Thread by @AmyZegart

Been thinking about #Teixeria's fast arrest in the #IntelligenceLeak case and how it showcases the changing nature and rising power of open-source intel. A thread.

10 years ago, open-source investigations into the Boston Marathon bombing were shoddy and scary. The wisdom of the crowd became the danger of the mob. Well-intentioned amateurs on Reddit fingered innocent people. It took more careful work by law enforcement to get the truth.

This week was a different story. As govt investigation gears ground away, the heroes of the hunt were amateur investigators and journalists using unclassified info and clever sleuthing.

@bellingcat investigator @AricToler tracked the migration of classified docs across Discord servers and other Internet platforms and posted his findings online.

@shaneharris at the @washingtonpost got one of the members in Thug Shaker Central to speak on the record. Incredible interview full of information with key details about the alleged leaker.

Toler then teamed up with @nytimes. He used telltale clues from photos of the docs to tighten the dragnet and identify Teixeira as a suspect. The FBI then moved into action, arresting Teixeira at his home. Some takeaways:

1. All open-source investigators are not equal. @bellingcat is exceptional. There's quality control, a willingness to work with responsible partners. Both are key. In the amateur open-source world, errors can be costly but nobody loses a job for making them.

2. Open-source investigators can often move faster than governments precisely b/c they are not operating in a bureaucracy. Umpteen deputy assistant unit managers for x don't have to sign off on every word change. Big advantage.

3. Worth noting that many experts couldn't help! If you have a security clearance, you are not allowed to click on the leaked docs b/c they are officially still classified even tho they are public. DOD sent guidance yesterday reminding personnel about this.

4. For intel agencies, the writing on the wall is clear: open-source intel is enormously powerful and it is here to stay. US spy agencies have to find new ways to harness this info and work with leaders in this space or they will fall behind and leave the US less safe.