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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJack Teixeira: US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leakPublished42 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy Mike WendlingBBC NewsAn Air National Guard member has pleaded guilty to posting dozens of classified documents online in one of highest-profile intelligence leaks in recent years.Prosecutors recommend that Jack Teixeira, 22, be sentenced to up to 16 years and eight months in prison.While working at an Air National Guard base, he posted documents to Discord, a platform popular with gamers.The material included maps, satellite images and intelligence on US allies.Teixeira pleaded guilty to six counts of wilful retention and transmission of national defence information in a US federal court in Boston on Monday. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. However, under the terms of a plea deal, prosecutors said they would ask for 200 months in prison – which Teixeira has agreed not to contest.At minimum, he will serve 11 years and pay a fine of $50,000 (£39,000). Teixeira also agreed to be debriefed by intelligence and defence officials. During the hearing he spoke briefly to confirm his agreement to the plea deal. US prosecutor Joshua Levy told reporters that the government is seeking a “very serious sentence” in order to send “a powerful deterrent message”. “One of the reasons this case is so serious is that once things are posted on the internet, shared on the internet, it’s almost impossible to track down what happens to every document,” Mr Levy said.Teixeira’s attorney Michael Bachrach called his client “very much a kid” and said that his youth played a “significant role” in his actions.Mr Bachrach said he hoped to be able to successfully argue for a jail term of 11 years at a sentencing hearing scheduled for 27 September.Teixeira initially began sharing information in late 2022 to a small community of gun and military enthusiasts on a Discord server, or chatroom.Initially the documents stayed within the group – and Teixeira expressed frustration that his online friends did not realise their significance – but the information was soon re-shared to more public channels.Eventually, the documents spread to fringe message boards and bigger social media networks, and were picked up by pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and military bloggers.Some copies of the documents were later altered by others, for instance to inflate Ukrainian casualty figures. Teixeira was warned by supervisors after he was seen making notes while looking at classified documents, prosecutors said, and he posed specific questions based on classified intelligence during a briefing.Teixeira was based at the Otis Air National Guard Base, near his home a little more than an hour south of Boston, Massachusetts.He worked as a cyber defence operations journeyman – an information technology job maintaining the Air Force communications network – and held the rank of Airman 1st Class. Despite his junior role, he had a top-secret security clearance.The leak prompted an investigation and led the Pentagon to examine its systems for handling classified information. The Air Force disciplined 15 of its members in connection with the case in December. A report from the Air Force’s inspector general said officers were aware of Texiera’s “intelligence-seeking activities” and failed to stop him, and that leaders in his unit knew of up to four instances of “questionable activity” involving his access to classified material.Several officers knew of other incidents, the report said, but did not report them, fearing that security officials would “overreact”.But the report also said Texiera’s supervisors did not know the full extent of his online activity.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: How damaging are Jack Teixeira’s US intelligence leaks?The report said there was a lack of supervision during overnight shifts at the base, when a three-person crew was responsible for answering phones and ensuring the heating and air conditioning systems were operating. Teixeira would print and smuggle out classified documents when working those shifts. Screenshots of the classified information appeared to showed creased printouts photographed at his home. Image source, unknownImage caption, Teixeira took photographs of the documents and posted them onlineIn court filings, prosecutors said Teixeira was once suspended from high school after a classmate overheard him making racial threats and discussing weapons. Even though Teixeira said he was talking about a video game, local police then denied him a firearms identification card needed to purchase weapons.He was eventually approved, however, and authorities found a number of guns when they searched his house after his arrest. Prosecutors also said he attempted to destroy evidence, smashing his tablet, laptop and Xbox and encouraging members of a Discord chat room to delete their messages as authorities closed in.Teixeira’s family has a history of military service. His stepfather served 34 years in the Air Force, and his mother previously worked for non-profit organisations focused on veterans. Both attended his plea hearing on Monday.In a statement the family said Teixeira was “a good person” who has “has taken responsibility for his part in this”.They said the Air Force Inspector General report revealed “shocking details” about lack of training and oversight at the base, and that they hoped “substantive changes are made to stop this from ever happening again.