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WASHINGTON D.C.: A US Air Force (USAF) spokesman has confirmed that the Air Force suspended two commanders from the National Guard unit of Jack Teixeira, who has been arrested for publishing classified secrets online.

On 13th April, Teixeira, 21, was arrested by the FBI at his home in Massachusetts and charged with violating the Espionage Act.

Teixeira has been charged with sharing classified documents with a group of gamers on the messaging app Discord, prosecutors said.

The operation commander and detachment commander of the 102nd Intelligence Wing, where Teixeira served, have since been suspended, the Air Force said, but did not confirm their names.

“This means that both the squadron’s state Air National Guard operational commander and current federal orders administrative commander have been suspended pending completion of the Department of the Air Force Inspector General Investigation,” the USAF spokesman said.

“Also, the Department of Air Force has temporarily removed these individuals’ access to classified systems and information,” he added.

Since more than 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables appeared on the WikiLeaks website in 2010, the case is considered the most serious US security leak in recent years.

Teixeira could face up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted under the Espionage Act.