White House spokesman John Kirby discusses the drone sightings in New Jersey during a press briefing. (Courtesy of Yahoo)
Despite strong denials from the White House and Pentagon, South Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew refused to back down from his claims that the source of mysterious drones flying over New Jersey could be an Iranian ship anchored somewhere off the East Coast.
For the second day in a row, Van Drew maintained that an Iranian “mothership” could be responsible for the scores of drones – some as large as minivans – that have been spotted flying over different parts of the state since November.
“While the Pentagon and the Governor may try to dismiss the idea of an Iranian drone ship, we now have additional confirmation that this ship exists and it is no longer in its port," Van Drew said in a video message Thursday to his South Jersey constituents. "I am not claiming that this ship is stationed right off the coast of New Jersey, but we certainly have to explore the possibility it is somewhere out in the ocean.”
However, White House spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing Thursday that there are no indications that a foreign government is behind the drone sightings in New Jersey.
“Many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully," Kirby said. “There is no evidence of foreign-based involvement.”
Kirby also said there is no threat to national security or public safety from the drones. In the meantime, the drone sightings continue to be investigated by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
“That said, we certainly take seriously the threat that can be posed by unmanned aircraft systems, which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports – even though they have uncovered no malicious activity or intent at this particular stage,” Kirby said.
Gov. Phil Murphy says there is no apparent danger from the drones. (Courtesy of WHYY)On Wednesday, Gov. Murphy and the Pentagon also disputed Van Drew’s claims about an Iranian ship possibly using drones to spy on the United States, including sensitive areas such as the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal research and manufacturing facility in Morris County.
“The last thing we need is fear mongering out of some members of Congress," Murphy said during his radio call-in show in a swipe at Van Drew.
The governor also said the drones present no apparent danger, although he did express some frustration that the federal government has not yet pinpointed their source. He asserted that federal authorities need to be “bigger, stronger and faster.”
Van Drew, a Republican representing the 2nd Congressional District, including Atlantic and Cape May counties, stirred up a national controversy on Wednesday by issuing a press release and appearing on Fox News to claim that “high level, credible sources” told him that an Iranian ship could be the source of the drones.
To back up his claims, he also cited a Business Insider story on Dec. 5 that reported that a container ship Iran has spent the past few years converting into “a militarized drone carrier” had left port.
Satellite images cited in the Business Insider story indicated that the ship left its home port in Iran between Nov. 12 and Nov. 28, coinciding with the timeframe when drones first began appearing over New Jersey, Van Drew said.
“While we cannot say for certain this is the source of the threat, the coincidence is too great to ignore. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that one of their ships was trailed by several dozen drones while commercial fishermen and local law enforcement have reported observations of drones flying in and out of the Atlantic Ocean, and if that is the case, they have to be landing somewhere,” he said in his video message.
Van Drew said there are reports that the drones are the size of minivans, which would eliminate the possibility of “some backyard hobbyist” flying them over New Jersey.
“We know it is not a commercial entity, which leaves us with two possibilities: it is either our government or it is a foreign adversary. The government has repeatedly denied any involvement, so we are left with only one option to believe,” he said.
Van Drew urged the federal government to shoot down the drones, maintaining that they could be a threat to national security or a danger to the public.
In his video message to his South Jersey constituents, Van Drew called for a “more open and honest dialogue from officials to residents regarding the unidentified drones flying over the state.” He emphasized the importance of transparency in understanding the potential national security implications of these events.
“I want to speak to you directly about a situation that demands our attention. It’s a matter of transparency and public safety, and as your congressman I believe you need to know the facts. Let me start by saying this, I’m not here to alarm anyone. Fear has no place in responsible leadership. But I am here to be honest with you, as I always have been,” he said.
