After various revelations pertaining to Russia and Ukraine surfaced in the US intelligence leaks, there is one reference that moves the spotlight to China and its purported spy balloons.&nbsp;The latest from a trail of Pentagon leaks reveals&nbsp;that US authorities were aware of up to four Chinese surveillance balloons beyond the one they shot down in February.&nbsp;

According to a document allegedly leaked on a Discord chatroom by Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, the Chinese spy balloon that flew over the United States this year, known as Killeen-23, carried a variety of sensors and antennas the US government still had not identified more than a week after shooting it down.&nbsp; 
 
The 21-year-old Teixeira was detained on Thursday and charged with espionage on suspicion of leaking multiple top-secret papers.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-train-carrying-hazardous-material-derails-in-maine-due-to-track-washout-582858">US: Train carrying hazardous material derails in Maine due to track washout</a>

According to Washington Post, the reports into the Chinese spy balloon did not go into detail regarding the exact time the balloons were released.

Other balloons that were mentioned in the documents include "Bulger-21" and "Accardo-21."

The balloon which was first hit by US in February is designated as "Killeen-23" in the leaked documents. It is unknown if the "Bulger-21" and "Accardo-21" balloons mentioned in the records were the same ones that sailed over the US carrier group or fell into the South China Sea.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-army-and-rsf-clashes-leave-27-dead-including-3-un-staffers-dozens-injured-582861">Sudan: Army and RSF clashes leave 56 civilians, dozens of fighters dead</a>

The surveillance balloons were named alphabetically, from A to Z, and after notorious criminals such as mobsters Tony Accardo and Donald Killeen.

Earlier, annotated images of Killeen-23 in a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) document unearthed the most crucial details of the Chinese spy balloon.

Post citing, US officials said the balloon could produce enough power to run "any" surveillance system, including a radar that could see through clouds and thin material.&nbsp;Bulger-21 was equipped with cutting-edge surveillance technology and travelled the world from December 2021 to May 2022, according to officials.

Analysts noticed that Accardo-21 featured identical hardware as well as a "foil-lined gimbaled" sensor. In response to the Post's revelation, the Pentagon and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.

Watch | What is next in Syrian Civil War?; The rapid development of AI | This World

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/what-is-next-in-syrian-civil-war-the-rapid-development-of-ai-this-world-582854/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Chinese spy balloon saga also carries a domestic political weightage. Republicans had harshly criticised the US President Joe Biden's administration in February for failing to deflate the Chinese spy balloon in a timely manner. They claimed that this gave the Chinese government more time to snoop. 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

After various revelations pertaining to Russia and Ukraine surfaced in the US intelligence leaks, there is one reference that moves the spotlight to China and its purported spy balloons.

After various revelations pertaining to Russia and Ukraine surfaced in the US intelligence leaks, there is one reference that moves the spotlight to China and its purported spy balloons. The latest from a trail of Pentagon leaks reveals that US authorities were aware of up to four Chinese surveillance balloons beyond the one they shot down in February. According to a document allegedly leaked on a Discord chatroom by Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, the Chinese spy balloon that flew over the United States this year, known as Killeen-23, carried a variety of sensors and antennas the US government still had not identified more than a week after shooting it down. The 21-year-old Teixeira was detained on Thursday and charged with espionage on suspicion of leaking multiple top-secret papers. Also Read | US: Train carrying hazardous material derails in Maine due to track washout According to Washington Post, the reports into the Chinese spy balloon did not go into detail regarding the exact time the balloons were released. Other balloons that were mentioned in the documents include "Bulger-21" and "Accardo-21." The balloon which was first hit by US in February is designated as "Killeen-23" in the leaked documents. It is unknown if the "Bulger-21" and "Accardo-21" balloons mentioned in the records were the same ones that sailed over the US carrier group or fell into the South China Sea. Also Read | Sudan: Army and RSF clashes leave 56 civilians, dozens of fighters dead The surveillance balloons were named alphabetically, from A to Z, and after notorious criminals such as mobsters Tony Accardo and Donald Killeen. Earlier, annotated images of Killeen-23 in a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) document unearthed the most crucial details of the Chinese spy balloon. Post citing, US officials said the balloon could produce enough power to run "any" surveillance system, including a radar that could see through clouds and thin material. Bulger-21 was equipped with cutting-edge surveillance technology and travelled the world from December 2021 to May 2022, according to officials. Analysts noticed that Accardo-21 featured identical hardware as well as a "foil-lined gimbaled" sensor. In response to the Post's revelation, the Pentagon and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment. Watch | What is next in Syrian Civil War?; The rapid development of AI | This World × The Chinese spy balloon saga also carries a domestic political weightage. Republicans had harshly criticised the US President Joe Biden's administration in February for failing to deflate the Chinese spy balloon in a timely manner. They claimed that this gave the Chinese government more time to snoop. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US intel leaks raise concerns over true capabilities of Chinese spy balloons