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Teixeira’s stepfather Thomas Dufault and mother Dawn Dufault arriving at the court house in Boston on MondayMore on this storyHow secret US files first spread then vanished onlinePublished14 April 2023Top StoriesTop court says states can’t ban Trump from ballotsPublished47 minutes agoFrance makes abortion a constitutional rightPublished1 hour agoGeorge Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seatPublished2 hours agoFeaturesCelebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-upWould a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?The Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promDaughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five monthsDid the last Budget deliver growth and cheap beer?In pictures: Bollywood stars and billionaires at lavish partyTrump supporters target black voters with AI fakesMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat went wrong that fateful night?A new two-part documentary series examines the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crashAttributioniPlayerThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsGary Neville returns to the Den…Can the aspiring entrepreneurs win him, and the fiery five over?AttributioniPlayerHow Trump’s golf dream turned into a nightmare…His controversial golf development in Aberdeenshire was greenlit with awful consequencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1George Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seat2Stop ‘rude’ vicar behaviour, wedding photographers say3Gatcombe Horse Trials cancelled after 40 years4Would a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?5France makes abortion a constitutional right6Celebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-up7Daughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five months8Top court says states can’t ban Trump from ballots9US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leak10Sarah Everard police recall learning killer was PC
[ad_1] Jack Teixeira was accused of one of the highest-profile national security breaches in years.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united IrelandPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsThe TroublesImage source, ParamountImage caption, Android character Data describes the “Irish unification of 2024” as a successful example of violence used to achieve political aimsBy Michael Sheils McNameeBBC NewsWhen sci-fi writer Melinda M Snodgrass sat down to write Star Trek episode The High Ground, she had little idea of the unexpected ripples of controversy it would still be making more than three decades later. “We became aware of it later… and there isn’t much you can do about it,” she says, speaking to the BBC from her home in New Mexico. “Writing for television is like laying track for a train that’s about 300 feet behind you. You really don’t have time to stop.” While the series has legions of followers steeped in its lore, that one particular episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation has lived long and prospered in infamy.It comes down to a scene in which the android character Data, played by actor Brent Spiner, talks about the “Irish unification of 2024” as an example of violence successfully achieving a political aim. Originally shown in the US in 1990, there was so much concern over the exchange that the episode was not broadcast on the BBC or Irish public broadcaster RTÉ. At the time, US TV shows often debuted internationally several years after their original broadcast. Satellite broadcaster Sky reportedly aired an edited version in 1992, cutting the crucial scene. But The High Ground was not shown by the BBC until 02:39 GMT, 29 September 2007 – and BBC Archives says it is confident this is its only transmission. Michelle O’Neill makes history as NI first ministerIs Sinn Féin’s election success a turning point?The decision not to air the episode reflects a time when a bloody conflict continued to rage in Northern Ireland, with the Provisional IRA – a paramilitary group with the stated aim of ending British rule in Northern Ireland – one of its main protagonists. Now it is 2024 – and Sinn Féin, which emerged as the political wing of the IRA, is the largest party in the devolved Stormont assembly.The party’s leader in Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill, became first minister last month and has predicted a referendum on Irish unity within a decade.She strikes a very different tone to Sir Keir Starmer, favourite to be the UK’s next prime minister, who has said such a poll is “not even on the horizon”.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Michelle O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s first minister last month, the first time a Irish nationalist politician has held that roleOn social media, people have been sharing screenshots of Data’s prediction and drawing links to Sinn Féin’s electoral success.Back when Ms Snodgrass was writing the script, she did not think it would cause any problems. “Science fiction is incredibly important because it allows people to discuss difficult topics – but at arm’s length,” she says.In the episode, Data’s line does not come out of the blue.The High Ground is based on the theme of terrorism, after the Starship Enterprise’s chief medical officer Dr Beverly Crusher is abducted by the separatist Ansata group, who use murder and violence to pursue their aim of independence. “I’ve been reviewing the history of armed rebellion, and it appears that terrorism is an effective way to promote political change,” says Data.”Yes it can be,” responds Captain Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, “but I have never subscribed to the theory that political power flows from the barrel of a gun.””Yet there are numerous examples of when it was successful,” Data says. “The independence of the Mexican state from Spain, the Irish unification of 2024, and the Kenzie rebellion.