Pentagon Leaker's Pretrial Detention Status 'Under Advisement'- Court Filing

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira's pretrial detention status is under consideration after a federal judge heard arguments on the matter from prosecutors and the defendant, a court filing revealed on Thursday.

Teixeira, a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman, was arrested on April 13 and charged in Boston federal court the next day with unauthorized removal and transmission of national defense information and classified documents or materials. Teixeira is being held without bail pending a decision on his detention.

"Court takes the matter under advisement. Defendant returned to custody of USMS [US Marshals Service]," the court filing said.

Prosecutors are seeking to keep Teixeira in jail while he awaits his trial, but his legal team is trying to get him released under certain conditions and monitoring, the court filing said.

During the detention hearing, federal prosecutors argued that Teixeira may try to flee or obstruct justice if he is not detained leading up to his trial, media reported.

According to court documents, Teixeira tried to conceal his leak of classified military documents by telling his online friends not to say anything or to delete messages from him. Court records also showed he destroyed electronic devices, such as a laptop and tablet, prior to his arrest.

Prosecutors, according to media reports, said Teixeira conducted hundreds of searches related to the Ukraine conflict and mass shootings. The judge pointed out during the hearing that the classified documents Teixeira leaked regarding the Ukraine conflict are a legitimate concern.

In early April, more than 100 classified US government documents were leaked on social media, apparently showing sensitive intelligence documents on the state of the Ukrainian military and the US and NATO's efforts to strengthen it.