As 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, accused of leaking top secret US classified documents online, was charged, US President Joe Biden said on Friday that an investigation would examine why the leaker had access to these classified documents. Speaking to reporters as he ended his Ireland trip, President Biden said,&nbsp;“Yes, I’ve instructed the Department to make sure that they get to the root of why he had access in the first place, number one. And, number two, to focus extensively on the extent to which it all occurred. And that’s going on right now. I have nothing to report beyond what’s already been reported,” the news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

“Well, there’s no way to predict how long an investigation will take, but I don’t think it’s going to take very long. I think we’re getting to the bottom quicker than…,” Biden added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jack-teixeira-the-young-charismatic-air-national-guardsman-suspected-of-leaking-secret-us-documents-582242">Who is Jack Teixeira, the 'young, charismatic' Air National guardsman arrested in US documents leak case?</a>

Earlier on Friday, the US president released a statement, commending the action taken by authorities on Teixeira’s arrest in the leak case.&nbsp;

"While we are still determining the validity of those documents, I have directed our military and intelligence community to take steps to further secure and limit distribution of sensitive information, and our national security team is closely coordinating with our partners and allies," the statement said.&nbsp;

Jack Teixeira, a member of the US National Air Guard, was arrested from his residence on Thursday and was charged with unlawfully copying and transmitting classified material. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said&nbsp;that the 21-year-old was arrested in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorised removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defence information.

Teixeira made his initial appearance in a crowded federal court. During the hearing, Boston's top federal national security prosecutor, Nadine Pellegrini, requested that Teixeira be detained pending trial, and a detention hearing was set for Wednesday (April 19), Reuters reported.&nbsp;

The leaked documents were believed to be the most serious security breach in the US since more than 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables appeared on the WikiLeaks website in 2010. On Thursday, the Pentagon called the leak a "deliberate, criminal act."

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

&nbsp;

As 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, accused of leaking top secret US classified documents online, was charged, US President Joe Biden said on Friday that an investigation would examine why the leaker had access to these classified documents.

As 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, accused of leaking top secret US classified documents online, was charged, US President Joe Biden said on Friday that an investigation would examine why the leaker had access to these classified documents. Speaking to reporters as he ended his Ireland trip, President Biden said, “Yes, I’ve instructed the Department to make sure that they get to the root of why he had access in the first place, number one. And, number two, to focus extensively on the extent to which it all occurred. And that’s going on right now. I have nothing to report beyond what’s already been reported,” the news agency Reuters reported. “Well, there’s no way to predict how long an investigation will take, but I don’t think it’s going to take very long. I think we’re getting to the bottom quicker than…,” Biden added. ALSO READ | Who is Jack Teixeira, the 'young, charismatic' Air National guardsman arrested in US documents leak case? Earlier on Friday, the US president released a statement, commending the action taken by authorities on Teixeira’s arrest in the leak case. "While we are still determining the validity of those documents, I have directed our military and intelligence community to take steps to further secure and limit distribution of sensitive information, and our national security team is closely coordinating with our partners and allies," the statement said. Jack Teixeira, a member of the US National Air Guard, was arrested from his residence on Thursday and was charged with unlawfully copying and transmitting classified material. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the 21-year-old was arrested in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorised removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defence information. Teixeira made his initial appearance in a crowded federal court. During the hearing, Boston's top federal national security prosecutor, Nadine Pellegrini, requested that Teixeira be detained pending trial, and a detention hearing was set for Wednesday (April 19), Reuters reported. The leaked documents were believed to be the most serious security breach in the US since more than 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables appeared on the WikiLeaks website in 2010. On Thursday, the Pentagon called the leak a "deliberate, criminal act." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pentagon leak: US President Biden says investigation will examine why leaker had classified access

pentagon-leaked-documents

Pentagon Leaked Documents, News on Pentagon Leaked Documents, stories on Pentagon Leaked Documents, articles on Pentagon Leaked Documents, Pentagon Leaked Documents stories at Wion, Pentagon Leaked Documents news, Pentagon Leaked Documents latest news

pentagon leaked-documents

US intel leaks raise concerns over true capabilities of Chinese spy balloons

Pentagon leak: US President Biden says investigation will examine why leaker had classified access