington Post, which has been doing a lot of reporting on this over the last few days reported on his identity. So, I'm told by sources that the investigation kind of accelerated as a result of the -- his identity becoming public. So, now, we expect that he's going to be taken to a federal court there in Massachusetts in Boston where the procedure will begin to remove him and bring him down to the Washington, DC area where we expect that the charges are going to be filed for the -- again, for his connection to the leaking of these documents.

At this point, there's not a lot we know about the exact charges. We expect we might hear more from the Attorney General and from the Justice Department soon whenever they decide to make public the charges that are to be announced. But we do know obviously that they -- as you can hear from that briefing just now at the Pentagon, you know they're treating this as a criminal matter, they believe that there's great some serious national security damage that has been done by the exposure of these documents that the Washington Post said that there's many as 500 documents that they had seen on various platforms, including on these chat rooms, Discord, which is a -- which is a gaming platform.

And so, that's of course, now in the hands of the Justice Department -- of prosecutors who are going to be bringing the federal charges against this young man. Again, 21-year-old -- Jack Teixeira, 21 years old, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Again, those are pictures we believe, of Teixeira being taken into custody by the FBI and by the investigators there who've been working this case frantically over the last few days. Bianna, Erica.

HILL: Evan, thank you. Stay with us. Also joining us, is CNN's Security Correspondent Josh Campbell.