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Star Trek: The Next Generation featured Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, in what has become one of his most iconic roles”I’m aware of them,” says Picard, to which Data asks: “Would it then be accurate to say that terrorism is acceptable when all options for peaceful settlement have been foreclosed?””Data, these are questions that mankind has been struggling with throughout history. Your confusion is only human.”The story has parallels with the situation in Northern Ireland at the time – something Ms Snodgrass says was deliberate. “I was a history major before I went to law school and I wanted to get into that; discuss the fact that one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist,” she says.”I mean, these are complicated issues. And when do people feel like their back is so much against the wall that they have no choice but to turn to violence? And is that actually ever justified?”I think what I wanted to say was: if we’re talking and not shooting, we’re in a better place.”Image caption, Melinda M Snodgrass says science fiction provides a way of examining current issues through a different lensIn 1992, when the episode was due to air in the UK, the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and 1998 Good Friday Agreement were still years away.In April of that year, the Baltic Exchange bombing carried out by the IRA in the heart of London’s financial centre killed three people, and injured more than 90.Such was the atmosphere from 1988 to 1994, a ban was enforced on broadcasting the voices of members of certain groups from Northern Ireland on television and radio. Restrictions were seen as specifically targeting Sinn Féin. It resulted in the bizarre situation where prominent politicians including Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams had their voices dubbed by actors (Mr Adams, famously, was voiced at times by Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea). Reflecting on the Star Trek episode, Prof Robert Savage of Boston College says: “It was amazing it was censored.”His latest book – Northern Ireland, the BBC, and Censorship in Thatcher’s Britain – covers the period when the episode was pulled. “The argument I think the robot [Data] asks you is basically just: does terrorism work? If there are no alternatives, if you’ve tried every other avenue to try to affect change, is it acceptable? To use terrorism?”And it’s a very human question. But [Jean-Luc Picard] doesn’t answer the question! That would have unsettled somebody like Thatcher,” Prof Savage adds.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, The roots of Northern Ireland’s Troubles lie deep in Irish historyThere is some murkiness about how a decision was reached not to broadcast the programme at the time. BBC Archives confirmed the 2007 broadcast of the episode and was “satisfied” any other screening would have been listed.The BBC’s press office said it had spoken to “a number of people” about why a ban may have been implemented, but was unable to get this information “as it dates quite far back”.A spokesman for Sky said he had looked into it, but could not confirm it had broadcast an edited version of the episode in 1992 – or what its reasoning might have been for doing so.RTÉ noted that TV guides from the time show it had broadcast Star Trek: The Next Generation, but did not have further information in its acquisitions system, and could not find anyone from the time to speak to. “I think this would probably have stirred a memory if I had been made aware of this at the time, but I am afraid it rings no bells at all,” said Lord John Birt, who was director general of the BBC from 1992 to 2000, and before this served as deputy director general. If the episode had been removed, it would probably have been a decision made at operational level in Network Television, he said.More than three decades on, the picture in Northern Ireland has changed. Ms Snodgrass says she was “thrilled” when the Good Friday Agreement was signed, adding it had allowed Northern Ireland to prosper. She notes Games of Thrones, a television series based on books by George RR Martin (who she knows well and has co-authored work with) was filmed in the region in recent years – something which has given a big boost to the economy. “[At the time] 2024 seemed a long way away. I probably should have made it, you know, 2224! I just pulled that number and it didn’t occur to me that suddenly we would be here.”Related TopicsSinn FéinNorthern IrelandThe TroublesStar TrekMore on this storyHow am-dram sent Sir Patrick Stewart to the starsPublished7 October 2023Star Trek predicts a united IrelandPublished14 April 2007Michelle O’Neill makes history as NI first ministerPublished3 FebruaryTop StoriesGaza receives first airdrop of US humanitarian aidPublished8 hours agoGazans crowdfund thousands for uncertain escapePublished4 hours agoRaye makes history by winning six Brit AwardsPublished3 hours agoFeaturesBrits red carpet: Black dresses, pops of neon and a giraffeThe Papers: Hunt aims to cut tax or risks ‘losing grey vote’How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland’King of Chaos’ Imran Khan keeps winning even behind barsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?Elsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughter2The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland3Hunt aims to cut tax or risks ‘losing grey vote’4Raye makes history by winning six Brit Awards5Russia publishes German army meeting on Ukraine6Gazans crowdfund thousands for uncertain escape7Brits red carpet: Black dresses, pops of neon and a giraffe8AI and drones in £800m Budget technology package9’There was heartache but we had to keep going’10Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/118D0/production/_132788817_tng_160_irish_unification_1.jpg)
